Filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 22, 2026
Securities Act Registration No. 333-215588
Investment Company Act Reg. No. 811-23226
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
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| REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | [X] |
| Pre-Effective Amendment No. | | | [ ] |
| Post-Effective Amendment No. | 559 | | [X] |
and
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| REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 | [X] |
| Amendment No. | 561 | | [X] |
LISTED FUNDS TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code): (608) 716-8890
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Kacie Briody, President Listed Funds Trust c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 (Name and Address of Agent for Service) | Copy to: Laura E. Flores Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004-2541 |
As soon as practical after the effective date of this Registration Statement
(Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering)
It is proposed that this filing will become effective
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| [ ] | | Immediately upon filing pursuant to Rule 485(b). |
| [ ] | | on (date) pursuant to Rule 485(b). |
| [ ] | | 60 days after filing pursuant to Rule 485(a)(1). |
| [ ] | | on (date) pursuant to Rule 485(a)(1). |
| [X] | | 75 days after filing pursuant to Rule 485(a)(2). |
| [ ] | | on (date) pursuant to Rule 485(a)(2). |
If appropriate, check the following box:
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| [ ] | | This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment. |
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
Dated June 22, 2026
THE INFORMATION HEREIN IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.
AlphaDroid® AI, Robotics, Hyperscaler Power ETF ([...])
AlphaDroid® Sweet 16 Giga Cap Stocks ETF ([...])
Each, a series of Listed Funds Trust
Listed on [The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC]
PROSPECTUS
[...], 2026
These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), nor has the SEC passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ALPHADROID® AI, ROBOTICS, HYPERSCALER POWER ETF - FUND SUMMARY |
Investment Objective
The AlphaDroid® AI, Robotics, Hyperscaler Power ETF (the “AI Power ETF” or the “Fund”) seeks to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the EZ-AI AlphaDroid® AI, Robotics, Hyperscaler Power Index (the “AI Power Index” or the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
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Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) | None |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
| Management Fee | [...]% |
| Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | None |
Other Expenses1 | [...]% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1 | [...]% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2 | [...]% |
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1.Estimated for current fiscal year.
2.The “Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses” will not correlate to the expense ratios in the Fund’s Financial Highlights and financial statements because the Financial Highlights and financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund and exclude Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, which are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies.
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem 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. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you may pay on your purchases and sales of Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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| 1 Year | $[...] | 3 Years | $[...] |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs a “passive management” (or indexing) investment approach designed to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the component securities of the Index or other investments that provide exposure that is substantially similar to that of the Index components.
The AI Power Index
The Index is a rules-based index developed, owned, and maintained by SumGrowth, Inc. (“SumGrowth Indexes” or the “Index Provider”). The Index seeks to identify whether U.S. equity markets are in an advancing “bull” market or appear to have an elevated risk of market decline. During bull markets, the Index applies proprietary methodologies to select securities having the highest expected subsequent monthly return performance (a “Momentum Leader”) from six Strategic Categories that, together, are intended to provide exposure to companies involved in the development and utilization of artificial intelligence, robotics, and the power infrastructure necessary to support AI data centers. During market declines, the Index employs a defensive strategy that seeks to avoid risk and secure a positive return by selecting defensive ETFs for inclusion in its Strategic Categories.
The Index is composed of six Strategic Categories, each with an assigned allocation weight. At each month-end, each Strategic Category selects one security (a stock or an ETF, as applicable) as its Momentum Leader to represent the Strategic Category in the Index portfolio. The Strategic Categories, their respective weights, and the strategy candidates eligible for selection are set forth below. The strategy candidate stocks and ETFs listed are the candidates eligible as of the date of this Prospectus and may change over time.
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| Strategic Category | Weight | Strategy Candidates (by ticker) |
| AI Robotic Stocks | 15% | SYK, ZBRA, AVAV, SYM, TSLA, KTOS, RKLB, ISRG, CGNX, TER, NOVT, Defensive Backstop ETFs, Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs |
| AI Chip Stocks | 15% | INTC, NVDA, TSM, ARM, MU, AMAT, ASML, AVGO, AMD, QCOM, KLAC, Defensive Backstop ETFs, Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs |
| AI Code Stocks | 15% | ORCL, PANW, PLTR, ACN, ADBE, CRM, GOOG, AMZN, META, MSFT, AAPL, Defensive Backstop ETFs, Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs |
| AI Tech ETFs | 20% | AIQ, WISE, THNQ, WTAI, CHAT, ARKW, XT, IGPT, QQQ, Defensive Backstop ETFs, Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs |
| AI Robotics ETFs | 20% | BOTZ, ROBO, IBOT, ROBT, HUMN, ARKQ, IDRV, ION, BATT, IYW, QQQ, Defensive Backstop ETFs, Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs |
| AI Hyperscaler Power ETFs | 15% | GRID, POWR, EART, AIPO, CNRG, DTCR, XLE, ICLN, NLR, TAN, BATT, Defensive Backstop ETFs, Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs |
The “AI Robotic Stocks” Strategic Category includes the common stocks (or corresponding American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”)) of companies that produce industrial, medical, rescue, and humanoid robots. The “AI Chip Stocks” Strategic Category includes the common stocks (or corresponding ADRs) of companies that produce semiconductors or their associated processing, packaging, and test equipment. The “AI Code Stocks” Strategic Category includes the common stocks (or corresponding ADRs) of companies that produce AI models, agentic applications, and research tools. The “AI Tech ETFs” Strategic Category includes Strategy ETFs that invest primarily in one or more AI-related subcategories such as semiconductors, generative AI, advanced search, and agentic applications. The “AI Robotics ETFs” Strategic Category includes Strategy ETFs that invest primarily in one or more robotics subcategories such as industrial, medical, rescue, and humanoid robots. The “AI Hyperscaler Power ETFs” Strategic Category includes Strategy ETFs that invest in one or more power generation, transmission, or storage subcategories tied to AI data center electricity demand.
The tickers are representative of the current Index, not a fixed or exhaustive universe, and the set changes over time. For the AI Power Index, there is no fixed schedule - the Index Provider replaces a candidate on an as-needed basis when it is no longer available (e.g., terminated or merged) with another suitable candidate in that category; new candidates likewise require at least a one-year history (no IPOs).
In determining each Strategic Category’s Momentum Leader, the Index first seeks to determine whether U.S. equity markets appear to be in an advancing market (a “Bull” indicator) or appear to have an elevated risk of market decline (a “Bear” indicator) using its proprietary Bull/Bear Indicator (defined and discussed in more detail below). When a Bull market is indicated, the Index selects a portfolio of three common stocks and three Strategy ETFs comprising the Momentum Leaders of each of its six Strategic Categories. Eligible Strategy ETFs are initially identified for eligibility in the applicable Strategic Categories based on the Index Provider’s review of Strategy ETF names and investment objectives. The Index Provider determines the universe of eligible stocks for each applicable Strategic Category based on company sectors, industries, and capitalizations. For both Strategy ETFs and stocks, redundant candidates with a shorter trading history, smaller capitalization or asset size, relatively erratic performance, or higher expense ratios, as applicable, may be excluded.
During faltering Bull markets, the Index model further considers the momentum of a “Defensive Backstop” strategy intended to provide a performance floor for the Momentum Leader selection process. The Defensive Backstop strategies include a broad set of defensive asset class ETFs (“Defensive Backstop ETFs”) that may include ETFs that primarily seek exposure to (1) commodities, (2) any-term US Treasuries, (3) any-term aggregate, corporate, municipal, and high-yield bonds, (4) US dollar indices, (5) primary sectors, and (6) broad US equity markets. During Bear markets, each underlying momentum strategy automatically switches its model to a Bear market strategy by replacing the strategic candidate stocks and Strategy ETFs with a set of defensive ETFs that are expected to perform better in Bear markets (“Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs”, and together with Strategy ETFs and Defensive Backstop ETFs, “Underlying ETFs”), which include ETFs (including inverse ETFs) that primarily seek exposure to (1) inflation-protected treasuries; (2) any-term US treasuries; (3) any-term aggregate or corporate bonds; (4) high-yield bonds; (5) gold; and (6) broad-based U.S. equity market indices. . Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs will be selected based on a proprietary strategy created by the Index Provider. Defensive Backstop ETFs and Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs may include Strategy ETFs or may be ETFs outside of the candidate ETFs noted above, and may include ETFs registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) and exchange-traded products (“ETPs”) registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). More information about the Index can be found under “Additional Information About the Funds.”
The Index will remain in a Bull mode (or a Bear mode), as the case may be, until the algorithm determines to shift from Bull to Bear (or vice versa). Shifts between Bull and Bear mode generally occur at calendar month-end but may occur mid-month if the algorithm anticipates significant market shifts. The Index is reconstructed and rebalanced at each month-end and following each shift of the Bull/Bear Indicator.
The Index applies a proprietary methodology when selecting the Index components within each Bull mode and Bear mode. The Index Provider employs a proprietary algorithm utilizing numerical market data to determine whether the market appears to be in a Bull or Bear state (the “Bull/Bear Indicator”). The Index utilizes Fuzzy Logic, a simple form of artificial intelligence (“AI”) in its Bull/Bear Indicator as well as third-party data and information in selecting Index components. See “Additional Information About the Funds – Bull Mode Index Construction” and “Additional Information About the Funds – Utilization of AI in Each Index’s Methodology” for more information.
The Fund’s Investment Strategy
The Fund typically uses a “replication” strategy to seek to achieve its investment objective, meaning the Fund will invest in all or a substantial portion of the component securities of the Index in the same approximate proportions as in the Index, but may, when the Adviser believes it is in the best interests of the Fund, such as when replicating the Index involves practical difficulties, substantial costs, or when an Index constituent becomes temporarily unavailable or illiquid, use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning the Fund may invest in a sample of the Index’s component securities whose risk, return and other characteristics closely resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of the Index as a whole.
Up to 20% of the Fund’s assets may be held in cash and cash equivalents (including U.S. Treasury bills), or in other stocks or ETFs not included in the Index but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund pursue its investment strategy or as may be necessary for the Fund to comply with regulatory constraints (for example, potential limitations on investments in some Underlying ETFs).
The Fund is expected to be as fully invested as practical, although it may maintain liquidity reserves to meet redemption requests. The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in any single Underlying ETF or stock. To the extent the Index concentrates (i.e., holds more than 25% of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the Index, and may at times be heavily invested in one or more sectors.
The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified,” which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund.
Principal Investment Risks
The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. In addition to the Fund’s direct investment, because the Fund invests in Underlying ETFs, the principal risks of investing in the Fund are closely related to the principal risks associated with the Underlying ETFs and their investments. To the extent a reference refers to the Fund, it should be read to refer to the Underlying ETFs where the context requires. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with the risks of other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its investment objective. The following risks could affect the value of your investment in the Fund:
•Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Deep Learning Investment Risk. Companies across a wide variety of industries, primarily in the technology sector, are exploring the possible applications of AI, machine learning and other deep learning technologies. The extent of such technologies’ versatility has not yet been fully explored. Consequently, the Fund’s holdings may include equity securities of operating companies that focus on or have exposure to a wide variety of activities in addition to their AI, machine learning and deep learning activities, and the economic fortunes of such companies may be tied to such other activities. Currently, there are few public companies for which AI, machine learning and deep learning technologies represent an attributable and significant revenue or profit stream, and such technologies may not ultimately have a material effect on the economic returns of companies in which the Fund invests. Companies that do have a focus on such technologies may rely on a combination of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secret laws to establish and protect their proprietary rights in their products and technologies. These companies also tend to engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development, and there is no guarantee that these products or services will be successful. The securities of such companies, especially smaller, start-up companies, also are typically more volatile than those of companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The success and widespread use of AI in the future may be impacted by public sentiment.
•Asset Allocation Risk. Asset allocation decisions, techniques, or analyses, or models implemented by the Index may not produce the expected returns, may cause the Fund’s shares to lose value, or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment goals. Although the theory behind asset allocation is that diversification among asset classes can help reduce volatility over the long term, you still may lose money and/or experience price volatility. Performance of asset classes and Underlying ETFs may diverge from historical performance and assumptions used to develop allocations in light of actual market conditions. There is a risk that you could achieve better returns by investing in individual ETFs or funds representing a single asset class rather than
investing in a fund of funds. The Fund’s performance is also closely related to the Underlying ETFs’ performance and ability to meet their investment goals. Shareholders bear indirectly the expenses of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests in addition to the Fund’s management fee, so there is a risk of an additional layer or layers of fees.
•Bear Market Bond Risk. When the Bull/Bear Indicator reflects a “Bear” designation and the Index shifts to Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs, the Fund will be subject to bond and fixed-income risks. Changes in interest rates generally will cause the value of fixed-income and bond instruments held by Underlying ETFs to vary inversely to such changes. Prices of longer-term fixed-income instruments generally fluctuate more than the prices of shorter-term fixed-income instruments as interest rates change.
Fixed-income instruments that are fixed-rate are generally more susceptible than floating rate loans to price volatility related to changes in prevailing interest rates. The prices of floating rate fixed-income instruments tend to have less fluctuation in response to changes in interest rates, but will have some fluctuation, particularly when the next interest rate adjustment on such security is further away in time or adjustments are limited in amount over time. Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs may invest in short-term securities that, when interest rates decline, affect the ETF’s yield as these securities mature or are sold and the ETF purchases new short-term securities with lower yields. An obligor’s willingness and ability to pay interest or to repay principal due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow.
In addition, Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs may invest in various fixed income and floating rate securities (such as municipal securities and high-yield (junk) bond securities) that are subject to additional risks. Those risks may be material and the risks differ for each of the types of underlying investments.
•Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk. Holding cash or cash equivalents rather than securities or other instruments, even strategically, may cause the Fund to risk losing opportunities to participate in market appreciation, and may cause the Fund to experience potentially lower returns than other funds that remain fully invested. In rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents will negatively affect the Fund’s performance relative to its benchmark.
•Commodity-Linked ETF Risk. Under certain conditions, the Fund may invest in Underlying ETFs that, in turn, hold or are economically linked to commodities such as gold. The value of such Underlying ETFs may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting a particular commodity, including weather, embargoes, tariffs, and international economic, political and regulatory developments. The prices of commodities may be volatile and fluctuate substantially over short periods of time.
•Concentration Risk. Because the Fund’s assets will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund is subject to loss due to adverse occurrences that may affect that industry or group of industries.
•Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser, and/or other service providers (including custodians and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches or data corruption. Additionally, cybersecurity failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, the Fund’s other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants (“APs”), the Fund’s primary listing exchange, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to disrupt and negatively affect the Fund’s business operations, including the ability to purchase and sell Shares, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders.
•Depositary Receipt Risk. Depositary receipts, including ADRs, involve risks similar to those associated with investments in foreign securities, such as changes in political or economic conditions of other countries and changes in the exchange rates of foreign currencies. Depositary receipts listed on U.S. exchanges are issued by banks or trust companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares (“Underlying Shares”). When the Fund invests in depositary receipts as a substitute for an investment directly in the Underlying Shares, the Fund is exposed to the risk that the depositary receipts may not provide a return that corresponds precisely with that of the Underlying Shares. Because the Underlying Shares trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, the Fund may experience premiums and discounts greater than those of funds without exposure to such Underlying Shares.
•Early Close/Trading Halt Risk. An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific investments, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments, and/or may incur substantial trading losses.
•Emerging Markets Risk. Emerging markets are subject to greater market volatility, lower trading volume, political and economic instability, increased potential for market manipulation, uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets and more governmental limitations on foreign investment than more developed markets. In addition, securities in emerging markets may be subject to greater price fluctuations than securities in more developed markets. Differences in regulatory, accounting, auditing, and financial reporting and recordkeeping standards could impede the Adviser’s ability to evaluate local companies and impact the Fund’s performance.
•Equity Securities Risk. The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, sectors or companies in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. Preferred stocks are subject to the risk that the dividend on the stock may be changed or omitted by the issuer, and that participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited.
•ETF Risks. The Fund is an ETF and invests in other ETFs. As a result of its structure, it is exposed, directly or indirectly, to the following risks:
◦Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting if either: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
◦Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV Risk. As with all ETFs, Shares 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 Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. Because securities held by the Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, the Fund is likely to experience premiums or discounts greater than those of ETFs that invest in and hold only securities and other investments that are listed and trade in the U.S.
◦Trading Risk. Although Shares are listed for trading on [The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC] (the “Exchange”) and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than the Shares.
•Fixed Income Securities Risk. Generally, the value of fixed income securities will change inversely with changes in interest rates. As interest rates rise, the market value of fixed income securities tends to decrease. Conversely, as interest rates fall, the market value of fixed income securities tends to increase. This risk will be greater for long-term securities than for short-term securities. In recent periods, governmental financial regulators, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, have taken steps to decrease interest rates. Changes in government intervention may have adverse effects on investments, volatility, and the liquidity of debt markets.
◦Call Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by an Underlying ETF may “call” or repay the security prior to its stated maturity, and the Underlying ETF may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in an Underlying ETF’s income.
◦Credit Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make payments of interest and principal 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 an investment in that issuer.
◦Extension Risk. During periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline in income and potentially in the value of the investment.
◦Floating Rate Securities Risk. These securities pay interest at rates that change periodically to reflect changes in market interest rates. Securities with floating or variable interest rates can be less sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. A decline in interest rates may result in a reduction of income received from floating rate securities held by the Fund and may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s shares. Generally, floating rate securities carry lower yields than fixed notes of the same maturity. The interest rate for a floating rate note resets or adjusts periodically by reference to a benchmark interest rate. The impact of interest rate changes on floating rate investments is typically mitigated by the periodic interest rate reset of the investments. Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. Floating rate notes generally are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, may
trade infrequently, and their value may be impaired when the Fund needs to liquidate such loans. Benchmark interest rates, such as the SOFR, may not accurately track market interest rates.
◦Income Risk. An Underlying ETF’s income may decline if interest rates fall. The risk of decline in income is heightened when fixed income instruments held by the Underlying ETF have floating or variable interest rates.
◦Inflation Risk. The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
◦Interest Rate Risk. Generally, the value of fixed income securities will change inversely with changes in interest rates. As interest rates rise, the market value of fixed income securities tends to decrease. Conversely, as interest rates fall, the market value of fixed income securities tends to increase. This risk will be greater for long-term securities than for short-term securities. Changes in government intervention may have adverse effects on investments, volatility, and illiquidity in debt markets.
◦Prepayment Risk. When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the proceeds may have to be invested in securities with lower yields.
•Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. These include risks of adverse changes in foreign economic, political, regulatory and other conditions; changes in currency exchange rates or exchange control regulations (including limitations on currency movements and exchanges); differing accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices; differing securities market structures; and higher transaction costs. In addition, the securities of some foreign companies may be less liquid and, at times, more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies.
•Fund of Funds Risk. Because the Fund invests significantly in other funds, the Fund’s investment performance largely depends on the investment performance of the selected Underlying ETFs. An investment in the Fund is subject to the risks associated with the Underlying ETFs that comprise the Index. At times, certain of the segments of the market represented by constituent Underlying ETFs in the Index may be out of favor and underperform other segments. The Fund will indirectly pay a proportional share of the expenses of the Underlying ETFs in which it invests (including operating expenses and management fees), which are identified in the fee schedule above as “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.”
•Geographic Investment Risk. To the extent an Underlying ETF invests a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region.
◦Risks Relating to Investing in Asia. Although many Asian economies have experienced growth and development in recent years, there is no assurance that this growth will continue. Other Asian economies, however, have been and continue to be subject, to some extent, to over-extension of credit, currency devaluations and restrictions, high unemployment, high inflation, decreased exports and economic recessions. Economic events in any one country can have a significant economic effect on the entire Asian region as well as on major trading partners outside Asia. Many Asian countries are subject to political risk, including corruption and conflict with neighboring Asian and non-Asian countries. For instance, the historical tensions between North Korea and South Korea, each of which has substantial military capabilities, present the risk of war and any outbreak of hostility between the two countries could adversely affect Asia as a whole. In addition, in recent years, certain Asian nations have developed strained relations with the United States and, if these relations worsen, they could affect international trade. In addition, many Asian countries are prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis, and an Underlying ETF’s investments in Asian issuers may be more likely to be affected by such events than its investments in other geographic regions. Any changes or trends in these economic, political and social factors could have a significant impact on Asian economies overall and may negatively affect an Underlying ETF’s investments.
◦Risks Related to Investing in China. The Chinese economy is generally considered an emerging market and can be significantly affected by economic and political conditions and policy in China and surrounding Asian countries. A relatively small number of Chinese companies represent a large portion of China’s total market and thus may be more sensitive to adverse political or economic circumstances and market movements. The economy of China differs, often unfavorably, from the U.S. economy in such respects as structure, general development, government involvement, wealth distribution, rate of inflation, growth rate, allocation of resources and capital reinvestment, among others. Under China’s political and economic system, the central government has historically exercised substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership. In addition, expropriation, including nationalization, confiscatory taxation, political, economic or social instability or other developments could adversely affect and significantly diminish the values of the Chinese companies in which an Underlying ETF invests. Additionally, from time to time, China has experienced outbreaks of infectious illnesses, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and the country may be subject to other public health threats, diseases or similar issues in the future. An Underlying ETF may invest in shares of Chinese companies
traded on stock markets in Mainland China or Hong Kong. These stock markets have experienced high levels of volatility, which may continue in the future. The Hong Kong stock market may behave differently from the Mainland China stock market and there may be little to no correlation between the performance of the Hong Kong stock market and the Mainland China stock market.
•Geopolitical/Natural Disaster Risks. The Fund’s investments are subject to geopolitical and natural disaster risks, such as war, terrorism, trade disputes, political or economic dysfunction within some nations, public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters, epidemics and/or pandemics, which may add to instability in world economies and volatility in markets. The impact may be short-term or may last for extended periods.
•Gold Risk. The Fund may, from time to time, invest in Underlying ETFs that, in turn, hold gold or invest primarily in the gold industry. The prices of gold and gold operating companies are affected by the price of gold as well as other prevailing market conditions. These prices may be volatile, fluctuating substantially over short periods of time. In times of stable economic growth, traditional equity and debt investments could offer greater appreciation potential and the price of gold may be adversely affected.
•Government Obligations Risk. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities where it is not obligated to do so by law, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”). Securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have historically been supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government. While the U.S. government provides financial support to various U.S. government-sponsored agencies and instrumentalities, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, no assurance can be given that it will always do so. In September 2008, at the direction of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed into conservatorship under the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), an independent regulator, and they remain in such status as of the date of this Prospectus. The U.S. government also took steps to provide additional financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
•High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may frequently buy and sell investments, which may result in a high portfolio turnover rate. The Index is rebalanced monthly and may rebalance more frequently in response to shifts in the Bull/Bear Indicator, which may result in substantial portfolio turnover. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the Fund paying higher levels of transaction costs and generating greater tax liabilities for shareholders. Portfolio turnover risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than you expect.
•Hyperscaler Power Infrastructure Companies Risk. Hyperscaler power infrastructure companies are large, scalable, cloud service providers that offer AI models the computing power and data storage necessary for training and development. As such, these companies may be affected by unpredictable energy demand, related regulation, and infrastructure needs. Furthermore, an investment in a hyperscaler company may be impacted by developments in technology that reduce energy intensity, higher power prices, or shifts in the geographic location of data center development.
•Index Calculation Risk. Although the Index Provider provides descriptions of what the Index is designed to achieve, the Index Provider does not provide any warranty or accept any liability in relation to the quality, accuracy or completeness of data in respect of its indices, and does not guarantee that the Index will be calculated in accordance with its stated methodology. Errors in respect of the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data used to compile the Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected for a period of time. As a result, losses associated with Index errors will generally be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.
•Index Tracking Risk. The Fund and certain Underlying ETFs or other funds in which the Fund invests are not actively managed and instead attempt to track the performance of an unmanaged index of securities. This differs from an actively managed fund, which typically seeks to outperform a benchmark index. As a result, its holdings will hold constituent securities of the applicable index regardless of the current or projected performance of a specific security or a particular industry or market sector. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Underlying ETF’s or Fund’s return to be lower than if it had employed an active strategy. In addition, the return may not match or achieve a high degree of correlation with the return of the applicable index due to expenses and transaction costs incurred in adjusting its portfolio. It is possible it may not always fully replicate the performance of the index.
•Inflation-Indexed Bonds Risk. Inflation-indexed bonds are debt securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers use a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon. Although inflation-indexed bonds may be somewhat less liquid than Treasury Securities, they are generally as liquid as most other government securities. If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. An Underlying ETF may also invest in other inflation related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.
•Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. This can reduce the Fund’s returns because the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices.
•Market Capitalization Risk.
◦Large-Capitalization Investing Risk. The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and, therefore, subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies also may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
◦Mid-Capitalization Investing Risk. The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of large-capitalization companies. The securities of mid-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than large-capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some mid-capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, financial resources, and management personnel and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to large-capitalization companies.
◦Small-Capitalization Investing Risk. The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of large- or mid-capitalization companies. The securities of small-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than large- or mid-capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some small-capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, and financial and managerial resources and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to larger capitalization companies. There is typically less publicly available information concerning smaller-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Small-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.
•Market Risk. The trading prices of securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. These factors include events impacting the entire market or specific market segments, such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. The Fund’s NAV and market price, like security and commodity prices generally, may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time. In addition, government actions or interventions (including, but not limited, to the threat or imposition of tariffs, trade restrictions, currency restrictions or similar actions) as well as developments related to economic, political (including geopolitical), social, public health, market, extreme weather, natural or man-made disasters, or other conditions or events have in the past and may in the future result in volatility in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit, and/or debt markets, which could adversely impact the Fund and its investments and their value and performance. These developments as well as other events could result in further market volatility and negatively affect financial asset prices, the liquidity of certain securities and the normal operations of securities exchanges and other markets.
•Momentum Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit momentum characteristics may be more volatile than the market as a whole. In addition, the returns of securities that previously have exhibited price momentum may be less than the returns of other styles of investing. Momentum can turn quickly, and stocks that previously have exhibited high momentum may not experience continued positive momentum, and they may also experience rapid and substantial declines in value. In addition, there may be periods when the momentum style of investing is out of favor, and the investment performance of the Fund may be negatively affected compared to the returns from other styles of investing.
•Monthly Rebalance Risk. Because the Index generally changes its exposure based on data only as of the last business day of each month, (i) the Index’s exposure may be affected by significant market movements at or near month end that are not predictive of the market’s performance for the subsequent month and (ii) changes to the Index’s exposure may lag a significant change in the market’s direction (up or down) by as long as a month if such changes first take effect at or near the beginning of a month. Such lags between market performance and changes to the Index’s exposure may result in significant underperformance relative to the broader equity or fixed income market.
•Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Certain Underlying ETFs may invest in U.S. government agency-backed mortgage- and asset-backed securities. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk. Modest movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain types of these securities. When interest rates fall, mortgage- and asset-backed securities may be subject to prepayment risk. When interest rates rise, certain types of mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to extension risk. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities can also be subject to the risk of default on the underlying residential or commercial mortgage(s) or other assets.
•New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have no track record or history on which to base their investment decision.
•Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. As a result, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a smaller number of issuers than a fund
that invests more widely. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
•Other Investment Companies and ETPs Risk. The risks of investment in other investment companies, including ETFs registered under the 1940 Act, and ETPs registered under the 1933 Act, typically reflect the risks of the types of instruments in which the investment companies invest. By investing in another investment company or ETP, the Fund becomes a shareholder of that investment company or ETP and bears its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the other investment company or ETP. The Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in other investment companies and ETPs. Investments in ETFs are also subject to the “ETF Risks” described above. The Fund may also invest in investment companies that pursue inverse investment strategies. Such investment companies are very different from most mutual funds or ETFs in that they seek to provide inverse investment results on a daily basis and are intended to be used as short-term trading vehicles. Such funds are not intended to be used by, and are not appropriate for, investors who do not intend to actively manage and monitor their portfolios. Because the ETPs in which the Fund may invest may have a significant portion of their assets exposed directly or indirectly to commodities or commodity-linked securities, developments affecting commodities may have a disproportionate impact on such ETPs and may subject the ETPs to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The shares of ETPs are not registered under the 1940 Act, and therefore, do not afford the Fund the investor protections of 1940 Act registered funds.
•Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and its Adviser would not sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security industry or sector unless that security is removed from the Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a rebalancing of the Index as addressed in the Index methodology.
•Quantitative Security Selection Risk. The Index relies on a quantitative model that utilizes AI as well as third-party data and information to select Index components. To the extent the model does not perform as designed or as intended, the Fund’s strategy may not be successfully implemented, and the Fund may lose value. In addition, if the underlying data used to construct the model is incorrect or incomplete, for reasons such as, but not limited to, market disruptions, accounting practices, regulatory matters, or acts of God, any decisions made in reliance thereon may lead to the inclusion or exclusion of Index components that would have been excluded or included had the model or data been correct and complete. The success of the AI models depends on the quality, reliability, and timeliness of the data input. If data is stale, missing, or otherwise inaccurate, the Fund’s investment decisions may be adversely affected.
•Rebalance Postponement & Ad Hoc Rebalance Risk. Unusual market conditions may cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled Index rebalance. A postponement could cause the performance and constituents of the Index, and therefore the Fund, to vary from those expected under normal conditions. Also, the Index Provider may rebalance the Index on an ad hoc basis. The Fund may also rebalance its portfolio to attempt to maintain its tracking of the Index. Any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Therefore, additional ad hoc rebalances may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund.
•Robotics Companies Risk. Securities of robotics companies, especially smaller, start-up companies, may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources, or personnel and are subject to the risks of changes in business cycles, world economic growth, technological progress, and government regulation. As such, these companies tend to be more volatile than securities of companies that do not rely heavily on technology. Companies may rely on a combination of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secret laws to establish and protect their proprietary rights in their products and technologies. There can be no assurance that the steps taken by these companies to protect their proprietary rights will be adequate to prevent the misappropriation of their technology or that competitors will not independently develop technologies that are substantially equivalent or superior to such companies’ technology.
•Sector Risk. The Fund will be subject to economic sector risks. To the extent the Index is weighted more heavily in particular sectors of the economy (such as healthcare, materials, energy, financial services, insurance, etc.), the Fund’s performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Those risks may be material and the risks differ for each of the various sectors.
◦Energy Sector Risk. Issuers in energy-related industries can be significantly affected by fluctuations in energy prices and supply and demand of energy fuels caused by geopolitical events, energy conservation or use of alternative fuel sources, the success of exploration projects, weather or meteorological events, taxes, increased government or environmental regulation, resource depletion, rising interest rates, declines in domestic or foreign production, accidents or catastrophic events, or terrorist threats or attacks, among others. Markets for various energy-related commodities can have significant volatility and are subject to control or manipulation by large producers or purchasers. Companies in the energy sector may need to make substantial expenditures, and to incur significant amounts of debt, in order to maintain or expand their reserves through exploration of new sources of supply, through the development of existing sources, through acquisitions, or through long-term contracts to acquire reserves. Factors adversely affecting producers, refiners, distributors, or others in the energy sector may adversely affect companies that service or supply those entities, either because demand for those products and services is curtailed or those products and services come under price pressure.
◦Health Care Sector Risk. Companies in the health care sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. Companies in the health care sector are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Health care companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies or other market developments. Many new products in the health care sector require significant research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market.
◦Industrials Sector Risk. Issuers in the industrial sector are affected by supply and demand, both for their specific product or service and for industrial sector products in general. The products of such issuers may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates affect the performance of companies in the industrial sector. Issuers in the industrial sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage, product liability claims and exchange rates. The industrial sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors.
◦Information Technology Sector Risk. The information technology sector includes companies engaged in internet software and services, technology hardware and storage peripherals, electronic equipment instruments and components, and semiconductors and semiconductor equipment. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face rapid product obsolescence due to technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Failure to introduce new products, develop and maintain a loyal customer base, or achieve general market acceptance for their products could have a material adverse effect on a company’s business. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on intellectual property and the loss of patent, copyright and trademark protections may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
◦Technology Sector Risk. The Fund’s investments may be exposed to issuers conducting business in the technology sector. The technology sector includes companies that offer software and information technology services, manufacturers and distributors of technology hardware and equipment such as communications equipment, computers and peripherals, electronic equipment and related instruments and semiconductors. The Fund is subject to the risk that the securities of such issuers will underperform the market as a whole due to legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions and/or increased competition affecting the technology sector. The prices of the securities of companies operating in the technology sector are closely tied to market competition, increased sensitivity to short product cycles and aggressive pricing, and problems with bringing products to market.
•Semiconductor Industry Risk. Competitive pressures may have a significant effect on the financial condition of companies in the semiconductor industry. The Fund is subject to the risk that companies that are in the semiconductor industry may be similarly affected by particular economic or market events. As product cycles shorten and manufacturing capacity increases, these companies may become increasingly subject to aggressive pricing, which hampers profitability. Semiconductor companies are vulnerable to wide fluctuations in securities prices due to rapid product obsolescence. Many semiconductor companies may not successfully introduce new products, develop and maintain a loyal customer base or achieve general market acceptance for their products, and failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on their business, results of operations and financial condition. Reduced demand for end-user products, underutilization of manufacturing capacity, and other factors could adversely impact the operating results of companies in the semiconductor industry. Semiconductor companies typically face high capital costs and such companies may need additional financing, which may be difficult to obtain. Semiconductor companies depend significantly on third-party suppliers and the availability of raw materials and may be adversely affected by supply chain disruptions. They also may be subject to risks relating to research and development costs and the availability and price of components. Moreover, they may be heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. Some of the companies involved in the semiconductor industry are also engaged in other lines of business unrelated to the semiconductor business, and they may experience problems with these lines of business, which could adversely affect their operating results. The international operations of many semiconductor companies expose them to risks associated with instability and changes in economic and political conditions, foreign currency fluctuations, changes in foreign regulations, competition from subsidized foreign competitors with lower production costs, tariffs and trade disputes, and other risks inherent to international business. The semiconductor industry is highly cyclical, which may cause the operating results of many semiconductor companies to vary significantly. Companies in the semiconductor industry also may be subject to competition from new market entrants. The stock prices of companies in the semiconductor industry have been and will likely continue to be extremely volatile compared to the overall market.
•Software Industry Risk. The software industry includes companies that publish and distribute software for the business or consumer markets, as well as companies that provide consulting or integration services to other businesses relating to information technology, including computer-system design, system integration, network and systems operations, cloud computing, distributed ledger technology consulting and integration, data management and storage, repair services, and technical support. In addition, the software industry includes companies involved in digital platforms that primarily generate revenue from advertising, content delivery, and other virtual products for consumers. Companies in the software industry are subject to significant competitive pressures, such as aggressive pricing, new market entrants, competition for market share, short product cycles due to an accelerated rate of technological developments and the potential for limited earnings and/or falling profit margins. These companies also face the risks that new services, equipment or technologies will not be accepted by consumers and businesses or will become rapidly obsolete. These factors can affect the profitability of these companies and, as a result, the value of their securities. Patent protection is integral to the success of many companies in this industry. In addition, many software companies have limited operating histories. Prices of these companies’ securities historically have been more volatile than other securities, especially over the short term.
•Special Tax Risk. The Fund intends to qualify as a “regulated investment company” (“RIC”); however, the federal income tax treatment of certain aspects of the proposed operations of the Fund are not entirely clear. In particular, at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income each taxable year must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Qualifying Income Requirement”). Similar to other ETFs, when the Fund disposes of appreciated property by distributing such appreciated property in-kind pursuant to redemption requests of AP shareholders under Section 852(b)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the Fund does not expect to recognize any built-in gain in such appreciated property. Accordingly, the Fund expects to treat the gain realized from the disposition of such appreciated property as not factoring into the Qualifying Income Requirement regardless of whether such gain would have generated non-qualifying income in a taxable disposition. The Fund has not received an opinion of counsel or guidance from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) regarding whether Section 852(b)(6) will be available when the Fund distributes such appreciated property in a redemption transaction. If the IRS or a court were to disagree with the Fund’s position as to the applicability of this nonrecognition rule to the Fund’s dispositions, the Fund could be under-distributed with respect to its income or gains and/or potentially fail to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement. If the Fund is under-distributed, it could be subject to an excise tax, subject to a corporate level tax, and potentially causing the character of the amounts reported to shareholders to be incorrect. Moreover, if the Fund fails to distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income and net tax-exempt income for the taxable year, the Fund would be subject to tax as a regular corporation for the taxable year. Alternatively, the Fund may be required to pay a deficiency dividend (without having received additional cash) and applicable interest, and such dividend would be paid to the then current shareholders of the Fund. In addition, unless the Fund is able to avail itself of a savings provision, a failure of the Qualifying Income Requirement would cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC. If, for any year, the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC, the Fund itself generally would be subject to regular corporate U.S. federal income tax, and distributions received by its shareholders would be subject to further U.S. federal income tax. Failure to comply with the requirements for qualification as a RIC would have significant negative economic consequences to the Fund’s shareholders.
•Tax Risk Related to Section 351 Contributions. The Fund expects to be seeded in connection with one or more transactions intended to qualify under Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), in which contributing shareholders transfer appreciated property to the Fund in exchange for Fund Shares. The tax treatment of such transactions depends on satisfaction of specific requirements under Section 351 and related Treasury regulations, which involve complex questions of fact and law. If the Internal Revenue Service successfully challenges the Section 351 treatment of any such contribution, contributing shareholders could recognize taxable gain on the contribution, and the Fund’s tax basis in the contributed property could differ from the basis it would otherwise have. The Fund and its shareholders may also be adversely affected if Section 351 treatment is not available or is subsequently revoked.
•Tracking Error Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index.
•Valuation Risk. The Underlying ETFs may hold securities or other assets that may be valued on the basis of factors other than readily available market quotations. This may occur, for example, in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including “fair valued” assets or securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that an Underlying ETF could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that an Underlying ETF would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Underlying ETF at that time. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Performance
The Fund is new and therefore does not have a performance history for a full calendar year. In the future, performance information for the Fund will be presented in this section. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.teucrium.com.
Management
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| Investment Adviser: | Teucrium Investment Advisors, LLC |
Portfolio Managers: | Springer Harris, Chris Small, and Joran Haugens each a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, have been portfolio managers of the Fund since its inception in [...] 2026. |
Purchase and Sale of Shares
The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Shares are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker or dealer at market prices, rather than NAV. Because Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (the “bid” price) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (the “ask” price) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market. The difference in the bid and ask prices is referred to as the “bid-ask spread.”
Recent information regarding the Fund’s NAV, market price, how often Shares traded on the Exchange at a premium or discount, and bid-ask spreads can be found on the Fund’s website at www.teucrium.com.
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is held in an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange-traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.
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ALPHADROID® SWEET 16 GIGA CAP STOCKS ETF - FUND SUMMARY |
Investment Objective
The AlphaDroid® Sweet 16 Giga Cap Stocks ETF (the “Sweet 16 ETF” or the “Fund”) seeks to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the EZ-SX AlphaDroid® Sweet 16 Giga Cap Stocks Index (the “Sweet 16 Index” or the “Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
| | | | | |
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) | None |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
| Management Fee | [...]% |
| Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | None |
Other Expenses1 | [...]% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1 | [...]% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2 | [...]% |
| |
1.Estimated for current fiscal year.
2.The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s Financial Highlights and financial statements because the Financial Highlights and financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund and exclude Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, which are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies.
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem 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. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you may pay on your purchases and sales of Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 Year | $[...] | 3 Years | $[...] |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs a “passive management” (or indexing) investment approach designed to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the component securities of the Index or other investments that provide exposure that is substantially similar to that of the Index components.
The Sweet 16 Index
The Index is a rules-based index developed, owned, and maintained by SumGrowth, Inc. (“SumGrowth Indexes” or the “Index Provider”). The Index seeks to identify whether U.S. equity markets are in an advancing “bull” market or appear to have an elevated risk of market decline. During bull markets, the Index applies proprietary methodologies to select securities having the highest expected subsequent monthly return performance (a “Momentum Leader”) from a universe of the 160 largest U.S.-traded common stocks by market capitalization, irrespective of market sector or industry. This universe is expected to include both mega- (also referred to as “giga”) ([add cap range]) and large-capitalization ([add cap range]) securities. During market declines, the Index employs a defensive strategy that seeks to avoid risk and secure a positive return by selecting defensive ETFs for inclusion in its Strategic Categories.
The Index is composed of sixteen underlying momentum strategies, each represented by a particular “Strategic Category.” The 160 candidate stocks are ranked by market capitalization and divided into sixteen Strategic Categories of ten stocks each (Strategic
Category 1 containing the ten largest, through Strategic Category 16 containing the smallest of the 160), irrespective of market sector or industry. Each Strategic Category also includes Defensive Backstop ETFs and Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs (defined and discussed below)). At each month-end, one stock (or a Defensive Backstop ETF or Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETF, depending on market conditions) is selected as the Momentum Leader to represent the Strategic Category in the Index portfolio. The four best-performing strategies, according to the Momentum Leader selection methodologies, are each weighted at 12.00% in the Index (collectively, 48.00%), and the remaining twelve strategies are each weighted at 4.33% (collectively, approximately 52.00%).
| | | | | | | | |
| Allocation Tier | Per-Strategy Weight | Composition |
| Top Quartile (Strategic Categories 1-4) | 12.00% | Four highest-performing momentum strategies – 48.00% aggregate Index weight; OR Defensive Backstop ETFs, Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs |
| Remaining Twelve (Strategic Categories 5-16) | 4.33% | Twelve remaining momentum strategies – approximately 52.00% aggregate Index weight; OR Defensive Backstop ETFs, Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs |
In determining each Strategic Category’s Momentum Leader, the Index first seeks to determine whether U.S. equity markets appear to be in an advancing market (a “Bull” indicator) or appear to have an elevated risk of market decline (a “Bear” indicator) using its proprietary Bull/Bear Indicator (defined and discussed in more detail below). During Bull markets, the Index selects a portfolio of sixteen common stocks comprising the Momentum Leaders of each of its sixteen Strategic Categories, weighted as described above. During faltering Bull markets, the Index model further considers the momentum of a “Defensive Backstop” strategy intended to provide a performance floor for the Momentum Leader selection process. The Defensive Backstop strategies include a broad set of defensive asset class ETFs (“Defensive Backstop ETFs”) that may include ETFs that primarily seek exposure to (1) commodities, (2) any-term US Treasuries, (3) any-term aggregate, corporate, municipal, and high-yield bonds, (4) US dollar indices, (5) primary sectors, and (6) broad US equity markets. During Bear markets, the Index employs a Bear market strategy that seeks to avoid risk and secure a positive return by selecting Momentum Leaders from among a selection of defensive ETFs that are expected to perform better in Bear markets (“Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs”, and together with Defensive Backstop ETFs, “Underlying ETFs”), which include ETFs (including inverse ETFs) that primarily seek exposure to (1) inflation-protected treasuries; (2) any-term US treasuries; (3) any-term aggregate or corporate bonds; (4) high-yield bonds; (5) gold; and (6) broad-based U.S. equity market indices. The Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs will be selected based on a proprietary strategy created by the Index Provider. Defensive Backstop ETFs and Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs may be ETFs registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) and exchange-traded products (“ETPs”) registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). More information about the Index can be found under “Additional Information About the Funds.”
The tickers are representative of the current Index, not a fixed or exhaustive universe, and the set changes over time. For the Sweet 16 Index, the candidates are the current 160 largest U.S.-traded stocks by market capitalization, refreshed annually; candidates must have at least a one-year history, so recent IPOs are not eligible.
The Index will remain in a Bull mode (or a Bear mode), as the case may be, until the algorithm determines to shift from Bull to Bear (or vice versa). Shifts between Bull and Bear mode generally occur at calendar month-end but may occur mid-month if the algorithm anticipates significant market shifts. The Index is reconstructed and rebalanced at each month-end and following each shift of the Bull/Bear Indicator. The Index Provider annually identifies a new set of 160 of the largest capitalized U.S.-traded stocks eligible for inclusion in the Index.
The Index applies a proprietary methodology when selecting the Index components within each Bull mode and Bear mode. The Index Provider employs a proprietary algorithm utilizing numerical market data to determine whether the market appears to be in a Bull or Bear state (the “Bull/Bear Indicator”). The Index utilizes Fuzzy Logic, a simple form of artificial intelligence (“AI”) in its Bull/Bear Indicator as well as third-party data and information in selecting Index components. See “Additional Information About the Funds – Bull Mode Index Construction” and “Additional Information About the Funds – Utilization of AI in Each Index’s Methodology” for more information.
The Fund’s Investment Strategy
The Fund typically uses a “replication” strategy to seek to achieve its investment objective, meaning the Fund will invest in all or a substantial portion of the component securities of the Index in the same approximate proportions as in the Index, but may, when the Adviser believes it is in the best interests of the Fund, such as when replicating the Index involves practical difficulties, substantial costs, or when an Index constituent becomes temporarily unavailable or illiquid, use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning the Fund may invest in a sample of the Index’s component securities whose risk, return and other characteristics closely resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of the Index as a whole.
Up to 20% of the Fund’s assets may be held in cash and cash equivalents (including U.S. Treasury bills), or in other stocks or ETFs not included in the Index but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund pursue its investment strategy or as may be necessary for the Fund to comply with regulatory constraints (for example, potential limitations on investments in some Underlying ETFs).
The Fund is expected to be as fully invested as practical, although it may maintain liquidity reserves to meet redemption requests. To the extent the Index concentrates (i.e., holds more than 25% of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the Index, and may at times be heavily invested in one or more sectors.
The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified,” which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund.
The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations. These loans, if and when made, may not exceed 33 1/3% of the total asset value of the Fund (including the loan collateral). By lending its securities, the Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower.
Principal Investment Risks
The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. In addition to the Fund’s direct investment, because the Fund invests in Underlying ETFs, the principal risks of investing in the Fund are closely related to the principal risks associated with the Underlying ETFs and their investments. To the extent a reference refers to the Fund, it should be read to refer to the Underlying ETFs where the context requires. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with the risks of other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its investment objective. The following risks could affect the value of your investment in the Fund:
•Asset Allocation Risk. Asset allocation decisions, techniques, or analyses, or models implemented by the Index may not produce the expected returns, may cause the Fund’s shares to lose value, or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment goals. Although the theory behind asset allocation is that diversification among asset classes can help reduce volatility over the long term, you still may lose money and/or experience price volatility. Performance of asset classes and Underlying ETFs may diverge from historical performance and assumptions used to develop allocations in light of actual market conditions. There is a risk that you could achieve better returns by investing in individual ETFs or funds representing a single asset class rather than investing in a fund of funds. The Fund’s performance is also closely related to the Underlying ETFs’ performance and ability to meet their investment goals. Shareholders bear indirectly the expenses of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests in addition to the Fund’s management fee, so there is a risk of an additional layer or layers of fees.
•Bear Market Bond Risk. When the Bull/Bear Indicator reflects a “Bear” designation and the Index shifts to Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs, the Fund will be subject to bond and fixed-income risks. Changes in interest rates generally will cause the value of fixed-income and bond instruments held by Underlying ETFs to vary inversely to such changes. Prices of longer-term fixed-income instruments generally fluctuate more than the prices of shorter-term fixed-income instruments as interest rates change.
Fixed-income instruments that are fixed-rate are generally more susceptible than floating rate loans to price volatility related to changes in prevailing interest rates. The prices of floating rate fixed-income instruments tend to have less fluctuation in response to changes in interest rates, but will have some fluctuation, particularly when the next interest rate adjustment on such security is further away in time or adjustments are limited in amount over time. Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs may invest in short-term securities that, when interest rates decline, affect the ETF’s yield as these securities mature or are sold and the ETF purchases new short-term securities with lower yields. An obligor’s willingness and ability to pay interest or to repay principal due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow.
In addition, Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs may invest in various fixed income and floating rate securities (such as municipal securities and high-yield (junk) bond securities) that are subject to additional risks. Those risks may be material and the risks differ for each of the types of underlying investments.
•Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk. Holding cash or cash equivalents rather than securities or other instruments, even strategically, may cause the Fund to risk losing opportunities to participate in market appreciation, and may cause the Fund to experience potentially lower returns than other funds that remain fully invested. In rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents will negatively affect the Fund’s performance relative to its benchmark.
•Commodity-Linked ETF Risk. Under certain conditions, the Fund may invest in Underlying ETFs that, in turn, hold or are economically linked to commodities such as gold. The value of such Underlying ETFs may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting a particular commodity, including weather, embargoes, tariffs, and international economic, political and regulatory developments. The prices of commodities may be volatile and fluctuate substantially over short periods of time.
•Concentration Risk. Because the Fund’s assets will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund is subject to loss due to adverse occurrences that may affect that industry or group of industries.
•Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser, and/or other service providers (including custodians and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches or data corruption. Additionally, cybersecurity failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, the Fund’s other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants (“APs”), the Fund’s primary listing exchange, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to disrupt and negatively affect the Fund’s business operations, including the ability to purchase and sell Shares, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders.
•Early Close/Trading Halt Risk. An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific investments, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments, and/or may incur substantial trading losses.
•Equity Securities Risk. The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, sectors or companies in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. Preferred stocks are subject to the risk that the dividend on the stock may be changed or omitted by the issuer, and that participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited.
•ETF Risks. The Fund is an ETF and invests in other ETFs. As a result of its structure, it is exposed, directly or indirectly, to the following risks:
◦Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting if either: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
◦Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV Risk. As with all ETFs, Shares 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 Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. Because securities held by the Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, the Fund is likely to experience premiums or discounts greater than those of ETFs that invest in and hold only securities and other investments that are listed and trade in the U.S.
◦Trading Risk. Although Shares are listed for trading on [The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC] (the “Exchange”) and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than the Shares.
•Fixed Income Securities Risk. Generally, the value of fixed income securities will change inversely with changes in interest rates. As interest rates rise, the market value of fixed income securities tends to decrease. Conversely, as interest rates fall, the market value of fixed income securities tends to increase. This risk will be greater for long-term securities than for short-term securities. In recent periods, governmental financial regulators, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, have taken steps to decrease interest rates. Changes in government intervention may have adverse effects on investments, volatility, and the liquidity of debt markets.
◦Call Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by an Underlying ETF may “call” or repay the security prior to its stated maturity, and the Underlying ETF may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in an Underlying ETF’s income.
◦Credit Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make payments of interest and principal 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 an investment in that issuer.
◦Extension Risk. During periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline in income and potentially in the value of the investment.
◦Floating Rate Securities Risk. These securities pay interest at rates that change periodically to reflect changes in market interest rates. Securities with floating or variable interest rates can be less sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. A decline in interest rates may result in a reduction of income received from floating rate securities held by the Fund and may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s shares. Generally, floating rate securities carry lower yields than fixed notes of the same maturity. The interest rate for a floating rate note resets or adjusts periodically by reference to a benchmark interest rate. The impact of interest rate changes on floating rate investments is typically mitigated by the periodic interest rate reset of the investments. Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. Floating rate notes generally are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, may trade infrequently, and their value may be impaired when the Fund needs to liquidate such loans. Benchmark interest rates, such as the SOFR, may not accurately track market interest rates.
◦Income Risk. An Underlying ETF’s income may decline if interest rates fall. The risk of decline in income is heightened when fixed income instruments held by the Underlying ETF have floating or variable interest rates.
◦Inflation Risk. The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
◦Interest Rate Risk. Generally, the value of fixed income securities will change inversely with changes in interest rates. As interest rates rise, the market value of fixed income securities tends to decrease. Conversely, as interest rates fall, the market value of fixed income securities tends to increase. This risk will be greater for long-term securities than for short-term securities. Changes in government intervention may have adverse effects on investments, volatility, and illiquidity in debt markets.
◦Prepayment Risk. When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the proceeds may have to be invested in securities with lower yields.
•Fund of Funds Risk. Because the Fund may invest significantly in other funds, the Fund’s investment performance largely depends on the investment performance of the selected Underlying ETFs. An investment in the Fund is subject to the risks associated with the Underlying ETFs that comprise the Index. At times, certain of the segments of the market represented by constituent Underlying ETFs in the Index may be out of favor and underperform other segments. The Fund will indirectly pay a proportional share of the expenses of the Underlying ETFs in which it invests (including operating expenses and management fees), which are identified in the fee schedule above as “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.”
•Geopolitical/Natural Disaster Risks. The Fund’s investments are subject to geopolitical and natural disaster risks, such as war, terrorism, trade disputes, political or economic dysfunction within some nations, public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters, epidemics and/or pandemics, which may add to instability in world economies and volatility in markets. The impact may be short-term or may last for extended periods.
•Gold Risk. The Fund may, from time to time, invest in Underlying ETFs that, in turn, hold gold or invest primarily in the gold industry. The prices of gold and gold operating companies are affected by the price of gold as well as other prevailing market conditions. These prices may be volatile, fluctuating substantially over short periods of time. In times of stable economic growth, traditional equity and debt investments could offer greater appreciation potential and the price of gold may be adversely affected.
•Government Obligations Risk. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities where it is not obligated to do so by law, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”). Securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have historically been supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government. While the U.S. government provides financial support to various U.S. government-sponsored agencies and instrumentalities, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, no assurance can be given that it will always do so. In September 2008, at the direction of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed into conservatorship under the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), an independent regulator, and they remain in such status as of the date of this Prospectus. The U.S. government also took steps to provide additional financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
•High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may frequently buy and sell investments, which may result in a high portfolio turnover rate. The Index is rebalanced monthly and may rebalance more frequently in response to shifts in the Bull/Bear Indicator, which may result in substantial portfolio turnover. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the Fund paying higher levels of transaction
costs and generating greater tax liabilities for shareholders. Portfolio turnover risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than you expect.
•Index Calculation Risk. Although the Index Provider provides descriptions of what the Index is designed to achieve, the Index Provider does not provide any warranty or accept any liability in relation to the quality, accuracy or completeness of data in respect of its indices, and does not guarantee that the Index will be calculated in accordance with its stated methodology. Errors in respect of the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data used to compile the Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected for a period of time. As a result, losses associated with Index errors will generally be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.
•Index Tracking Risk. The Fund and certain Underlying ETFs or other funds in which the Fund invests are not actively managed and instead attempt to track the performance of an unmanaged index of securities. This differs from an actively managed fund, which typically seeks to outperform a benchmark index. As a result, its holdings will hold constituent securities of the applicable index regardless of the current or projected performance of a specific security or a particular industry or market sector. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Underlying ETF’s or Fund’s return to be lower than if it had employed an active strategy. In addition, the return may not match or achieve a high degree of correlation with the return of the applicable index due to expenses and transaction costs incurred in adjusting its portfolio. It is possible it may not always fully replicate the performance of the index.
•Inflation-Indexed Bonds Risk. Inflation-indexed bonds are debt securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers use a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon. Although inflation-indexed bonds may be somewhat less liquid than Treasury Securities, they are generally as liquid as most other government securities. If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. An Underlying ETF may also invest in other inflation related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.
•Large-Capitalization Investing Risk. The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and, therefore, subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies also may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
•Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. This can reduce the Fund’s returns because the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices.
•Market Risk. The trading prices of securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. These factors include events impacting the entire market or specific market segments, such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. The Fund’s NAV and market price, like security and commodity prices generally, may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time. In addition, government actions or interventions (including, but not limited, to the threat or imposition of tariffs, trade restrictions, currency restrictions or similar actions) as well as developments related to economic, political (including geopolitical), social, public health, market, extreme weather, natural or man-made disasters, or other conditions or events have in the past and may in the future result in volatility in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit, and/or debt markets, which could adversely impact the Fund and its investments and their value and performance. These developments as well as other events could result in further market volatility and negatively affect financial asset prices, the liquidity of certain securities and the normal operations of securities exchanges and other markets.
•Momentum Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit momentum characteristics may be more volatile than the market as a whole. In addition, the returns of securities that previously have exhibited price momentum may be less than the returns of other styles of investing. Momentum can turn quickly, and stocks that previously have exhibited high momentum may not experience continued positive momentum, and they may also experience rapid and substantial declines in value. In addition, there may be periods when the momentum style of investing is out of favor, and the investment performance of the Fund may be negatively affected compared to the returns from other styles of investing.
•Monthly Rebalance Risk. Because the Index generally changes its exposure based on data only as of the last business day of each month, (i) the Index’s exposure may be affected by significant market movements at or near month end that are not predictive of the market’s performance for the subsequent month and (ii) changes to the Index’s exposure may lag a significant change in the market’s direction (up or down) by as long as a month if such changes first take effect at or near the beginning of a month. Such lags between market performance and changes to the Index’s exposure may result in significant underperformance relative to the broader equity or fixed income market.
•Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. The Underlying ETFs may invest in U.S. government agency-backed mortgage- and asset-backed securities. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk. Modest movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain types of these securities. When interest rates fall, mortgage- and asset-backed securities may be subject to prepayment risk. When interest rates rise, certain types of mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to extension risk. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities can also be subject to the risk of default on the underlying residential or commercial mortgage(s) or other assets.
•New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have no track record or history on which to base their investment decision.
•Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. As a result, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a smaller number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
•Other Investment Companies and ETPs Risk. The risks of investment in other investment companies, including ETFs registered under the 1940 Act, and ETPs registered under the 1933 Act, typically reflect the risks of the types of instruments in which the investment companies invest. By investing in another investment company or ETP, the Fund becomes a shareholder of that investment company or ETP and bears its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the other investment company or ETP. The Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in other investment companies and ETPs. Investments in ETFs are also subject to the “ETF Risks” described above. The Fund may also invest in investment companies that pursue inverse investment strategies. Such investment companies are very different from most mutual funds or ETFs in that they seek to provide inverse investment results on a daily basis and are intended to be used as short-term trading vehicles. Such funds are not intended to be used by, and are not appropriate for, investors who do not intend to actively manage and monitor their portfolios. Because the ETPs in which the Fund may invest may have a significant portion of their assets exposed directly or indirectly to commodities or commodity-linked securities, developments affecting commodities may have a disproportionate impact on such ETPs and may subject the ETPs to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The shares of ETPs are not registered under the 1940 Act, and therefore, do not afford the Fund the investor protections of 1940 Act registered funds.
•Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and its Adviser would not sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security industry or sector unless that security is removed from the Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a rebalancing of the Index as addressed in the Index methodology.
•Quantitative Security Selection Risk. The Index relies on a quantitative model that utilizes AI as well as third-party data and information to select Index components. To the extent the model does not perform as designed or as intended, the Fund’s strategy may not be successfully implemented, and the Fund may lose value. In addition, if the underlying data used to construct the model is incorrect or incomplete, for reasons such as, but not limited to, market disruptions, accounting practices, regulatory matters, or acts of God, any decisions made in reliance thereon may lead to the inclusion or exclusion of Index components that would have been excluded or included had the model or data been correct and complete. The success of the AI models depends on the quality, reliability, and timeliness of the data input. If data is stale, missing, or otherwise inaccurate, the Fund’s investment decisions may be adversely affected.
•Rebalance Postponement & Ad Hoc Rebalance Risk. Unusual market conditions may cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled Index rebalance. A postponement could cause the performance and constituents of the Index, and therefore the Fund, to vary from those expected under normal conditions. Also, the Index Provider may rebalance the Index on an ad hoc basis. The Fund may also rebalance its portfolio to attempt to maintain its tracking of the Index. Any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Therefore, additional ad hoc rebalances may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund.
•Sector Risk. The Fund will be subject to economic sector risks. To the extent the Index is weighted more heavily in particular sectors of the economy (such as healthcare, materials, energy, financial services, insurance, etc.), the Fund’s performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Those risks may be material and the risks differ for each of the various sectors.
◦Communication Services Sector Risk. Market or economic factors impacting companies in the Communication Services Sector that rely heavily on technological advances could have a major effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of communication services companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to research and development costs, substantial capital requirements, product and services obsolescence, government regulation, and domestic and international competition, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of communication services companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Additionally, companies in the Communication Services Sector may face dramatic and often unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. While all companies may be susceptible to network security breaches,
certain companies in the Communication Services Sector may be particular targets of hacking and potential theft of proprietary or consumer information or disruptions in service, which could have a material adverse effect on their businesses.
◦Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk. Consumer discretionary companies are companies that provide non-essential goods and services, such as retailers, media companies and consumer services. These companies manufacture products and provide discretionary services directly to the consumer, and the success of these companies tied closely to the performance of the overall domestic and international economy, interest rates, competition and consumer confidence.
◦Financial Services Sector Risk. Performance of companies in the financial services sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. This sector has experienced significant losses in the recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted.
◦Health Care Sector Risk. Companies in the health care sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. Companies in the health care sector are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Health care companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies or other market developments. Many new products in the health care sector require significant research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market.
◦Information Technology Sector Risk. The information technology sector includes companies engaged in internet software and services, technology hardware and storage peripherals, electronic equipment instruments and components, and semiconductors and semiconductor equipment. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face rapid product obsolescence due to technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Failure to introduce new products, develop and maintain a loyal customer base, or achieve general market acceptance for their products could have a material adverse effect on a company’s business. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on intellectual property and the loss of patent, copyright and trademark protections may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
•Securities Lending Risk. There are certain risks associated with securities lending, including the risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities on a timely basis or even the loss of rights in the collateral deposited by the borrower, if the borrower should fail financially. The Fund could also lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities or a decline in the value of any investments made with cash collateral. As a result, the Fund may lose money.
•Special Tax Risk. The Fund intends to qualify as a “regulated investment company” (“RIC”); however, the federal income tax treatment of certain aspects of the proposed operations of the Fund are not entirely clear. In particular, at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income each taxable year must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Qualifying Income Requirement”). Similar to other ETFs, when the Fund disposes of appreciated property by distributing such appreciated property in-kind pursuant to redemption requests of AP shareholders under Section 852(b)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the Fund does not expect to recognize any built-in gain in such appreciated property. Accordingly, the Fund expects to treat the gain realized from the disposition of such appreciated property as not factoring into the Qualifying Income Requirement regardless of whether such gain would have generated non-qualifying income in a taxable disposition. The Fund has not received an opinion of counsel or guidance from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) regarding whether Section 852(b)(6) will be available when the Fund distributes such appreciated property in a redemption transaction. If the IRS or a court were to disagree with the Fund’s position as to the applicability of this nonrecognition rule to the Fund’s dispositions, the Fund could be under-distributed with respect to its income or gains and/or potentially fail to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement. If the Fund is under-distributed, it could be subject to an excise tax, subject to a corporate level tax, and potentially causing the character of the amounts reported to shareholders to be incorrect. Moreover, if the Fund fails to distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income and net tax-exempt income for the taxable year, the Fund would be subject to tax as a regular corporation for the taxable year. Alternatively, the Fund may be required to pay a deficiency dividend (without having received additional cash) and applicable interest, and such dividend would be paid to the then current shareholders of the Fund. In addition, unless the Fund is able to avail itself of a savings provision, a failure of the Qualifying Income Requirement would cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC. If, for any year, the Fund fails to
qualify as a RIC, the Fund itself generally would be subject to regular corporate U.S. federal income tax, and distributions received by its shareholders would be subject to further U.S. federal income tax. Failure to comply with the requirements for qualification as a RIC would have significant negative economic consequences to the Fund’s shareholders.
•Tax Risk Related to Section 351 Contributions. The Fund expects to be seeded in connection with one or more transactions intended to qualify under Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), in which contributing shareholders transfer appreciated property to the Fund in exchange for Fund Shares. The tax treatment of such transactions depends on satisfaction of specific requirements under Section 351 and related Treasury regulations, which involve complex questions of fact and law. If the Internal Revenue Service successfully challenges the Section 351 treatment of any such contribution, contributing shareholders could recognize taxable gain on the contribution, and the Fund’s tax basis in the contributed property could differ from the basis it would otherwise have. The Fund and its shareholders may also be adversely affected if Section 351 treatment is not available or is subsequently revoked.
•Tracking Error Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index.
•Valuation Risk. The Underlying ETFs may hold securities or other assets that may be valued on the basis of factors other than readily available market quotations. This may occur, for example, in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including “fair valued” assets or securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that an Underlying ETF could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that an Underlying ETF would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by the Underlying ETF at that time. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Performance
The Fund is new and therefore does not have a performance history for a full calendar year. In the future, performance information for the Fund will be presented in this section. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.teucrium.com.
Management
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| Investment Adviser: | Teucrium Investment Advisors, LLC |
Portfolio Managers: | Springer Harris, Chris Small, and Joran Haugens each a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, have been portfolio managers of the Fund since its inception in [...] 2026. |
Purchase and Sale of Shares
The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Shares are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker or dealer at market prices, rather than NAV. Because Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (the “bid” price) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (the “ask” price) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market. The difference in the bid and ask prices is referred to as the “bid-ask spread.”
Recent information regarding the Fund’s NAV, market price, how often Shares traded on the Exchange at a premium or discount, and bid-ask spreads can be found on the Fund’s website at www.teucrium.com.
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is held in an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange-traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
Investment Objectives
The Sweet 16 ETF and the AI Power ETF (each, a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”) each seek to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of their respective Index. Each Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of Listed Funds Trust (the “Trust”) without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal market conditions, each Fund operates as described in its Fund Summary above. Each Fund may also, subject to applicable investment limitations, seek to achieve its investment objective by investing directly in the securities held by any Underlying ETF. Each Fund may also focus its investments in securities of companies in the same economic sector.
Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of each Fund’s net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, will be invested in the components of its respective Index or other investments that provide exposure that is substantially similar to that of the Index components. Each Fund will provide shareholders with sixty (60) days’ prior written notice of a change to its 80% policy.
Each Fund seeks to track the total return performance, before fees and expenses, of its Index. A number of factors may affect a Fund’s ability to achieve a high correlation with its Index, including the degree to which a Fund utilizes representative sampling to seek to achieve its investment objective. There can be no guarantee that a Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation. To the extent a Fund engages in representative sampling to seek to achieve its investment objective, the Adviser may sell securities that are represented in the Index or purchase securities not yet represented in the Index, in anticipation of their removal from or addition to the Index. There may also be instances in which the Adviser may choose to overweight securities in the Index, or choose to purchase or sell securities not in the Index, but which the Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the Index.
Each Fund will also concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its net assets) in a particular industry or group of related industries to the same extent that its Index is concentrated.
The Indexes
Each Index consists of a portfolio of underlying momentum strategies, each associated with a particular “Strategic Category” and an assigned allocation weight. Each momentum strategy selects one security from within its Strategic Category of candidate securities to represent the strategy in the portfolio. Momentum strategies seek to identify the Momentum Leader relative to other candidates within its Strategic Category.
The Indexes apply the Index Provider’s “Dual Defense™” approach to seek to maximize returns in Bull markets, while minimizing downside risk. Under this approach, each Index creates two tiers of defensive positioning: (i) the Bull/Bear Indicator, which seeks to shift an Index from common stocks or Strategy ETFs into Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs when an elevated risk of market decline is identified, and (ii) the Defensive Backstop, which operates at the individual Strategic Category level to redirect a strategy’s selection from its Momentum Leader stock to a Defensive Backstop ETF when the strategy’s momentum signal weakens.
Each Index seeks to determine whether U.S. equity markets appear to be in an advancing market (a “Bull” indicator) or appear to have an elevated risk of market decline (a “Bear” indicator) utilizing a proprietary computer algorithm to make this assessment based on a combination of the following four primary metrics:
•Price-Trend (i.e., the degree to which U.S. equity prices are trending higher or lower);
•Market Momentum (i.e., the volume-adjusted price-trend of U.S. equities);
•Value Sentiment (i.e., the recent proportion of U.S. equities making 52-week highs vs. 52-week lows); and
•Market Volatility, where higher volatility is generally associated with declining markets.
Each Index will remain in a Bull mode (or a Bear mode), as the case may be, until the algorithm determines to shift from Bull to Bear (or vice versa). When a Bull market is indicated, the Index identifies a portfolio of stocks or ETFs, as applicable, one selected by the momentum strategy associated with each of its Strategic Categories. When a Bear market is indicated, each underlying momentum strategy automatically switches its model to a Bear market strategy by replacing the strategic candidate stocks or ETFs with a set of defensive candidate ETFs that are expected to perform better in Bear markets. Shifts between Bull or Bear mode generally occur at calendar month end, but may occur mid-month if the algorithm anticipates significant market shifts. Shifts from Bull to Bear will be determined utilizing proprietary analysis of some combination of the four metrics noted above, as well as other factors, and will differ from shifts from Bear to Bull.
Each Index is reconstructed and rebalanced at each month-end and following each shift of the Bull/Bear Indicator. Index reconstitution will be based on closing data and component weighting information as of the last business day of the month or on the date of the shift between Bull or Bear mode mid-month. Each Fund will typically rebalance its portfolio in accordance with its Index, and, therefore, any changes to the Index’s rebalance schedule will result in corresponding changes to the Fund’s rebalance schedule.
The portion of each Index’s Bull/Bear Indicator that seeks to identify protracted “Bear” markets and relies on Price-Trend, Market Momentum, and Value Sentiment metrics is trademarked as StormGuard® by SumGrowth Indexes. The portion of each Index’s Bull/Bear Indicator that seeks to assess the risk of sharp, deep downward market movements utilizing Market Volatility metrics is trademarked as SwanGuard® by SumGrowth Indexes. The Defensive Backstop model portion of each Index that competes for momentum leadership with the category evaluation models at month-end seeking to provide a performance floor is trademarked as TrendGuard™ and Dual Defense™ by SumGrowth Indexes.
Both the Sweet 16 Index and the AI Power Index construct their Bull and Bear modes in the same manner, as described below. However, the components, Strategic Categories, and weightings of the two Indexes will differ.
Bull Mode Index Construction
The construction of each Index in Bull mode involves a number of steps. First, the Index Provider defines a Bull universe of investment candidates. For the Sweet 16 Index, the Bull universe consists of the 160 largest U.S.-traded stocks by market capitalization, irrespective of market sector or industry. The stocks are divided equally into sixteen momentum strategies of ten candidate stocks each plus one Defensive Backstop strategy – with the four best-performing strategies weighted at 12.00% each (48% in aggregate) and the remaining twelve strategies weighted at 4.33% each (approximately 52% in aggregate). The Bull universe for the Sweet 16 Index excludes, among others: (i) certain small ETFs and stocks (based on assets under management or capitalization); (ii) currency ETFs; (iii) leveraged ETFs; (iv) inverse ETFs; (v) securities not listed on U.S. exchanges; and (vi) stocks and ETFs with less than one year of operating history. For the AI Power Index, the Bull universe consists of common stocks and Strategy ETFs organized into six Strategic Categories: AI Robotic Stocks (15%), AI Chip Stocks (15%), AI Code Stocks (15%), AI Tech ETFs (20%), Robotics ETFs (20%), and Hyperscaler Power ETFs (15%), plus a Defensive Backstop for each Strategic Category. Each Category generally excludes at least the following: (i) certain ETFs with small assets under management; (ii) currency ETFs; (iii) leveraged ETFs; (iv) inverse ETFs; (v) global or foreign fixed income ETFs; and (vi) ETFs with less than one year of operating history. These exclusions are general guidelines and a Fund’s Underlying ETFs may, from time to time, hold these types of securities (e.g., if an ETF does not follow a pure investment strategy or its investment strategy is open to interpretation).
Second, Defensive Backstop subcategories having a broad set of supportive or defensive asset class ETFs are established. The Defensive Backstop, included as a candidate within each Strategic Category, seeks to provide a performance floor by replacing a Strategic Category’s Momentum Leader with a Defensive Backstop ETF. The Defensive Backstop subcategories may include (i) commodities, (ii) any-term US Treasuries, (iii) any-term aggregate, corporate, municipal, and high-yield bond, (iv) a US dollar index, (v) primary sectors, and (vi) broad US equity markets. Strategic Categories and defensive backstop subcategories exclude at least the following: (i) certain ETFs with small assets under management; (ii) leveraged ETFs; (iii) inverse ETFs; (iv) global/foreign ETFs; and (v) ETFs with less than one year of operating history. These exclusions are general guidelines and a Fund’s Defensive Backstop ETFs may, from time to time, hold these types of securities (e.g., if a Defensive Backstop ETF does not follow a pure investment strategy or its investment strategy is open to interpretation).
Third, the Index Provider determines the Bull universe of eligible stocks and ETFs for each Strategic Category and subcategory. For the Sweet 16 Index, the Index constituents are selected from a universe of the 160 largest U.S.-traded stocks by market capitalization. The Index Provider annually identifies a new set of 160 of the largest capitalized U.S.-traded stocks. Candidates are screened by employing a proprietary risk/return measure that is judged relative to the same measure produced by a broad market index such as the S&P 500®. For the AI Power Index, eligible Strategy ETFs are initially identified for eligibility in the applicable Strategic Categories based on the Index Provider’s review of ETF names and investment objectives to identify candidates for membership in a particular Strategic Category. The Index Provider additionally determines the universe of eligible stocks for each stock Strategic Category based on company sectors, industries, and capitalizations to identify candidates for membership in a particular Strategic Category. For both ETFs and stocks, redundant candidates with a shorter trading history, smaller capitalization or asset size, relatively erratic performance, or higher expense ratios, as applicable, may be excluded.
The fourth and final step of the Bull mode Index methodology is to use a proprietary algorithm to identify duplications among the selected stocks and/or ETFs and to either find well-correlated alternatives or, if such an alternative cannot be found, allow for an ETF to be duplicated, subject to a minimum number of unique stocks and ETFs.
To identify the security with the highest expected subsequent monthly return performance (the Momentum Leader) relative to other candidates within its Strategic Category, the Index Provider evaluates each candidate by applying its proprietary momentum filters that smooth out short-term price 'noise' while still responding promptly to genuine changes in price trends. These filters (commonly known as double- and triple-exponential moving averages) are designed to reduce the lag associated with traditional moving averages. The Index Provider refers to this approach as 'Low-Noise Momentum.' The Index Provider periodically re-tunes the filter settings - approximately every six months - by testing how candidate settings would have performed on market data that was not used to select them, and adopting the settings that performed best.
Bear Mode Index Construction
The construction of each Index in Bear mode involves a number of steps. In the first step, investment subcategories having a broad set of defensive asset class ETFs are established, which may include (i) inflation-protected Treasury, (ii) any-term US Treasury, (iii) any-
term aggregate or corporate bond, (iv) high-yield bond, (v) gold, and (vi) broad-based US equity markets. However, if the Bear Indicator was triggered due to excess market volatility, the Bear universe will include only US Treasury ETFs. Subcategories exclude at least the following: (i) currency ETFs; (ii) leveraged ETFs; (iii) commodity ETFs other than gold; (iv) global/foreign fixed income ETFs; (v) ETFs with less than one year of operating history, (vi) equity ETFs other than broad-based equity market index ETFs; and (vii) ETFs with less than $500 million of assets under management. These exclusions are general guidelines and a Fund’s Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs may, from time to time, hold these types of securities (e.g., if a Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETF does not follow a pure investment strategy or its investment strategy is open to interpretation).
Second, three defensive Bear models are created with different mixes of ETFs from the Bear universe of ETFs. Each Strategic Category is assigned to one of these three defensive Bear models to determine the Bear Momentum Leader. Because of the relatively limited number of defensive ETFs available that meet the Index’s criteria (i.e., are excluded as noted in Step 1), an Index’s Strategic Categories will often select one or more of the same ETFs.
The third and final step of the Bear mode Index methodology is to use a proprietary algorithm to identify duplications among the selected ETFs and to either find well-correlated alternatives or, if such an alternative cannot be found, allow for an ETF to be duplicated, subject to a minimum number (three to five in the case of the Sweet 16 Index and two to three for the AI Power Index).
The Index’s Bull/Bear Indicator is the principal mechanism by which the Index transitions between its Bull mode and Bear mode portfolios. To reduce the risk of switching too frequently or at the wrong time (often called 'whipsaw'), the Index Provider applies three safeguards: one that seeks to avoid shifting to a defensive (Bear) posture in response to a temporary market decline that is not a genuine downturn; one that seeks to return the Index to its Bull-market posture promptly once market conditions recover; and one that adjusts the Index's behavior during prolonged market declines. These safeguards are intended to reduce the frequency of unnecessary switches between Bull and Bear positioning.
The Index's defensive positioning ranges from more conservative to more aggressive depending on the instruments selected – for example, intermediate-term U.S. Treasury ETFs at the more conservative end, and longer-term U.S. Treasury ETFs (which are more sensitive to interest-rate changes) or inverse ETFs that seek to rise when the broad equity market falls at the more aggressive end.
Utilization of AI in Each Index’s Methodology
Each Index’s methodology is designed to select securities based on the results of a proprietary, quantitative, and AI-driven algorithm developed by Scott Juds, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Index Provider and Fund Sponsor. Mr. Juds has more than 30 years of experience in quantitative modeling, holds patents in signal processing, and has published research on securities selection. The Index Provider continuously monitors and tests the model’s behavior through review of the Bull and Bear indicator outputs and resulting ETF selections for ongoing and historical reasonableness and consistency. The algorithm has also been used over time by thousands of technically sophisticated subscribers.
Unlike some AI models that rely on “black box” techniques such as neural networks or large language models, the Index methodology does not depend on unstructured or alternative data, such as social media posts or web traffic. Instead, the Index relies only on traditional market information inputs, such as daily stock and fund prices that have been adjusted by a third-party data provider for dividends, stock splits, and other corporate actions.
The system applies structured techniques borrowed from control systems engineering (e.g., Fuzzy Logic and feedback loops) to identify signals in financial data. These signals are used to generate outputs for the Index Provider, including whether market conditions indicate a “Bull” or “Bear” state, which securities appear to be Momentum Leaders in each Strategic Category, and how much weight to assign to each selection. In a Bull state, each Index generally holds equity securities (or, in the case of the AI Power Index, a combination of equity securities and Strategy ETFs) identified as Momentum Leaders in their Strategic Categories. In a Bear state, the Index automatically shifts into defensive securities, such as U.S. Treasuries, bonds, or gold ETFs.
The Index Provider then evaluates these outputs using a rules-based framework. The system is designed to reduce duplication, preserve diversification, and ensure the portfolio can be implemented. The methodology also incorporates safeguards against certain biases. For example, it adjusts its momentum filters to avoid “overfitting” to short- or long-term market trends, and it is structured to avoid securities with unstable or excessively volatile price behavior. These features create a deliberate bias in favor of securities with more stable characteristics.
Index Provider
SumGrowth, Inc. (operating as “SumGrowth Indexes”) serves as the index provider and calculation agent for each Index (the “Index Provider”). The Index Provider is not a broker-dealer or investment adviser and is not an affiliate of the Funds, the Adviser, the Funds’ administrator, custodian, transfer agent, or distributor, or any of their respective affiliates. The Adviser does not have any influence on either Index and is not part of the organizational structure that maintains an Index or processes surrounding an Index.
SumGrowth Indexes has entered into an agreement with the Adviser to assume certain expenses of the Funds (see “Fund Sponsor” below for additional detail on this arrangement). The Index Provider utilizes a rules-based algorithmic technology, which minimizes any potential conflicts under this arrangement. The Index Provider does not provide investment advice with respect to the desirability of investing in, purchasing, or selling the components of the Indexes or other securities.
Methodology governance is provided by the Index Provider’s internal Index Management Committee. Methodology changes are subject to final approval by an independent Index Oversight Committee.
Principal Investment Risks
An investment in a Fund entails risks. A Fund could lose money, or its performance could trail that of other investment alternatives. In addition to a Fund’s direct investment, because each Fund may seek to achieve its investment objective through investing in Underlying ETFs (continuously for the AI Power ETF, and in Bear-mode periods for the Sweet 16 ETF), the principal risks of investing in a Fund are closely related to the principal risks associated with the Underlying ETFs and their investments. To the extent a reference refers to a Fund, it should be read to refer to the Underlying ETFs where the context requires. The following provides additional information about each Fund’s principal risks. It is important that investors closely review and understand these risks before making an investment in a Fund. Each risk applies to each Fund unless otherwise specified. Just as in each Fund’s summary section, the principal risks below are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with those of other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the applicable Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears.
•Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Deep Learning Investment Risk (AI Power ETF Only). Companies across a wide variety of industries, primarily in the technology sector, are exploring the possible applications of AI, machine learning and other deep learning technologies. The extent of such technologies’ versatility has not yet been fully explored. Consequently, a Fund’s holdings may include equity securities of operating companies that focus on or have exposure to a wide variety of activities in addition to their AI, machine learning and deep learning activities, and the economic fortunes of such companies may be tied to such other activities. Currently, there are relatively few public companies for which AI, machine learning and deep learning technologies represent an attributable and significant revenue or profit stream, and such technologies may not ultimately have a material effect on the economic returns of companies in which a Fund invests. Companies that do have a focus on such technologies may rely on a combination of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secret laws to establish and protect their proprietary rights in their products and technologies. These companies also tend to engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development, and there is no guarantee that these products or services will be successful. The securities of such companies, especially smaller, start-up companies, also are typically more volatile than those of companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The success and widespread use of AI in the future may be impacted by public sentiment.
•Asset Allocation Risk. Asset allocation decisions, techniques, or analyses, or models implemented by the Index may not produce the expected returns, may cause a Fund’s shares to lose value, or may cause a Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment goals. Although the theory behind asset allocation is that diversification among asset classes can help reduce volatility over the long term, you still may lose money and/or experience price volatility. Performance of asset classes and Underlying ETFs may diverge from historical performance and assumptions used to develop allocations in light of actual market conditions. There is a risk that you could achieve better returns by investing in individual ETFs or funds representing a single asset class rather than investing in a fund of funds. A Fund’s performance is also closely related to the Underlying ETFs’ performance and ability to meet their investment goals. Shareholders bear indirectly the expenses of the Underlying ETFs in which a Fund invests in addition to the Fund’s management fee, so there is a risk of an additional layer or layers of fees. A Fund’s actual asset class allocations may deviate from the intended allocation because an Underlying ETF’s investments can change due to market movements, the Underlying ETF manager’s investment decisions or other factors, which could result in the Underlying ETF’s risk/return target not being met. Each Fund is exposed to the same risks as the Underlying ETFs in proportion to the Fund’s allocation to those Underlying ETFs. To the extent that a Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a single Underlying ETF, it may be more susceptible to risks associated with that ETF and its investments.
•Bear Market Bond Risk. When the Bull/Bear Indicator reflects a “Bear” designation, a Fund will be subject to bond and fixed-income risks.
Changes in interest rates generally will cause the value of fixed-income and bond instruments held by Underlying ETFs to vary inversely to such changes. Prices of longer-term fixed-income instruments generally fluctuate more than the prices of shorter-term fixed income instruments as interest rates change. Fixed-income instruments that are fixed-rate are generally more susceptible than floating rate loans to price volatility related to changes in prevailing interest rates. The prices of floating rate fixed-income instruments tend to have less fluctuation in response to changes in interest rates, but will have some fluctuation, particularly when the next interest rate adjustment on such security is further away in time or adjustments are limited in amount over time. Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs may invest in short-term securities that, when interest rates decline, affect the ETF’s yield as these securities mature or are sold and the ETF purchases new short-term securities with lower yields. An obligor’s willingness and ability to pay interest or to repay principal due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow.
In addition, Bear Market Strategy Defensive ETFs may invest in various fixed income and floating rate securities (such as municipal securities and high-yield (junk) bond securities) that are subject to additional risks. Those risks may be material and the risks differ for each of the types of underlying investments.
•Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk. Holding cash or cash equivalents rather than securities or other instruments in which a Fund primarily invests, even strategically, may cause such Fund to risk losing opportunities to participate in market appreciation, and
may cause such Fund to experience potentially lower returns than a Fund’s benchmark or other funds that remain fully invested. In rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents will negatively affect a Fund’s performance relative to its benchmark.
•Commodity-Linked ETF Risk. When an Index designates a “Bear” market state, a Fund may invest in Underlying ETFs that, in turn, hold or are economically linked to commodities such as gold. The value of such Underlying ETFs may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting a particular commodity, including weather, embargoes, tariffs, and international economic, political and regulatory developments. The prices of commodities may be volatile and fluctuate substantially over short periods of time.
•Concentration Risk. Because the Funds’ assets will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries, the Funds are subject to loss due to adverse occurrences that may affect that industry or group of industries. To the extent a Fund concentrates in the securities of issuers in a particular industry, such Fund may face more risks than if it were diversified more broadly over numerous industries. Such industry-based risks, any of which may adversely affect a Fund may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand in a particular industry; competition for resources, adverse labor relations, political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in an industry. In addition, at times, an industry may be out of favor and underperform other industries or the market as a whole.
•Cybersecurity Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet and the dependence on computer systems to perform business and operational functions, funds (such as a Fund) and their service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks and/or technological malfunctions. In general, cyber-attacks are deliberate, but unintentional events may have similar effects. Cyber-attacks include, among others, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, preventing legitimate users from accessing information or services on a website, releasing confidential information without authorization, and causing operational disruption. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets or proprietary information, or cause a Fund, the Adviser, and/or other service providers (including custodians and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches or data corruption. Additionally, cybersecurity failures or breaches of the electronic systems of a Fund, the Adviser, or such Fund’s other service providers, market makers, APs, such Fund’s primary listing exchange, or the issuers of securities in which such Fund invests have the ability to disrupt and negatively affect the Fund’s business operations, including the ability to purchase and sell Shares, potentially resulting in financial losses to such Fund and its shareholders. For instance, cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may interfere with the processing of shareholder or other transactions, affect a Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential Fund information, impede trading, cause reputational damage, and subject a Fund to regulatory fines, penalties or financial losses, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and additional compliance costs. Cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Shares, and other data integral to the functioning of a Fund inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. A Fund also may incur substantial costs for cybersecurity risk management to prevent cyber incidents in the future. A Fund and its respective shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
•Depositary Receipt Risk (AI Power ETF Only). Depositary receipts, including ADRs, involve risks similar to those associated with investments in foreign securities, such as changes in political or economic conditions of other countries and changes in the exchange rates of foreign currencies. Depositary receipts listed on U.S. exchanges are issued by banks or trust companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares (“Underlying Shares”). When an Underlying ETF invests in depositary receipts as a substitute for an investment directly in the Underlying Shares, it is exposed to the risk that the depositary receipts may not provide a return that corresponds precisely with that of the Underlying Shares.
•Early Close/Trading Halt Risk. An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific investments, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in a Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, a Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments, and/or may incur substantial trading losses.
•Emerging Markets Risk (AI Power ETF Only). Investments in emerging market issuers are subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in issuers located or operating in more developed markets. This is due to, among other things, the potential for greater market volatility, lower trading volume, higher levels of inflation, social, political or economic instability, greater risk of a market shutdown and more governmental limitations on foreign investments in emerging market countries than are typically found in more developed markets.
Some countries in which a Fund may invest may experience economic instability, including instability resulting from substantial rates of inflation or significant devaluations of their currency, or economic recessions, which would have a negative effect on the economies and securities markets of their economies. Some of these countries may also impose restrictions on the exchange or export of currency or adverse currency exchange rates and may be characterized by a lack of available currency hedging instruments.
Disparities of wealth, the pace and success of democratization and ethnic, religious and racial disaffection, among other factors, may exacerbate social unrest, violence and labor unrest in some of the countries in which a Fund may invest. Unanticipated or sudden political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses.
Companies in many emerging markets are not subject to the same degree of regulatory requirements, accounting standards or auditor oversight as companies in more developed countries, and as a result, information about the securities in which a Fund invests may be less reliable or complete. Moreover, emerging markets often have less reliable securities valuations and greater risks associated with custody of securities than developed markets. There may be significant obstacles to obtaining information necessary for investigations into or litigation against companies and shareholders may have limited legal remedies. Neither Fund selects investments based on investor protection considerations.
In addition, emerging markets often have greater risk of capital controls through such measures as taxes or interest rate control than developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may also lack the infrastructure necessary to attract large amounts of foreign trade and investment. While certain funds do not invest directly in Chinese securities, many emerging market companies included in an Underlying Index are exposed to the risks of the Chinese economy. Chronic structural public sector deficits in some countries in which a Fund may invest may adversely impact securities held by the Fund.
Local securities markets in emerging market countries may trade a small number of securities and may be unable to respond effectively to changes in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of holdings difficult or impossible at times. Settlement procedures in emerging market countries are frequently less developed and reliable than those in the U.S. (and other developed countries). In addition, significant delays may occur in certain markets in registering the transfer of securities. Settlement or registration problems may make it more difficult for a Fund to value its portfolio securities and could have an adverse effect on the Fund in seeking to achieve its investment objective.
There could be additional impacts on the value of a Fund as a result of sustainability risks, in particular those caused by environmental changes related to climate change, social issues (including relating to labor rights) and governance risk (including but not limited to risks around board independence, ownership and control, or audit and tax management). Additionally, disclosures or third-party data coverage associated with sustainability risks is generally less available or transparent in these markets.
Investing in emerging market countries involves a higher risk of loss due to expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and on repatriation of capital invested in certain emerging market countries. As a result, investments in certain countries in which a Fund may invest may be subject to loss due to expropriation or nationalization of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and repatriation of capital.
•Equity Securities Risk. The Funds are designed for investors who can accept the risks of investing in a portfolio with significant equity holdings. Equity holdings tend to be more volatile than other investment choices such as bonds and money market instruments because common stockholders, or holders of equivalent interests, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from issuers in comparison with the rights of preferred stockholders, bondholders and other creditors of such issuers. The value of a Fund’s Shares will fluctuate as a result of the movement of the overall stock market or of the value of the individual securities held by the Fund, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, resulting in losses. Equity securities may decline in value due to factors affecting equity securities markets generally or particular industries represented in those markets. The value of an equity security may also decline for a number of reasons, which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, changed investor perception financial leverage, and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services. Investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including: expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic and banking crises.
•ETF Risks. Each Fund is an ETF and invests in other ETFs. As a result of their structures, each is exposed, directly or indirectly, to the following risks:
◦Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. Each Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting if either: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
◦Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk. Investors buying or selling Shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Shares. In addition, secondary market investors also will incur the cost of the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell Shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time
for Shares based on trading volume and market liquidity and is generally lower if Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if Shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in a Fund, asset swings in a Fund and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
◦Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV Risk. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate a Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines and periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. The market price of Shares during the trading day, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid/ask” spread charged by the exchange specialist, market makers or other participants that trade Shares. In times of severe market disruption, the bid/ask spread can increase significantly. At those times, Shares are most likely to be traded at a discount to NAV, and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of Shares is falling fastest, which may be the time that you most want to sell your Shares. The Adviser believes that, under normal market conditions, large market price discounts or premiums to NAV will not be sustained because of arbitrage opportunities. Because securities held by a Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when such Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, such Fund is likely to experience premiums or discounts greater than those of ETFs that invest in and hold only securities and other investments that are listed and trade in the U.S. To the extent a Fund holds securities that trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when such Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, such Fund is likely to experience premiums and discounts greater than those of ETFs that invest in and hold only securities and other investments that are listed and trade in the U.S.
◦Trading Risk. Although Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange “circuit breaker” rules, which temporarily halt trading on the Exchange when a decline in the S&P 500® Index during a single day reaches certain thresholds (e.g., 7%, 13%, and 20%). Additional rules applicable to the Exchange may halt trading in Shares when extraordinary volatility causes sudden, significant swings in the market price of Shares. There can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of a Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares.
•Fixed Income Securities Risk. The values of fixed income securities may increase or decrease as a result of the following: market fluctuations, changes in interest rates, actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments or illiquidity in fixed income securities markets; the risk of low rates of return due to reinvestment of securities during periods of falling interest rates or repayment by issuers with higher coupon or interest rates; and/or the risk of low income due to falling interest rates. To the extent that interest rates rise, certain underlying obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply. A rising interest rate environment may cause the value of fixed income securities to decrease, a decline in income and yield, an adverse impact on the liquidity of fixed income securities, and increased volatility of the fixed income markets. In recent periods, governmental financial regulators, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, have taken steps to decrease interest rates. During periods when interest rates are at low levels, yield can be low, and a Fund or an Underlying ETF holding fixed income securities may have a negative yield (i.e., it may lose money on an operating basis). If the principal on a debt obligation is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received from fixed income securities may decline. Changes in interest rates will likely have a greater effect on the values of fixed income securities of longer durations. Returns on investments in fixed income securities could trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities.
◦Call Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by an Underlying ETF may “call” or repay the security prior to its stated maturity, and the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in an Underlying ETF’s income.
◦Credit Risk. Debt securities are subject to the risk of an issuer’s (or other party’s) failure or inability to meet its obligations under the security. Multiple parties may have obligations under a debt security. An issuer or borrower may fail to pay principal and interest when due. A guarantor, insurer or credit support provider may fail to provide the agreed upon protection. A counterparty to a transaction may fail to perform its side of the bargain. An intermediary or agent interposed between the investor and other parties may fail to perform the terms of its service. Also, performance under a debt security may be linked to the obligations of other persons who may fail to meet their obligations. The credit risk associated with a
debt security could increase to the extent that a Fund’s ability to benefit fully from its investment in the security depends on the performance by multiple parties of their respective contractual or other obligations. The market value of a debt security is also affected by the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer.
An Underlying ETF may incur substantial losses on debt securities that are inaccurately perceived to present a different amount of credit risk than they actually do by the market, the Adviser or the rating agencies. Credit risk is generally greater where less information is publicly available, where fewer covenants safeguard the investors’ interests, where collateral may be impaired or inadequate, where little legal redress or regulatory protection is available, or where a party’s ability to meet obligations is speculative. Additionally, any inaccuracy in the information used by the Underlying ETF to evaluate credit risk may affect the value of securities held by an Underlying ETF.
Obligations under debt securities held by a Fund may never be satisfied or, if satisfied, only satisfied in part.
Some securities are subject to risks as a result of a credit downgrade or default by a government, or its agencies or, instrumentalities. Credit risk is a greater concern for high-yield debt securities and debt securities of issuers whose ability to pay interest and principal may be considered speculative. Debt securities are typically classified as investment grade-quality (medium to highest credit quality) or below investment grade-quality (commonly referred to as high-yield or junk bonds). Many individual debt securities are rated by a third-party source, such as Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) or Standard & Poor’s Financial Services (S&P®), to help describe the creditworthiness of the issuer.
◦Credit Ratings Risk. Using credit ratings to evaluate debt securities can involve certain risks. For example, ratings assigned by the rating agencies are based upon an analysis completed at the time of the rating of the obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal. Rating agencies typically rely to a large extent on historical data which may not accurately represent present or future circumstances. Ratings do not purport to reflect the risk of fluctuations in market value of the debt security and are not absolute standards of quality and only express the rating agency’s current opinion of an obligor’s overall financial capacity to pay its financial obligations. A credit rating is not a statement of fact or a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a debt obligation. Also, credit quality can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and credit ratings may not reflect the issuer’s current financial condition or events since the security was last rated. Rating agencies may have a financial interest in generating business, including from the arranger or issuer of the security that normally pays for that rating, and providing a low rating might affect the rating agency’s prospects for future business. While rating agencies have policies and procedures to address this potential conflict of interest, there is a risk that these policies will fail to prevent a conflict of interest from impacting the rating.
◦Extension Risk. Each Fund is subject to extension risk, which is the risk that the market value of some debt securities, particularly mortgage securities and certain asset-backed securities, may be adversely affected when bond calls or prepayments on underlying mortgages or other assets are less or slower than anticipated. Extension risk may result from, for example, rising interest rates or unexpected developments in the markets for the underlying assets or mortgages. As a consequence, the security’s effective maturity will be extended, resulting in an increase in interest rate sensitivity to that of a longer-term instrument. Extension risk generally increases as interest rates rise. This is because, in a rising interest rate environment, the rate of prepayment and exercise of call or buy-back rights generally falls, and the rate of default and delayed payment generally rises. When the maturity of an investment is extended in a rising interest rate environment, a below-market interest rate is usually locked-in, and the value of the security reduced. This risk is greater for fixed-rate than variable-rate debt securities.
◦Floating Rate Risk. These securities pay interest at rates that change periodically to reflect changes in market interest rates. Securities with floating or variable interest rates can be less sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. A decline in interest rates may result in a reduction of income received from floating rate securities held by a Fund and may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s shares. Generally, floating rate securities carry lower yields than fixed notes of the same maturity. The interest rate for a floating rate note resets or adjusts periodically by reference to a benchmark interest rate. The impact of interest rate changes on floating rate investments is typically mitigated by the periodic interest rate reset of the investments. Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. Floating rate notes generally are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, may trade infrequently, and their value may be impaired when a Fund needs to liquidate such loans. Benchmark interest rates, such as the SOFR, may not accurately track market interest rates.
◦Income Risk. Each Fund is subject to income risk, which is the risk that a Fund’s income will decline during periods of falling interest rates or when a Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds. A Fund’s income declines when interest rates fall because, as a Fund’s higher-yielding debt securities mature or are prepaid, a Fund must re-invest the proceeds in debt securities that have lower, prevailing interest rates. The amount and rate of distributions that a Fund’s shareholders receive are affected by the income that a Fund receives from its portfolio holdings. If the income is reduced, distributions by a Fund to shareholders may be less.
Fluctuations in income paid to a Fund are generally greater for variable rate debt securities. Each Fund will be deemed to receive taxable income on certain securities which pay no cash payments until maturity, such as zero-coupon securities. Each Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities that it would otherwise continue to hold in order to obtain sufficient cash to make the distribution to shareholders required for U.S. tax purposes.
◦Inflation Risk. The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
◦Interest Rate Risk. The market value of debt securities generally varies in response to changes in prevailing interest rates. Interest rate changes can be sudden and unpredictable. In addition, short-term and long-term rates are not necessarily correlated to each other as short-term rates tend to be influenced by government monetary policy while long-term rates are market driven and may be influenced by macroeconomic events (such as economic expansion or contraction), inflation expectations, as well as supply and demand. During periods of declining interest rates, the market value of debt securities generally increases. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the market value of debt securities generally declines. This occurs because new debt securities are likely to be issued with higher interest rates as interest rates increase, making the old or outstanding debt securities less attractive. In general, the market prices of long-term debt securities or securities that make little (or no) interest payments are more sensitive to interest rate fluctuations than shorter-term debt securities. The longer a Fund’s average weighted portfolio duration, the greater the potential impact a change in interest rates will have on its share price. For every 1% change in interest rates, a debt security’s price will change by an amount equal to its duration. For example, if interest rates increase by 1% and a bond has a duration of 3 years, the bond’s price will decrease by 3%. Also, certain segments of the fixed income markets, such as high-quality bonds, tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than other segments, such as lower-quality bonds.
◦Prepayment Risk. Debt securities, especially bonds that are subject to “calls,” such as asset-backed or mortgage-backed securities, are subject to prepayment risk if their terms allow the payment of principal and other amounts due before their stated maturity. Amounts invested in a debt security that has been “called” or “prepaid” will be returned to an investor holding that security before expected by the investor. In such circumstances, the investor, such as a fund, may be required to re-invest the proceeds it receives from the called or prepaid security in a new security which, in periods of declining interest rates, will typically have a lower interest rate. Prepayment risk is especially prevalent in periods of declining interest rates and will result for other reasons, including unexpected developments in the markets for the underlying assets or mortgages. For example, a decline in mortgage interest rates typically initiates a period of mortgage refinancings. When homeowners refinance their mortgages, the investor in the underlying pool of mortgage-backed securities (such as a fund) receives its principal back sooner than expected, and must reinvest at lower, prevailing rates.
Securities subject to prepayment risk are often called during a declining interest rate environment and generally offer less potential for gains and greater price volatility than other income-bearing securities of comparable maturity.
Call risk is similar to prepayment risk and results from the ability of an issuer to call, or prepay, a debt security early. If interest rates decline enough, the debt security’s issuer can save money by repaying its callable debt securities and issuing new debt securities at lower interest rates.
•Foreign Securities Risk (AI Power ETF Only). The Underlying ETFs may invest in foreign securities, including non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities traded outside of the United States and U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers traded in the United States. Returns on investments in foreign securities could be more volatile than, or trail the returns on, investments in U.S. securities. Investments in foreign securities, including investments in ADRs, are subject to special risks, including the following:
◦Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers. Changes to the financial condition or credit rating of foreign issuers may also adversely affect the value of an Underlying ETF’s securities. Investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. Because legal systems differ, there is also the possibility that it will be difficult to obtain or enforce legal judgments in certain countries. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when an Underlying ETF does not price its Shares, the value of the securities in an Underlying ETF’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell an Underlying ETF’s Shares. Conversely, shares of Underlying ETFs may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Investment in foreign securities may involve higher costs than investment in U.S. securities, including higher transaction and custody costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by foreign governments. Each of these factors can make investments in an Underlying ETF more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
◦Capital Controls Risk. Economic conditions, such as volatile currency exchange rates and interest rates, political events and other conditions may, without prior warning, lead to government intervention and the imposition of “capital controls” or expropriation or nationalization of assets. The possible establishment of exchange controls or freezes on the convertibility of currency, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions, might adversely affect an investment in foreign securities. Capital controls include the prohibition of, or restrictions on, the ability to transfer currency, securities or other assets within or out of a jurisdiction. Levies may be placed on profits repatriated by foreign entities (such as an Underlying ETF). Capital controls may impact the ability of an Underlying ETF to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities or currency, may adversely affect the trading market and price for Shares of an Underlying ETF, and may cause an Underlying ETF to decline in value.
◦Currency Risk. Each Underlying ETF’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars; therefore, an Underlying ETF may lose value if the local currency of a foreign market depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the local currency value of the Underlying ETF’s holdings goes up. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency exchange rates also can be affected unpredictably by intervention; by failure to intervene by U.S. or foreign governments or central banks; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates may affect the NAV of the Underlying ETFs and the price of the Underlying ETF’s shares. Devaluation of a currency by a country’s government or banking authority would have a significant impact on the value of any investments denominated in that currency.
◦Political and Economic Risk. An Underlying ETF that invests in foreign securities is subject to foreign political and economic risk not associated with U.S. investments, meaning that political events (civil unrest, national elections, changes in political conditions and foreign relations, imposition of exchange controls and repatriation restrictions), social and economic events (labor strikes, rising inflation) and natural disasters occurring in a foreign country could cause the Underlying ETF’s investments to experience gains or losses. An Underlying ETF also could be unable to enforce its ownership rights or pursue legal remedies in countries where it invests.
◦Foreign Market and Trading Risk. The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight. Foreign markets also may have clearance and settlement procedures that make it difficult for an Underlying ETF to buy and sell securities. The procedures and rules governing foreign transactions and custody (holding of the Underlying ETF’s assets) also may involve delays in payment, delivery or recovery of money or investments. These factors could result in a loss to the Underlying ETF by causing it to be unable to dispose of an investment or to miss an attractive investment opportunity, or by causing Underlying ETF assets to be uninvested for some period of time.
•Fund of Funds Risk. Because each Fund invests significantly in other funds, each Fund’s investment performance largely depends on the investment performance of the selected Underlying ETFs. An investment in a Fund is subject to the risks associated with the Underlying ETFs that comprise the Index. At times, certain of the segments of the market represented by constituent Underlying ETFs in the Index may be out of favor and underperform other segments. Each Fund will indirectly pay a proportional share of the expenses of the Underlying ETFs in which it invests (including operating expenses and management fees), which are identified in the fee schedule above as “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.”
•Geographic Investment Risk (AI Power ETF Only). To the extent that an Underlying ETF invests, directly or indirectly, a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region. For example, political and economic conditions and changes in regulatory, tax, or economic policy in a country could significantly affect the market in that country and in surrounding or related countries and have a negative impact on a Fund’s performance. Currency developments or restrictions, political and social instability, and changing economic conditions have resulted in significant market volatility.
◦Risks Related to Investing in Asia. Investment in securities of issuers in Asia involves risks and special considerations not typically associated with investment in the US securities markets. Certain Asian economies have experienced over-extension of credit, currency devaluations and restrictions, high unemployment, high inflation, decreased exports and economic recessions. Economic events in any one Asian country can have a significant effect on the entire Asian region as well as on major trading partners outside Asia, and any adverse effect on some or all of the Asian countries and regions in which a Fund invests. The securities markets in some Asian economies are relatively underdeveloped and may subject the Fund to higher action costs or greater uncertainty than investments in more developed securities markets. Such risks may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments.
Governments of many Asian countries have implemented significant economic reforms in order to liberalize trade policy, promote foreign investment in their economies, reduce government control of the economy and develop market mechanisms. There can be no assurance these reforms will continue or that they will be effective. Despite recent reform and privatizations, significant regulation of investment and industry is still pervasive in many Asian countries and may restrict foreign ownership of domestic corporations and repatriation of assets, which may adversely affect Fund investments. Governments in some Asian countries are authoritarian in nature, have been installed or removed as a result of military coups or have periodically used force to suppress civil dissent. Disparities of wealth, the pace and success of democratization, and ethnic,
religious and racial disaffection have led to social turmoil, violence and labor unrest in some countries. Unanticipated or sudden political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. Investing in certain Asian countries involves risk of loss due to expropriation, nationalization, or confiscation of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and on repatriation of capital invested.
Some countries and regions in which the Fund invests have experienced acts of terrorism or strained international relations due to territorial disputes, historical animosities or other defense concerns. For example, North and South Korea each have substantial military capabilities, and historical local tensions between the two countries present the risk of war. Any outbreak of hostilities between the two countries could have a severe adverse effect on the South Korean economy and securities markets. These and other security situations may cause uncertainty in the markets of these geographic areas and may adversely affect the performance of local economies.
◦Risks Related to Investing in China. The economy of China differs, often unfavorably, from the U.S. economy in such respects as structure, general development, government involvement, wealth distribution, rate of inflation, growth rate, allocation of resources and capital reinvestment, among others. Under China’s political and economic system, the central government has historically exercised substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership. Since 1978, the Chinese government has been, and is expected to continue, reforming its economic policies, which has resulted in less direct central and local government control over the business and production activities of Chinese enterprises and companies. Notwithstanding the economic reforms instituted by the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party, actions of the Chinese central and local government authorities continue to have a substantial effect on economic conditions in China, which could affect the public and private sector companies in which the Fund may invest. In the past, the Chinese government has from time to time taken actions that influence the prices at which certain goods may be sold, encourage companies to invest or concentrate in particular industries, induce mergers between companies in certain industries and induce private companies to publicly offer their securities to increase or continue the rate of economic growth, and control the rate of inflation or otherwise regulate economic expansion and it may take such actions in the future as well. Such actions and a variety of other centrally planned or determined activities by the Chinese government could have a significant adverse effect on economic conditions in China and the economic prospects for, and the market prices and liquidity of, the securities of Chinese companies and the payments of dividends and interest by Chinese companies. In addition, expropriation, including nationalization, confiscatory taxation, political, economic or social instability or other developments could adversely affect and significantly diminish the values of the Chinese companies in which the Fund may invest. Additionally, from time to time, China has experienced outbreaks of infectious illnesses, including COVID-19, and the country may be subject to other public health threats, diseases or similar issues in the future. The Fund may invest in shares of Chinese companies traded on stock markets in Mainland China or Hong Kong. These stock markets have experienced high levels of volatility, which may continue in the future. The Hong Kong stock market may behave differently from the Mainland China stock market and there may be little to no correlation between the performance of the Hong Kong stock market and the Mainland China stock market. From time to time, certain of the companies in the Fund’s portfolio may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government and the United Nations and/or in countries identified by the U.S. government as state sponsors of terrorism. One or more of these companies may be subject to constraints under U.S. law or regulations which could negatively affect the company’s performance. Additionally, one or more of these companies may suffer damage to its reputation if it is identified as a company which invests or deals with countries which are identified by the U.S. government as state sponsors of terrorism or subject to sanctions. As an investor in such companies, an investing fund will be indirectly subject to these risks.
•Geopolitical/Natural Disaster Risks. Some countries and regions in which the Funds invest have experienced security concerns, war or threats of war and aggression, terrorism, economic uncertainty, natural and environmental disasters and/or systemic market dislocations that have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on the U.S. and world economies and markets generally. Such geopolitical and other events may also disrupt securities markets and, during such market disruptions, a Fund’s exposure to the other risks described herein will likely increase. Each of the foregoing may negatively impact a Fund’s investments.
•Gold Risk. The Funds may, from time to time, invest in Underlying ETFs that, in turn, hold gold or invest primarily in the gold industry. The prices of gold and gold operating companies are affected by the price of gold as well as other prevailing market conditions. These prices may be volatile, fluctuating substantially over short periods of time. In times of stable economic growth, traditional equity and debt investments could offer greater appreciation potential and the price of gold may be adversely affected.
The price of gold is affected by such factors as: (1) how much of the worldwide supply is held by large holders, such as governmental bodies and central banks; (2) unpredictable monetary policies and economic and political conditions in countries throughout the world; (3) supply and demand for gold bullion as an investment, including bars, coins or gold-backed financial instruments such as exchange-traded funds; (4) demand for gold jewelry; and (5) government policies meant to influence demand for gold.
The prices of gold operation companies are directly affected by: (1) declines in the price of gold; (2) rising capital costs as well as labor and other costs in mining and production; (3) adverse currency fluctuations, economic events or natural disasters or other
events with a significant economic effect in the countries where these companies operate; (4) labor disruptions; (5) operational issues and failures; (6) access to reliable energy and equipment supplies; and (7) changes in laws relating to mining, production, or sales. These factors may result in deviations between the price of gold and the securities of the operation companies in which an Underlying ETF invests. In addition, some gold mining companies have hedged, to varying degrees, their exposure to falls in the prices of gold by selling forward future production, which could limit the company’s benefit from future rises in the prices of gold or increase the risk that the company could fail to meet its contractual obligations. With respect to mining companies, mining operations have varying expected life spans and companies that have mines with a short expected life span may experience more stock price volatility.
The Underlying ETFs rely on their service providers for the safekeeping of essentially all of their holdings in gold bullion. The ability to monitor the activities of these service providers may be limited by service agreements. Failure of the service providers to exercise due care in the safekeeping of an Underlying ETF’s gold bullion may result in a loss to the Underlying ETF and a decrease in the value of a Fund’s investment. Each Underlying ETF’s gold is held by its custodian. In the event of the custodian’s insolvency, the Underlying ETF’s accounts holding gold may be frozen, and it could face difficulties obtaining control of its holdings. There is no assurance that the insurance maintained by an Underlying ETF’s service providers is sufficient to satisfy any losses incurred in connection with their relationship with the Underlying ETF.
•Government Obligations Risk. Each Fund may invest in securities issued, sponsored or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities. However, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities where it is not obligated to do so by law. For instance, securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. Securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have historically been supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government. While the U.S. government provides financial support to various U.S. government-sponsored agencies and instrumentalities, such as those listed above, no assurance can be given that it will always do so. In September 2008, at the direction of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed into conservatorship under the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), an independent regulator, and they remain in such status as of the date of this Prospectus. The U.S. government also took steps to provide additional financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
•High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund’s strategy may result in a high portfolio turnover rate. The Index is rebalanced monthly and may rebalance more frequently in response to shifts in the Bull/Bear Indicator, which may result in substantial portfolio turnover. The Index Provider expects, based on the historical performance of the Index, that annual portfolio turnover may be approximately 700% to 800%. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs (including brokerage commissions and bid/ask spreads), which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance. A high portfolio turnover rate may also result in adverse tax consequences for investors holding Shares in a taxable account, including increased distributions of short-term capital gains taxable at ordinary income rates.
•Hyperscaler Power Infrastructure Companies Risk (AI Power ETF Only). Hyperscaler power infrastructure companies are massive, scalable, cloud service providers that offer AI models the computing power and data storage necessary for training and development. As such, these companies may be affected by unpredictable energy demand, related regulation, and infrastructure needs. Furthermore, an investment in a hyperscaler company may be impacted by developments in technology that reduce energy intensity, higher power prices, or shifts in the geographic location of data center development.
•Index Calculation Risk. Although the Index Provider provides descriptions of what the Index is designed to achieve, the Index Provider does not provide any warranty or accept any liability in relation to the quality, accuracy or completeness of data in respect of its indices, and does not guarantee that the Index will be calculated in accordance with its stated methodology. Errors in respect of the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data used to compile the Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected for a period of time. As a result, losses associated with Index errors will generally be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.
•Index Tracking Risk. The Funds and certain Underlying ETFs or other funds in which a Fund invests may seek to track the performance of an index (i.e., achieve a high degree of correlation with the index) and their return may not match the return of the index for a number of reasons. For example, they may incur a number of operating expenses not applicable to the index, and incur costs in buying and selling securities. In addition, they may not be fully invested at times, either as a result of cash flows into or out of the fund. Changes in the composition of the index and regulatory requirements also may impact their ability to match the return of their index. The Underlying ETF’s manager may also attempt to replicate the index return through a sampling strategy, which involves investing in fewer than all of the securities in an index, or in some securities not included in the index, potentially increasing the risk of divergence between its return and that of the index. When employing a sampling strategy, one or more “screens” or investment techniques may be employed to refine or limit the number or types of issuers included in the index. Application of such screens or techniques may result in investment performance below that of the index and may not produce results expected. To the extent a passive fund employs a sampling strategy, an adverse development affecting an issuer of a security held by the fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the fund used a full replication strategy and held all of the securities in its index. Index tracking risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Errors in the construction or calculation of, or frequent rebalancing of, an underlying
index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected for some period of time, which may have an adverse impact.
•Inflation-Indexed Bonds Risk. Inflation-indexed bonds are debt securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers use a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon. Although inflation-indexed bonds may be somewhat less liquid than Treasury Securities, they are generally as liquid as most other government securities. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if inflation were to rise at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increased at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond’s inflation measure. There can also be no assurance that the inflation index applied to bond will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services.
•Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk refers to the possibility that a Fund may not be able to sell or buy a security or close out an investment contract at a favorable price or time. Consequently, a Fund may have to accept a lesser price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on a Fund’s performance. Infrequent trading of securities also may lead to an increase in their price volatility.
In addition, during periods of reduced market liquidity or in the absence of readily available market quotations for particular investments in a Fund’s portfolio, the ability of a Fund to assign an accurate daily value to these investments may be difficult and the Adviser may be required to fair value the investments. Fair value determinations are inherently subjective and reflect good faith judgments based on available information. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the determination of a security’s fair value in accordance with a Fund’s valuation procedures will in fact approximate the price at which such Fund could sell that security at that time (i.e., the sale price could differ, sometimes significantly, from the Fund’s last valuation for the security). Investors who purchase or redeem shares of a Fund on days when such Fund is holding fair valued securities may receive fewer or more shares or lower or higher redemption proceeds than they would have received if the Fund had not fair valued the securities or had used a different valuation methodology. These risks may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment and if a Fund holds a significant percentage of fair valued or otherwise difficult to value securities, such Fund may be particularly susceptible to the risks associated with valuation.
Liquidity risk also refers to the risk of unusually high redemption requests, redemption requests by certain large shareholders such as institutional investors or asset allocators, or other unusual market conditions that may make it difficult for a Fund to sell investments within the allowable time period to meet redemptions. Meeting such redemption requests could require a Fund to sell securities at reduced prices or under unfavorable conditions or access additional means of liquidity, which would reduce the value of such Fund. This risk is especially acute under current market conditions.
•Market Capitalization Risk.
◦Large-Capitalization Investing Risk. The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and, therefore, subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies also may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
◦Mid-Capitalization Investing Risk (AI Power ETF Only). The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of large-capitalization companies. The securities of mid-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than large-capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some mid-capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, financial resources, and management personnel and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to large-capitalization companies.
◦Small-Capitalization Investing Risk (AI Power ETF Only). The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of larger-capitalization companies. The securities of small-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some small-capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, and financial and managerial resources and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to larger capitalization companies. There is typically less publicly available information
concerning smaller-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Small-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.
•Market Risk. Market risks, including political, regulatory, market, and economic or other developments, and developments that impact specific economic sectors, industries or segments of the market, can affect the value of a Fund’s Shares. Each Fund is subject to the risk that the prices of, and the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline significantly and/or rapidly in response to adverse conditions or other developments affecting (or that are perceived to affect) individual companies or issuers, particular industries, or the market generally. Such developments may include real or perceived changes in prevailing interest rates, changes in inflation rates or expectations about inflation rates, deflation, adverse investor confidence or sentiment, general outlook for corporate earnings, changing economic, political (including geopolitical), social or financial market conditions, bank failures, actual or threatened imposition of tariffs (which may be imposed by U.S. and foreign governments) and trade disruptions, recession, changes in currency and inflation rates, increased instability or general uncertainty, environmental or natural disasters, extreme weather or geological events, governmental actions, public health emergencies (such as the spread of infectious diseases, pandemics and epidemics), debt crises, terrorism, actual or threatened wars or other armed conflicts (such as the armed conflicts across the Middle East and ongoing Russia-Ukraine war in Europe, and the risk of expansion or collateral economic and other effects thereof) or ratings downgrades, technological developments (including those related to artificial intelligence) or failures (for example, widespread system outages or disruptions or faulty updates to software applications) and other similar events, each of which may be temporary or last for extended periods. For example, the threat or actual imposition of tariffs, trade restrictions, currency restrictions or similar actions (or retaliatory measures taken in response to such actions) could adversely affect a Fund’s investments, including by leading to price volatility, overall declines in the U.S. and global investment markets, reduced liquidity and investment losses. These events have caused, and may in the future cause, significant disruptions to business operations, strained healthcare systems, disruptions to supply chains, large expansion of government deficits and debt as a result of government actions to mitigate the effects of such events, and widespread uncertainty regarding the long-term effects of such events. Such events may cause the value of securities owned by a Fund to go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. There also is a risk that policy and legislative changes by the U.S. Government and/or Federal Reserve, or certain foreign governments and central banks, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on a Fund. These events may lead to periods of volatility and increased redemptions, which could cause a Fund to experience a loss when selling securities to meet redemption requests by shareholders. The risk of loss increases if the redemption requests are unusually large or frequent. Markets also tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising and falling prices. If there is a general decline in the securities and other markets, your investment in a Fund may lose value, regardless of the individual results of the securities and other instruments in which a Fund invests.
These or similar events could be prolonged and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of a Fund’s investments, impair a Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact a Fund’s performance. Furthermore, economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected. As a result, whether or not a Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of a Fund’s investments may be negatively affected.
•Momentum Investing Risk. The momentum style of investing emphasizes investing in securities that have had stronger recent performance compared to other securities, on the premise that these securities will continue to increase in value. Momentum investing is subject to the risk that these securities may be more volatile than the market as a whole. High momentum may also be a sign that the securities’ prices have peaked, and therefore the returns of securities that have previously exhibited price momentum may be less than the returns of other styles of investing. Momentum can turn quickly, and stocks that previously exhibited high momentum may not experience continued positive momentum, and they may also experience rapid and substantial declines in value. Each Fund may experience significant losses if momentum stops, reverses or otherwise reacts differently than predicted. In addition, there may be periods when the momentum style of investing is out of favor and the investment performance of the Fund may be negatively affected compared to the returns from other styles of investing.
•Monthly Rebalance Risk. Because the Index generally changes its exposure based on data only as of the last business day of each month, (i) the Index’s exposure may be affected by significant market movements at or near month end that are not predictive of the market’s performance for the subsequent month and (ii) changes to the Index’s exposure may lag a significant change in the market’s direction (up or down) by as long as a month if such changes first take effect at or near the beginning of a month. Such lags between market performance and changes to the Index’s exposure may result in significant underperformance relative to the broader equity or fixed income market.
•Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. The Underlying ETFs may invest in U.S. government agency-backed mortgage- and asset-backed securities. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk. Modest movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain types of these securities. When interest rates fall, mortgage- and asset-backed securities may be subject to prepayment risk. When interest rates rise, certain types of mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to extension risk. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities can also be subject to the risk of default on the underlying residential or commercial mortgage(s) or other assets.
•New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have no track record or history on which to base their investment decision.
•Non-Diversification Risk. Each Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that they may invest a greater percentage of their assets in the securities of a single issuer or a lesser number of issuers than if they were diversified funds. As a result, a Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a lesser number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase a Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively small number of issuers to have a greater impact on such Fund’s performance.
•Other Investment Companies and ETPs Risk. A Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, such as ETFs registered under the 1940 Act, and ETPs registered under the 1933 Act. The risks of investment in these securities typically reflect the risks of the types of instruments in which the investment company invests. When a Fund invests in investment company securities, shareholders of such Fund bear indirectly their proportionate share of their fees and expenses, as well as their share of such Fund’s fees and expenses. As a result, an investment by a Fund in an investment company could cause such Fund’s operating expenses (taking into account indirect expenses such as the fees and expenses of the investment company) to be higher and, in turn, performance to be lower than if it were to invest directly in the instruments underlying the investment company. Investments in ETFs are also subject to the “ETF Risks” described above.
The Funds may also invest in investment companies that pursue inverse investment strategies. Such investment companies are very different from most mutual funds or ETFs in that they seek to provide inverse investment results on a daily basis and are intended to be used as short-term trading vehicles. Such funds are not intended to be used by, and are not appropriate for, investors who do not intend to actively manage and monitor their portfolios. These funds are riskier than alternatives that do not use leverage because the performance of an investment in the fund is magnified. Further, the return for investors who invest for a period longer than a single trading day will not be the product of the return of the fund’s stated investment goal (e.g., -2x). In addition, as a result of compounding, the fund’s performance for periods greater than one day is likely to be either greater than or less than the performance of the fund times the stated multiple in the fund’s investment objective, before accounting for fees and fund expenses.
Because the ETPs in which the Funds may invest may have a significant portion of their assets exposed directly or indirectly to commodities or commodity-linked securities, developments affecting commodities may have a disproportionate impact on such ETPs and may subject the ETPs to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The shares of ETPs are not registered under the 1940 Act, and therefore, do not afford the Funds the investor protections of 1940 Act registered funds.
•Passive Investment Risk. The Funds invest in the Underlying ETFs included in, or representative of, its Index regardless of their investment merit. The Funds do not attempt to outperform its respective Index or take defensive positions in declining markets. As a result, a Fund’s performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the market segments relating to its Index. The returns from the types of securities in which a Fund invests may underperform returns from the various general securities markets or different asset classes. The Funds are not actively managed and the Adviser will not sell shares of an Underlying ETF due to current or projected underperformance of the securities, industries or sector in which it invests, unless that ETF is removed from the Index, sold in connection with a rebalancing of the Index as addressed in the Index methodology, or sold to comply with a Fund’s investment limitations (for example, to maintain the Fund’s tax status). Of course, unlike some index funds that do not change exposure to equities and bonds, each Fund’s investment strategy does change in response to the Index’s anticipation of a bull or bear market. Nonetheless, each Fund will maintain investments until changes to its Index are triggered, which could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.
•Quantitative Security Selection Risk. Each Index relies on a quantitative model that utilizes artificial intelligence as well as third-party data and information to select Underlying ETFs. To the extent the model does not perform as designed or as intended, a Fund’s strategy may not be successfully implemented, and the Fund may lose value. In addition, if the underlying data used to construct the model is incorrect or incomplete, for reasons such as, but not limited to, market disruptions, accounting practices, regulatory matters, or acts of God, any decisions made in reliance thereon may lead to the inclusion or exclusion of Underlying ETFs that would have been excluded or included had the model or data been correct and complete. The Underlying ETFs selected using the model could perform differently from the financial markets as a whole due to characteristics used in the analysis, the weight placed on each characteristic, and changes in the characteristic’s historical trends, which may further impact a Fund’s value.
The success of the AI models depends on the quality, reliability, and timeliness of the data input. If data is stale, missing, or otherwise inaccurate, a Fund’s investment decisions may be adversely affected. Technological advancements, regulatory changes, or newly developed AI techniques could alter the landscape in which an Index’s current AI models operate. The Index Provider cannot guarantee that its models will remain optimal as AI and big data analytics evolve. An Index may rely on data from third-party providers. In the event these providers discontinue or materially limit access, or if the data is found to be inaccurate, the ability of a Fund to implement its investment strategy may be impaired. The AI models used by the Indexes may also incorporate a systemic bias against securities that demonstrate instability or volatility, which may disproportionately affect a Fund’s
performance for certain periods to the extent such instable or volatile securities perform better relative to more stable or less volatile securities for such periods.
•Rebalance Postponement and Ad Hoc Rebalance Risk. Unusual market conditions may cause the Index Provider (defined herein) to postpone a scheduled rebalance for one or more of the Indices, which could cause those Indices (and the corresponding Funds) to vary from their normal or expected composition. The postponement of a scheduled rebalance in a time of market volatility could mean that constituents that would otherwise be removed at rebalance due to changes in market capitalizations, issuer credit ratings, or other reasons may remain in the Index (and the Fund’s portfolio), causing the performance and constituents of each impacted Index (and Fund) to vary from those expected under normal conditions.
In addition to scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to an Index due to reaching certain weighting constraints, unusual market conditions or in order, for example, to correct an error in the selection of index constituents. When an Index is rebalanced, the corresponding Fund will, in turn, rebalance its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and its Index. Any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Index Provider or its agents to an Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the corresponding Fund.
•Robotics Companies Risk (AI Power ETF Only). Securities of robotics companies, especially smaller, start-up companies, may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources, or personnel and are subject to the risks of changes in business cycles, world economic growth, technological progress, and government regulation. As such, these companies tend to be more volatile than securities of companies that do not rely heavily on technology. Companies may rely on a combination of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secret laws to establish and protect their proprietary rights in their products and technologies. There can be no assurance that the steps taken by these companies to protect their proprietary rights will be adequate to prevent the misappropriation of their technology or that competitors will not independently develop technologies that are substantially equivalent or superior to such companies’ technology.
•Sector Risk. A Fund’s investing approach may result in an emphasis on certain sectors or sub-sectors of the market at any given time. To the extent a Fund invests more heavily in one sector or sub-sector of the market, it thereby presents a more concentrated risk and its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors or sub-sectors. In addition, the value of Shares may change at different rates compared to the value of shares of a fund with investments in a more diversified mix of sectors and industries. An individual sector or sub-sector of the market may have above-average performance during particular periods, but may also move up and down more than the broader market. The several industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events. A Fund’s performance could also be affected if the sectors or sub-sectors do not perform as expected. Alternatively, the lack of exposure to one or more sectors or sub-sectors may adversely affect performance.
◦Communications Service Sector Risk (Sweet 16 ETF Only). Market or economic factors impacting communication services companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a major effect on the value of a Fund’s investments. Communication services companies are particularly vulnerable to the potential obsolescence of products and services due to technological advancement and the innovation of competitors. Companies in the Communication Services Sector may also be affected by other competitive pressures, such as pricing competition, as well as research and development costs, substantial capital requirements and government regulation. Additionally, fluctuating domestic and international demand, shifting demographics and often unpredictable changes in consumer tastes can drastically affect a communication services company’s profitability. Stocks of communication services companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Additionally, companies in the Communication Services Sector may face dramatic and often unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. While all companies may be susceptible to network security breaches, certain companies in the Communication Services Sector may be particular targets of hacking and potential theft of proprietary or consumer information or disruptions in service, which could have a material adverse effect on their businesses.
◦Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk (Sweet 16 ETF Only). Consumer discretionary companies are companies that provide non-essential goods and services, such as retailers, media companies and consumer services. These companies manufacture products and provide discretionary services directly to the consumer, and the success of these companies is tied closely to the performance of the overall domestic and international economy, interest rates, competition and consumer confidence. Success depends heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending. Changes in demographics and consumer tastes can also affect the demand for, and success of, consumer discretionary products in the marketplace.
◦Energy Sector Risk (AI Power ETF Only). Issuers in energy-related industries can be significantly affected by fluctuations in energy prices and supply and demand of energy fuels caused by geopolitical events, energy conservation or use of alternative fuel sources, the success of exploration projects, weather or meteorological events, taxes, increased government or environmental regulation, resource depletion, rising interest rates, declines in domestic or foreign production, accidents or catastrophic events, or terrorist threats or attacks, among others. Markets for various energy-related commodities can have
significant volatility and are subject to control or manipulation by large producers or purchasers. Companies in the energy sector may need to make substantial expenditures, and to incur significant amounts of debt, in order to maintain or expand their reserves through exploration of new sources of supply, through the development of existing sources, through acquisitions, or through long-term contracts to acquire reserves. Factors adversely affecting producers, refiners, distributors, or others in the energy sector may adversely affect companies that service or supply those entities, either because demand for those products and services is curtailed or those products and services come under price pressure.
◦Financial Services Sector Risk (Sweet 16 ETF Only). The financial services sector includes companies involved in such activities as banking, commercial and consumer finance, investment banking, brokerage, asset management, custody and insurance. Companies in the financial services sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financial services sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates. The profitability of companies in the financial services sector may be adversely affected by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns. In addition, the financial services sector in certain countries is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework, which may have an impact on the issuers included in the Fund. Furthermore, increased government involvement in the financial services sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
◦Health Care Sector Risk. Companies in the health care sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. Companies in the health care sector are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Health care companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies or other market developments. Many new products in the health care sector require significant research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market.
◦Industrials Sector Risk (AI Power ETF Only). The industrial sector includes companies engaged in the manufacture and distribution of capital goods, such as those used in defense, construction and engineering, companies that manufacture and distribute electrical equipment and industrial machinery and those that provide commercial and transportation services and supplies. Companies in the industrial sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation, world events and economic conditions. In addition, companies in the industrial sector may be adversely affected by environmental damages, product liability claims and exchange rates. The success of these companies is affected by supply and demand both for their specific product or service and for industrial sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. In addition, the industrial sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be unpredictable.
◦Information Technology Sector Risk. The information technology sector includes companies engaged in internet software and services, technology hardware and storage peripherals, electronic equipment instruments and components, and semiconductors and semiconductor equipment. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face rapid product obsolescence due to technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Failure to introduce new products, develop and maintain a loyal customer base, or achieve general market acceptance for their products could have a material adverse effect on a company’s business. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on intellectual property and the loss of patent, copyright and trademark protections may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
◦Technology Sector Risk (AI Power ETF Only). Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a major effect on the value of an Underlying ETF’s investments. The value of stocks of technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability. Additionally, companies in the Technology Sector may face dramatic and often unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel.
•Securities Lending Risk. There are certain risks associated with securities lending, including the risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities on a timely basis or even the loss of rights in the collateral deposited by the borrower, if the borrower should fail financially. As a result, a Fund may lose money. A Fund could also lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities or a decline in the value of any investments made with cash collateral. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for a Fund.
•Semiconductor Industry Risk (AI Power ETF only). Competitive pressures may have a significant effect on the financial condition of companies in the semiconductor industry. Each Fund is subject to the risk that companies that are in the semiconductor industry may be similarly affected by particular economic or market events, which may, in certain circumstances, cause the value of securities of all companies in the semiconductor industry of the market to decrease. As product cycles shorten and manufacturing capacity increases, these companies may become increasingly subject to aggressive pricing, which hampers profitability. Each Fund is also subject to the risk that the securities of such issuers will underperform the market as a whole due to legislative or regulatory changes. Additionally, semiconductor companies are vulnerable to wide fluctuations in securities prices due to rapid product obsolescence. Many semiconductor companies may not successfully introduce new products, develop and maintain a loyal customer base or achieve general market acceptance for their products, and failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on their business, results of operations and financial condition. Reduced demand for end-user products, underutilization of manufacturing capacity, limited personnel, periods of production shortages, significant price erosion, a limited number of products, wide fluctuations in securities prices due to risks of rapid obsolescence of products, economic performance of the customers of semiconductor companies and other factors could adversely impact the operating results of companies in the semiconductor industry. Semiconductor companies typically face high capital costs, and such companies may need additional financing, which may be difficult to obtain. Semiconductor companies depend significantly on third-party suppliers and the availability of raw materials and may be adversely affected by supply chain disruptions. In addition, their capital equipment could suffer from rapid obsolescence. Some of the companies involved in the semiconductor industry are also engaged in other lines of business unrelated to the semiconductor business, and they may experience problems with these lines of business, which could adversely affect their operating results. The international operations of many semiconductor companies expose them to risks associated with instability and changes in economic and political conditions, foreign currency fluctuations, changes in foreign regulations, competition from subsidized foreign competitors with lower production costs, tariffs and trade disputes and other risks inherent to international business. The semiconductor industry is highly cyclical, which may cause the operating results of many semiconductor companies to vary significantly. Companies in the semiconductor industry also may be subject to competition from new market entrants, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. The stock prices of companies in the semiconductor industry have been and will likely continue to be extremely volatile compared to the overall market.
Semiconductor manufacturing processes are highly complex, costly and potentially vulnerable to impurities and other disruptions that can significantly increase costs and delay product shipments to customers. Many semiconductor companies rely on a single supplier or a limited number of suppliers for the parts and raw materials used in their products, and if quality parts and materials are not delivered by the suppliers on a timely basis, these companies will not be able to manufacture and deliver their products on a timely schedule which could adversely affect their financial condition.
Semiconductor design and process methodologies are subject to rapid technological change requiring large expenditures for research and development in order to improve product performance and increase manufacturing yields. Semiconductor companies also may be subject to risks relating to research and development costs and the availability and price of components. Many semiconductor companies have created new technologies for the semiconductor sector and currently rely on a limited number of customers as purchasers of their products and services. Semiconductor companies rely on a combination of patents, trade secret laws and contractual provisions to protect their technologies. Inability to adequately protect proprietary rights may harm the competitive positions of many semiconductor companies. Additionally, semiconductor companies may be subject to claims of infringement of third-party intellectual property rights, which could adversely affect their business. Many semiconductor companies are dependent on their ability to continue to attract and retain highly skilled technical and managerial personnel to develop and generate their business.
Certain companies in which each Fund may invest are non-U.S. issuers whose securities are listed on U.S. exchanges. These securities involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities, including greater market volatility, higher transactional costs, the possibility that the liquidity of such securities could be impaired because of future political and/or economic developments, taxation by foreign governments, political instability, the possibility that foreign governmental restrictions may be adopted which might adversely affect such securities and that the selection of such securities may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning such non-U.S. issuers or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to non-U.S. issuers may differ from those applicable to U.S. issuers.
Finally, certain segments of the semiconductor supply chain are highly concentrated, with a small number of suppliers - in some cases a single supplier - providing the most advanced chip-fabrication equipment. Disruption, capacity constraints, or export restrictions affecting such a supplier could materially affect the companies in which the Underlying ETFs and the Fund invest.
•Software Industry Risk (AI Power ETF only). The software industry can be significantly affected by intense competition, aggressive pricing, technological innovations, and product obsolescence. Companies in the software industry are subject to significant competitive pressures, such as aggressive pricing, new market entrants, competition for market share, short product cycles due to an accelerated rate of technological developments and the potential for limited earnings and/or falling profit margins. These companies also face the risks that new services, equipment or technologies will not be accepted by consumers and businesses or will become rapidly obsolete. These factors can affect the profitability of these companies and, as a result, the value of their securities. Also, patent protection is integral to the success of many companies in this industry, and profitability can be affected materially by, among other things, the cost of obtaining (or failing to obtain) patent approvals, the cost of litigating patent infringement and the loss of patent protection for products (which significantly increases pricing pressures and can materially reduce profitability with respect to such products). In addition, many software companies have limited operating histories. Prices of these companies’ securities historically have been more volatile than other securities, especially over the short term.
•Special Tax Risk. The Funds intend to qualify as RICs; however, the federal income tax treatment of certain aspects of the proposed operations of the Funds are not entirely clear. In particular, at least 90% of a Fund’s gross income each taxable year must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Qualifying Income Requirement”). Similar to other ETFs, when a Fund disposes of appreciated property by distributing such appreciated property in-kind pursuant to redemption requests of AP shareholders under Section 852(b)(6) of the Code, such Fund does not expect to recognize any built-in gain in such appreciated property. Accordingly, a Fund expects to treat the gain realized from the disposition of such appreciated property as not factoring into the Qualifying Income Requirement regardless of whether such gain would have generated non-qualifying income in a taxable disposition. The Funds have not received an opinion of counsel or guidance from the IRS regarding whether Section 852(b)(6) will be available when the Funds distributes such appreciated property in a redemption transaction. If the IRS or a court were to disagree with a Fund’s position as to the applicability of this nonrecognition rule to such Fund’s dispositions, the Fund could be under-distributed with respect to its income or gains and/or potentially fail to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement. If a Fund is under-distributed, it could be subject to an excise tax, subject to a corporate level tax, and potentially causing the character of the amounts reported to shareholders to be incorrect. Moreover, if a Fund fails to distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income and net tax-exempt income for the taxable year, such Fund would be subject to tax as a regular corporation for the taxable year. Alternatively, a Fund may be required to pay a deficiency dividend (without having received additional cash) and applicable interest, and such dividend would be paid to the then current shareholders of such Fund. In addition, unless a Fund is able to avail itself of a savings provision, a failure of the Qualifying Income Requirement would cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC. If, for any year, a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC, such Fund itself generally would be subject to regular corporate U.S. federal income tax, and distributions received by its shareholders would be subject to further U.S. federal income tax. Failure to comply with the requirements for qualification as a RIC would have significant negative economic consequences to a Fund’s shareholders.
•Tax Risk Related to Section 351 Contributions. The Fund expects to be seeded in connection with one or more transactions intended to qualify under Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), in which contributing shareholders transfer appreciated property to the Fund in exchange for Fund Shares. The tax treatment of such transactions depends on satisfaction of specific requirements under Section 351 and related Treasury regulations, which involve complex questions of fact and law. If the Internal Revenue Service successfully challenges the Section 351 treatment of any such contribution, contributing shareholders could recognize taxable gain on the contribution, and the Fund’s tax basis in the contributed property could differ from the basis it would otherwise have. The Fund and its shareholders may also be adversely affected if Section 351 treatment is not available or is subsequently revoked.
•Tracking Error Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of a Fund and its Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, each Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by its Index. In addition, a Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of its Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index. The use of sampling techniques may affect a Fund’s ability to achieve close correlation with its Index. Each Fund may use a representative sampling strategy to achieve its investment objective, if the Adviser believes it is in the best interest of the Fund, which generally can be expected to produce a greater non-correlation risk.
•Valuation Risk. The Underlying ETFs may hold securities or other assets that may be valued on the basis of factors other than readily available market quotations. This may occur because the asset or security does not trade on a centralized exchange, or in times of market turmoil or reduced liquidity. There are multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio holding when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio holding at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio holdings that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including “fair valued” assets or securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their valuations from one day to the next than if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that an Underlying ETF could sell or close out a portfolio position for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that an Underlying ETF would incur a loss because a portfolio position is sold or closed out at a discount to the valuation established by
the Underlying ETF at that time. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
Information about each Fund’s daily portfolio holdings is available at www.teucrium.com. A complete description of the Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”).
MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser
Teucrium Investment Advisors, LLC, located at Three Main Street, Suite 215, Burlington, Vermont 05401, serves as the investment adviser for the Funds. The Adviser, subject to the general supervision and oversight of the Board, provides an investment management program for the Funds and manages the day-to-day investment of the Funds’ assets. The Adviser also arranges for transfer agency, custody, fund administration, distribution and all other services necessary for the Funds to operate. The Adviser is an SEC-registered investment adviser wholly owned by Teucrium Trading, LLC.
The Adviser continuously reviews, supervises, and administers each Fund’s investment program. The Board supervises the Adviser and establishes policies that the Adviser must follow in its day-to-day management activities. For the services it provides to the Funds, the Adviser is entitled to a unified management fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate based on each Fund’s average daily net assets as set forth in the table below.
| | | | | |
| Fund | Management Fee |
AI Power ETF | [ ]% |
Sweet 16 ETF | [ ]% |
Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and the Adviser (the “Advisory Agreement”), the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Funds except the fee payable to the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (collectively, “Excluded Expenses”).
A discussion of the basis for the Board’s approval of the Advisory Agreement will be available in the Funds’ first Form N-CSR filing with the SEC.
Portfolio Managers
Messrs. Harris, Small, and Haugens are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of each of the Funds’ portfolios. There are no limitations or restrictions on any one portfolio manager’s role relative to the other portfolio managers.
Springer Harris joined Teucrium Trading, LLC, the parent company of the Adviser, in April 2011. He has primary responsibilities for the Trade Operations for the Teucrium Funds. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Harris was an Account Executive with Emergent Social Media Team at Weber Shandwick, a global public relations firm. He graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Business Management.
Chris Small joined Teucrium Trading, LLC in April of 2025. He is responsible for the execution and implementation of Teucrium’s growing suite of ETF’s and contributes to the development of new products in Teucrium’s multi-asset white-label platform. Prior to joining the firm, he worked as the Director of Trading at Boston-based asset manager Windham Capital from March 2015 until December 2024. Mr. Small graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont and studied economics, premedical coursework, and political science.
Joran Haugens joined Teucrium Trading, LLC in December of 2022. He has responsibilities for trade operations and execution for the Teucrium Funds. Prior to joining the firm, he worked as an account executive at ED&F Man Capital with a focus on agricultural commodities providing support, information, research, account management and execution for a wide range of customers. Mr. Haugens has more than 20 years of experience in execution and is Series 3 certified.
The Funds’ SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation structure, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers and the Portfolio Managers’ ownership of Shares.
Other Service Providers
PINE Distributors LLC, (the “Distributor”), located at 501 South Cherry Street, Suite 610, Denver, Colorado 80246, serves as distributor and principal underwriter to the Funds. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in less than whole Creation Units, and it does not maintain a secondary market in the Shares. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Funds or the securities that are purchased or sold by a Fund and is not affiliated with the Adviser or any of its affiliates.
U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the administrator and transfer agent (as applicable) for the Funds.
U.S. Bank National Association, located at 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the custodian for the Funds.
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, located at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.
[ ], located at [ ], serves as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Funds.
FUND SPONSOR
The Adviser has entered into an agreement with SumGrowth Indexes pursuant to which SumGrowth Indexes has agreed to provide certain support services to the Adviser, including the payment of certain of the Adviser’s expenses, and the Adviser has agreed to pay SumGrowth Indexes from the Adviser’s revenues a fee based on the assets of the Fund. SumGrowth Indexes does not provide investment advice to the Funds or otherwise act in the capacity of an investment adviser to the Fund.
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES
Each Fund issues and redeems Shares only in Creation Units at the NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order from an AP. Only APs may acquire Shares directly from a Fund, and only APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to a Fund, at NAV. APs must be a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC and must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Funds’ transfer agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Once created, Shares trade in the secondary market in quantities less than a Creation Unit.
Most investors buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. Individual Shares are listed for trading on the secondary market on the Exchange and can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded securities.
When buying or selling Shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offer price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. In addition, because secondary market transactions occur at market prices, you may pay more than NAV when you buy Shares and receive less than NAV when you sell those Shares.
Book Entry
Shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (the “DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares.
Investors owning Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all Shares. DTC’s participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of Shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that you hold in book entry or “street name” through your brokerage account.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares
The Funds impose no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of Shares. In determining not to approve a written, established policy, the Board evaluated the risks of market timing activities by Fund shareholders. Purchases and redemptions by APs, who are the only parties that may purchase or redeem Shares directly from the Funds, are an essential part of the ETF process and help keep Share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, the Funds accommodate frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase tracking error and portfolio transaction costs and lead to the realization of capital gains. The Funds’ fair valuation of their holdings consistent with the 1940 Act and Rule 2a-5 thereunder and their ability to impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Funds in effecting trades help to minimize the potential adverse consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions.
Determination of Net Asset Value
Each Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, each day the NYSE is open for business. The NAV for a Fund is calculated by dividing the applicable Fund’s net assets by its Shares outstanding.
In calculating its NAV, each Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments. In particular, each Fund generally values equity securities traded on any recognized U.S. or non-U.S. exchange at the last sale price or official closing price on the exchange or system on which they are principally traded. If such information is not available for an investment held by a Fund or is determined to be unreliable, the investment will be valued by the Adviser at fair value pursuant to procedures established by the Adviser and approved by the Board (as described below).
Fair Value Pricing
The Adviser has been designated by the Board as the valuation designee for the Funds pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act. In its capacity as valuation designee, the Adviser has adopted procedures and methodologies to fair value Fund investments whose market prices are not “readily available” or are deemed to be unreliable. For example, such circumstances may arise when: (i) an investment has been de-listed or has had its trading halted or suspended; (ii) an investment’s primary pricing source is unable or unwilling to provide a price; (iii) an investment’s primary trading market is closed during regular market hours; or (iv) an investment’s value is materially affected by events occurring after the close of the investment’s primary trading market. Generally, when fair valuing an investment held by a Fund, the Adviser will take into account all reasonably available information that may be relevant to a particular valuation including, but not limited to, fundamental analytical data regarding the issuer, information relating to the issuer’s business, recent trades or offers of the investment, general and/or specific market conditions and the specific facts giving rise to the need to fair value the investment. Fair value determinations are made in good faith and in accordance with the fair value methodologies established by the Adviser. Due to the subjective and variable nature of determining the fair value of a security or other investment, there can be no assurance that the Adviser’s determined fair value will match or closely correlate to any market quotation that subsequently becomes available or the price quoted or published by other sources. In addition, a Fund may not be able to obtain the fair value assigned to an investment if the Fund were to sell such investment at or near the time its fair value is determined.
Investments by Registered Investment Companies
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder limit investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in a Fund beyond the limits set forth in section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with such Fund.
Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding
Householding is an option available to certain investors of the Funds. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Householding for the Funds is available through certain broker-dealers. If you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, please contact your broker-dealer. If you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status, please contact your broker-dealer.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES
Dividends and Distributions
Each Fund expects to pay out dividends, if any, in cash, and distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders at least annually. Each Fund will declare and pay capital gain distributions, if any, in cash. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.
Taxes
The following discussion is a summary of certain important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Funds. Your investment in a Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares, including the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws. This summary does not apply to Shares held in an IRA or other tax-qualified plans, which are generally not subject to current tax. Transactions relating to Shares held in such accounts may, however, be taxable at some time in the future. This summary is based on current tax laws, which may change.
Each Fund intends to qualify each year for treatment as a RIC within the meaning of Subchapter M of the Code. If it meets certain minimum distribution requirements, a RIC is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, a Fund’s failure to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and, consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.
Unless your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when a Fund makes distributions, when you sell your Shares listed on the Exchange, and when you purchase or redeem Creation Units (APs only).
Taxes on Distributions
Each Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains. For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long a Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Shares. Sales of assets held by a Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by a Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of a Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by such Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains, which for non-corporate shareholders are subject to tax at reduced rates of up to 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets). Distributions of short-term capital gain will generally be taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional Shares.
Distributions reported by a Fund as “qualified dividend income” are generally taxed to non-corporate shareholders at rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided holding period and other requirements are met. “Qualified dividend income” generally is income derived from dividends paid by U.S. corporations or certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In addition, dividends that a Fund receives in respect of stock of certain foreign corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market. Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from a Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. For such dividends to be taxed as qualified dividend income to a non-corporate shareholder, a Fund must satisfy certain holding period requirements with respect to the underlying stock and the non-corporate shareholder must satisfy holding period requirements with respect to his or her ownership of such Fund’s Shares. Holding periods may be suspended for these purposes for stock that is hedged. Each Fund’s investment strategy may limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income or entitled to the dividends received deduction.
In the case of corporate shareholders, Fund distributions (other than Capital Gain Dividends) generally qualify for the dividends received deduction to the extent such distributions are so reported and do not exceed the gross amount of qualifying dividends received by such Fund for the year. Generally, and subject to certain limitations (including certain holding period limitations), a dividend will be treated as a qualifying dividend if it has been received from a domestic corporation. Certain of the Funds’ investment strategies may limit their ability to make distributions eligible for the dividends received deduction.
A RIC that receives business interest income may pass through its net business interest income for purposes of the tax rules applicable to the interest expense limitations under Section 163(j) of the Code. A RIC’s total “Section 163(j) Interest Dividend” for a tax year is limited to the excess of the RIC’s business interest income over the sum of its business interest expense and its other deductions properly allocable to its business interest income. A RIC may, in its discretion, designate all or a portion of ordinary dividends as Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, which would allow the recipient shareholder to treat the designated portion of such dividends as interest income for purposes of determining such shareholder’s interest expense deduction limitation under Section 163(j) of the Code. This can potentially increase the amount of a shareholder’s interest expense deductible under Section 163(j) of the Code. In general, to be eligible to treat a Section 163(j) Interest Dividend as interest income, you must have held your shares in a Fund for more than 180 days during the 361-day period beginning on the date that is 180 days before the date on which the share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend. Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, if so designated by a Fund, will be reported to your financial intermediary or otherwise in accordance with the requirements specified by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).
Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the amount and character of any distributions received from a Fund.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, however, may be treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year. Distributions are generally taxable even if they are paid from income or gains earned by a Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the Shares’ NAV when you purchased your Shares).
You should note that if you purchase shares just before a distribution, the purchase price would reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution. In this case, you would be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of your investment. This is known as “buying a dividend” and should generally be avoided by taxable investors.
If you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the United States or if you are a foreign entity, distributions (other than Capital Gain Dividends) paid to you by a Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. Gains from the sale or other disposition of your Shares from non-U.S. shareholders generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless you are a nonresident alien individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. A Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Different tax
consequences may result if you are a foreign shareholder engaged in a trade or business within the United States or if a tax treaty applies.
Under legislation generally known as “FATCA” (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), a Fund is required to withhold 30% of certain ordinary dividends it pays to shareholders that are foreign entities and that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.
A Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns Shares) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage (currently 24%) of the taxable distributions and sale proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has underreported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that the shareholder is not subject to such withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s ultimate U.S. tax liability.
Taxes When Shares are Sold on the Exchange
Provided that a shareholder holds Shares as capital assets, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Shares generally is treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for one year or less. However, any capital loss on a sale of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of Capital Gain Dividends paid with respect to such Shares. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent Shares are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of Shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.
The cost basis of Shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the Shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of Shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
Taxes on Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units
An AP having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally recognizes a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the exchanging AP’s aggregate basis in the securities delivered plus the amount of any cash paid for the Creation Units. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanging AP’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of the securities received, plus any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS may assert, however, that a loss that is realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be currently deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for an AP who does not mark-to-market their holdings) or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. APs exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
A Fund may include a payment of cash in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities upon the redemption of Creation Units. A Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause a Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the redemption in kind. As a result, a Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.
Net Investment Income Tax
U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gains distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
Foreign Investments by a Fund
The Funds invest in foreign securities. Interest and other income received by a Fund with respect to foreign securities may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If as of the close of a taxable year more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s assets consists of certain foreign stock or securities, each such Fund will be eligible to elect to “pass through” to investors the amount of foreign income and similar taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by such Fund during that taxable year. This means that investors would be considered to have received as additional income their respective shares of such foreign taxes but may be entitled to either a corresponding tax deduction in calculating taxable income, or, subject to certain limitations, a credit in calculating federal income tax. If a Fund does not so elect, each such Fund will be entitled to claim a deduction for certain foreign taxes incurred by such Fund. A Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns Shares) will notify you if it makes such an election and provide you with the information necessary to reflect foreign taxes paid on your income tax return.
Foreign tax credits, if any, received by a Fund as a result of an investment in another RIC will not be passed through to you unless the Fund qualifies as a “qualified fund-of-funds” under the Code. If a Fund is a “qualified fund-of-funds” it will be eligible to file an election with the IRS that will enable the Fund to pass along these foreign tax credits to its shareholders. A Fund will be treated as a “qualified fund-of-funds” under the Code if at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets (at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year) is represented by interests in other RICs.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in each Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You also may be subject to state and local tax on Fund distributions and sales of Shares. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “Federal Income Taxes” in the SAI.
DISTRIBUTION PLAN
The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Plan, each Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities and shareholder services.
No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Funds, and there are no plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because the fees are paid out of Fund assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION
Information regarding how often each Fund’s Shares traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) its NAV is available on the Funds’ website at www.teucrium.com.
ADDITIONAL NOTICES
The Shares are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in the determination of, the timing, prices, or quantities of Shares to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which Shares are redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of Shares in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of Shares.
Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.
The Adviser and the Funds make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Shares or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in a Fund particularly.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Financial information is not available because the Funds had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.
AlphaDroid® AI, Robotics, Hyperscaler Power ETF
AlphaDroid® Sweet 16 Giga Cap Stocks ETF
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Adviser | Teucrium Investment Advisors, LLC Three Main Street, Suite 215 Burlington, Vermont 05401 | Distributor | PINE Distributors LLC 501 South Cherry Street, Suite 610 Denver, Colorado 80246 |
| Transfer Agent, Index Receipt Agent, and Administrator | U.S. Bank Global Fund Services 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 | Custodian | U.S. Bank, N.A. 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212 |
| Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | [...] [...] [...] | Legal Counsel | Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004-2541 |
Investors may find more information about a Fund in the following documents:
Statement of Additional Information: The Funds’ SAI provides additional details about the investments of each Fund and certain other additional information. The SAI is on file with the SEC and is incorporated herein by reference into this Prospectus. It is legally considered a part of this Prospectus.
Annual/Semi-Annual Reports and Form N-CSR: Additional information about each Fund’s investments is available in the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders and in Form N-CSR. In the Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected a Fund’s performance. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund’s annual and semi-annual financial statements.
You can obtain free copies of these documents, request other information or make general inquiries about the Funds by calling 1-800-617-0004.
Shareholder reports and other information about the Funds also are available:
•Free of charge from the SEC’s EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov;
•Free of charge from the Funds’ website at www.teucrium.com; or
•For a fee, by e-mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov.
(SEC Investment Company Act File No. 811-23226)
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
Dated June 22, 2026
THE INFORMATION HEREIN IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.
AlphaDroid® AI, Robotics, Hyperscaler Power ETF ([...])
AlphaDroid® Sweet 16 Giga Cap Stocks ETF ([...])
Each, a series of Listed Funds Trust
Listed on [The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC]
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
[...], 2026
This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the prospectus for the AlphaDroid® AI, Robotics, Hyperscaler Power ETF (the “AI Power ETF”) and AlphaDroid® Sweet 16 Giga Cap Stocks ETF (the “Sweet 16 ETF”) (each, a “Fund,” and, together, the “Funds”), each a series of Listed Funds Trust (the “Trust”), dated [...], 2026, as may be supplemented from time to time (the “Prospectus”). Capitalized terms used in this SAI that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge, by calling the Funds at 1-800-617-0004, or by visiting www.teucrium.com.
The Funds’ audited financial statements for the most recent fiscal year (when available) will be included in the Funds’ most recent Form N-CSR, which will be incorporated into this SAI by reference (File No. 811-23226). When available, you may obtain a copy of the Funds’ Annual Report and Form N-CSR at no charge by contacting the Funds at the phone number noted above.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST
The Trust is an open-end management investment company consisting of multiple investment series. This SAI relates only to the Funds. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 26, 2016. The Trust is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (together with the rules and regulations adopted thereunder, the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company, and the offering of each Fund’s shares (collectively, the “Shares”) is registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”). The Trust is governed by its Board of Trustees (the “Board”).
Teucrium Investment Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Funds.
Each Fund offers and issues Shares at their net asset value (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each, a “Creation Unit”). Each Fund generally offers and issues Shares in exchange for a basket of securities (“Deposit Securities”) together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (“Cash Component”). The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount (“Deposit Cash”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security or other instrument in a Fund’s portfolio. Shares are listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (the “Exchange”) and trade on the Exchange at market prices that may differ from the Shares’ NAV. Shares also are redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, primarily for a basket of Deposit Securities together with a Cash Component. A Creation Unit of each Fund generally consists of 10,000 Shares, though this may change from time to time. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities.
Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the value of the missing Deposit Securities, as set forth in the Participant Agreement (as defined below). The Trust may impose a transaction fee for each creation or redemption. In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the SEC applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions in the secondary market will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES, AND RELATED RISKS
Each Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described in the Prospectus. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus. For a description of certain permitted investments, see “Description of Permitted Investments” in this SAI.
With respect to each Fund’s investments, unless otherwise noted, if a percentage limitation on investment is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a subsequent increase or decrease as a result of market movement or redemption will not result in a violation of such investment limitation.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION
Each Fund is classified as a non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act. A “non-diversified” classification means that a Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its total assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. This means that a Fund may invest a greater portion of its total assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. This may have an adverse effect on a Fund’s performance or subject Shares to greater price volatility than more diversified investment companies. Moreover, in pursuing its objective, a Fund may hold the securities of a single issuer in an amount exceeding 10% of the value of the outstanding securities of the issuer, subject to restrictions imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In particular, as a Fund’s size grows and its assets increase, it will be more likely to hold more than 10% of the securities of a single issuer if the issuer has a relatively small public float as compared to other components in a Fund’s portfolio.
Although each Fund is non-diversified for purposes of the 1940 Act, each Fund intends to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a “regulated investment company” (“RIC”) within the meaning of Subchapter M of the Code. Compliance with the diversification requirements of the Code may limit the investment flexibility of a Fund and may make it less likely that a Fund will meet its investment objectives. To qualify as a RIC under the Code, a Fund must meet the Diversification Requirement described in the section titled “Federal Income Taxes” in this SAI.
GENERAL RISKS
The value of a Fund’s portfolio investments may fluctuate with changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular investment or issuer, and changes in general economic or political conditions. An investor in a Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
There can be no guarantee that a liquid market for the investments held by a Fund will be maintained. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain investments may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such investments. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which investments may be sold and
the value of Shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for a Fund’s portfolio investments are limited or absent, or if bid/ask spreads are wide.
Cybersecurity Risk. The Funds, and their service providers may be subject to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cybersecurity breaches. Cyber-attacks affecting a Fund or the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact a Fund. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact a Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject a Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause reputational damage. A Fund also may incur additional costs for cybersecurity risk management purposes. Similar types of cybersecurity risks also are present for issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause a Fund’s investments in such portfolio companies to lose value.
Global Pandemics. Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, financial markets in the United States and around the world experienced extreme and, in many cases, unprecedented volatility and severe losses due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus. The pandemic resulted in a wide range of social and economic disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic or international travel, and supply chain disruptions affecting the United States and many other countries. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers experienced particularly large losses as a result of these disruptions. Although the immediate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have dissipated, global markets and economies continue to contend with the ongoing and long-term impact of COVID-19. It is unknown how long events related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance.
Recent Geopolitical Events. Geopolitical tensions introduce uncertainty into global markets. For example, Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the resulting responses by the United States and other countries, and the potential for wider conflict could increase volatility and uncertainty in the financial markets and adversely affect regional and global economies. The United States and other countries have imposed broad-ranging economic sanctions on Russia and certain Russian individuals, banking entities and corporations, and Belarus as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and may impose sanctions on other countries that provide military or economic support to Russia. The extent and duration of Russia’s military actions and the repercussions of such actions (including any retaliatory actions or countermeasures that may be taken by those subject to sanctions, including cyber-attacks) are impossible to predict, but could result in significant market disruptions, including in certain industries or sectors, such as the oil and natural gas markets, and may negatively affect global supply chains, inflation and global growth.
Similarly, escalations beginning in October 2023 of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict present a potential risk for wider conflict that could negatively affect financial markets due to a myriad of interconnected factors. This conflict could disrupt regional trade and supply chains, potentially affecting U.S. businesses with exposure to the region. For example, attacks on commercial vessels transiting through the Red Sea, commonly referred to as the Red Sea crisis, have led to disruption of international maritime trade and the global supply chain, which has had a direct impact on countries and regions that rely on such routes for the supply of energy and/or food and companies that typically ship goods or receive components by way of the Red Sea. In addition, recent U.S. military operations in Iran could lead to significant geopolitical instability, including retaliatory attacks, disruption of critical energy infrastructure and shipping lanes such as the Strait of Hormuz, and broader regional conflict, which in turn may cause sharp volatility across global financial markets and commodity prices. Such developments may adversely affect the Funds through increased market uncertainty, reduced liquidity, higher inflation and interest rate pressures, and potential declines in asset valuations across multiple sectors and geographies. The Middle East plays a pivotal role in the global energy sector, and prolonged instability could impact oil prices, leading to increased costs for businesses and consumers.
These conflicts and others, and any related events could significantly impact a Fund’s performance and the value of an investment in a Fund, even if the Fund does not have direct exposure.
Quantitative Methodology and Algorithm Risk. Each Index relies on a proprietary, rules-based quantitative methodology developed and maintained by the Index Provider that incorporates classical artificial intelligence techniques (specifically, Fuzzy Logic) in determining each Index’s Bull/Bear Indicator, and signal-processing techniques in identifying Bull-mode Momentum Leaders. The success of each Index depends, in significant part, on the continued effective functioning of the Index Provider’s algorithms, the integrity and timeliness of the third-party market data inputs relied upon by those algorithms, and the Index Provider’s ongoing model validation processes. If the algorithms do not perform as intended, if data inputs are incorrect or incomplete, or if validation tests fail to identify a model defect on a timely basis, the affected Index may not generate selections that achieve its intended objective. As a result, the affected Fund may underperform its benchmark or comparable funds. The Index Provider does not use generative AI in the construction, calculation, or maintenance of the Indexes.
DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS
The following are descriptions of the Funds’ permitted investments and investment practices and the associated risk factors. A Fund will only invest in any of the following instruments, or exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that invest in such instruments, or engage in any of the following investment practices, directly or indirectly, if such investment or activity is consistent with that Fund’s investment objective and permitted by the Fund’s stated investment policies. Because the Funds may seek to achieve their investment objective by investing in other ETFs, to the extent a reference herein refers to a Fund, it should be read to refer to the underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests where the context requires.
Borrowing
Each Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, as such may be interpreted or modified by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction, from time to time. Borrowing for investment purposes is one form of leverage. Leveraging investments by purchasing securities with borrowed money is a speculative technique that increases investment risk, but also increases investment opportunity. Because substantially all of a Fund’s assets will fluctuate in value, whereas the interest obligations on borrowings may be fixed, the NAV per share of the Fund will increase more when the Fund’s portfolio assets increase in value and decrease more when the Fund’s portfolio assets decrease in value than would otherwise be the case. Moreover, interest costs on borrowings may fluctuate with changing market rates of interest and may partially offset or exceed the returns on the borrowed funds.
Under adverse conditions, a Fund might have to sell portfolio securities to meet interest or principal payments at a time when investment considerations would not favor such sales.
Each Fund also may borrow money to facilitate management of the Fund’s portfolio by enabling the Fund to meet redemption requests when the liquidation of portfolio instruments would be inconvenient or disadvantageous. Such borrowing is not for investment purposes and will be repaid by the Fund promptly. As required by the 1940 Act, a Fund must maintain continuous asset coverage (total assets, including assets acquired with borrowed funds, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of all amounts borrowed. If, at any time, the value of a Fund’s assets should fail to meet this 300% coverage test, the Fund, within three days (not including Sundays and holidays), will reduce the amount of the Fund’s borrowings to the extent necessary to meet this 300% coverage requirement. Maintenance of this percentage limitation may result in the sale of portfolio securities at a time when investment considerations otherwise indicate that it would be disadvantageous to do so.
Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of the borrowing Fund’s portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased. A Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate. In addition to the foregoing, each Fund is authorized to borrow money as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes in amounts not in excess of 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets. Borrowings for extraordinary or emergency purposes are not subject to the foregoing 300% asset coverage requirement.
Convertible Securities
Convertible securities are debt securities which may be converted or exchanged at a stated exchange ratio into underlying shares of common stock. The exchange ratio for any particular convertible security may be adjusted from time to time due to stock splits, dividends, spin-offs, other corporate distributions, or scheduled changes in the exchange ratio. Convertible bonds and convertible preferred stocks, until converted, have general characteristics similar to both debt and equity securities. Although to a lesser extent than with debt securities generally, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion or exchange feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stocks, and, therefore, also will react to variations in the general market for equity securities. A unique feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend to rise as a reflection of the value of the underlying common stock. While no securities investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.
As debt securities, convertible securities are investments which provide for a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than common stocks. Of course, like all debt securities, there can be no assurance of current income because the issuers of the convertible securities may default in their obligations. Convertible securities, however, generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. A convertible security, in addition to providing fixed income, offers the potential for capital appreciation through the conversion feature which enables the holder to benefit from increases in the market price of the underlying common stock.
Convertible securities generally are subordinated to other similar but non-convertible securities of the same issuer although convertible bonds, as corporate debt obligations, enjoy seniority in right of payment to all equity securities, and convertible preferred stock is
senior to common stock, of the same issuer. However, because of the subordination feature, convertible bonds and convertible preferred stock typically have lower ratings than similar non-convertible securities.
Debt Securities
In general, a debt security represents a loan of money to the issuer by the purchaser of the security. A debt security typically has a fixed payment schedule that obligates the issuer to pay interest to the lender and to return the lender’s money over a certain time period. A company typically meets its payment obligations associated with its outstanding debt securities before it declares and pays any dividend to holders of its equity securities. Bonds, notes, and commercial paper are examples of debt securities and differ in the length of the issuer’s principal repayment schedule, with bonds carrying the longest repayment schedule and commercial paper the shortest.
Debt securities are all generally subject to interest rate, credit, income, and prepayment risks and, like all investments, are subject to liquidity and market risks to varying degrees depending upon the specific terms and type of security. The Adviser attempts to reduce credit and market risk through diversification of a Fund’s portfolio and ongoing credit analysis of each issuer, as well as by monitoring economic developments, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful at doing so.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds. Inflation-indexed bonds are debt securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers use a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.
Inflation-indexed securities issued by the U.S. Treasury have maturities of five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis, equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if a Fund purchased an inflation-indexed bond with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and inflation over the first six months were 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole years’ inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).
If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate. A Fund also may invest in other inflation related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.
The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if inflation were to rise at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increased at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.
While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond’s inflation measure.
The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (“CPI-U”), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index, calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.
Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.
A Fund’s investments in debt securities may subject the Fund to the following risks:
Credit Risk. Debt securities are subject to the risk of an issuer’s (or other party’s) failure or inability to meet its obligations under the security. Multiple parties may have obligations under a debt security. An issuer or borrower may fail to pay principal and interest when due. A guarantor, insurer, or credit support provider may fail to provide the agreed upon protection. A counterparty to a transaction may fail to perform its side of the bargain. An intermediary or agent interposed between the investor and other parties may fail to perform the terms of its service. Also, performance under a debt security may be linked to the obligations of other persons who may fail to meet their obligations. The credit risk associated with a debt security could increase to the extent that a Fund’s ability to benefit fully from its investment in the security depends on the performance by multiple parties of their respective contractual or other obligations. The market value of a debt security is also affected by the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer.
A Fund may incur substantial losses on debt securities that are inaccurately perceived to present a different amount of credit risk than they actually do by the market, the Adviser, or the rating agencies. Credit risk is generally greater where less information is publicly available, where fewer covenants safeguard the investors’ interests, where collateral may be impaired or inadequate, where little legal redress or regulatory protection is available, or where a party’s ability to meet obligations is speculative. Additionally, any inaccuracy in the information used by a Fund to evaluate credit risk may affect the value of securities held by such Fund.
Obligations under debt securities held by a Fund may never be satisfied or, if satisfied, only satisfied in part.
Some securities are subject to risks as a result of a credit downgrade or default by a government, or its agencies or, instrumentalities. Credit risk is a greater concern for high-yield debt securities and debt securities of issuers whose ability to pay interest and principal may be considered speculative. Debt securities are typically classified as investment grade-quality (medium to highest credit quality) or below investment grade-quality (commonly referred to as high-yield or junk bonds). Many individual debt securities are rated by a third-party source, such as Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) or Standard & Poor’s Financial Services (“S&P®”), to help describe the creditworthiness of the issuer.
Credit Ratings Risk. The Adviser performs its own independent investment analysis of securities being considered for a Fund’s portfolio, which includes consideration of, among other things, the issuer’s financial resources, its sensitivity to economic conditions and trends, its operating history, the quality of the issuer’s management, and regulatory matters. The Adviser also considers the ratings assigned by various investment services and independent rating agencies, such as Moody’s and S&P, that publish ratings based upon their assessment of the relative creditworthiness of the rated debt securities. Generally, a lower rating indicates higher credit risk. Higher yields are ordinarily available from debt securities in the lower rating categories. These ratings are described at the end of this SAI under “Description of Securities Ratings.”
Using credit ratings to evaluate debt securities can involve certain risks. For example, ratings assigned by the rating agencies are based upon an analysis completed at the time of the rating of the obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal. Rating agencies typically rely to a large extent on historical data which may not accurately represent present or future circumstances. Ratings do not purport to reflect the risk of fluctuations in market value of the debt security and are not absolute standards of quality and only express the rating agency’s current opinion of an obligor’s overall financial capacity to pay its financial obligations. A credit rating is not a statement of fact or a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold a debt obligation. Also, credit quality can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and credit ratings may not reflect the issuer’s current financial condition or events since the security was last rated. Rating agencies may have a financial interest in generating business, including from the arranger or issuer of the security that normally pays for that rating, and providing a low rating might affect the rating agency’s prospects for future business. While rating agencies have policies and procedures to address this potential conflict of interest, there is a risk that these policies will fail to prevent a conflict of interest from impacting the rating.
Extension Risk. A Fund is subject to extension risk, which is the risk that the market value of some debt securities, particularly mortgage securities and certain asset-backed securities, may be adversely affected when bond calls or prepayments on underlying mortgages or other assets are less or slower than anticipated. Extension risk may result from, for example, rising interest rates or unexpected developments in the markets for the underlying assets or mortgages. As a consequence, the security’s effective maturity will be extended, resulting in an increase in interest rate sensitivity to that of a longer-term instrument. Extension risk generally increases as interest rates rise. This is because, in a rising interest rate environment, the rate of prepayment and exercise of call or buy-back rights generally falls, and the rate of default and delayed payment generally rises. When the maturity of an investment is extended in a rising interest rate environment, a below-market interest rate is usually locked-in, and the value of the security is reduced. This risk is greater for fixed-rate than variable-rate debt securities.
Income Risk. A Fund is subject to income risk, which is the risk that the Fund’s income will decline during periods of falling interest rates or when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds. A Fund’s income declines when interest rates fall because, as the Fund’s higher-yielding debt securities mature or are prepaid, the Fund must re-invest the proceeds in debt securities that have lower, prevailing interest rates. The amount and rate of distributions that a Fund’s shareholders receive are affected by the income that the Fund receives from its portfolio holdings. If the income is reduced, distributions by a Fund to shareholders may be less.
Fluctuations in income paid to a Fund are generally greater for variable-rate debt securities. A Fund will be deemed to receive taxable income on certain securities which pay no cash payments until maturity, such as zero-coupon securities. A Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities that it would otherwise continue to hold in order to obtain sufficient cash to make the distribution to shareholders required for U.S. tax purposes.
Inflation Risk. The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by a Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
Interest Rate Risk. The market value of debt securities generally varies in response to changes in prevailing interest rates. Interest rate changes can be sudden and unpredictable. In addition, short-term and long-term rates are not necessarily correlated to each other as short-term rates tend to be influenced by government monetary policy while long-term rates are market driven and may be influenced
by macroeconomic events (such as economic expansion or contraction), inflation expectations, as well as supply and demand. During periods of declining interest rates, the market value of debt securities generally increases. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the market value of debt securities generally declines. This occurs because new debt securities are likely to be issued with higher interest rates as interest rates increase, making the old or outstanding debt securities less attractive. In general, the market prices of long-term debt securities or securities that make little (or no) interest payments are more sensitive to interest rate fluctuations than shorter-term debt securities. The longer a Fund’s average weighted portfolio duration, the greater the potential impact a change in interest rates will have on its share price. Also, certain segments of the fixed income markets, such as high-quality bonds, tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than other segments, such as lower-quality bonds.
Prepayment Risk. Debt securities, especially bonds that are subject to “calls,” such as asset-backed or mortgage-backed securities, are subject to prepayment risk if their terms allow the payment of principal and other amounts due before their stated maturity. Amounts invested in a debt security that has been “called” or “prepaid” will be returned to an investor holding that security before expected by the investor. In such circumstances, the investor, such as a Fund, may be required to re-invest the proceeds it receives from the called or prepaid security in a new security which, in periods of declining interest rates, will typically have a lower interest rate. Prepayment risk is especially prevalent in periods of declining interest rates and will result for other reasons, including unexpected developments in the markets for the underlying assets or mortgages. For example, a decline in mortgage interest rates typically initiates a period of mortgage refinancings. When homeowners refinance their mortgages, the investor in the underlying pool of mortgage-backed securities (such as a Fund) receives its principal back sooner than expected, and must reinvest at lower, prevailing rates.
Securities subject to prepayment risk are often called during a declining interest rate environment and generally offer less potential for gains and greater price volatility than other income-bearing securities of comparable maturity.
Call risk is similar to prepayment risk and results from the ability of an issuer to call, or prepay, a debt security early. If interest rates decline enough, the debt security’s issuer can save money by repaying its callable debt securities and issuing new debt securities at lower interest rates.
Derivative Instruments
Certain derivative instruments used by a Fund may oblige the Fund to make payments or incur additional obligations in the future. Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 18f-4”) imposes limits on the amount of leverage risk to which a fund may be exposed through the use of such derivatives and requires the adoption of certain derivatives risk management measures. Under Rule 18f-4, a fund’s investment in such derivatives is limited through value-at-risk (“VaR”) testing. Specifically, the VaR of the fund’s portfolio may not exceed 200% of the VaR of a specific unleveraged designated reference portfolio using relative VaR testing (or 20% of the value of the fund’s net assets using absolute VaR testing).
Generally, a fund whose derivatives exposure exceeds 10% of its net assets is required to establish and maintain a comprehensive derivatives risk management program, subject to oversight by a fund’s board of trustees, and appoint a derivatives risk manager. Funds whose derivatives exposure does not exceed 10% of their net assets may be considered limited derivatives users and are not required to comply with all of the conditions of Rule 18f-4, including the adoption of a derivatives risk management program and appointment of a derivatives risk manager, though they are required to adopt policies and procedures designed to manage derivatives risk.
Generally, derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate, or index, and may relate to bonds, interest rates, currencies, commodities, and related indexes. Examples of derivative instruments include forward contracts, currency and interest rate swaps, currency options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and swap agreements.
Swap Agreements. A Fund may utilize swap agreements in an attempt to gain exposure to the investments or commodities in a market without actually purchasing those investments or commodities, or to hedge a position. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day to more than one-year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” (i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a basket of securities representing a particular index). Total return swaps are swap agreements in which one party makes payments based on a set rate, either fixed or variable, while the other party makes payments based on the return of an underlying asset, to seek exposure to certain investments or commodities.
Forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or “cap” interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified level, or “floor;” and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.
A Fund’s obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by segregating assets determined to be liquid. Obligations under
swap agreements so covered will not be construed to be “senior securities” for purposes of each Fund’s investment restriction concerning senior securities. Because they are two-party contracts which may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid for purposes of each Fund’s illiquid investment limitations. No Fund will enter into any swap agreement unless the Adviser believes that the other party to the transaction is creditworthy. Each Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty.
Each Fund may enter into swap agreements to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of the underlying investments or commodities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. The counterparty to any swap agreement will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker-dealer. The counterparty will generally agree to pay a Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap agreement would have increased in value had it been invested in the particular stocks, plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. Each Fund will agree to pay to the counterparty a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the swap agreement plus the amount, if any, by which the notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to a Fund on any swap agreement should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by such Fund on the notional amount.
Swap agreements typically are settled on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with a Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap agreement or periodically during its term. Other swap agreements may require initial premium (discount) payments as well as periodic payments (receipts) related to the interest leg of the swap or to the default of a reference obligation. Each Fund will earmark and reserve assets necessary to meet any accrued payment obligations when it is the buyer of a credit default swap.
If a swap counterparty defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any, or the failure of the counterparty to deliver the underlying investments or commodities, depending on the nature of the swap. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each equity swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid assets, having an aggregate NAV at least equal to such accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated account by the Fund’s custodian.
The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments, which are traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market. The Adviser, under the supervision of the Board, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of Fund transactions in swap agreements.
The use of swap agreements is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If a counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of the swap would likely decline. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the Fund could eliminate its exposure under an outstanding swap agreement by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same or another party.
Swaptions. A swaption is an OTC option that gives the purchaser of the option the right, but not the obligation, in return for payment of a premium to the seller, to enter into a previously negotiated swap, or to extend, terminate or otherwise modify the terms of an existing swap. The writer (seller) of a swaption receives premium payments from the purchaser and, in exchange, becomes obligated to enter into or modify an underlying swap upon the exercise of the option by the purchaser. When a Fund purchases a swaption, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised, plus any related transaction costs.
There can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular swaption, or at any particular time, and a Fund may have difficulty affecting closing transactions in particular swaptions. Therefore, each Fund may have to exercise the options that it purchases in order to realize any profit and take delivery of the underlying swap. The respective Fund could then incur transaction costs upon the sale or closing out of the underlying swap. In the event that the swaption is exercised, the counterparty for such swaption would be the same counterparty with whom the respective Fund entered into the underlying swap.
However, if a Fund writes (sells) a swaption, the Fund is bound by the terms of the underlying swap upon exercise of the option by the buyer, which may result in losses to the Fund in excess of the premium it received. Swaptions involve the risks associated with derivative instruments generally, as described above, as well as the additional risks associated with both options and swaps generally.
Options. An option is a contract that gives the purchaser of the option, in return for the premium paid, the right to buy an underlying reference instrument, such as a specified security, currency, index, or other instrument, from the writer of the option (in the case of a call option), or to sell a specified reference instrument to the writer of the option (in the case of a put option) at a designated price during the term of the option. The premium paid by the buyer of an option will reflect, among other things, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price and the volatility of the underlying reference instrument, the remaining term of the option, supply, demand, interest rates and/or currency exchange rates. An American-style put or call option may be exercised at any time during the option period while a European-style put or call option may be exercised only upon expiration or during a fixed period prior thereto. Put and call options are traded on national securities exchanges and in the OTC market.
Options traded on national securities exchanges are within the jurisdiction of the SEC or other appropriate national securities regulators, as are securities traded on such exchanges. As a result, many of the protections provided to traders on organized exchanges will be available with respect to such transactions. In particular, all option positions entered into on a national securities exchange in the United States are cleared and guaranteed by the Options Clearing Corporation, thereby reducing the risk of counterparty default. Furthermore, a liquid secondary market in options traded on a national securities exchange may be more readily available than in the OTC market, potentially permitting a Fund to liquidate open positions at a profit prior to exercise or expiration, or to limit losses in the event of adverse market movements. There is no assurance, however, that higher than anticipated trading activity or other unforeseen events might not temporarily render the capabilities of the Options Clearing Corporation inadequate, and thereby result in the exchange instituting special procedures which may interfere with the timely execution of a Fund’s orders to close out open options positions.
Purchasing Call and Put Options. As the buyer of a call option, each Fund has a right to buy the underlying reference instrument (e.g., a currency or security) at the exercise price at any time during the option period (for American-style options). Each Fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to call options, exercise them, or permit them to expire. For example, a Fund may buy call options on underlying reference instruments that it intends to buy with the goal of limiting the risk of a substantial increase in their market price before the purchase is effected. Unless the price of the underlying reference instrument changes sufficiently, a call option purchased by a Fund may expire without any value to the Fund, in which case the Fund would experience a loss to the extent of the premium paid for the option plus related transaction costs.
As the buyer of a put option, a Fund has the right to sell the underlying reference instrument at the exercise price at any time during the option period (for American-style options). Like a call option, a Fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to put options, exercise them, or permit them to expire. A Fund may buy a put option on an underlying reference instrument owned by the Fund (a protective put) as a hedging technique in an attempt to protect against an anticipated decline in the market value of the underlying reference instrument. Such hedge protection is provided only during the life of the put option when a Fund, as the buyer of the put option, is able to sell the underlying reference instrument at the put exercise price, regardless of any decline in the underlying instrument’s market price. A Fund also may seek to offset a decline in the value of the underlying reference instrument through appreciation in the value of the put option. A put option also may be purchased with the intent of protecting unrealized appreciation of an instrument when the Adviser deems it desirable to continue to hold the instrument because of tax or other considerations. The premium paid for the put option and any transaction costs would reduce any short-term capital gain that may be available for distribution when the instrument is eventually sold. Buying put options at a time when the buyer does not own the underlying reference instrument allows the buyer to benefit from a decline in the market price of the underlying reference instrument, which generally increases the value of the put option.
If a put option was not terminated in a closing sale transaction when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying reference instrument remains equal to or greater than the exercise price during the life of the put option, the buyer would not make any gain upon exercise of the option and would experience a loss to the extent of the premium paid for the option plus related transaction costs. In order for the purchase of a put option to be profitable, the market price of the underlying reference instrument must decline sufficiently below the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs.
Writing Call and Put Options. Writing options may permit the writer to generate additional income in the form of the premium received for writing the option. The writer of an option may have no control over when the underlying reference instruments must be sold (in the case of a call option) or purchased (in the case of a put option) because the writer may be notified of exercise at any time prior to the expiration of the option (for American-style options). In general, though, options are infrequently exercised prior to expiration. Whether or not an option expires unexercised, the writer retains the amount of the premium. Writing “covered” call options means that the writer owns the underlying reference instrument that is subject to the call option. Call options also may be written on reference instruments that the writer does not own.
If a Fund writes a covered call option, any underlying reference instruments that are held by the Fund and are subject to the call option will be earmarked on the books of the Fund to satisfy its obligations under the option. Each Fund will be unable to sell the underlying reference instruments that are subject to the written call option until it either effects a closing transaction with respect to the written call, or otherwise satisfies the conditions for release of the underlying reference instruments. As the writer of a covered call option, a Fund gives up the potential for capital appreciation above the exercise price of the option should the underlying reference instrument rise in value. If the value of the underlying reference instrument rises above the exercise price of the call option, the reference instrument will likely be “called away,” requiring a Fund to sell the underlying instrument at the exercise price. In that case, the Fund will sell the underlying reference instrument to the option buyer for less than its market value, and the Fund will experience a loss (which will be offset by the premium received by the Fund as the writer of such option). If a call option expires unexercised, a Fund will realize a gain in the amount of the premium received. If the market price of the underlying reference instrument decreases, the call option will not be exercised and a Fund will be able to use the amount of the premium received to hedge against the loss in value of the underlying reference instrument. The exercise price of a call option will be chosen based upon the expected price movement of the underlying reference instrument. The exercise price of a call option may be below, equal to (at-the-money), or above the current value of the underlying reference instrument at the time the option is written.
As the writer of a put option, a Fund has a risk of loss should the underlying reference instrument decline in value. If the value of the underlying reference instrument declines below the exercise price of the put option and the put option is exercised, a Fund, as the writer of the put option, will be required to buy the instrument at the exercise price, which will exceed the market value of the underlying reference instrument at that time. A Fund will incur a loss to the extent that the current market value of the underlying reference instrument is less than the exercise price of the put option. However, the loss will be offset in part by the premium received from the buyer of the put. If a put option written by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund will realize a gain in the amount of the premium received.
Futures and Options on Futures Contracts. Each Fund may enter into options on futures contracts. When a Fund purchases a futures contract, it agrees to purchase a specified underlying instrument at a specified future date. When a Fund sells a futures contract, it agrees to sell the underlying instrument at a specified future date. The price at which the purchase and sale will take place is fixed when a Fund enters into the contract. Futures can be held until their delivery dates, or can be closed out before then if a liquid secondary market is available.
The risk of loss in trading futures contracts or uncovered call options in some strategies (e.g., selling uncovered stock index futures contracts) is potentially unlimited. No Fund plans to use futures and options contracts in this way. The risk of a futures position may still be large as traditionally measured due to the low margin deposits required. In many cases, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss or gain to the investor relative to the size of a required margin deposit. Each Fund, however, may utilize futures and options contracts in a manner designed to limit their risk exposure to levels comparable to direct investment in stocks.
There also is the risk of loss by a Fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the Fund has an open position in the futures contract or option. The purchase of put or call options will be based upon predictions by a Fund as to anticipated trends, which predictions could prove to be incorrect.
The potential for loss related to the purchase of an option on a futures contract is limited to the premium paid for the option plus transaction costs. Because the value of the option is fixed at the point of sale, there are no daily cash payments by the purchaser to reflect changes in the value of the underlying contract; however, the value of the option changes daily and that change would be reflected in the NAV of each Fund. The potential for loss related to writing options may be unlimited.
Although each Fund intends to enter into futures contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will exist for the contracts at any particular time.
Developing Government Regulation of Derivatives. The regulation of certain derivatives is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action. In addition, the SEC, the CFTC, and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.
It is not possible to fully predict the effects of current or future regulation. However, it is possible that developments in government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, such as speculative position limits on certain types of derivatives, or limits or restrictions on the counterparties with which a Fund engages in derivative transactions, may limit or prevent a Fund from using or limit a Fund’s use of these instruments effectively as a part of its investment strategy, and could adversely affect a Fund’s ability to achieve its investment goal(s). The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in the area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect each Fund’s ability to enter into desired swaps. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to a Fund, may increase the cost of a Fund’s investments and cost of doing business.
Counterparty Credit Risk. Each Fund is subject to counterparty credit risk with respect to its use of derivative transactions. If a counterparty to a derivatives contract becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations due to financial difficulties, a Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. A Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. To partially mitigate this risk, the Adviser will seek to effect derivative transactions only with counterparties that it believes are creditworthy. However, there is no assurance that a counterparty will remain creditworthy or solvent.
Equity Securities
Equity securities, such as the common stock of an issuer, are subject to stock market fluctuations and, therefore, may experience volatile changes in value as market conditions, consumer sentiment or the financial condition of the issuers change. A decrease in value of the equity securities in a Fund’s portfolio may also cause the value of such Fund’s Shares to decline. An investment in the Funds should be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in equity securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the stock market may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities and therefore a decrease in the value of Shares).
Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and perceptions change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations
regarding government, economic, monetary, and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic, or banking crises.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Further, unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. Common stock values are subject to market fluctuations as long as the common stock remains outstanding.
Types of Equity Securities include:
Common Stocks — Common stocks represent units of ownership in a company. Common stocks usually carry voting rights and earn dividends. Unlike preferred stocks, which are described below, dividends on common stocks are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the company’s board of directors.
Preferred Stocks — Preferred stocks also are units of ownership in a company. Preferred stocks normally have preference over common stocks in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of the company. However, in all other respects, preferred stocks are subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer. Unlike common stocks, preferred stocks are generally not entitled to vote on corporate matters. Types of preferred stocks include adjustable-rate preferred stock, fixed dividend preferred stock, perpetual preferred stock, and sinking fund preferred stock.
Generally, the market values of preferred stocks with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element vary inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk.
Rights and Warrants — A right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock before it is issued. Rights normally have a short life of usually two to four weeks, are freely transferable, and entitle the holder to buy the new common stock at a lower price than the public offering price. Warrants are securities that are usually issued together with a debt security or preferred stock and that give the holder the right to buy a proportionate amount of common stock at a specified price. Warrants are freely transferable and are traded on major exchanges. Unlike rights, warrants normally have a life that is measured in years and entitles the holder to buy common stock of a company at a price that is usually higher than the market price at the time the warrant is issued. Corporations often issue warrants to make the accompanying debt security more attractive.
An investment in warrants and rights may entail greater risks than certain other types of investments. Generally, rights and warrants do not carry the right to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. In addition, their value does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and they cease to have value if they are not exercised on or before their expiration date. Investing in rights and warrants increases the potential profit or loss to be realized from the investment as compared with investing the same amount in the underlying securities.
Large-Capitalization Companies — Investments in large-capitalization companies may go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions and may underperform other market segments. Some large-capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion. As such, returns on investments in stocks of large-capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in stocks of small- and mid-capitalization companies.
Mid-Capitalization Companies — Investors in mid-capitalization companies typically take on greater risk and price volatility than they would by investing in larger, more established companies. This increased risk may be due to the greater business risks of their medium size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and frequent lack of management depth. The securities of mid-capitalization companies are often traded in the over-the-counter market and might not be traded in volumes typical of securities traded on a national securities exchange. Thus, the securities of mid-capitalization companies are likely to be less liquid, and subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements, than securities of larger, more established companies.
Tracking Stocks — A tracking stock is a separate class of common stock whose value is linked to a specific business unit or operating division within a larger company and which is designed to “track” the performance of such business unit or division. The tracking stock may pay dividends to shareholders independent of the parent company. The parent company, rather than the business unit or division, generally is the issuer of tracking stock. However, holders of the tracking stock may not have the same rights as holders of the company’s common stock.
Exchange-Traded Funds
The Funds may invest in shares of other ETFs, which include ETFs registered under the 1940 Act and exchange-traded products (“ETPs”) registered under the Securities Act. As the shareholder of another ETF, a Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other ETF’s expenses, including advisory fees. Such expenses are in addition to the expenses each Fund pays in connection with its own operations. A Fund’s investments in other ETFs may be limited by applicable law.
Disruptions in the markets for the securities underlying ETFs purchased or sold by a Fund could result in losses on investments in ETFs. ETFs also carry the risk that the price a Fund pays or receives may be higher or lower than the ETF’s NAV. ETFs are also subject to certain additional risks, including the risks of illiquidity and of possible trading halts due to market conditions or other reasons, based on the policies of the relevant exchange. ETFs and other investment companies in which a Fund may invest may be leveraged, which would increase the volatility of a Fund’s NAV. The Funds also may invest in ETFs and other investment companies that seek to return the inverse of the performance of an underlying index on a daily, monthly, or other basis, including inverse leveraged ETFs.
Inverse and leveraged ETFs are subject to additional risks not generally associated with traditional ETFs. To the extent that a Fund invests in inverse ETFs, the value of the Fund’s investments will decrease when the index underlying the ETF’s benchmark rises, a result that is the opposite from traditional equity or bond funds. The NAV and market price of leveraged or inverse ETFs are usually more volatile than the value of the tracked index or of other ETFs that do not use leverage. This is because inverse and leveraged ETFs use investment techniques and financial instruments that may be considered aggressive, including the use of derivative transactions and short selling techniques. The use of these techniques may cause the inverse or leveraged ETFs to lose more money in market environments that are adverse to their investment strategies than other funds that do not use such techniques.
Because ETPs may have a significant portion of their assets exposed directly or indirectly to commodities or commodity-linked securities, developments affecting commodities may have a disproportionate impact on such ETPs and may subject the ETPs to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The shares of ETPs are not registered under the 1940 Act, and therefore, do not afford the Fund the investor protections typical of investments in registered funds.
Illiquid Investments
A Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, a Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment means any investment that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. If illiquid investments exceed 15% of a Fund’s net assets, certain remedial actions will be taken as required by Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act and a Fund’s policies and procedures.
A Fund may not be able to sell illiquid securities when the Adviser considers it desirable to do so or may have to sell such securities at a price that is lower than the price that could be obtained if the securities were more liquid. In addition, the sale of illiquid securities may require more time and may result in higher dealer discounts and other selling expenses than does the sale of securities that are not illiquid. Illiquid securities also may be more difficult to value due to the unavailability of reliable market quotations for such securities, and investment in illiquid securities may have an adverse impact on NAV.
Investment Company Securities
The Funds may invest in the securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, mutual funds, and money market funds, subject to applicable limitations under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Pursuant to Section 12(d)(1), a Fund may invest in the securities of another investment company (the “acquired company”) provided that such Fund, immediately after such purchase or acquisition, does not own in the aggregate: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company; (ii) securities issued by the acquired company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of such Fund; or (iii) securities issued by the acquired company and all other investment companies (other than treasury stock of such Fund) having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the applicable Fund. Under certain circumstances, including in compliance with Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the Funds may invest its assets in securities of investment companies, including money market funds, in excess of the limits discussed above.
The Adviser has entered (or intends to enter) into participation agreements with the trusts and advisers of certain Underlying ETFs in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 (the “Participation Agreements”), which permit a Fund to invest in those Underlying ETFs beyond the limits otherwise imposed by Section 12(d)(1) on the terms set forth in the Participation Agreements. In addition, the Index Provider provides the Adviser, in its Index Construction reports, with one or more highly correlated alternate Underlying ETF selections that the Adviser may use in lieu of the primary Index selection where the primary selection lacks sufficient assets under management, secondary-market liquidity, or otherwise to support the Adviser’s execution at the full position size. The use of Participation Agreements and alternate selections is intended to permit the Adviser to maintain alignment with the economic exposure of an Index while operating within applicable investment limitations.
Investing in another pooled vehicle exposes a Fund to all the risks of that pooled vehicle. In addition, if a Fund invests in and, thus, is a shareholder of, another investment company, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by such other investment company, including advisory fees, in addition to both the management fees payable directly by the Fund to the Fund’s own investment adviser and the other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with the Fund’s own operations.
Non-U.S. Securities
Each Fund may invest in non-U.S. securities. Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present in investments in U.S. securities. For example, non-U.S. securities may be subject to currency risks or to foreign government taxes. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and a foreign issuer may or may not be subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those in the U.S. Other risks of investing in such securities include political or economic instability in the country involved, the difficulty of predicting international trade patterns and the possibility of imposition of exchange controls. The prices of such securities may be more volatile than those of domestic securities. With respect to certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of expropriation of assets or nationalization, imposition of withholding taxes on dividend or interest payments, difficulty in obtaining and enforcing judgments against foreign entities or diplomatic developments which could affect investment in these countries. Losses and other expenses may be incurred in converting between various currencies in connection with purchases and sales of foreign securities. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Funds do not price their Shares, the value of the securities in a Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Funds’ Shares. Conversely, Shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Each of these factors can make investments in the Funds more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
Non-U.S. stock markets may not be as developed or efficient as, and may be more volatile than, those in the U.S. While the volume of shares traded on non-U.S. stock markets generally has been growing, such markets usually have substantially less volume than U.S. markets. Therefore, a Fund’s investment in non-U.S. equity securities may be less liquid and subject to more rapid and erratic price movements than comparable securities listed for trading on U.S. exchanges. Non-U.S. equity securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. There may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, banks and listed companies abroad than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences may include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, that increase the likelihood of a failed settlement, which can result in losses to a Fund. The value of non-U.S. investments and the investment income derived from them also may be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange control regulations. Foreign brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees also are generally higher than for securities traded in the U.S. This may cause a Fund to incur higher portfolio transaction costs than domestic equity funds. Fluctuations in exchange rates also may affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing a security, even one denominated in U.S. dollars. Dividend and interest payments may be repatriated based on the exchange rate at the time of disbursement, and restrictions on capital flows may be imposed.
Investments in Emerging Markets. Investments in securities listed and traded in emerging markets are subject to additional risks that may not be present for U.S. investments or investments in more developed non-U.S. markets. Such risks may include: (i) greater market volatility; (ii) lower trading volume; (iii) greater social, political and economic uncertainty; (iv) governmental controls on foreign investments and limitations on repatriation of invested capital; (v) the risk that companies may be held to lower disclosure, corporate governance, auditing and financial reporting standards than companies in more developed markets; (vi) the risk that there may be less protection of property rights than in other countries; and (vii) fewer investor rights and limited legal or practical remedies available to investors against emerging market companies. Emerging markets are generally less liquid and less efficient than developed securities markets.
Other Short-Term Instruments
The Funds may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. Money market instruments are generally short-term investments that may include but are not limited to: (i) shares of money market funds; (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises); (iii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), bankers’ acceptances, fixed time deposits, and other obligations of U.S. and foreign banks (including foreign branches) and similar institutions; (iv) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s or “A‑1” by S&P or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser; (v) non-convertible corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with remaining maturities at the date of purchase of not more than 397 days and that satisfy the rating requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; and (vi) short-term U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign banks (including U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of the Adviser, are of comparable quality to obligations of U.S. banks which may be purchased by a Fund. Any of these instruments may be purchased on a current or a forward-settled basis. Money market instruments also include shares of money market funds. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”)
A U.S. REIT is a corporation or business trust (that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation) which meets the definitional requirements of the Code. The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct from taxable income the dividends paid, thereby effectively eliminating corporate level federal income tax. To meet the definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things: invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate (including mortgages and other REITs), cash and government securities;
derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property; and, in general, distribute annually 90% or more of its taxable income (other than net capital gains) to shareholders.
REITs are sometimes informally characterized as Equity REITs and Mortgage REITs. An Equity REIT invests primarily in the fee ownership or leasehold ownership of land and buildings (e.g., commercial equity REITs and residential equity REITs). A Mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real property, which may secure construction, development, or long-term loans.
REITs may be affected by changes in underlying real estate values, which may have an exaggerated effect to the extent that REITs in which a Fund invests may concentrate investments in particular geographic regions or property types. Additionally, rising interest rates may cause investors in REITs to demand a higher annual yield from future distributions, which may in turn decrease market prices for equity securities issued by REITs. Rising interest rates also generally increase the costs of obtaining financing, which could cause the value of a Fund’s investments to decline. During periods of declining interest rates, certain Mortgage REITs may hold mortgages that the mortgagors elect to prepay, which prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by such Mortgage REITs. In addition, Mortgage REITs may be affected by the ability of borrowers to repay when due the debt extended by the REIT and Equity REITs may be affected by the ability of tenants to pay rent.
Certain REITs have relatively small market capitalization, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of securities issued by such REITs. Furthermore, REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. By investing in REITs indirectly through a Fund, a shareholder will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the REITs. REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders.
In addition to these risks, Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Further, Equity and Mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally may not be diversified. Equity and Mortgage REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, Equity and Mortgage REITs could possibly fail to qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally available to U.S. REITs under the Code or fail to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. The above factors also may adversely affect a borrower’s or a lessee’s ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the event of 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.
Repurchase Agreements
Each Fund may invest in repurchase agreements with commercial banks, brokers, or dealers to generate income from its excess cash balances and to invest in securities lending cash collateral. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which a Fund acquires a financial instrument (e.g., a security issued by the U.S. government or an agency thereof, a banker’s acceptance or a certificate of deposit) from a seller, subject to resale to the seller at an agreed-upon price and date (normally, the next business day). A repurchase agreement may be considered a loan collateralized by securities. The resale price reflects an agreed-upon interest rate effective for the period the instrument is held by the applicable Fund and is unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying instrument.
In these repurchase agreement transactions, the securities acquired by a Fund (including accrued interest earned thereon) must have a total value in excess of the value of the repurchase agreement and are held by the Funds’ custodian until repurchased. No more than an aggregate of 15% of a Fund’s net assets will be invested in illiquid investments, including repurchase agreements having maturities longer than seven days and securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, or for which there are no readily available market quotations.
The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the other party to the agreement defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying security at a time when the value of the security has declined, a Fund may incur a loss upon disposition of the security. If the other party to the agreement becomes insolvent and subject to liquidation or reorganization under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or other laws, a court may determine that the underlying security is collateral for a loan by a Fund not within the control of the Fund and, therefore, the Fund may not be able to substantiate its interest in the underlying security and may be deemed an unsecured creditor of the other party to the agreement.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements
A Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which involve the sale of securities held by the Fund subject to its agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest. Reverse repurchase agreements may be entered into only with banks or securities dealers or their affiliates. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, a Fund will, for all of its reverse repurchase agreements, either (i) consistent with Section 18 of the 1940 Act, maintain asset coverage of at least 300% of the value of the repurchase agreement or (ii) treat the reverse repurchase agreement as a derivatives transaction for purposes of Rule 18f-4, including, as applicable, the VaR-based limit on leverage risk.
Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the buyer of the securities sold by a Fund might be unable to deliver them when the Fund seeks to repurchase. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the buyer, trustee, or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to
repurchase the securities, and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision.
Securities Lending
Each Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to one-third of its total assets to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions. In a portfolio securities lending transaction, a Fund receives from the borrower an amount equal to the interest paid or the dividends declared on the loaned securities during the term of the loan as well as the interest on the collateral securities, less any fees (such as finder’s or administrative fees) the Fund pays in arranging the loan. A Fund may share the interest it receives on the collateral securities with the borrower. The terms of each Fund’s loans permit it to reacquire loaned securities on five business days’ notice or in time to vote on any important matter. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the applicable Fund or borrower at any time, and the borrowed securities must be returned when the loan is terminated. The Funds may pay fees to arrange for securities loans.
The SEC currently requires that the following conditions must be met whenever a Fund’s portfolio securities are loaned: (1) the Fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral from the borrower; (2) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (3) the Fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (4) the Fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (5) the Fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees approved by the Board in connection with the loan; (6) while voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower, the Board must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs; and (7) the Fund may not loan its portfolio securities so that the value of the loaned securities is more than one-third of its total asset value, including collateral received from such loans. These conditions may be subject to future modification. Such loans will be terminable at any time upon specified notice. A Fund might experience the risk of loss if the institution with which it has engaged in a portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with the Fund. In addition, the Funds will not enter into any portfolio security lending arrangement having a duration of longer than one year. The principal risk of portfolio lending is potential default or insolvency of the borrower. In either of these cases, a Fund could experience delays in recovering securities or collateral or could lose all or part of the value of the loaned securities. As part of participating in a lending program, the applicable Fund may be required to invest in collateralized debt or other securities that bear the risk of loss of principal. In addition, all investments made with the collateral received are subject to the risks associated with such investments. If such investments lose value, a Fund will have to cover the loss when repaying the collateral.
Any loans of portfolio securities are fully collateralized based on values that are marked-to-market daily. Any securities that a Fund may receive as collateral will not become part of a Fund’s investment portfolio at the time of the loan and, in the event of a default by the borrower, the Fund will, if permitted by law, dispose of such collateral except for such part thereof that is a security in which the Fund is permitted to invest. During the time securities are on loan, the borrower will pay a Fund any accrued income on those securities, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral and earn income or receive an agreed-upon fee from a borrower that has delivered cash-equivalent collateral.
Tax Risks
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Shares will be taxed. The tax information in the Prospectus and this SAI is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares.
The Funds intend to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under the Code. To qualify as a RIC under the Code, a Fund must invest in assets which produce the types of income specified in the Code and the Treasury regulations (“Qualifying Income”). Whether the income from certain derivatives, such as swaps, is Qualifying Income is not entirely clear.
In addition, a Fund’s transactions in financial instruments, including, but not limited to, options, futures contracts, and hedging transactions, will be subject to special tax rules (which may include mark to market, constructive sale, wash sale, and short sale rules), the effect of which may be to accelerate income to such Fund, defer losses to such Fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of such Fund’s securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains or convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could, therefore, affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to a Fund’s shareholders. A Fund’s use of such transactions may result in it realizing more short-term capital gains and ordinary income, in each case subject to U.S. federal income tax at higher ordinary income tax rates, than it would if it did not engage in such transactions.
In addition, the high portfolio turnover that the Index Provider expects each Index methodology to produce is likely to cause each Fund to realize significant short-term capital gains, which are generally taxable to non-corporate U.S. shareholders at ordinary income tax rates rather than at lower long-term capital gains rates. Each Fund expects, where consistent with its investment strategy and the orderly management of its portfolio, to use in-kind redemptions of Creation Units to reduce, but not eliminate, distributions of short-term capital gains.
U.S. Government Securities
Each Fund may invest in U.S. government securities. Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, or its agencies or instrumentalities, include U.S. Treasury securities, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, and which differ
only in their interest rates, maturities, and times of issuance. U.S. Treasury bills have initial maturities of one year or less; U.S. Treasury notes have initial maturities of one to ten years; and U.S. Treasury bonds generally have initial maturities of greater than ten years. Certain U.S. government securities are issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, including, but not limited to, obligations of U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Small Business Administration, the Federal Farm Credit Administration, the Federal Home Loan Banks, Banks for Cooperatives (including the Central Bank for Cooperatives), the Federal Land Banks, the Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, the Student Loan Marketing Association, the National Credit Union Administration, and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation.
Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities, including, for example, Ginnie Mae pass- through certificates, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those securities issued by Fannie Mae, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the federal agency, while other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. While the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored federal agencies, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will always do so, since the U.S. government is not so obligated by law. U.S. Treasury notes and bonds typically pay coupon interest semi-annually and repay the principal at maturity.
On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced a federal takeover of Fannie Mae and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), placing the two federal instrumentalities in conservatorship. Under the takeover, the U.S. Treasury agreed to acquire $1 billion of senior preferred stock of each instrumentality and obtained warrants for the purchase of common stock of each instrumentality (the “Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement” or “Agreement”). Under the Agreement, the U.S. Treasury pledged to provide up to $200 billion per instrumentality as needed, including the contribution of cash capital to the instrumentalities in the event their liabilities exceed their assets. This was intended to ensure that the instrumentalities maintain a positive net worth and meet their financial obligations, preventing mandatory triggering of receivership. On December 24, 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was amending the Agreement to allow the $200 billion cap on the U.S. Treasury’s funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in net worth over the next three years. As a result of this Agreement, the investments of holders, including a Fund, of mortgage-backed securities and other obligations issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are protected.
The total public debt of the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 2008-2009 financial downturn. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high national debt can raise concerns that the U.S. government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. In August 2011, S&P lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. In explaining the downgrade at that time, S&P cited, among other reasons, controversy over raising the statutory debt limit and growth in public spending. In August 2023, Fitch Ratings also downgraded its U.S. debt rating from AAA to AA+, citing expected fiscal deterioration over the next three years and repeated down-to-the-wire debt ceiling negotiations. In May 2025, Moody’s lowered the long-term issuer rating of the U.S. to Aa1 from Aaa to reflect over a decade of increasing government debt and high interest payment ratios relative to similarly rated sovereigns.
An increase in national debt levels also may necessitate the need for the U.S. Congress to negotiate adjustments to the statutory debt ceiling to increase the cap on the amount the U.S. government is permitted to borrow to meet its existing obligations and finance current budget deficits. Future downgrades could increase volatility in domestic and foreign financial markets, result in higher interest rates, lower prices of U.S. Treasury securities and increase the costs of different kinds of debt. Any controversy or ongoing uncertainty regarding the statutory debt ceiling negotiations may impact the U.S. long-term sovereign credit rating and may cause market uncertainty. As a result, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may be adversely affected.
When-Issued Securities
A when-issued security is one whose terms are available and for which a market exists, but which has not been issued. When a Fund engages in when-issued transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the sale. If the other party fails to complete the sale, a Fund may miss the opportunity to obtain the security at a favorable price or yield.
When purchasing a security on a when-issued basis, a Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield changes. At the time of settlement, the value of the security may be more or less than the purchase price. The yield available in the market when the delivery takes place also may be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. Because a Fund does not pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with its other investments.
Decisions to enter into “when-issued” transactions will be considered on a case-by-case basis when necessary to maintain continuity in a company’s index membership.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The Trust has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Funds. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to each Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of that Fund’s outstanding voting securities. For the purposes of the 1940 Act, a “majority of outstanding shares” means the vote of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the voting securities of a Fund present at the meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund.
Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, each Fund may not:
1.Concentrate its investments (i.e., invests more than 25% of its total assets) in any industry or group of related industries, except that to the extent the Index (as defined in the Prospectus) concentrates (i.e., holds more than 25% of its assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, a Fund will concentrate its investment to approximately the same extent as an Index. The Funds will consider the portfolio of underlying investment companies when determining compliance with its concentration policy. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities, registered investment companies, and tax-exempt securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.*
2.Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
3.Make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
4.Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
5.Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities.
6.Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
* For purposes of this policy, the issuer of the underlying security will be deemed to be the issuer of any respective depositary receipt.
In addition to the investment restrictions adopted as fundamental policies as set forth above, the Funds have adopted the following non-fundamental restrictions, which may be changed without a shareholder vote upon 60 days’ notice:
1. Under normal circumstances, the AI Power ETF will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the component securities of the AI Power Index (as defined in the Fund’s Prospectus) or other investments that provide exposure that is substantially similar to that of the AI Power Index components.
2. Under normal circumstances, the Sweet 16 ETF will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the component securities of the Sweet 16 Index (as defined in the Fund’s Prospectus) or other investments that provide exposure that is substantially similar to that of the Sweet 16 Index components.
The following descriptions of certain provisions of the 1940 Act may assist investors in understanding the above policies and restrictions:
Borrowing. The 1940 Act presently allows a fund to borrow from any bank (including pledging, mortgaging, or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (not including temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets).
Senior Securities. For purposes of fundamental policy no. 2 above, senior securities may include any obligation or instrument constituting a security issued by a Fund and evidencing indebtedness or a future payment obligation. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities other than borrowing from a bank subject to specific asset coverage requirements. The 1940 Act prohibitions and restrictions on the issuance of senior securities are designed to protect shareholders from the potentially adverse effects of a fund’s issuance of senior securities, including, in particular, the risks associated with excessive leverage of a fund’s assets. Certain types of derivatives give rise to future payment obligations and therefore also may be considered to be senior securities. Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits funds that comply with the conditions therein to enter into certain types of derivatives transactions notwithstanding the prohibitions and restrictions on the issuance of senior securities under the 1940 Act. To the extent consistent with its investment strategies, a Fund may invest in derivatives in compliance with the conditions set forth in Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act.
Lending. Under the 1940 Act, a fund may only make loans if expressly permitted by its investment policies.
Real Estate and Commodities. The 1940 Act does not directly restrict an investment company’s ability to invest in real estate or commodities, but does require that every investment company have a fundamental investment policy governing such investments.
Underwriting. Under the 1940 Act, underwriting securities involves a fund purchasing securities directly from an issuer for the purpose of selling (distributing) them or participating in any such activity either directly or indirectly.
If a percentage limitation is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any change in value or total or net assets will not result in a violation of such restriction, except that the percentage limitation with respect to the borrowing of money will be observed continuously.
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
Shares are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Exchange.
There can be no assurance that a Fund will continue to meet the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Shares. The Exchange will consider the suspension of trading in, and will initiate delisting proceedings of, the Shares under any of the following circumstances: (i) if any of the requirements set forth in the Exchange rules are not continuously maintained, including compliance with Rule 6c-11(c) under the 1940 Act; (ii) if, following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of a Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the Shares of such Fund; or (iii) if such other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the Shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of such Fund.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the price levels of Shares in the future to help maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the applicable Fund.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and its series are overseen by the Board, which elects the officers of the Trust who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Trust and the Funds. The Board has approved contracts, as described below, under which certain companies provide essential services to the Trust.
The day-to-day business of the Trust, including the management of risk, is performed by third-party service providers, such as the Adviser, the Distributor, and the Administrator. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, has oversight responsibility with respect to risk management performed by those service providers. Risk management seeks to identify and address risks, i.e., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of a Fund. The Funds and their service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various of those possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust’s business (e.g., the Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund’s portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that business. The Board has emphasized to the Funds’ service providers the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management.
The Board’s role in risk oversight begins before the inception of the Funds, at which time certain of the Funds’ service providers present the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies and risks of the Funds as well as proposed investment limitations for the Funds. Additionally, the Adviser provides the Board with an overview of, among other things, its investment philosophy, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function of various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the Adviser, and other service providers such as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, who make periodic reports to the Audit Committee or to the Board with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which the Funds may be exposed.
The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided to the Funds by the Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis (following the initial two-year period), in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Advisory Agreement (defined below) with the Adviser, the Board or its designee may meet with the Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser’s adherence to each Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about each Fund’s performance and investments, including, for example, portfolio holdings schedules.
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues and Fund and Adviser risk assessments. At least annually, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including the Adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; any material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and any material compliance matters since the date of the last report.
The Board receives reports from the Funds’ service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. Annually, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee
its audit of the Funds’ financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Funds and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Funds’ internal controls. Additionally, in connection with its oversight function, the Board oversees Fund management’s implementation of disclosure controls and procedures, which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in its periodic reports with the SEC are recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the required time periods. The Board also oversees the Trust’s internal controls over financial reporting, which comprise policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Trust’s financial reporting and the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements.
From their review of these reports and discussions with the Adviser, the Chief Compliance Officer, the independent registered public accounting firm and other service providers, the Board and the Audit Committee learn in detail about the material risks of each Fund, thereby facilitating a dialogue about how management and service providers identify and mitigate those risks.
The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect a Fund can be identified and/or quantified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve a Fund’s goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Board as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the Funds’ investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Adviser, and other service providers, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and the methods by which one or more risk management functions are carried out may differ from the Trust’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s ability to monitor and manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
Members of the Board. There are three members of the Board, none of whom are interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”).
There is an Audit Committee of the Board that is chaired by an Independent Trustee and comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee chair presides at the Audit Committee meetings, participates in formulating agendas for Audit Committee meetings, and coordinates with management to serve as a liaison between the Independent Trustees and management on matters within the scope of responsibilities of the Audit Committee as set forth in its Board-approved charter. The Trust has not designated a lead Independent Trustee but has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees of the Trust constitute a super-majority of the Board, the number of Independent Trustees that constitute the Board, the amount of assets under management in the Trust, and the number of funds overseen by the Board. The Board also believes that its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent Trustees from Fund management.
Additional information about each Trustee of the Trust is set forth below. The address of each Trustee of the Trust is c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
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Name and Year of Birth | Position Held with the Trust | Term of Office and Length of Time Served | Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years | Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex* Overseen by Trustee | Other Directorships Held by Trustee During Past 5 Years |
John L. Jacobs Year of birth: 1959 | Trustee and Audit Committee Chair | Indefinite term; since 2017** | Founder and CEO of Q3 Advisors, LLC (financial consulting firm) (since 2015); Chairman of VettaFi, LLC (2018-2024); Executive Director of Center for Financial Markets and Policy (2016–2022); Distinguished Policy Fellow and Executive Director, Center for Financial Markets and Policy, Georgetown University (2015–2022) | 46 | Independent Trustee, TEMA ETF Trust (since 2023) (1 portfolio); NEOS ETF Trust (since 2021) (3 portfolios); Director, tZERO Group, Inc. (since 2020); Independent Trustee, Procure ETF Trust II (since 2018) (2 portfolios) |
Koji E. Felton Year of birth: 1961 | Trustee | Indefinite term; since 2019 | Retired; formerly Counsel, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (investment firm) (2013–2015) | 46 | Independent Trustee, Series Portfolios Trust (since 2015) (19 portfolios) |
Pamela H. Conroy Year of birth: 1961 | Trustee, Chair, and Nominating and Governance Committee Chair | Indefinite term; since 2019 | Retired; formerly Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Compliance Officer, Institutional Capital Corporation (investment firm) (1994–2008) | 46 | Independent Trustee, Frontier Funds, Inc. (since 2020) (4 portfolios) |
* The Trust is the only registered investment company in the Fund Complex.
** Mr. Jacobs began serving as a Trustee when the Trust was known by its former name, Active Weighting Funds ETF Trust.
Individual Trustee Qualifications. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of their ability to review and understand information about the Funds provided to them by management, to identify and request other information they may deem relevant to the performance of their duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Funds, and to exercise their business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the Funds’ shareholders. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on his or her own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Jacobs should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial industry experience. He most recently served as the CEO of Q3 Advisors, LLC and as the Distinguished Policy Fellow and Executive Director of the Center for Financial Markets and Policy, and as Adjunct Professor of Finance at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. He also served as Senior Advisor and principal consultant to Nasdaq’s CEO and President. Mr. Jacobs has been determined to qualify as an Audit Committee Financial Expert for the Trust.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Felton should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial industry experience, including over two decades working in the asset management industry providing legal, regulatory compliance, governance and risk management advice to registered investment companies, their advisers and boards. Prior to that, he gained experience and perspective as a regulator while serving as an enforcement attorney and branch chief for the SEC. He also represented public companies and their boards of directors in securities class actions, derivative litigation and SEC investigations as a litigation associate at a national law firm. Mr. Felton currently serves as an independent trustee and chair of the nominating and governance committee of a mutual fund complex.
The Trust has concluded that Ms. Conroy should serve as a Trustee because of her substantial industry experience, including over 25 years of achievements at both a large, multi-location financial institution as well as a small, entrepreneurial firm. She has expertise in all facets of portfolio accounting, securities processing, trading operations, marketing, as well as legal and compliance.
In its periodic assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the series of the Trust.
Board Committees. The Board has established the following standing committees of the Board:
Audit Committee. The Board has a standing Audit Committee that is composed of each of the Independent Trustees of the Trust. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee include: recommending which firm to engage as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm and when and whether to terminate this relationship, as necessary; reviewing the independent registered public accounting firm’s compensation, the proposed scope and terms of its engagement, and the firm’s independence; pre-approving audit and non-audit services provided by the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm to the Trust and certain other affiliated entities; serving as a channel of communication between the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trustees; reviewing the results of each external audit, including any qualifications in the independent registered public accounting firm’s opinion, any related management letter, management’s responses to recommendations made by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with the audit, reports submitted to the Audit Committee by the internal auditing department of the Trust’s Administrator that are material to the Trust as a whole, if any, and management’s responses to any such reports; reviewing the Funds’ audited financial statements and considering any significant disputes between the Trust’s management and the independent registered public accounting firm that arose in connection with the preparation of those financial statements; considering, in consultation with the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trust’s senior internal accounting executive, if any, the independent registered public accounting firms’ report on the adequacy of the Trust’s internal financial controls; reviewing, in consultation with the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, major changes regarding auditing and accounting principles and practices to be followed when preparing the Funds’ financial statements; and other audit related matters. As of the date of this SAI, the Audit Committee has not met with respect to the Funds.
The Audit Committee also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee (“QLCC”) for the Trust for the purpose of compliance with Rules 205.2(k) and 205.3(c) of the Code of Federal Regulations, regarding alternative reporting procedures for attorneys retained or employed by an issuer who appear and practice before the SEC on behalf of the issuer (the “issuer attorneys”). An issuer attorney who becomes aware of evidence of a material violation by the Trust, or by any officer, director, employee, or agent of the Trust, may report evidence of such material violation to the QLCC as an alternative to the reporting requirements of Rule 205.3(b) (which requires reporting to the chief legal officer and potentially “up the ladder” to other entities).
Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has a standing Nominating and Governance Committee that is composed of each of the Independent Trustees of the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibility of the Nominating and Governance Committee is to consider, recommend and nominate candidates to fill vacancies on the Board, if any. The Nominating and Governance Committee generally will not consider nominees recommended by shareholders. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets periodically, as necessary. As of the date of this SAI, the Nominating and Governance Committee has not met with respect to the Funds.
Principal Officers of the Trust. The officers of the Trust conduct and supervise the Trust’s and each Fund’s daily business. The address of each officer of the Trust is c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. Additional information about each officer of the Trust is as follows:
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Name and Year of Birth | Position(s) Held with the Trust | Term of Office and Length of Time Served | Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Kacie G. Briody Year of birth: 1992 | President and Principal Executive Officer
| Indefinite term,
March 2025 | Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2025); Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2021-2025) |
Travis G. Babich Year of birth: 1980 | Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer
| Indefinite term,
September 2019 | Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2005) |
David J. Rantisi Year of birth: 1992 | Assistant Treasurer | Indefinite term,
March 2025 | Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2014) |
Elaine E. Richards
Year of birth: 1968 | Secretary & Vice President | Indefinite Term,
June 2026 | Senior Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services since July 2007. |
Anjali E. Connors Year of birth: 1982 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Indefinite term,
January 2026 | Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2025); Associate Director, Investment Advisory Compliance, Robert W. Baird & Co. (2022 to 2025); Chief Compliance Officer, Strategas Asset Management, LLC (wholly owned by Baird Financial Corporation) (2022 to 2025); Director, Governance and Controls Advisor, CIBC Private Wealth Management (2018 to 2022) |
Marissa J. Pawlinski
Year of birth: 1996 | Assistant Secretary | Indefinite term,
June 2025 | Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2023); Regulatory Administration Attorney, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2022); Judicial Law Clerk, Milwaukee County Circuit Court (2021-2022) |
Trustee Ownership of Shares. The Funds are required to show the dollar amount ranges of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of Shares and each other series of the Trust as of the end of the most recently completed calendar year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”).
As of the date of this SAI, no Trustee or officer of the Trust owned Shares of the Funds or any other fund within the Trust’s Fund Complex.
Board Compensation. Each Independent Trustee receives an annual stipend of $145,000 (prior to January 1, 2026, the annual stipend was $125,000) and reimbursement for all reasonable travel expenses relating to their attendance at Board Meetings. The chair of the Audit Committee receives an annual stipend of $5,000 and the chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee receives an annual stipend of $2,500. Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Funds, except those specified in the Funds’ Prospectus. As a result, the Adviser is responsible for compensating the Independent Trustees. Trustee compensation disclosed in the table does not include reimbursed reasonable travel expenses relating to their attendance at Board Meetings. The following table shows the compensation expected to be earned by each Trustee during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026:
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Name | Aggregate Compensation
from the Funds | Total Compensation from Fund Complex* Paid to Trustees |
John L. Jacobs | $0 | $150,000 |
Koji Felton | $0 | $145,000 |
Pamela H. Conroy | $0 | $147,500 |
* The Trust is the only registered investment company in the Fund Complex.
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS, CONTROL PERSONS, AND MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP
A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding Shares. A control person is a shareholder that owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. Shareholders owning voting securities in excess of 25% may determine the outcome of any matter affecting and voted on by shareholders of a Fund. As of the date of this SAI, there were no outstanding Shares.
CODES OF ETHICS
The Trust and the Adviser have each adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics are designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Trust and the Adviser from engaging in deceptive, manipulative or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Funds (which also may be held by persons subject to the codes of ethics). Each code of ethics permits personnel subject to that code of ethics to invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, subject to
certain limitations, including limitations related to securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds. The Distributor (as defined below) relies on the principal underwriters exception under Rule 17j-1(c)(3), specifically where the Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser, and no officer, director, or general partner of the Distributor serves as an officer, director, or general partner of the Trust or the Adviser.
There can be no assurance that the codes of ethics will be effective in preventing such activities. Each code of ethics may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C. or on the Internet at the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
The Funds have delegated proxy voting responsibilities to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s oversight. In delegating proxy responsibilities, the Board has directed that proxies be voted consistent with each Fund’s and its shareholders’ best interests and in compliance with all applicable proxy voting rules and regulations. The Adviser has adopted voting guidelines as part of its proxy voting policies (the “Proxy Voting Policies”) for such purpose. When the Proxy Voting Policies do not cover a specific proxy issue, the Adviser will use its best judgment in voting such proxies on behalf of the Funds.
A copy of the Adviser’s Proxy Voting Policies is set forth in Appendix A to this SAI. The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the Proxy Voting Policies. The Proxy Voting Policies have been adopted by the Trust as the policies and procedures that the Adviser will use when voting proxies on behalf of the Funds.
When available, information on how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 will be available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-617-0004, and (2) on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser
Teucrium Investment Advisors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company located at Three Main Street, Suite 215, Burlington, Vermont 05401, serves as the investment adviser to the Funds. The Adviser is wholly-owned by Teucrium Trading, LLC. Teucrium Trading, LLC developed and offers a product suite of 1940 Act and Securities Act registered ETFs focused on U.S. agricultural commodities. In addition, the Adviser provides investment advisory and sub-advisory services to U.S. ETFs.
The Adviser arranges for transfer agency, custody, fund administration, and all other non-distribution related services necessary for the Funds to operate. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Funds, subject to the general supervision and oversight of the Board of the Trust. The Adviser is responsible for the management each Fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies, and limitations. For the services it provides to the Funds, the Adviser is entitled to a unified management fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate based on each Fund’s average daily net assets as set forth in the table below.
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| Fund | Management Fee |
AI Power ETF | [ ]% |
Sweet 16 ETF | [ ]% |
Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and the Adviser (the “Advisory Agreement”), the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Funds except the fee payable to the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
The Advisory Agreement with respect to each Fund will continue in force for an initial period of two years. Thereafter, the Advisory Agreement will be renewable from year to year with respect to each Fund, so long as its continuance is approved at least annually (1) by a majority vote of the Trustees, including a majority vote of such Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust or the Adviser, at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval; or (2) by a majority vote of the outstanding Shares. The Advisory Agreement automatically terminates on assignment and is terminable by a vote of the Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Funds, or upon a 120-days’ written notice by the Adviser.
The Adviser shall not be liable to the Trust or any shareholder for anything done or omitted by it, except acts or omissions involving willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence or reckless disregard of the duties imposed upon it by its agreement with the Trust or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security.
The Funds are new and, therefore, have not paid any management fees to the Adviser as of the date of this SAI.
Fund Sponsor
The Adviser has entered into an agreement with SumGrowth Indexes, Inc. (“SumGrowth”), pursuant to which SumGrowth has agreed to provide certain support services to the Adviser, including the assumption of certain of the Adviser’s expenses, and the Adviser has agreed to pay SumGrowth from the Adviser’s revenues a fee based on the assets of the Fund. SumGrowth does not provide investment advice to the Fund or otherwise act in the capacity of an investment adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Springer Harris, Joran Haugens, and Chris Small serve as the Funds’ portfolio managers (collectively, the “Portfolio Managers”). This section includes information about the Portfolio Managers, including information about compensation, other accounts managed, and the dollar range of Shares owned.
Share Ownership
The Funds are required to show the dollar ranges of a Portfolio Manager’s “beneficial ownership” of Shares. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Exchange Act. As of the date of this SAI, the Portfolio Managers did not beneficially own Shares.
Other Accounts
In addition to the Funds, the Portfolio Managers managed the following other accounts as of [ ], 2026, none of which were subject to a performance-based fee:
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Registered Investment Companies | Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
Other Accounts |
| Number of Accounts | Total Assets in the Accounts | Number of Accounts | Total Assets in the Accounts | Number of Accounts | Total Assets in the Accounts |
| [...] | $[...] | [...] | $[...] | 0 | $0 |
Compensation
The compensation package for portfolio managers consists of a fixed base salary, an annual discretionary bonus opportunity and a competitive benefits package. A portfolio manager’s salary compensation is designed to be competitive with the marketplace and reflect a portfolio manager’s relative experience and contribution to the firm. Fixed base salary compensation is reviewed and adjusted annually to reflect increases in the cost of living and market rates. The discretionary bonus opportunity provides cash bonuses based upon the overall firm’s performance and individual contributions. Principal consideration for each portfolio manager is given to appropriate risk management, teamwork and investment support activities in determining the bonus amount. Portfolio managers are eligible to participate in the firm’s standard employee benefits programs, which include a competitive 401(k) retirement savings program with employer match, and healthcare.
Conflicts of Interest
A Portfolio Manager’s management of “other accounts” may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with their management of a Fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other. The other accounts may have similar investment objectives or strategies as the Funds. A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result, whereby a Portfolio Manager could favor one account over another. Another potential conflict could include a Portfolio Manager’s knowledge about the size, timing, and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby the Portfolio Manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Funds. However, the Adviser has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts the Adviser manages are fairly and equitably allocated.
DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust and PINE Distributors LLC (the “Distributor”) are parties to a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”), whereby the Distributor acts as principal underwriter for the Trust and distributes Shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The principal business address of the Distributor is 501 South Cherry Street, Suite 610, Denver, Colorado 80246.
Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Trust, will receive orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Trust until accepted by the Trust. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
The Distributor also may enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers also may be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” below) or DTC participants (as defined below).
The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of a Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Agreement or any related agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by majority vote of its outstanding voting Shares or by a vote of a majority of the Board (including a majority of the Independent Trustees), or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Distribution Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Distributor, or reckless disregard by it of its obligations thereunder, the Distributor shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.
Intermediary Compensation. The Adviser, or its affiliates, out of their own resources and not out of Fund assets (i.e., without additional cost to a Fund or its shareholders), may pay certain broker dealers, banks and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) for certain activities related to a Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange-traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing and educational training or support. These arrangements are not financed by a Fund and, thus, do not result in increased Fund expenses. They are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fees and expenses sections of a Fund’s Prospectus and they do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of Shares or the amount received by a shareholder as proceeds from the redemption of Shares.
Such compensation may be paid to Intermediaries that provide services to a Fund, including marketing and education support (such as through conferences, webinars and printed communications). The Adviser will periodically assess the advisability of continuing to make these payments. Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the Intermediary, and amounts that Intermediaries pay to your adviser, broker or other investment professional, if any, also may be significant to such adviser, broker or investment professional. Because an Intermediary may make decisions about what investment options it will make available or recommend, and what services to provide in connection with various products, based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive, such payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients. For example, these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend a Fund rather than other investments. The same conflict of interest exists with respect to your financial adviser, broker or investment professional if he or she receives similar payments from his or her Intermediary firm.
Intermediary information is current only as of the date of this SAI. Please contact your adviser, broker, or other investment professional for more information regarding any payments his or her Intermediary firm may receive. Any payments made by the Adviser or its affiliates to an Intermediary may create the incentive for an Intermediary to encourage customers to buy Shares.
If you have any additional questions, please call 1-800-617-0004.
Distribution and Service Plan. The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of its shares. No payments pursuant to the Plan are expected to be made during the twelve (12) month period from the date of this SAI. Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by a Fund under the Plan may only be imposed after approval by the Board.
Continuance of the Plan must be approved annually by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and by a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan or in any agreements related to the Plan (“Qualified Trustees”). The Plan requires that quarterly written reports of amounts spent under the Plan and the purposes of such expenditures be furnished to and reviewed by the Trustees. The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount that may be spent thereunder without approval by a majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund. All material amendments of the Plan will require approval by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and of the Qualified Trustees.
The Plan provides that each Fund pays the Distributor an annual fee of up to a maximum of 0.25% of the average daily net assets of its Shares. Under the Plan, the Distributor may make payments pursuant to written agreements to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations and insurance companies including, without limit, investment counselors, broker-dealers and the Distributor’s affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively, “Agents”) as compensation for services and reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance. The Plan is characterized as a compensation plan since the distribution fee will be paid to the Distributor without regard to the distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor or the amount of payments made to other financial institutions and intermediaries. The Trust intends to operate the Plan in accordance with its terms and with FINRA’s rules concerning sales charges.
Under the Plan, subject to the limitations of applicable law and regulations, each Fund is authorized to compensate the Distributor up to the maximum amount to finance any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units of the Fund or for providing or arranging for others to provide shareholder services and for the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Such activities may include, but are not limited to: (i) delivering copies of a Fund’s then current reports, prospectuses, notices, and similar materials, to prospective purchasers of Creation Units; (ii) marketing and promotional services, including advertising; (iii) paying the costs of and compensating others, including Authorized Participants with whom the Distributor has entered into written Authorized Participant Agreements, for performing shareholder servicing on behalf of a Fund; (iv) compensating certain Authorized Participants for
providing assistance in distributing the Creation Units of a Fund, including the travel and communication expenses and salaries and/or commissions of sales personnel in connection with the distribution of the Creation Units of a Fund; (v) payments to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies and investment counselors, broker-dealers, mutual fund supermarkets and the affiliates and subsidiaries of the Trust’s service providers as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance; (vi) facilitating communications with beneficial owners of Shares, including the cost of providing (or paying others to provide) services to beneficial owners of Shares, including, but not limited to, assistance in answering inquiries related to Shareholder accounts; and (vii) such other services and obligations as are set forth in the Distribution Agreement.
ADMINISTRATOR, INDEX RECEIPT AGENT, AND TRANSFER AGENT
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services” or the “Transfer Agent”), located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Funds’ transfer agent, index receipt agent (as applicable), and administrator.
Pursuant to an agreement between the Trust and Fund Services (the “Fund Servicing Agreement”), Fund Services provides the Trust with administrative and management services (other than investment advisory services) and accounting services, including portfolio accounting services, tax accounting services, and furnishing financial reports. Under the Fund Servicing Agreement, Fund Services does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Funds, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Shares. As compensation for the administration, accounting and management services, the Adviser pays Fund Services a fee based on each Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee. Fund Services also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses for the services mentioned above, including pricing expenses.
The Funds are new and the Adviser has not paid Fund Services any fees for administrative services to the Funds as of the date of this SAI.
CUSTODIAN
Pursuant to a custody agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bank National Association (“U.S. Bank” or the “Custodian”) (the “Custody Agreement”), U.S. Bank, located at 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the custodian of the Funds’ assets. The Custodian holds and administers the assets in each Fund’s portfolio. Pursuant to the Custody Agreement, U.S. Bank receives an annual fee from the Adviser based on the Trust’s total average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee, and certain settlement charges. The Custodian is also entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, located at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004-2541, serves as legal counsel for the Trust.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
[ ], located at [ ], serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Board has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about each Fund’s security holdings. Each Fund’s entire portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day a Fund is open for business and may be available through financial reporting and news services, including publicly available internet web sites. In addition, the composition of the Deposit Securities (defined below) is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of the Exchange via the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”).
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of funds and shares. Each share represents an equal proportionate interest in the applicable Fund with each other share. Shares are entitled upon liquidation to a pro rata share in the net assets of the applicable Fund. Shareholders have no preemptive rights. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees may create additional series or classes of shares. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any additional funds and all assets in which such consideration is invested would belong to that fund and would be subject to the liabilities related thereto. Share certificates representing Shares will not be issued. Shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.
Each Share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required, consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all funds in the Trust vote together as a single class, except that if the matter being voted on affects only a particular fund it will be voted on only by that fund and if a matter affects a particular fund differently from other funds, that fund will vote separately on such matter. As a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust is not required, and does not intend, to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Approval of shareholders will be sought, however, for certain changes in the operation of the Trust and for the election of Trustees under certain circumstances. Upon the written request of shareholders owning at least 10% of the Trust’s shares, the Trust will call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more Trustees and
other certain matters. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting.
Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power to liquidate a Fund without shareholder approval. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising this power, they may do so if a Fund fails to reach a viable size within a reasonable amount of time or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board.
LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES’ LIABILITY
The Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee shall be liable only for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall indemnify each person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, any person who is serving or has served at the Trust’s request as a Trustee, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise to the extent and in the manner provided in the Amended and Restated By-laws. However, nothing in the Declaration of Trust shall protect or indemnify a Trustee against any liability for his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee. Nothing contained in this section attempts to disclaim a Trustee’s individual liability in any manner inconsistent with the federal securities laws.
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
The policy of the Trust regarding purchases and sales of securities for a Fund is that primary consideration will be given to obtaining the most favorable prices and efficient executions of transactions. Consistent with this policy, when securities transactions are effected on a stock exchange, the Trust’s policy is to pay commissions which are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. The Trust believes that a requirement always to seek the lowest possible commission cost could impede effective portfolio management and preclude the Funds from obtaining a high quality of brokerage and research services. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Adviser will rely on its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage services received from the broker effecting the transaction. Such determinations are necessarily subjective and imprecise, as in most cases, an exact dollar value for those services is not ascertainable. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of Shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.
The Adviser owes a fiduciary duty to its clients to seek to provide best execution on trades effected. In selecting a broker-dealer for each specific transaction, the Adviser chooses the broker-dealer deemed most capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable execution. “Best execution” is generally understood to mean the most favorable cost or net proceeds reasonably obtainable under the circumstances. The full range of brokerage services applicable to a particular transaction may be considered when making this judgment, which may include, but is not limited to: liquidity, price, commission, timing, aggregated trades, capable floor brokers or traders, competent block trading coverage, ability to position, capital strength and stability, reliable and accurate communications and settlement processing, use of automation, knowledge of other buyers or sellers, arbitrage skills, administrative ability, underwriting and provision of information on a particular security or market in which the transaction is to occur. The specific criteria will vary depending upon the nature of the transaction, the market in which it is executed, and the extent to which it is possible to select from among multiple broker-dealers. The Adviser also will use electronic crossing networks (“ECNs”) when appropriate.
Subject to the foregoing policies, brokers or dealers selected to execute a Fund’s portfolio transactions may include such Fund’s Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” below) or their affiliates. An Authorized Participant or its affiliates may be selected to execute a Fund’s portfolio transactions in conjunction with an all-cash creation unit order or an order including “cash-in-lieu” (as described below under “Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units”), so long as such selection is in keeping with the foregoing policies. As described below under “Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units — Creation Unit Transaction Fee” and “— Redemption Transaction Fee”, each Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for creation orders that facilitate the rebalance of the applicable Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order, even if the decision to not charge a variable fee could be viewed as benefiting the Authorized Participant or its affiliate selected to execute a Fund’s portfolio transactions in connection with such orders.
The Adviser may use a Fund’s assets for, or participate in, third-party soft dollar arrangements, in addition to receiving proprietary research from various full-service brokers, the cost of which is bundled with the cost of the broker’s execution services. The Adviser does not “pay up” for the value of any such proprietary research. Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act permits the Adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause a Fund to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by the broker or dealer. The Adviser may receive a variety of research services and information on many topics, which it can use in connection with its management responsibilities with respect to the various accounts over which it exercises
investment discretion or otherwise provides investment advice. The research services may include qualifying order management systems, portfolio attribution and monitoring services and computer software and access charges which are directly related to investment research. Accordingly, a Fund may pay a broker commission higher than the lowest available in recognition of the broker’s provision of such services to the Adviser, but only if the Adviser determines the total commission (including the soft dollar benefit) is comparable to the best commission rate that could be expected to be received from other brokers. The amount of soft dollar benefits received depends on the amount of brokerage transactions effected with the brokers. A conflict of interest exists because there is an incentive to: 1) cause clients to pay a higher commission than the firm might otherwise be able to negotiate; 2) cause clients to engage in more securities transactions than would otherwise be optimal; and 3) only recommend brokers that provide soft dollar benefits.
The Adviser faces a potential conflict of interest when it uses client trades to obtain brokerage or research services. This conflict exists because the Adviser can use the brokerage or research services to manage client accounts without paying cash for such services, which reduces the Adviser’s expenses to the extent that the Adviser would have purchased such products had they not been provided by brokers. Section 28(e) permits the Adviser to use brokerage or research services for the benefit of any account it manages. Certain accounts managed by the Adviser may generate soft dollars used to purchase brokerage or research services that ultimately benefit other accounts managed by the Adviser, effectively cross subsidizing the other accounts managed by the Adviser that benefit directly from the product. The Adviser may not necessarily use all of the brokerage or research services in connection with managing a Fund whose trades generated the soft dollars used to purchase such products.
The Adviser is responsible, subject to oversight by the Board, for placing orders on behalf of each Fund for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities of a Fund and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the Adviser are considered at or about the same time, transactions in such securities are allocated among the several investment companies and clients in a manner deemed equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to all by the Adviser. In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security so far as a Fund is concerned. However, in other cases, it is possible that the ability to participate in volume transactions and to negotiate lower brokerage commissions will be beneficial to a Fund. The primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price.
A Fund may deal with affiliates in principal transactions to the extent permitted by exemptive order or applicable rule or regulation. The Funds are new and have not paid any brokerage commissions as of the date of this SAI.
Directed Brokerage. The Funds are new, and as of the date of this SAI, the Funds did not pay any commissions on brokerage transactions directed to brokers pursuant to an agreement or understanding whereby the broker provides research or other brokerage services to the Adviser.
Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. A Fund may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Funds, the Adviser, or the Distributor for a commission in conformity with the 1940 Act, the Exchange Act and rules promulgated by the SEC. These rules require that commissions paid to the affiliate by the Funds for exchange transactions not exceed “usual and customary” brokerage commissions. The rules define “usual and customary” commissions to include amounts which are “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received or to be received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time.” The Trustees, including those who are not “interested persons” of the Funds, have adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and review these procedures periodically. The Funds are new and have not paid any brokerage commissions to any registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Funds, the Adviser, or the Distributor as of the date of this SAI.
Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers.” Each Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers or dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) that it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers or dealers” of a Fund are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Fund’s portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Fund; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of Shares. The Funds are new and, therefore, did not hold any securities of their “regular broker-dealers” as of the date of this SAI.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATE
Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions is evaluated by the Adviser based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by other institutional investors for comparable services.
BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM
The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) acts as securities depositary for Shares. Shares are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC. Except in limited circumstances set forth below, certificates will not be issued for Shares.
DTC is a limited-purpose trust company that was created to hold securities of its participants (the “DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC
Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and FINRA. Access to the DTC system also is available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers, and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).
Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants, and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to in this SAI as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of Shares. The Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the record owner of all Shares for all purposes. Beneficial Owners of Shares are not entitled to have Shares registered in their names and will not receive or be entitled to physical delivery of Share certificates. Each Beneficial Owner must rely on the procedures of DTC and any DTC Participant and/or Indirect Participant through which such Beneficial Owner holds its interests, to exercise any rights of the holder of Shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements, and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as described in the ensuing paragraphs. DTC will make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee a listing of Shares held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall obtain from each such DTC Participant the number of Beneficial Owners holding Shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement, or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all Shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in a Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in Shares, or for maintaining, supervising, or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.
DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to a Fund at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Fund and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the applicable Fund shall take action either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost or, if such replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of Shares, unless the Trust makes other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Exchange.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS
Each Fund issues and redeems its shares on a continuous basis, at NAV, only in a large, specified number of shares called a “Creation Unit,” either principally in-kind for securities or in cash for the value of such securities. The NAV of a Fund’s Shares is determined once each Business Day, as described below under “Determination of Net Asset Value.” The Creation Unit size may change. Authorized Participants will be notified of such change.
The Adviser or its affiliates (the “Selling Shareholder”) may purchase Creation Unit aggregations through a broker-dealer to “seed” (in whole or in part) funds, including the Fund, as they are launched or thereafter, may purchase shares from other broker-dealers or other investors that have previously provided “seed” for funds, including the Fund, when they were launched or otherwise in secondary market transactions, and because the Selling Shareholder may be deemed an affiliate of such funds, the shares are being registered to permit the resale of these shares from time to time after purchase. The Fund will not receive any of the proceeds from the resale by the Selling Shareholders of such shares.
The Selling Shareholder intends to sell all or a portion of the shares owned by it and offered hereby from time to time directly or through one or more broker-dealers, and may also hedge such positions. The shares may be sold on any national securities exchange on which the shares may be listed or quoted at the time of sale, in the OTC market or in transactions other than on these exchanges or systems at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices. These sales may be effected in transactions, which may involve crosses or block transactions. The Selling Shareholder may use any one or more of the following methods when selling shares:
•ordinary brokerage transactions through brokers or dealers (who may act as agents or principals) or directly to one or more purchasers;
•privately negotiated transactions;
•through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether such options are listed on an options exchange or otherwise; and
•any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
The Selling Shareholder may also loan or pledge shares to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such shares, to the extent permitted by applicable law. The Selling Shareholder may also enter into options or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, or create one or more derivative securities which require delivering shares to a broker-dealer or other financial institution (these shares may then be sold by such broker-dealer or other financial institution).
The Selling Shareholder has informed the Fund that it is not a registered broker-dealer and does not have any written or oral agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the shares. Upon the Fund being notified in writing by the Selling Shareholder that any material arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale of shares through a block trade, special offering, exchange distribution or secondary distribution, or a purchase by a broker or dealer, a supplement to this SAI will be filed, if required, pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act, disclosing (i) the name of each Selling Shareholder and of the participating broker-dealer(s), (ii) the number of shares involved, (iii) the price at which such shares were sold, (iv) the commissions paid or discounts or concessions allowed to such broker-dealer(s), where applicable, (v) that such broker-dealer(s) did not conduct any investigation to verify the information set out or incorporated by reference in the Fund’s Prospectus and SAI, and (vi) other facts material to the transaction.
The Selling Shareholder and any other person participating in such distribution will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including, without limitation, to the extent applicable, Regulation M of the Exchange Act, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the shares by the Selling Shareholder and any other participating person. To the extent applicable, Regulation M may also restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the shares to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the shares and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares. There is a risk that the Selling Shareholder may redeem its investments in the Fund or otherwise sell its shares to a third party that may redeem. As with redemptions by other large shareholders, such redemptions could have a significant negative impact on the Fund and its shares.
Purchase (Creation). The Trust issues and sells Shares only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees, if applicable), at the NAV per share next determined after receipt, on any Business Day, of an order in proper form. The NAV of Shares is calculated each Business Day as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The Funds will not issue fractional Creation Units. A “Business Day” is any day on which the NYSE is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day (Washington’s Birthday), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Fund Deposit. Each Fund has adopted policies and procedures governing the process of constructing baskets of Deposit Securities (defined below), Fund Securities (defined below) and/or cash, and acceptance of the same (the “Basket Procedures”). The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of a Fund generally consists of either: (i) the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) per each Creation Unit, constituting a substantial replication, or a portfolio sampling representation, of the securities included in a Fund’s portfolio and the Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below, or (ii) the cash value of the Deposit Securities (“Deposit Cash”) and the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for cash, a Fund may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser. These additional costs may be recoverable from the purchaser of Creation Units.
Together, the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of a Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of Shares (per Creation Unit) and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit exceeds the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such negative amount and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Component. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. Computation of the Cash Component excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).
The Funds, through NSCC, makes available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently, 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the list of the names and the required number of Shares of each Deposit Security or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for a Fund. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, to effect purchases of Creation Units of a Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.
The identity and number of Shares of the Deposit Securities or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for a Fund Deposit for a Fund may be changed from time to time by the Adviser, in accordance with the Basket Procedures, with a view to the investment objective of such Fund. Information regarding the Fund Deposit necessary for the purchase of a Creation Unit is made available to Authorized Participants and other market participants seeking to transact in Creation Unit aggregations. The composition of the Deposit Securities also may change in response to portfolio adjustments, interest payments and corporate action events.
The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Cash Component, including, without limitation, in situations where the Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws or where the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws; or (v) in certain other situations (collectively, “custom orders”). The Trust also reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Securities in lieu of Deposit Cash.
Cash Purchase. The Trust may at its discretion permit full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units of a Fund. When full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the case of a full or partial cash purchase, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser together with a creation transaction fee and non-standard charges, as may be applicable.
Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor to purchase a Creation Unit of a Fund, an entity must be (i) a “Participating Party” (i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”)), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC Participant (see “Book Entry Only System”). In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an “Authorized Participant”) must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Transfer Agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of a Participant Agreement, on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that it will pay to the Trust, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the creation transaction fee (described below), if applicable, and any other applicable fees and taxes.
All orders to purchase Shares directly from a Fund, including custom orders, must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by the time set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. With respect to the Funds, the order cut-off time for orders to purchase Creation Units is 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Such time may be modified by each Fund from time-to-time by amendment to the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The date on which an order to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) is received and accepted is referred to as the “Order Placement Date.”
An Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order (e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to purchase Shares directly from a Fund in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement and only a small number of such Authorized Participants may have international capabilities.
On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Funds may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which a Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed, such Fund also will generally not accept orders on such day(s). Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Transfer Agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement. On behalf of the Funds, the Transfer Agent will notify the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to the appropriate local sub-custodian(s). Those placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Transfer Agent by the cut-off time on such Business Day. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Transfer Agent or an Authorized Participant.
Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a sub-custody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian shall cause the sub-custodian of the applicable Fund to maintain an account into which the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, such
Deposit Securities (or Deposit Cash for all or a part of such securities, as permitted or required), with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local sub-custodian. A Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the applicable Fund or its agents by no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If a Fund or its agents do not receive all of the Deposit Securities, or the required Deposit Cash in lieu thereof, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to such Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. The “Settlement Date” for a Fund is generally the next Business Day after the Order Placement Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash to be delivered, as applicable, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities or cash, as applicable, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash represented by the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner to be received by the Custodian no later than the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received by the Custodian in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Transfer Agent, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the applicable Fund.
The order shall be deemed to be received on the Business Day on which the order is placed provided that the order is placed in proper form prior to the applicable cut-off time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited with the Custodian on the Settlement Date. If the order is not placed in proper form as required, or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and this SAI are properly followed.
Issuance of a Creation Unit. Except as provided in this SAI, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the sub-custodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the Distributor and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the first Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Transfer Agent. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.
In instances where the Trust accepts Deposit Securities for the purchase of a Creation Unit, the Creation Units may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since, in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which shall be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. The Authorized Participant must deposit with the Custodian the Additional Cash Deposit, as applicable, by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If a Fund or its agents do not receive the Additional Cash Deposit in the appropriate amount, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Trust to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Transfer Agent plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee, as described below under “Creation Unit Transaction Fee,” may be charged an additional variable charge also may be applied, as described below. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.
Acceptance of Orders of Creation Units. Provided that such action does not result in a suspension of sales of Creation Units in contravention of Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act and the SEC’s positions thereunder, the Trust reserves the right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted in respect of a Fund at its discretion, including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form or the Fund Deposit delivered does not consist of the securities the Custodian specified; (b) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (c) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Authorized Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (e) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; or (f) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent, the Distributor and/or the Adviser make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process orders for Creation Units. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires,
floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Trust or its agents shall communicate to the Authorized Participant its rejection of an order. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Distributor shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units. Given the importance of the ongoing issuance of Creation Units to maintaining a market price that is at or close to the underlying NAV of a Fund, the Trust does not intend to suspend the acceptance of orders for Creation Units, unless it believes doing so would be in the best interests of the Fund.
All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
Creation Unit Transaction Fee. A fixed purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee, payable to the Funds’ custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units (“Creation Order Costs”). The standard fixed creation unit transaction fee for each Fund, regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction, can be found in the table below. Each Fund may adjust the standard fixed creation unit transaction fee from time to time. The fixed creation unit transaction fee may be waived on certain orders if the applicable Fund’s custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Creation Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.
In addition, a variable fee, payable to the Funds, of up to the maximum percentage listed in the table below of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash purchases, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases of Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved with buying the securities with cash. Each Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for creation orders that facilitate the rebalance of the applicable Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order.
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Fund | Fixed Creation Unit
Transaction Fee | Maximum Variable Transaction Fee |
AI Power ETF | $300 | 2% |
Sweet 16 ETF | $300 | 2% |
Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order.
Risks of Purchasing Creation Units. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from a Fund. Because Shares may be issued on an ongoing basis, a “distribution” of Shares could be occurring at any time. Certain activities that a shareholder performs as a dealer could, depending on the circumstances, result in the shareholder being deemed a participant in the distribution in a manner that could render the shareholder a statutory underwriter and subject to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a shareholder could be deemed a statutory underwriter if it purchases Creation Units from a Fund, breaks them down into the constituent Shares, and sells those Shares directly to customers, or if a shareholder chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary-market demand for Shares. In such event, any commissions paid to any such broker-dealer or agent and any profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. Whether a person is an underwriter depends upon all of the facts and circumstances pertaining to that person’s activities, and the examples mentioned here should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could cause you to be deemed an underwriter.
Dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as opposed to engaging in ordinary secondary-market transactions), and thus dealing with Shares as part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act.
Redemption. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by a Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF A FUND, THE TRUST WILL NOT REDEEM SHARES IN AMOUNTS LESS THAN CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit in order to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.
With respect to the Funds, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently, 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and Share quantities of each Fund’s portfolio securities that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”). Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities.
Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit are paid either in kind or in cash, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Trust in accordance with the Basket Procedures. With respect to in-kind redemptions of a Fund, redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of Fund Securities—as announced by the Custodian on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper form plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less a fixed redemption transaction fee, as applicable, and additional variable charge as set forth below. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Trust’s discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more Fund Securities.
Cash Redemption. Full or partial cash redemptions of Creation Units will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of full or partial cash redemptions, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Redemption Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.
Redemption Transaction Fee. A fixed redemption transaction fee, payable to the Funds’ custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units (“Redemption Order Costs”). The standard fixed redemption transaction fee for each Fund, regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed in the transaction, can be found in the table below. Each Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time. The fixed redemption fee may be waived on certain orders if the applicable Fund’s custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Redemption Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.
In addition, a variable fee, payable to the Funds, of up to the maximum percentage listed in the table below of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available) of Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved with selling portfolio securities to satisfy a cash redemption. Each Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for redemption orders that facilitate changes to the Funds’ portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order.
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Fund | Fixed Redemption Transaction Fee | Maximum Variable Transaction Fee |
AI Power ETF | $300 | 2% |
Sweet 16 ETF | $300 | 2% |
Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order.
Procedures for Redemption of Creation Units. Orders to redeem Creation Units must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Trust’s Transfer Agent the Creation Unit(s) being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement and (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Trust is received by the Transfer Agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified in the Participant Agreement. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s Shares through DTC’s facilities by the times and pursuant to the other terms and conditions set forth in the Participant Agreement, the redemption request shall be rejected.
The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Trust, to the Transfer Agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement, and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the Shares to the Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
Additional Redemption Procedures. In connection with taking delivery of Shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such shareholder must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank, or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded, to which account such Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within one business day of the trade date.
The Trust may, in its discretion and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming investor will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption
in cash that a Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Shares based on the NAV of Shares of the applicable Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee, if applicable, and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). A Fund also may, in its sole discretion, and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in NAV.
Redemptions of Shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Funds (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming investor of the Shares to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” (“QIB”) as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive Fund Securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. An Authorized Participant may be required by the Trust to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status to receive Fund Securities.
Because the portfolio securities of the Funds may trade on other exchanges on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for such Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their Shares, or to purchase or sell Shares on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the applicable Fund could be significantly affecting by events in the relevant foreign markets.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to a Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares of the applicable Fund or determination of the NAV of the Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
NAV per Share for a Fund is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the applicable Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Shares outstanding, rounded to the nearest cent. Expenses and fees, including the management fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. The NAV of each Fund is calculated by Fund Services and determined at the scheduled close of the regular trading session on the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day that the NYSE is open, provided that fixed-income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for trading in fixed-income instruments on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) announces an early closing time.
In calculating each Fund’s NAV per Share, the Fund’s investments are generally valued using market quotations to the extent such market quotations are readily available. If market quotations are not readily available, or are deemed to be unreliable by the Adviser, a Fund will value such investments at fair value, as determined by the Adviser, for purposes of calculating such Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Board has designated the Adviser to perform the fair value determinations for each Fund’s portfolio holdings subject to the Board’s oversight. The Adviser has established procedures for its fair valuation of each Fund’s portfolio investments. These procedures address, among other things, determining when market quotations are not readily available or reliable and the methodologies to be used for determining the fair value of investments, as well as the use and oversight of third-party pricing services for fair valuation. The Adviser’s fair value determinations will be carried out in compliance with Rule 2a-5 and based on fair value methodologies established and applied by the Adviser and periodically tested to ensure such methodologies are appropriate and accurate with respect to a Fund’s portfolio investments. The Adviser’s fair value methodologies may involve obtaining inputs and prices from third-party pricing services.
When fair value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by the Funds to calculate their NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Due to the subjective and variable nature of fair value pricing, it is possible that the fair value determined for a particular security may be materially different (higher or lower) from the price of the security quoted or published by others, or the value when trading resumes or is realized upon its sale. There may be multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio investment when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio investment at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes.”
General Policies. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid at least annually by each Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but a Fund may make distributions on a more frequent
basis to improve index tracking for the Fund, where applicable, or to comply with the distribution requirements of the Code, in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act.
Dividends and other distributions on Shares are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such Shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Trust.
Each Fund makes additional distributions to the extent necessary (i) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the applicable Fund, plus any net capital gains and (ii) to avoid imposition of the excise tax imposed by Section 4982 of the Code. Management of the Trust reserves the right to declare special dividends if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve a Fund’s eligibility for treatment as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
Dividend Reinvestment Service. The Trust will not make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available for use by Beneficial Owners for reinvestment of their cash proceeds, but certain individual broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Funds through DTC Participants for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Investors should contact their brokers to ascertain the availability and description of these services. Beneficial Owners should be aware that each broker may require investors to adhere to specific procedures and timetables to participate in the dividend reinvestment service and investors should ascertain from their brokers such necessary details. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole Shares issued by the Trust of the applicable Fund at NAV per Share. Distributions reinvested in additional Shares will nevertheless be taxable to Beneficial Owners acquiring such additional Shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.
FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
The following is only a summary of certain important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally affecting a Fund and its shareholders that supplements the discussion in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a comprehensive explanation of the federal, state, local or foreign tax treatment of a Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended to be a substitute for careful tax planning. In particular, it does not address tax consequences to investors subject to special rules, such as investors who hold Shares through individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), 401(k) plans, or other tax-advantaged accounts.
The following general discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences is based on provisions of the Code and the regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI. New legislation, as well as administrative changes or court decisions, may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.
Unless your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions or you sell Shares.
Shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of the provisions of tax law described in this SAI in light of the particular tax situations of the shareholders and regarding specific questions as to federal, state, foreign or local taxes.
Taxation of the Funds. Each Fund intends to qualify each year to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Funds should not be subject to federal income taxes on their net investment income and capital gains, if any, to the extent that they timely distribute such income and capital gains to their shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a RIC, a Fund must distribute annually to its shareholders at least the sum of 90% of its net investment income (generally including dividends, taxable interest, and the excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, less operating expenses) and at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income, if any (the “Distribution Requirement”) and must meet several additional requirements. Among these requirements are the following: (i) at least the sum of 90% of a Fund’s gross income each taxable year must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Qualifying Income Requirement”); and (ii) at the end of each quarter of such Fund’s taxable year, such Fund’s assets must be diversified so that (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, including the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested, including through corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or more voting stock interest, in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, the securities (other than securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers which such Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Diversification Requirement”).
To the extent a Fund makes investments that may generate income that is not qualifying income, including certain derivatives, the Fund will seek to restrict the resulting income from such investments so that such Fund’s non-qualifying income does not exceed 10% of its gross income.
Although the Funds intend to distribute substantially all of their net investment income and may distribute their capital gains for any taxable year, the Funds will be subject to federal income taxation to the extent any such income or gains are not distributed. Each Fund is treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes. A Fund therefore is considered a separate entity in determining its treatment under the rules for RICs described herein, i.e., losses in one Fund do not offset gains in another fund. The requirements (other than certain organizational requirements) for qualifying RIC status are determined at the Fund level rather than at the Trust level.
If a Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, such Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the Diversification Requirement where a Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. To be eligible for the relief provisions with respect to a failure to meet the Diversification Requirement, a Fund may be required to dispose of certain assets. If these relief provisions were not available to a Fund and it were to fail to qualify for treatment as a RIC for a taxable year, all of its taxable income would be subject to federal income tax at the regular 21% corporate rate without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and its distributions (including capital gains distributions) generally would be taxable to the shareholders of the applicable Fund as dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, subject to the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders and the lower tax rates on qualified dividend income received by non-corporate shareholders, subject to certain limitations. To requalify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, a Fund would be required to satisfy the RIC qualification requirements for that year and to distribute any earnings and profits from any year in which the applicable Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. If a Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, it would generally be required to pay a Fund-level tax on certain net built-in gains recognized with respect to certain of its assets upon disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year. The Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of a Fund for treatment as a RIC if it determines such course of action to be beneficial to shareholders. If a Fund determines that it will not qualify as a RIC, the applicable Fund will establish procedures to reflect the anticipated tax liability in the Fund’s NAV.
A Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining such Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in characterizing Fund distributions for any calendar year. A “qualified late year loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year (commonly referred to as “post-October losses”) and certain other late-year losses.
Capital losses in excess of capital gains (“net capital losses”) are not permitted to be deducted against a RIC’s net investment income. Instead, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, potentially subject to certain limitations, a Fund may carry a net capital loss from any taxable year forward indefinitely to offset its capital gains, if any, in years following the year of the loss. To the extent subsequent capital gains are offset by such losses, they will not result in U.S. federal income tax liability to the applicable Fund and may not be distributed as capital gains to its shareholders. Generally, a Fund may not carry forward any losses other than net capital losses. The carryover of capital losses may be limited under the general loss limitation rules if a Fund experiences an ownership change as defined in the Code.
A Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax on certain undistributed income if it does not distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year an amount at least equal to 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, subject to an increase for any shortfall in the prior year’s distribution. For this purpose, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by a Fund and subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed. The Funds intend to declare and distribute dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of the excise tax but can make no assurances that all such tax liability will be eliminated. For example, a Fund may receive delayed or corrected tax reporting statements from its investments that cause such Fund to accrue additional income and gains after such Fund has already made its excise tax distributions for the year. In such a situation, a Fund may incur an excise tax liability resulting from such delayed receipt of such tax information statements. In addition, a Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate Fund investments to make sufficient distributions to avoid federal excise tax liability at a time when the investment adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so, and liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirement for qualification as a RIC.
If a Fund meets the Distribution Requirement but retains some or all of its income or gains, it will be subject to federal income tax to the extent that any such income or gains are not distributed. A Fund may designate certain amounts retained as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who (i) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount so designated, (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the income tax paid by the Fund on that undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities and to claim refunds to the extent such credits exceed their tax liabilities, and (iii) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for federal income tax purposes, in their Shares by an amount equal to the excess of the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in their respective income over their respective income tax credits.
Taxation of Shareholders – Distributions. Each Fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the deduction for dividends paid), its net tax-exempt income, if any, and any net capital gain (net recognized long-term capital gains in excess of net recognized short-term capital losses, taking into account any capital loss carryforwards). The distribution of investment company taxable income (as so computed) and net realized capital gain will be taxable to Fund shareholders regardless of whether the shareholder receives these distributions in cash or reinvests them in additional Shares.
Each Fund (or your broker) will report to shareholders annually the amounts of dividends paid from ordinary income, the amount of distributions of net capital gain, the portion of dividends which may qualify for the dividends received deduction for corporations, and the portion of dividends which may qualify for treatment as qualified dividend income, which, subject to certain limitations and requirements, is taxable to non-corporate shareholders at rates of up to 20%.
Qualified dividend income includes, in general, subject to certain holding period and other requirements, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations. Subject to certain limitations, eligible foreign corporations include those incorporated in possessions of the United States, those incorporated in certain countries with comprehensive tax treaties with the United States, and other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividends are paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. Fund dividends will not be treated as qualified dividend income if a Fund does not meet holding period and other requirements with respect to dividend paying stocks in its portfolio, and the shareholder does not meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Shares on which the dividends were paid. Dividends received by a Fund from an underlying fund taxable as a RIC or from a REIT may be treated as qualified dividend income generally only to the extent so reported by such underlying fund or REIT. If 95% or more of a Fund’s gross income (calculated without taking into account net capital gain derived from sales or other dispositions of stock or securities) consists of qualified dividend income, the Fund may report all distributions of such income as qualified dividend income. A Fund’s investment strategy may limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income.
Distributions by a Fund of its net short-term capital gains will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions from a Fund’s net capital gain will be taxable to shareholders at long-term capital gains rates, regardless of how long shareholders have held their Shares. Distributions may be subject to state and local taxes.
In the case of corporate shareholders, certain dividends received by a Fund from U.S. corporations (generally, dividends received by the Fund in respect of any share of stock (1) with a tax holding period of at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend and (2) that is held in an unleveraged position) and distributed and appropriately so reported by the Fund may be eligible for the 50% dividends received deduction. Certain preferred stock must have a holding period of at least 91 days during the 181-day period beginning on the date that is 90 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend to be eligible. Capital gain dividends distributed to a Fund from other RICs, and dividends distributed to a Fund from REITs are generally not eligible for the dividends received deduction. To qualify for the deduction, corporate shareholders must meet the minimum holding period requirement stated above with respect to their Shares, taking into account any holding period reductions from certain hedging or other transactions or positions that diminish their risk of loss with respect to their Shares, and, if they borrow to acquire or otherwise incur debt attributable to Shares, they may be denied a portion of the dividends received deduction with respect to those Shares. A Fund’s investment strategy may limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible for the dividends received deduction.
A RIC that receives business interest income may pass through its net business interest income for purposes of the tax rules applicable to the interest expense limitations under Section 163(j) of the Code. A RIC’s total “Section 163(j) Interest Dividend” for a tax year is limited to the excess of the RIC’s business interest income over the sum of its business interest expense and its other deductions properly allocable to its business interest income. A RIC may, in its discretion, designate all or a portion of ordinary dividends as Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, which would allow the recipient shareholder to treat the designated portion of such dividends as interest income for purposes of determining such shareholder’s interest expense deduction limitation under Section 163(j) of the Code. This can potentially increase the amount of a shareholder’s interest expense deductible under Section 163(j) of the Code. In general, to be eligible to treat a Section 163(j) Interest Dividend as interest income, you must have held your shares in a Fund for more than 180 days during the 361-day period beginning on the date that is 180 days before the date on which the share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend. Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, if so designated by a Fund, will be reported to your financial intermediary or otherwise in accordance with the requirements specified by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).
Although dividends generally will be treated as distributed when paid, any dividend declared by a Fund in October, November or December and payable to shareholders of record in such a month that is paid during the following January will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as received by shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which it was declared.
Shareholders who have not held Shares for a full year should be aware that a Fund may report and distribute, as ordinary dividends or capital gain dividends, a percentage of income that is not equal to the percentage of a Fund’s ordinary income or net capital gain, respectively, actually earned during the applicable shareholder’s period of investment in the Fund. A taxable shareholder should note that if it purchases shares just before a distribution, the purchase price would reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution. In this case, the shareholder would be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the
distribution simply constitutes a return of its investment. This is known as “buying a dividend” and should generally be avoided by taxable investors.
To the extent that a Fund makes a distribution of income received by such Fund in lieu of dividends (a “substitute payment”) with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders.
If a Fund’s distributions exceed its current and accumulated earnings and profits for the taxable year (as calculated for federal income tax purposes), all or a portion of the distributions made for the taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable but will reduce each shareholder’s cost basis in a Fund and result in a higher capital gain or lower capital loss when the Shares on which the distribution was received are sold. After a shareholder’s basis in the Shares has been reduced to zero, distributions in excess of earnings and profits will be treated as gain from the sale of the shareholder’s Shares.
Taxation of Shareholders – Sale or Exchange of Shares. A sale or exchange of Shares may give rise to a gain or loss for federal and state income tax purposes. Assuming a shareholder holds Shares as a capital asset, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of Shares will generally be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss, rather than short-term capital loss, to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the shareholder of long-term capital gain (including any amounts credited to the shareholder as undistributed capital gains). All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares may be disallowed if substantially identical Shares of a Fund are acquired (through the reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly acquired Shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
The cost basis of Shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for Shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of Shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The ability of Authorized Participants to receive a full or partial cash redemption of Creation Units of a Fund may limit the tax efficiency of the Fund. An Authorized Participant who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot currently be deducted, under the rules governing “wash sales” (for a person who does not mark-to-market its portfolio) or, on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Any gain or loss realized upon a creation or redemption of Creation Units will be treated as capital or ordinary gain or loss, depending on the holder’s circumstances.
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, a Fund would have a basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require the provision of information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If a Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares, the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
Authorized Participants purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sales rule applies and when a loss may be deductible.
Taxation of Shareholders – Net Investment Income Tax. U.S. individuals with adjusted gross income (subject to certain adjustments) exceeding certain threshold amounts ($250,000 if married filing jointly or if considered a “surviving spouse” for federal income tax purposes, $125,000 if married filing separately, and $200,000 in other cases) are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes taxable interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gain distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
Foreign Investments. Dividends and interest received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. Each Fund does not expect to satisfy the requirements for passing through to its shareholders any share of foreign taxes paid by
the Fund, with the result that shareholders will not include such taxes in their gross incomes and will not be entitled to a tax deduction or credit for such taxes on their own tax returns.
If more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s assets at the close of any taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign corporations, which for this purpose may include obligations of foreign governmental issuers, the Fund may elect, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to treat any foreign income or withholding taxes paid by the Fund as paid by its shareholders. For any year that a Fund is eligible for and makes such an election, each shareholder of the Fund will be required to include in income an amount equal to his or her allocable share of qualified foreign income taxes paid by the Fund, and shareholders will be entitled, subject to certain holding period requirements and other limitations, to credit their portions of these amounts against their U.S. federal income tax due, if any, or to deduct their portions from their U.S. taxable income, if any. No deductions for foreign taxes paid by a Fund may be claimed, however, by non-corporate shareholders who do not itemize deductions. No deduction for such taxes will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability. Shareholders that are not subject to U.S. federal income tax, and those who invest in a Fund through tax-advantaged accounts (including those who invest through IRAs or other tax-advantaged retirement plans), generally will receive no benefit from any tax credit or deduction passed through by the Fund. Foreign taxes paid by a Fund will reduce the return from the Fund’s investments. If a Fund makes the election, the Fund’s shareholders will be notified annually by the Fund (or their broker) of the respective amounts per share of the Fund’s income from sources within, and taxes paid to, foreign countries and U.S. possessions. If a Fund does not hold sufficient foreign securities to meet the above threshold, then shareholders will not be entitled to claim a credit or further deduction with respect to foreign taxes paid by the Fund.
Foreign tax credits, if any, received by a Fund as a result of an investment in another RIC (including an underlying fund which is taxable as a RIC) will not be passed through to you unless the Fund qualifies as a “qualified fund of funds” under the Code. If a Fund is a “qualified fund of funds” it will be eligible to file an election with the IRS that will enable the Fund to pass along these foreign tax credits to its shareholders. A Fund will be treated as a “qualified fund of funds” under the Code if at least 50% of the value of such Fund’s total assets (at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year) is represented by interests in other RICs.
To the extent a Fund invests in an underlying fund that indicates that such underlying fund intends to satisfy the tax requirements to be treated as a RIC under the Code, the Fund may be able to receive the benefits of a “qualified fund of funds” as described above. If, however, an underlying fund loses its status as a RIC under the Code, a Fund would no longer be permitted to count its investment in such underlying fund for purposes of satisfying the requirements to be a “qualified fund of funds.” In addition, an underlying fund that loses its status as a RIC would be treated as a regular corporation subject to entity level taxation prior to making any distributions to a Fund which would affect the amount, timing and character of such income distributed by an underlying fund to the Fund.
If a Fund holds shares in a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on a Fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.
Each Fund may be eligible to treat a PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” (“QEF”) under the Code in which case, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the Fund will be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the QEF, even if not distributed to the Fund, and such amounts will be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, a Fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain. Alternatively, a Fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in such Fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, a Fund would report any gains resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary income and would deduct any losses resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by a Fund and, once made, is effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the IRS. By making the election, a Fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. A Fund may have to distribute this excess income to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax. In order to distribute this income and avoid a tax at the fund level, a Fund might be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss. Each Fund intends to make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules. Amounts included in income each year by a Fund arising from a QEF election, will be “qualifying income” under the Qualifying Income Requirement (as described above) even if not distributed to such Fund, if such Fund derives such income from its business of investing in stock, securities or currencies.
Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time a Fund accrues income or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or receivables or pays such expenses or liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on disposition of certain other financial instruments (such as forward currency contracts and currency swaps), gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of settlement or disposition also are treated as ordinary gain or loss. The gains and losses may increase or decrease the amount of a Fund’s income to be distributed to its shareholders as
ordinary income. Each Fund may elect out of the application of Section 988 of the Code with respect to the tax treatment of each of its foreign currency forward contracts to the extent that (i) such contract is a capital asset in the hands of the Fund and is not part of a straddle transaction and (ii) the Fund makes an election by the close of the day the contract is entered into to treat the gain or loss attributable to such contract as capital gain or loss.
The U.S. Treasury Department has authority to issue regulations that would exclude foreign currency gains from the Qualifying Income Requirement described above if such gains are not directly related to a Fund’s business of investing in stock or securities (or options and futures with respect to stock or securities). Accordingly, regulations may be issued in the future that could treat some or all of a Fund’s non-U.S. currency gains as non-qualifying income, thereby potentially jeopardizing the Fund’s status as a RIC for all years to which the regulations are applicable.
Tax Treatment of Complex Securities. Certain of a Fund’s investments may be subject to complex provisions of the Code (including provisions relating to hedging transactions, straddles, integrated transactions, foreign currency contracts, forward foreign currency contracts, and notional principal contracts) that, among other things, may affect a Fund’s ability to qualify as a RIC, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the applicable Fund (e.g., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the applicable Fund and defer losses. To the extent a Fund invests in an underlying fund that is taxable as a RIC, the following discussion regarding the tax treatment of complex securities will also apply to the underlying funds that also invest in such complex securities. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also may require a Fund to mark-to-market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out) which may cause a Fund to recognize income without the applicable Fund receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts sufficient to enable the applicable Fund to satisfy the RIC distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. Each Fund intends to monitor its transactions, intends to make appropriate tax elections, and intends to make appropriate entries in its books and records to mitigate the effect of these rules and preserve the applicable Fund’s qualification for treatment as a RIC.
A Fund is required for federal income tax purposes to mark-to-market and recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses on certain futures and options contracts subject to section 1256 of the Code (“Section 1256 Contracts”) as of the end of the year as well as those actually realized during the year. Gain or loss from Section 1256 Contracts on broad-based indexes required to be marked to market will be 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Application of this rule may alter the timing and character of distributions to shareholders. A Fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on Section 1256 Contracts to the extent of any unrecognized gains on offsetting positions held by the applicable Fund. These provisions also may require a Fund to mark-to-market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out), which may cause the applicable Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the Distribution Requirement and for avoiding the excise tax discussed above. Accordingly, to avoid certain income and excise taxes, a Fund may be required to liquidate its investments at a time when the investment adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so.
Certain derivative investments by a Fund, such as exchange-traded products and over-the-counter derivatives, may not produce qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, which must be met in order for a Fund to maintain its status as a RIC under the Code. In addition, the determination of the value and the identity of the issuer of such derivative investments are often unclear for purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above. A Fund intends to carefully monitor such investments to ensure that any non-qualifying income does not exceed permissible limits and to ensure that it is adequately diversified under the Diversification Requirement. A Fund, however, may not be able to accurately predict the non-qualifying income from these investments and there are no assurances that the IRS will agree with a Fund’s determination of the Diversification Requirement with respect to such derivatives. Failure to satisfy the Diversification Requirement might also result from a determination by the IRS that financial instruments in which a Fund invests are not securities.
Certain of a Fund’s investments, such as commodity futures contracts and other commodity-related derivative instruments, may not produce qualifying income to the Fund. To the extent a Fund invests in such investments, the applicable Fund will seek to restrict its income from such instruments that do not generate qualifying income to a maximum of 10% of its gross income (when combined with its other investments that produce non-qualifying income).
In general, gain or loss on a short sale is recognized when a Fund closes the sale by delivering the borrowed property to the lender, not when the borrowed property is sold. Gain or loss from a short sale is generally considered as capital gain or loss to the extent that the property used to close the short sale constitutes a capital asset in the Fund’s hands. Except with respect to certain situations where the property used by a Fund to close a short sale has a long-term holding period on the date of the short sale, special rules generally treat the gains on short sales as short-term capital gains. These rules may also terminate the running of the holding period of “substantially identical property” held by the Fund. Moreover, a loss on a short sale will be treated as a long-term capital loss if, on the date of the short sale, “substantially identical property” has been held by a Fund for more than one year.
Offsetting positions held by a Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, forwards, and futures, as well as its long and short positions in portfolio securities, may be considered to constitute “straddles” for federal income tax purposes. In general, straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect the amount, character and timing of a Fund’s gains and losses with respect to the
straddle positions by requiring, among other things, that: (1) any loss realized on disposition of one position of a straddle may not be recognized to the extent that a Fund has unrealized gains with respect to the other positions in the straddle; (2) a Fund’s holding period in straddle positions be suspended while the straddle exists (possibly resulting in a gain being treated as short-term rather than long-term capital gain); (3) the losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions that are part of a mixed straddle and are non-Section 1256 Contracts be treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital loss; (4) losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions that would otherwise constitute short-term capital losses be treated as long-term capital losses; and (5) the deduction of interest and carrying charges attributable to certain straddle positions may be deferred. Various elections are available to a Fund, which may mitigate the effects of the straddle rules, particularly with respect to mixed straddles.
In general, the straddle rules described above do not apply to any straddles held by a Fund if all of the offsetting positions consist of Section 1256 Contracts. The straddle rules described above also do not apply if all the offsetting positions making up a straddle consist of one or more “qualified covered call options” and the stock to be purchased under the options and the straddle is not part of a larger straddle. A qualified covered call option is generally any option granted by a Fund to purchase stock it holds (or stock it acquires in connection with granting the option) if, among other things, (1) the option is traded on a national securities exchange that is registered with the SEC or other market the IRS determined has rules adequate to carry out the purposes of the applicable Code provision, (2) the option is granted more than 30 days before it expires, (3) the option is not a “deep-in-the-money option,” (4) such option is not granted by an options dealer in connection with the dealer’s activity of dealing in options, and (5) gain or loss with respect to the option is not ordinary income or loss. In addition, the straddle rules could cause distributions from a Fund that would otherwise constitute “qualified dividend income” or qualify for the dividends received deduction to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements.
To the extent a Fund writes options that are not Section 1256 Contracts, the amount of the premium received by the applicable Fund for writing such options is likely to be entirely short-term capital gain to the Fund. In addition, if such an option is closed by a Fund, any gain or loss realized by the applicable Fund as a result of closing the transaction will also generally be short-term capital gain or loss. If such an option is exercised any gain or loss realized by a Fund upon the sale of the underlying security pursuant to such exercise will generally be short-term or long-term capital gain or loss to the applicable Fund depending on the Fund’s holding period for the underlying security.
If a Fund enters into a “constructive sale” of any appreciated financial position in its portfolio, the applicable Fund will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the property and must recognize gain (but not loss) with respect to that position. A constructive sale of an appreciated financial position occurs when a Fund enters into certain offsetting transactions with respect to the same or substantially identical property, including, but not limited to: (i) a short sale; (ii) an offsetting notional principal contract; (iii) a futures or forward contract; or (iv) other transactions identified in future Treasury Regulations. The character of the gain from constructive sales will depend upon a Fund’s holding period in the appreciated financial position. Losses realized from a sale of a position that was previously the subject of a constructive sale will be recognized when the position is subsequently disposed of. The character of such losses will depend upon a Fund’s holding period in the position beginning with the date the constructive sale was deemed to have occurred and the application of various loss deferral provisions in the Code. Constructive sale treatment does not apply to certain closed transactions, including if such a transaction is closed on or before the 30th day after the close of a Fund’s taxable year and the applicable Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged throughout the 60-day period beginning with the day such transaction was closed.
With respect to investments in STRIPS and other zero-coupon securities which are sold at original issue discount (“OID”) and thus do not make periodic cash interest payments, a Fund will be required to include as part of its current income the imputed interest on such obligations even though the Fund has not received any interest payments on such obligations during that period. Because each Fund intends to distribute all of its net investment income to its shareholders, a Fund may have to sell Fund securities to distribute such imputed income which may occur at a time when the Adviser would not have chosen to sell such securities and which may result in taxable gain or loss.
Any market discount recognized on a bond is taxable as ordinary income. A market discount bond is a bond acquired in the secondary market at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with OID. Absent an election by a Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on a Fund’s disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.
Investments in debt obligations that are at risk of or in default present special tax issues for a Fund. Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when a Fund may cease to accrue interest, OID or market discount, whether or to what extent a Fund should recognize market discount on a debt obligation, when and to what extent a Fund may take deductions for bad debts or worthless securities and how a Fund should allocate payments received on obligations in default between principal and income. These and other related issues will be addressed by a Fund when, as, and if it invests in such securities, in order to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to preserve its status as a RIC and does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.
A Fund may invest in inflation-linked debt securities. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-linked debt security will be original interest discount, which is taxable as ordinary income and is required to be distributed, even though a Fund will not receive the principal, including any increase thereto, until maturity. As noted above, if a Fund invests in such securities, it may be required to
liquidate other investments, including at times when it is not advantageous to do so, in order to satisfy its distribution requirements and to eliminate any possible taxation at a Fund level.
A Fund may invest in U.S. REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require a Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, a Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. A Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in the Fund’s receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to such Fund’s shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends paid by a REIT, other than capital gain distributions, will be taxable as ordinary income up to the amount of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Capital gain dividends paid by a REIT to a Fund will be treated as long-term capital gains by the Fund and, in turn, may be distributed by the Fund to its shareholders as a capital gain distribution. Dividends received by a Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income or qualify for the dividends received deduction. If a REIT is operated in a manner such that it fails to qualify as a REIT, an investment in the REIT would become subject to double taxation, meaning the taxable income of the REIT would be subject to federal income tax at the regular corporate rate without any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders and the dividends would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to the extent of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.
U.S. REITs in which a Fund invests often do not provide complete and final tax information to the Fund until after the time that the Fund issues a tax reporting statement. As a result, a Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify the amount and character of its distributions to you after it issues your tax reporting statement. When such reclassification is necessary, you will be sent a corrected, final Form 1099-DIV to reflect the reclassified information. If you receive a corrected Form 1099-DIV, use the information on this corrected form, and not the information on the previously issued tax reporting statement, in completing your tax returns.
“Qualified REIT dividends” (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated are qualified dividend income eligible for capital gain tax rates) are eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that are attributable to qualified REIT dividends received by such Fund and which such Fund properly reports as “Section 199A dividends,” are treated as “qualified REIT dividends” in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. A Section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. A Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as Section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.
Backup Withholding. Each Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold (as “backup withholding”) on amounts payable to any shareholder who (1) fails to provide a correct taxpayer identification number certified under penalty of perjury; (2) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report all payments of interest or dividends; (3) fails to provide a certified statement that he or she is not subject to “backup withholding”; or (4) fails to provide a certified statement that he or she is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s ultimate U.S. tax liability. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the U.S.
Non-U.S. Shareholders. Any non-U.S. investors in a Fund may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are encouraged to consult their tax advisors prior to investing in the Fund. Foreign shareholders (i.e., nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates) are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate) on distributions derived from taxable ordinary income. Each Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Short-term capital gain dividends received by a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year are not exempt from this 30% withholding tax. Gains realized by foreign shareholders from the sale or other disposition of Shares of a Fund generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless the recipient is an individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. Foreign shareholders who fail to provide an applicable IRS form may be subject to backup withholding on certain payments from a Fund. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that are subject to the 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) withholding tax described in this paragraph. Different tax consequences may result if the foreign shareholder is engaged in a trade or business within the United States. In addition, the tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of a tax treaty may be different than those described above.
Under legislation generally known as “FATCA” (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), a Fund is required to withhold 30% of certain ordinary dividends it pays to shareholders that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements. In general, no such withholding will be required with respect to a U.S. person or non-U.S. person that timely provides the certifications required by a Fund or its agent on a valid IRS Form W-9 or applicable series of IRS Form W-8, respectively. Shareholders potentially subject to withholding include foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”), such as non-U.S. investment funds, and non-financial foreign entities (“NFFEs”). To avoid withholding under FATCA, an FFI generally must enter into an information sharing agreement with the
IRS in which it agrees to report certain identifying information (including name, address, and taxpayer identification number) with respect to its U.S. account holders (which, in the case of an entity shareholder, may include its direct and indirect U.S. owners), and an NFFE generally must identify and provide other required information to a Fund or other withholding agent regarding its U.S. owners, if any. Such non-U.S. shareholders also may fall into certain exempt, excepted or deemed compliant categories as established by regulations and other guidance. A non-U.S. shareholder resident or doing business in a country that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the United States to implement FATCA will be exempt from FATCA withholding provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of the agreement.
A non-U.S. entity that invests in a Fund will need to provide the fund with documentation properly certifying the entity’s status under FATCA in order to avoid FATCA withholding. Non-U.S. investors in the Funds should consult their tax advisors in this regard.
Tax-Exempt Shareholders. Certain tax-exempt shareholders, including qualified pension plans, IRAs, salary deferral arrangements, 401(k) plans, and other tax-exempt entities, generally are exempt from federal income taxation except with respect to their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). Tax-exempt entities are not permitted to offset losses from one unrelated trade or business against the income or gain of another unrelated trade or business. Certain net losses incurred prior to January 1, 2018 are permitted to offset gain and income created by an unrelated trade or business, if otherwise available. Under current law, each Fund generally serves to block UBTI from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders with respect to their shares of Fund income. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, tax-exempt shareholders could realize UBTI by virtue of their investment in a Fund if, for example, (i) the Fund invests in residual interests of Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”), (ii) the Fund invests in a REIT that is a taxable mortgage pool (“TMP”) or that has a subsidiary that is a TMP or that invests in the residual interest of a REMIC, or (iii) Shares constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholders within the meaning of section 514(b) of the Code. Charitable remainder trusts are subject to special rules and should consult their tax advisors. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these issues and prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are strongly encouraged to consult with their tax advisors regarding these issues.
A Fund’s shares held in a tax-qualified retirement account will generally not be subject to federal taxation on income and capital gains distributions from the Fund until a shareholder begins receiving payments from their retirement account.
Certain Potential Tax Reporting Requirements. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss on disposition of Shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Significant penalties may be imposed for the failure to comply with the reporting requirements. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Other Issues. In those states which have income tax laws, the tax treatment of a Fund and of Fund shareholders with respect to distributions by such Fund may differ from federal tax treatment.
The foregoing discussion is based on U.S. federal tax laws and regulations which are in effect on the date of this SAI. Such laws and regulations may be changed by legislative or administrative action. Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors concerning their specific situations and the application of foreign, federal, state, or local taxes.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Financial statements included in Form N-CSR will be available after the Funds have completed a fiscal year of operations. When available, you may request a copy of the Funds’ Form N-CSR or Annual Report at no charge by calling 800-617-0004, or through the Funds’ website at www.teucrium.com.
APPENDIX A
Teucrium Investment Advisers, LLC
Proxy Voting Policy
Background
Rule 206(4)-6 of the Advisers Act makes it a fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative act, practice or course of business within the meaning of section 206(4) of the Act for an investment adviser to exercise voting authority with respect to client securities, unless (i) the adviser has adopted and implemented written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that the adviser votes proxies in the best interest of its clients, (ii) the adviser describes its proxy voting procedures to its clients and provides copies on request, and (iii) the adviser discloses to clients how they may obtain information on how the adviser voted their proxies.
Policy
Teucrium has the authority to vote proxies with respect to securities in the Funds and will cast proxy votes in a manner that is consistent with the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders and designed to maximize shareholder value. The Adviser may abstain from voting if it determines that doing so is in the client's best interest or if the vote is deemed immaterial. In general, the Adviser will determine how to vote proxies based on reasonable judgment of the vote most likely to produce favorable financial results for the Funds.
The Funds will generally vote with management recommendations, but all proxies will be evaluated and reviewed for any conflicts of interest and the identification of any say-on-pay votes that must be reported on the Adviser’s N-PX. Any votes against management recommendations will be documented with the rationale of the decision.
Teucrium has engaged Broadridge Proxy Edge to assist with casting votes and recordkeeping. Broadridge will be included in Teucrium’s service provider oversight process and evaluated no less frequently than annually.
Conflicts of Interest
The Adviser will identify and address any conflicts of interest that may arise in the proxy voting process. In cases where a conflict is identified, the Adviser will either disclose the conflict to the client or vote according to a pre-determined policy designed to mitigate the conflict.
Client Requests for Information
Clients may request information regarding how proxies were voted on their behalf. As required, Teucrium will post the Form N-PX on its website and will provide a summary of proxy voting activity upon request and disclose this policy to ETF shareholders as required.
Recordkeeping
Teucrium, in accordance with SEC recordkeeping rules, shall maintain for a period of at least five (5) years from the end of the fiscal year voted: a record of each proxy statement received regarding client securities, records of votes cast on behalf of clients, records of client requests for proxy voting information, a copy of any written response and all documents prepared by Teucrium regarding votes cast in contradiction to the pre-determined benchmark proxy voting guidelines, and all proxy voting policies and procedures and any amendments.
Revised: September 2, 2025
APPENDIX B
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS
Short-Term Credit Ratings
An S&P Global Ratings short-term issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. The following summarizes the rating categories used by S&P Global Ratings for short-term issues:
“A-1” – A short-term obligation rated “A-1” is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.
“A-2” – A short-term obligation rated “A-2” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.
“A-3” – A short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“B” – A short-term obligation rated “B” is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
“C” – A short-term obligation rated “C” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“D” – A short-term obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.
“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Ratings – S&P Global Ratings’ issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. A foreign currency rating on an issuer can differ from the local currency rating on it when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency versus obligations denominated in a foreign currency.
Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations s issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.
The following summarizes the ratings categories used by Moody’s for short-term issues:
“P-1” – Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.
“P-2” – Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.
“P-3” – Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
“NP” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term issuer or obligation ratings are based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short-term” based on market convention (a long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity). Typically, this means a timeframe of up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:
“F1” – Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added ‘+’ to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
“F2” – Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
“F3” – Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.
“B” – Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
“C” – High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.
“RD” – Restricted Default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.
“D” – Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.
The DBRS, Inc. (“Morningstar DBRS”) short-term debt rating scale provides an opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner. Ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer and the relative ranking of claims. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the sub-categories “(high)”, “(middle)”, and “(low)”.
The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for commercial paper and short-term debt:
“R-1 (high)” - Highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is exceptionally high. Unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.
“R-1 (middle)” – Superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is very high. Differs from “R-1 (high)” by a relatively modest degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.
“R-1 (low)” – Good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is substantial. Overall strength is not as favorable as higher rating categories. May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.
“R-2 (high)” – Upper end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.
“R-2 (middle)” – Adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short- term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.
“R-2 (low)” – Lower end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events. A number of challenges are present that could affect the issuer’s ability to meet such obligations.
“R-3” – Lowest end of adequate credit quality. There is a capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due. May be vulnerable to future events and the certainty of meeting such obligations could be impacted by a variety of developments.
“R-4” – Speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.
“R-5” – Highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet short-term financial obligations as they fall due.
“D” – When the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods, a downgrade to “D” may occur. Morningstar DBRS may also use “SD” (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a distressed exchange.
Long-Term Credit Ratings
An S&P Global Ratings long-term issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). S&P Global Ratings typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. The following summarizes the ratings used by S&P Global Ratings for long-term issues:
“AAA” – An obligation rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.
“AA” – An obligation rated “AA” differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.
“A” – An obligation rated “A” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.
“BBB” – An obligation rated “BBB” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” – Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.
“BB” – An obligation rated “BB” is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“B” – An obligation rated “B” is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated “BB”, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“CCC” – An obligation rated “CCC” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“CC” – An obligation rated “CC” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The “CC” rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.
“C” – An obligation rated “C” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.
“D” – An obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within the next five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or the next 30 calendar days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation rating is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.
Plus (+) or minus (-) – The ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.
“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Ratings - S&P Global Ratings’ issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. A foreign currency rating on an issuer can differ from the local currency rating on it when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency versus obligations denominated in a foreign currency.
Moody’s long-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for long-term debt:
“Aaa” – Obligations rated “Aaa” are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
“Aa” – Obligations rated “Aa” are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
“A” – Obligations rated “A” are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
“Baa” – Obligations rated “Baa” are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
“Ba” – Obligations rated “Ba” are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.
“B” – Obligations rated “B” are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
“Caa” – Obligations rated “Caa” are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
“Ca” – Obligations rated “Ca” are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
“C” – Obligations rated “C” are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.” The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category. Additionally, a “(hyb)” indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.
The following summarizes long-term issuer default ratings used by Fitch:
“AAA” – Highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
“AA” – Very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
“A” – High credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
“BBB” – Good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
“BB” – Speculative. “BB” ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments.
“B” – Highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.
“CCC” – Substantial credit risk. “CCC” ratings indicate a very low margin for safety. Default is a real possibility.
“CC” – Very high levels of credit risk. “CC” ratings indicate a default of some kind appears probable..
“C” – Near default. “C” ratings indicate a default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired. Conditions that are indicative of a ‘C’ category rating for an issuer include:
• The issuer has entered into a grace or cure period following non-payment of a material financial obligation;
• The formal announcement by the issuer or their agent of a distressed debt exchange (“DDE”); and
• A closed financing vehicle where payment capacity is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to pay interest and/or principal in full during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default is imminent.
“RD” - Restricted default. ‘RD’ ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch’s opinion has experienced:
• An uncured payment default or DDE on a bond, loan or other material financial obligation, but
• Has not entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation, or other formal winding-up procedure, and
• Has not otherwise ceased operating. This would include:
- The selective payment default on a specific class or currency of debt;
- The uncured expiry of any applicable original grace period, cure period or default forbearance period following a payment default on a bank loan, capital markets security or other material financial obligation.
“D” – Default. “D” ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch’s opinion has entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure or that has otherwise ceased business and debt is still outstanding. Default ratings are not assigned prospectively to entities or their obligations; within this context, non-payment on an instrument that contains a deferral feature or grace period will generally not be considered a default until after the expiration of the deferral or grace period, unless a default is otherwise driven by bankruptcy or other similar circumstance, or by a DDE. In all cases, the assignment of a default rating reflects the agency’s opinion as to the most appropriate rating category consistent with the rest of its universe of ratings and may differ from the definition of default under the terms of an issuer’s financial obligations or local commercial practice
The Morningstar DBRS long-term rating scale provides an opinion on the risk of default. That is, the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy its financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which a long-term obligation has been issued. Credit ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer, and the relative ranking of claims. All rating categories from AA to CCC contain the subcategories “(high)” and “(low)”. The absence of either a “(high)” or “(low)” designation indicates the credit rating is in the middle of the category. The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for long-term debt:
“AAA” – Highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.
“AA” – Superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered high. Credit quality differs from “AAA” only to a small degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.
“A” – Good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is substantial, but of lesser credit quality than “AA.” May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.
“BBB” – Adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.
“BB” – Speculative, non-investment grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.
“B” – Highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.
“CCC”, “CC” and “C” – Very highly speculative credit quality. In danger of defaulting on financial obligations. There is little difference between these three categories, although “CC” and “C” ratings categories are normally applied to obligations that are seen as highly likely to default, or subordinated to obligations rated in the “CCC” to “B” range. Obligations in respect of which default has not technically taken place but is considered inevitable may be rated in the “C” category.
“D” – When the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods, a downgrade to “D” may occur. Morningstar DBRS may also use “SD” (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a distressed exchange.
Municipal Note Ratings
An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings’ opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings’ analysis will review the following considerations:
•Amortization schedule - the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and
•Source of payment - the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.
Municipal Short-Term Note rating categories are as follows:
“SP-1” – Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
“SP-2” – Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
“SP-3” – Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
“D” – ‘D’ is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.
Moody’s uses the global short-term Prime rating scale (listed above under Short-Term Credit Ratings) for commercial paper issued by U.S. municipalities and nonprofits. These commercial paper programs may be backed by external letters of credit or liquidity facilities, or by an issuer's self-liquidity.
For other short-term municipal obligations, Moody's uses one of two other short-term rating scales, the Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) and Variable Municipal Investment Grade (“VMIG”) scales provided below.
Moody's uses the MIG scale for U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.
“MIG-1” – This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
“MIG-2” – This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
“MIG-3” – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
“SG” – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
In the case of variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders (“on demand”) and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer’s long-term rating drops below investment grade.
Moody's typically assigns the VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned and it is denoted as “NR”.
“VMIG-1” – This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.
“VMIG-2” – This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.
“VMIG-3” – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.
“SG” – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections.
About Credit Ratings
An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings’ view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.
Moody’s credit ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Moody’s defines credit risk as the risk that an entity may not meet its contractual financial obligations as they come due and any estimated financial loss in the event of default or impairment. The contractual financial obligations addressed by Moody’s ratings are those that call for, without regard to enforceability, the payment of an ascertainable amount, which may vary based upon standard sources of variation (e.g., floating interest rates), by an ascertainable date. Moody’s rating addresses the issuer’s ability to obtain cash sufficient to service the obligation, and its willingness to pay. Moody’s ratings do not address non-standard sources of variation in the amount of the principal obligation (e.g., equity indexed), absent an express statement to the contrary in a press release accompanying an initial rating.
Fitch’s credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) are assigned to corporations, sovereign entities, and financial institutions, such as banks, leasing companies and insurers, and public finance entities (local and regional governments). Issue-level ratings are also assigned and often include an expectation of recovery, which may be notched above or below the issuer-level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).
Credit ratings provided by Morningstar DBRS are forward-looking opinions about credit risk which reflect the creditworthiness of an issuer, rated entity, security and/or obligations. Credit ratings are not statements of fact. While historical statistics, performance, and expert opinion (on, e.g., financial statements or legal matters) can be important considerations, credit ratings are not based solely on such; they include subjective considerations and involve expectations for future performance or events that cannot be guaranteed. As
such, and to the extent that future events and economic conditions do not match expectations, credit ratings assigned to issuers, entities, securities, and/or obligations can change. Credit ratings are also based on approved and applicable methodologies, which are periodically updated and when material changes are deemed necessary, which may also lead to changes in credit ratings.
Credit ratings typically provide an opinion on the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy the financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which an obligation was issued. In some cases, credit ratings may also include consideration for the relative ranking of claims and recovery, should default occur. Credit ratings are meant to provide opinions on relative measures of risk and are not based on expectations of any specific default probability, nor are they meant to predict such.
The data and information on which Morningstar DBRS bases its opinions is not audited or verified by Morningstar DBRS, although, Morningstar DBRS conducts a reasonableness review of information received and relied upon in accordance with its Methodologies and policies.
Morningstar DBRS uses rating symbols as a concise method of expressing its opinion to the market. However, as there are credit risk differentials that exist across the credit rating spectrum and given the limited number of rating categories, Morningstar DBRS does not assert that credit ratings in the same category are exactly the same quality.
PART C: OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Exhibits
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Exhibit No. | | Description of Exhibit |
| (a) | (i) | | |
| (ii) | | |
| (iii) | | |
| (b) | | | |
| (c) | | | For information regarding the rights of the holders of securities, please see Articles IV, VII and VIII of the Declaration of Trust, filed as Exhibit (a)(i) above. |
| (d) | (i) | (A) | |
| | (B) | Amended Schedule A to the Investment Advisory Agreement — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
| | (C) | |
| | (D) | |
| | (E) | |
| | (F) | |
| | (G) | |
| | (H) | |
| | (I) | |
| | (J) | |
| | (K) | |
| | (L) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | (M) | |
| | (N) | |
| (ii) | (A) | |
| | (B) | Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Trust, Teucrium Investment Advisors, LLC and WallStreetX ETFs, Inc. d/b/a xETFs — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
| (iii) | (A) | |
| | (B) | |
| | (C) | |
| (iv) | (A) | |
| | (B) | |
| | (C) | |
| | (D) | |
| | (E) | |
| | (F) | |
| | (G) | |
| | (H) | |
| | (I) | |
| | (J) | |
| | (K) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| (e) | (i) | (A) | |
| | (B) | Sixth Amendment to ETF Distribution Agreement between the Trust and PINE Distributors LLC — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
| (ii) | | |
| (f) | | | Not applicable. |
| (g) | (i) | (A) | |
| | (B) | Exhibit 24 to Custody Agreement — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
| (h) | (i) | (A) | |
| | (B) | Exhibit 24 to Fund Servicing Agreement — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
| (ii) | | |
| (iii) | | |
| (iv) | (A) | |
| | (B) | |
| | (C) | |
| | (D) | |
| | (E) | |
| | (F) | |
| | (G) | |
| | (H) | |
| | (I) | |
| | (J) | |
| (i) | (i) | | |
| (ii) | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| (iii) | | |
| (iv) | | |
| (v) | | |
| (vi) | | |
| (vii) | | |
| (viii) | | Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding Venezuela Exposed Equities ETF — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
| (ix) | | Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding Teucrium FLR ETF — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
| (x) | | Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding xETFs Korea AI Semiconductor ETF and xETFS 2x Long Daily Korea AI Semiconductor ETF — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
| (xi) | | Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding AlphaDroid® AI, Robotics, Hyperscaler Power ETF and AlphaDroid® Sweet 16 Giga Cap Stocks ETF — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
| (j) | | | Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm — Not Applicable. |
| (k) | | | Not applicable. |
| (l) | | | Not applicable. |
| (m) | (i) | | |
| (ii) | | Amended Appendix A to the Rule 12b-1 Plan — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
| (n) | | | Not applicable. |
| (o) | | | Reserved. |
| (p) | (i) | | |
| (ii) | | |
| (iii) | | Code of Ethics for Team Financial Strategies — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
| (iv) | | Code of Ethics for WallStreetX ETFs, Inc. d/b/a xETFs — To Be Filed By Amendment. |
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant
No person is directly or indirectly controlled by or under common control with the Registrant.
Item 30. Indemnification
Every person who is, has been, or becomes a Trustee or officer of the Registrant (hereinafter referred to as a “Covered Person”) shall be indemnified by the Registrant to the fullest extent permitted by law against any and all liabilities and expenses reasonably incurred or paid by them in connection with the defense of any proceeding in which they become involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of their being or having been such a Trustee or officer, and against amounts paid or incurred by them in the settlement thereof. Every person who is, has been, or becomes an agent of the Registrant may, upon due approval of the Trustees (including a majority of the Trustees who are not
interested persons of the Registrant), be indemnified by the Registrant, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against any and all liabilities and expenses reasonably incurred or paid by them in connection with the defense of any proceeding in which they become involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of their being or having been an agent, and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the settlement thereof. Every Person who is serving or has served at the request of the Registrant as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, agent or fiduciary of another domestic or foreign corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or employee benefit plan (“Other Position”) and who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding by reason of alleged acts or omissions while acting within the scope of his or her service in such Other Position, may, upon due approval of the Trustees (including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Registrant), be indemnified by the Registrant, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against any and all liabilities and expenses reasonably incurred or paid by them in connection with the defense of any proceeding in which they become involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of their being or having held such Other Position, and against amounts paid or incurred by them in the settlement thereof.
The Registrant shall indemnify each Covered Person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding, by reason of alleged acts or omissions within the scope of their service as a Covered Person, against judgments, fines, penalties, settlements and reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually incurred by them in connection with such proceeding to the maximum extent consistent with state law and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
No indemnification shall be provided to any person who shall have been adjudicated by a court or body before which the proceeding was brought: (i) to be liable to the Registrant or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of their office, or (ii) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Registrant.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”) may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and is therefore unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding or payment pursuant to any insurance policy) is asserted against the Registrant by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
This Item incorporates by reference each investment adviser’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (“Form ADV”) on file with the SEC, as listed below. Each Form ADV may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. Additional information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by each officer and director of the below-listed investment advisers is included in the Trust’s Statement of Additional Information.
| | | | | |
| Investment Adviser | SEC File No. |
| Teucrium Investment Advisors, LLC | 801-123441 |
| |
| Investment Sub-Adviser | SEC File No. |
| J. Team Financial, Inc. d/b/a Team Financial Strategies | 801-78596 |
| WallStreetX ETFs, Inc. d/b/a xETFs | 801-135201 |
Item 32. Principal Underwriters
(a)PINE Distributors LLC (the “Distributor”) serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:
1.Crossmark Large Cap Growth ETF, a Series of Crossmark ETF Trust
2.Crossmark Large Cap Value ETF, a Series of Crossmark ETF Trust
3.Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
4.Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
5.Alpha Architect Global Factor Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
6.Alpha Architect High Inflation and Deflation ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
7.Alpha Architect International Quantitative Momentum ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
8.Alpha Architect International Quantitative Value ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
9.Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
10.Alpha Architect U.S. Quantitative Momentum ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
11.Alpha Architect U.S. Quantitative Value ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
12.Alpha Architect US Equity 2 ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
13.Alpha Architect US Equity 3 ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
14.Alpha Architect US Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
15.Alpha Blue Capital US Small-Mid Cap Dynamic ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
16.Altrius Global Dividend ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
17.Amplius Aggressive Asset Allocation ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
18.AOT Growth and Innovation ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
19.AOT Software Platform ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
20.Argent Focused Small Cap ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
21.Argent Large Cap ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
22.Argent Mid Cap ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
23.Arin Tactical Tail Risk ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
24.ARS Core Equity Portfolio ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
25.ARS Focused Opportunities Strategy ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
26.Astoria US Equal Weight Quality Kings ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
27.Astoria US Quality Growth Kings ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
28.Avory Foundational ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
29.Avos Global Equities ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
30.Bastion Energy ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
31.Bridges Capital Tactical ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
32.BufferLABS US Equity Dynamic Buffer ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
33.Burney U.S. Equity Select ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
34.Burney U.S. Factor Rotation ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
35.Bushido Capital US Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
36.Bushido Capital US SMID Cap Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
37.Castellan Targeted Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
38.Castellan Targeted Income ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
39.City Different Investments Global Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
40.Coastal Compass 100 ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
41.Concourse Capital Focused Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
42.DAC 3D Dividend Growth ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
43.Dakota Active Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
44.Defined Duration 10 ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
45.Defined Duration 20 ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
46.Defined Duration 5 ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
47.Draco Evolution AI ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
48.EA Astoria Dynamic Core US Fixed Income ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
49.EA Bridgeway Blue Chip ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
50.EA Bridgeway Omni Small Cap Value ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
51.Efficient Market Portfolio Plus ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
52.Euclidean Fundamental Value ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
53.Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
54.Freedom Day Dividend ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
55.Gadsden Dynamic Multi-Asset ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
56.Goaltender ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
57.Guru Favorite Stocks ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
58.Honeytree U.S. Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
59.Humilis US Focused Opportunities ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
60.Intelligent Alpha Atlas ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
61.JLens 500 Jewish Advocacy U.S. ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
62.Keating Active ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
63.Manzil Russell Halal USA Broad Market ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
64.MarketDesk Focused U.S. Dividend ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
65.MarketDesk Focused U.S. Momentum ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
66.Matrix Advisors Value ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
67.MC Trio Equity Buffered ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
68.Militia Long/Short Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
69.MKAM ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
70.Moonvest ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
71.Morgan Dempsey Large Cap Value ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
72.MRBL Enhanced Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
73.RACWI US ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
74.Rainwater Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
75.Relative Sentiment Tactical Allocation ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
76.Research Affiliates Deletions ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
77.RockCreek Global Equality ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
78.Sapient Quality Select ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
79.Sarmaya Thematic ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
80.Sequoia Global Value ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
81.Sophus Capital Emerging Market ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
82.Sophus Capital Emerging Market Small Cap ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
83.Sparkline Intangible Value ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
84.Sparkline International Intangible Value ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
85.Stance Sustainable Beta ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
86.StockSnips AI-Powered Sentiment US All Cap ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
87.Strive 1000 Dividend Growth ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
88.Strive 1000 Growth ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
89.Strive 1000 Value ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
90.Strive 500 ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
91.Strive Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
92.Strive Enhanced Income Short Maturity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
93.Strive Natural Resources and Security ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
94.Strive Small-Cap ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
95.Strive Total Return Bond ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
96.Strive U.S. Energy ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
97.Strive U.S. Semiconductor ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
98.Suncoast Select Growth ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
99.TBG Divndend Focus ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
100.Towle Value ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
101.Variant Perception Cycle Aware US Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
102.Warren Street Global Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
103.WHITEWOLF Publicly Listed Private Equity ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
104.Yoke Core ETF, a Series of EA Series Trust
105.Distillate Small/Mid Cash Flow ETF, a Series of ETF Series Solutions
106.Distillate International Fundamental Stability & Value ETF, a Series of ETF Series Solutions
107.Distillate U.S. Fundamental Stability and Value ETF, a Series of ETF Series Solutions
108.Evanston Multi-Alpha Fund, a Series of Evanston Multi-Alpha Fund
109.Keystone Private Income Fund, a Series of Keystone Private Income Fund
110.Teucrium Agricultural Strategy No K-1 ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
111.Teucrium 2x Daily Corn ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
112.Teucrium 2x Daily Wheat ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
113.Yields for You Strategy A ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
114.Relative Strength Managed Volatility Strategy ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
115.GlacierShares Nasdaq Iceland ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
116.Teucrium 2x Long Daily XRP ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
117.21Shares FTSE Crypto 10 ex-BTC Index ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
118.21Shares FTSE Crypto 10 Index ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
119.AlphaDroid® Broad Markets Momentum ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
120.AlphaDroid® Defensive Sector Rotation ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
121.21Shares Active Crypto ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
122.21Shares 2x Long DOGE ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
123.21Shares 2x Long Sui ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
124.21Shares 2x HYPE ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
125.Teucrium xETFs 2x Long Daily BNB ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
126.21Shares Canton Network ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
127.Teucrium Leveraged XDC ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
128.Texas Equity Opportunity ETF, a Series of Listed Funds Trust
129.Twin Oak Short Horizon Absolute Return ETF, a Series of Manager Directed Portfolios Trust
130.Twin Oak Active Opportunities ETF, a Series of Manager Directed Portfolios Trust
131.Redwood Private Real Estate Debt Fund, a Series of Redwood Private Real Estate Debt Fund
132.Myriad Dynamic Asset Allocation ETF, a Series of Series Portfolios Trust
133.THOR AdaptiveRisk Dynamic ETF, a Series of THOR Financial Technologies
134.THOR Equal Weight Low Volatility ETF, a Series of THOR Financial Technologies
135.THOR Index Rotation ETF, a Series of THOR Financial Technologies
136.Truth Social American Energy Security ETF, a Series of Yorkville America Investments Trust
137.Truth Social American Icons ETF, a Series of Yorkville America Investments Trust
138.Truth Social American Next Frontiers ETF, a Series of Yorkville America Investments Trust
139.Truth Social American Security & Defense ETF, a Series of Yorkville America Investments Trust
140.Truth Social Red State REITs ETF, a Series of Yorkville America Investments Trust
(b) The following are the Officers and Manager of the Distributor, the Registrant’s underwriter. The Distributor’s main business address is 501 South Cherry Street, Suite 610, Denver, Colorado 80246.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Name | Principal Business Address | Positions and Offices
with Underwriter | Positions and Offices
with Fund |
| Mark Fairbanks | 501 S. Cherry St., Suite 610
Denver, CO 80246 | President | N/A |
| Alexander Woodcock | 501 S. Cherry St., Suite 610
Denver, CO 80246 | Senior Vice President, Principal Financial Officer | N/A |
| Susan Moscaritolo | 501 S. Cherry St., Suite 610
Denver, CO 80246 | Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer | N/A |
| Daryn Levesque | 501 S. Cherry St., Suite 610
Denver, CO 80246 | Vice President, Chief Operating Officer | N/A |
(c) Not applicable.
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
The books and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 are maintained at the following locations:
| | | | | |
| Records Relating to: | Are located at: |
| Registrant’s Fund Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent | U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
|
| Registrant’s Custodian | U.S. Bank, National Association 1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
|
| Registrant’s Principal Underwriter | PINE Distributors LLC 501 South Cherry Street, Suite 610 Denver, Colorado 80246
|
| Registrant’s Investment Adviser | Teucrium Investment Advisors, LLC Three Main Street, Suite 215 Burlington, Vermont 05401
|
| Registrant’s Investment Sub-Advisers | J. Team Financial, Inc. d/b/a Team Financial Strategies 425 Cypress Street Abilene, Texas 79601
|
| WallStreetX ETFs, Inc.
d/b/a xETFs
170 East 87th Street
New York, New York 10128
|
Item 34. Management Services
Not applicable.
Item 35. Undertakings
Not applicable.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Amendment to be signed below on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, on June 22, 2026.
| | | | | |
| Listed Funds Trust |
| |
| By: | /s/ Elaine E. Richards |
| Elaine E. Richards |
| Secretary |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on June 22, 2026.
| | | | | |
| Signature | Title |
| |
| */s/ John L. Jacobs | Trustee |
| John L. Jacobs | |
| |
| */s/ Koji Felton | Trustee |
| Koji Felton | |
| |
*/s/ Pamela H. Conroy | Trustee and Chairperson |
| Pamela H. Conroy | |
| |
*/s/ Kacie G. Briody | President and Principal Executive Officer |
| Kacie G. Briody | |
| |
*/s/ Travis G. Babich | Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer |
| Travis G. Babich | |
|
*By: /s/ Elaine E. Richards Elaine E. Richards, Attorney-in-Fact Pursuant to Power of Attorney Filed Herewith |
EXHIBIT INDEX
| | | | | |
| Exhibit Number | Description |
| |
| (h)(ii) | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |