Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 30, 2026

 

1933 Act Registration File No. 033-20827

1940 Act Registration File No. 811-05518

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-1A

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [ X ]
Pre-Effective Amendment No.     [   ]
Post-Effective Amendment No. 416   [ X ]

 

and/or

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [ X ]
Amendment No. 421   [ X ]
           

 

(Check Appropriate Box or Boxes)

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

 

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (609) 731-6256

Copies to:

 

STEVEN PLUMP   JILLIAN L. BOSMANN, ESQUIRE
The RBB Fund, Inc.   Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
615 East Michigan Street   One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202-5207   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-6996

 

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

 

[   ] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[   ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
[   ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ X ] On December 31, 2026 pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[   ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[   ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

 

If appropriate, check the following box:

[   ] This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Subject to Completion

Dated October 30, 2026

 

EMERALD LARGE CAP FOCUSED FUND

(formerly known as the F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund)

 

Institutional Class Shares (Ticker: IAFLX)

Investor Class Shares (Ticker: IAFMX)

 

of The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

Prospectus

 

[  ], 2026

 

Investment Adviser:

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust

 

This Prospectus gives vital information about the Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund (the “Fund”), an investment portfolio of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”), including information on investment policies, risks and fees. For your own benefit and protection, please read it before you invest and keep it on hand for future reference.

 

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

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

A look at the goals, strategies, risks and financial history of the Fund.

 

Details about the Fund’s service providers.

 

Policies and instructions for opening, maintaining and closing an account in the Fund.

 

SUMMARY SECTION

1

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND’S PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS

9

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

15

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

15

Investment Adviser

15

Management Fees

15

Portfolio Managers

16

SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION

16

Pricing of Fund Shares

16

Market Timing

17

Purchase of Fund Shares

18

Redemption of Fund Shares

23

Dividends and Distributions

25

More Information About Taxes

26

Distribution Arrangements

29

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

29

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

31

PRIVACY NOTICE

36

FOR MORE INFORMATION

38

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY SECTION

 

Investment Objective

 

The investment objective of the Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund (formerly known as the F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund) (the “Fund”) is long-term growth of capital.

 

Expenses and Fees

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (the “Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples.

 

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

Investor
Class

Institutional
Class

Management Fees

0.70%

0.70%

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

0.25%

None

Other Expenses

[...]

[...]

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (1)

[...]

[...]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

[...]

[...]

Fee Waiver/Reimbursement or Recoupment (2)

[...]

[...]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (After Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement)

[...]

[...]

 

(1)

[Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (“AFFE”) are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other mutual funds, including money market funds and exchange traded funds. Please note that the amount of Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses and Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursements shown in the above table will differ from the “Financial Highlights” section of the Prospectus, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include indirect expenses such as AFFE.]

(2)

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust (“Emerald” or the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and to absorb Fund expenses (a "Waiver/Reimbursement") to the extent necessary to limit total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, taxes, AFFE, distribution and/or service fees, brokerage commissions, dividend expenses on short sales, and other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business) to an amount not exceeding a percentage of average daily net assets of 1.15% for Investor Class Shares and 0.90% for Institutional Class Shares through December 31, 2027. Any such Waiver/Reimbursement is subject to repayment by the Fund for a period of 3 years following the date of the Waiver/Reimbursement but only if such recoupment can be achieved without exceeding the expense limitation in place at the time of the Waiver/Reimbursement.

 

Example

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, reinvest dividends and distributions, and then hold or 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 (taking into account the contractual expense limitation in the 1 year example and the first year of the other examples). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

Investor Class

[...]

[...]

[...]

[...]

Institutional Class

[...]

[...]

[...]

[...]

 


1 

 

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was [...]% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Summary of Principal Investment Strategies

 

The Fund’s principal investment objective is long-term growth of capital. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by purchasing equity securities that the Adviser believes are likely to appreciate. The Adviser will focus on companies that exhibit accelerating growth in earnings and revenue. The Adviser generally seeks to purchase equity securities of large capitalization U.S. companies, and may purchase American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) of international companies trading on U.S. exchanges. The Fund may invest across different industries and sectors. The Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in securities of large capitalization companies. The Fund considers large capitalization companies to include those that have a market capitalization, at the time of investment, comparable to the securities held in the S&P 500® Index. As of October 31, 2026, the S&P 500® Index included U.S. companies with a median market capitalization of $[...] billion. The market capitalization of the companies in the S&P 500® Index ranged from $[...] billion to $[...] trillion as of October 31, 2026. At times, the Fund may emphasize investment in a particular industry or sector. As of August 31, 2026, the Fund had approximately [...]% of its net assets invested in stocks within the information technology sector.

 

The Adviser uses quantitative screens to evaluate liquidity, capitalization, domicile, and desired risk attributes to determine an initial universe of large capitalization companies from which the Fund may invest. The Adviser then uses a quantitative process to evaluate company fundamentals and stock price trends of the investment candidates. Macroeconomic influences on portfolio candidates are considered before selecting the final securities for purchase in the portfolio. The Adviser considers whether to sell a particular security when the security receives declining scores from the Adviser’s proprietary model or the security causes the Fund’s portfolio to be exposed to unintended risks.

 

The periodic reconstitution and rebalancing of the portfolio according to the Fund’s quantitative investment strategy may result in significant portfolio turnover. A higher rate of portfolio turnover increases transaction expenses, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance. High portfolio turnover also may result in the realization of substantial net short-term capital gains, which, when distributed, are taxable to shareholders. With respect to any percentage restriction on investment or use of assets in the Fund’s investment strategies, if such a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, a later increase or decrease in such percentage resulting from changes in values of securities or loans or amounts of net assets or security characteristics will not be considered a violation of the restriction. Any such changes in percentages do not require the sale of a security, but rather the Adviser will consider which action is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders, including the sale of the security.

 

The Fund is a “non-diversified” fund, which means it can invest in fewer securities at any one time than a diversified fund.

 


2 

 

 

Summary of Principal Risks

 

Risk is inherent in all investing. The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly from day to day and over time. You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The Fund’s principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. Different risks may be more significant at different times depending on market conditions or other factors.

 

Cyber Security Risk - Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning could exacerbate these risks or result in cyber security incidents that implicate personal data. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk - Depositary receipts are generally subject to the same risks as the foreign securities they evidence or into which they may be converted. In addition to investment risks associated with the underlying issuer, depositary receipts expose the Fund to additional risks associated with the non-uniform terms that apply to depositary receipt programs, credit exposure to the depository bank and to the sponsors and other parties with whom the depository bank establishes the programs, currency risk and liquidity risk. The issuers of unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose information that is, in the United States, considered material. Therefore, there may be less information available regarding these issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts.

 

Equity Securities Risk - The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company’s activities and financial condition and in overall market conditions. Economic, political, and financial conditions, or industry or economic trends or developments, may for varying periods of time cause volatility, illiquidity, or other potentially adverse effects in the markets. The Fund’s investments in equity securities expose it to sudden and unpredictable drops in value and the potential for extended periods of lackluster performance.

 

Foreign Securities Risk - Foreign investments may be affected by changes in a foreign country’s exchange rates, political and social instability, changes in economic or taxation policies, difficulties enforcing obligations, decreased liquidity, and increased volatility. Foreign companies may be subject to less regulation resulting in less publicly available information about the companies.

 

Large Cap Security Risk - Larger capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technological developments and consumer tastes, have fewer opportunities to expand the market for their products or services, and may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies.

 


3 

 

 

Market Risk - Market risk refers to the risk that the value of securities in the Fund’s portfolio may decline due to daily fluctuations in the securities markets, including fluctuation in interest rates, national and international economic conditions, and general equity market conditions.

 

Economies and financial markets throughout the world have become interconnected which increases the possibility that economic, financial or political events in one sector or region could have potentially adverse effects on global economies or markets. For example, Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, the responses and sanctions by other countries, and the potential for wider military conflicts or war, could continue to have adverse effects on regional and global economies, and may further strain global supply chains, and negatively affect global growth and inflation. Natural or environmental disasters or climate related events, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes and tsunamis, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and the markets. For example, the outbreak of an infectious respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, and efforts to contain its spread, have resulted, and may continue to result in labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, lower consumer demand for certain products and services, and significant disruptions to economies and markets, adversely affecting individual companies, sectors, industries, interest rates and investor sentiment.

 

Management Style Risk - The Fund intends to invest in growth-oriented stocks and the Fund’s performance may at times be better or worse than that of similar funds with other focuses or that have a broader investment style. There is no guarantee that the Adviser’s investment techniques and risk analyses, including its reliance on quantitative models, will produce the intended results.

 

Operational Risk - The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties, or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes or technology or systems failures. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.

 

Risk of Non-Diversification - The Fund is a non-diversified portfolio, which means that it has the ability to take larger positions in a smaller number of securities than a portfolio that is “diversified.” Non-diversification increases the risk that the Fund’s share price could decrease to a larger extent than a fund that is diversified because of the poor performance of a single investment.

 

Sector Concentration Risk - Sector risk is the possibility that a certain sector may perform differently than other sectors or the market as a whole. Although the Fund does not intend to concentrate its investments in any particular sector or sectors, the Fund may emphasize investments in one or more sectors, which may cause the Fund to have increased relative exposure to the price movements of those sectors. At times when the Fund emphasizes a particular sector, the value of its net assets will be more susceptible to the financial, market or economic events affecting that sector than would be the case for mutual funds that do not emphasize investment in a particular sector. This may increase the risk of loss associated with an investment in the Fund and increase the volatility of the Fund’s Share price. As of August 31, 2026, the Fund had approximately [...]% of its net assets invested in stocks within the information technology sector. The values of securities of companies in the information technology sector may be significantly affected adversely by competitive pressures, short product cycles, aggressive pricing and rapid obsolescence of existing technologies and products.

 


4 

 

 

Fund Performance

 

The performance information for the Fund shown below reflects, for periods prior to January 18, 2022, the performance of the F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund, a series of IDX Funds (the “Original Fund”), and for periods between January 18, 2022 and October 30, 2023, the performance of the F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund, a series of F/m Funds Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”). The investment objectives, strategies and policies of the Original Fund and the Predecessor Fund were substantially similar to those of the Fund. Returns shown prior to April 2020 were generated when the Original Fund was managed by a different investment adviser. Returns shown from April 2020 to July 23, 2026 were generated under the management of the Fund’s former investment adviser, F/m Investments LLC (“F/m”). Returns shown from July 24, 2026 to [December 31, 2026] were generated under the management of the Adviser and F/m, who served as co-advisers during that period. The Fund's senior portfolio manager remains unchanged since the Fund's inception.

 

The bar chart shows the performance of the Institutional Class Shares for each full calendar year over the lifetime of the Fund and assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The table shows how the Fund's average annual total returns for one year, five years, and since inception periods compare with those of broad measures of market performance.

 

Performance information represents only past performance, before and after taxes, and does not necessarily indicate future results. Updated performance information is available by visiting www.teamemeraldfunds.com or by calling 1-855-828-9909.

 


5 

 

 

TOTAL RETURNS FOR THE CALENDAR YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31

 

Institutional Class

 

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

 

During the period shown in the chart, the highest quarterly return was 30.29% (for the quarter ended June 30, 2020) and the lowest quarterly return was -23.00% (for the quarter ended June 30, 2022).

 

The year-to-date total return through September 30, 2026 was 18.89%.

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS FOR THE PERIODS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2025

 

 

1 Year

5 Years

Since Inception
(October 3, 2016)

Institutional Class Shares

 

 

 

Return Before Taxes

24.48%

14.62%

18.45%

Return After Taxes on Distributions*

19.50%

11.12%

15.09%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

16.82%

10.55%

14.07%

Investor Class Shares

 

 

 

Return Before Taxes

24.16%

14.33%

18.17%

Russell 1000 Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

18.70%

15.35%

19.04%

S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

17.88%

14.42%

15.22%

 


6 

 

 

*

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund Shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Class Shares only, and the after-tax returns for Investor Class Shares will vary to the extent it has different expenses.

 

Management of the Fund

 

Investment Adviser

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is the investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Portfolio Manager

 

Name

Title with Adviser

Tenure with the Fund and Predecessor Fund

Francisco J. Bido

Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager

Since Inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

 

 

Minimum Initial Investment

Subsequent Minimum Investment

Investor Class

$1,000

None

Institutional Class

$100,000

None

 

Investors generally may meet the minimum investment amount for the Institutional Class Shares by aggregating multiple accounts within the Fund if desired. Account minimums may be waived for accounts held by clients of the Adviser or for certain other accounts, at the discretion of the Adviser.

 

You can purchase and redeem Shares of the Fund only on days the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. Shares of the Fund may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals (collectively, “Service Organizations”). Certain features of the Shares, such as the initial and subsequent investment minimums and certain trading restrictions, may be modified or waived by Service Organizations, as further detailed in the section entitled “Purchase of Fund Shares – Purchases Through Intermediaries.” Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and redeemed directly through The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) by the means described below.

 

Purchase and Redemption By Mail:

 

Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund

c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services

P.O. Box 219252

Kansas City, MO 64121-9252

 

 

 

Overnight Mail:
Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund

c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services

801 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 219252

Kansas City, MO 64105-1307

 

 

 


7 

 

 

Purchase By Wire:

 

Before sending any wire, call U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the “Transfer Agent”) at 1-855-828-9909 to confirm the current wire instructions for the Fund.

 

Redemption By Telephone:

 

Call the Transfer Agent at 1-855-828-9909.

 

Tax Information

 

Except for tax-advantaged retirement plans and accounts and other tax-exempt investors, you will be subject to tax to the extent the Fund makes distributions of ordinary income or net capital gains. Distributions may be taxable upon withdrawal from retirement accounts.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

 

If you purchase Shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund Shares and other related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 


8 

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND’S PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS

 

This section provides some additional information about the Fund’s investments and certain portfolio management techniques that the Fund may use. More information about the Fund’s investments and portfolio management techniques, and related risks, is included in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). This Prospectus describes the Fund’s principal investment strategies, and the Fund will normally invest in the types of securities described in this Prospectus. In addition to the investments and strategies described in this Prospectus, the Fund also may invest, to a lesser extent, in other securities, use other strategies and engage in other investment practices that are not part of its principal investment strategy. These investments and strategies, as well as those described in this Prospectus, are described in detail in the Fund’s SAI. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

The Fund’s principal investment objective is long-term growth of capital.

 

The investment objective of the Fund may be changed without shareholder approval. If a decision is made to change the Fund’s investment objective, shareholders will be provided with at least 60 days’ advance written notice of the change.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

 

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by purchasing equity securities that the Adviser believes are likely to appreciate. The Adviser will focus on companies that exhibit accelerating growth in earnings and revenue. The Adviser generally seeks to purchase equity securities of large capitalization U.S. companies, and may purchase American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) of international companies trading on U.S. exchanges. The Fund may invest across different industries and sectors. The Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in securities of large capitalization companies. The Fund’s 80% policy may be changed by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) without shareholder approval. Shareholders will, however, receive 60 days’ prior notice of any changes. The Fund considers large capitalization companies to include those that have a market capitalization, at the time of investment, comparable to the securities held in the S&P 500® Index. As of October 31, 2026, the S&P 500® Index included U.S. companies with a median market capitalization of $[...] billion. The market capitalization of the companies in the S&P 500® Index ranged from $[...] billion to $[...] trillion as of October 31, 2026. At times, the Fund may emphasize investment in a particular industry or sector. As of August 31, 2026, the Fund had approximately [...]% of its net assets invested in stocks within the information technology sector.

 

The Adviser uses quantitative screens to evaluate liquidity, capitalization, domicile, and desired risk attributes to determine an initial universe of large capitalization companies from which the Fund may invest. The Adviser then uses a quantitative process to evaluate company fundamentals and stock price trends of the investment candidates. Macroeconomic influences on portfolio candidates are considered before selecting the final securities for purchase in the portfolio. The Adviser considers whether to sell a particular security when the security receives declining scores from the Adviser’s proprietary model or the security causes the Fund’s portfolio to be exposed to unintended risks.

 

The periodic reconstitution and rebalancing of the portfolio according to the Fund’s quantitative investment strategy may result in significant portfolio turnover. A higher rate of portfolio turnover increases transaction expenses, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance. High portfolio turnover also may result in

 


9 

 

 

the realization of substantial net short-term capital gains, which, when distributed, are taxable to shareholders.

 

The Fund is a “non-diversified” fund, which means it can invest in fewer securities at any one time than a diversified fund.

 

PRINCIPAL RISKS

 

Cyber Security Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund is susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information (including private shareholder information), corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security failures or breaches by the Fund’s Adviser and other service providers (including, but not limited to, the Fund’s accountant, custodian, transfer agent and administrator), and the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value (“NAV”), impediments to trading, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning could exacerbate these risks or result in cyber security incidents that implicate personal data. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Adviser has established a business continuity plan in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund and issuers in which the Fund invests, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. Investment in depositary receipts may be subject to some of the same risks as direct investment in foreign companies, which includes international trade, currency, political, regulatory and diplomatic risks. Depositary receipts may be available through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and the depository, whereas an unsponsored facility is established by the depository without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depository of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depository of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders.

 

Equity Securities Risk. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company’s activities and financial condition and in overall market conditions. Economic, political, and financial conditions, or industry or economic trends or developments, may for varying periods of time cause volatility, illiquidity, or other potentially adverse effects in the markets. The Fund’s investments in equity securities expose it to sudden and unpredictable drops in value and the potential for extended periods of lackluster performance.

 


10 

 

 

Foreign Securities Risk. Securities of companies located outside the U.S. involve additional risks that can increase the potential for losses in the Fund to the extent that it invests in these securities. Investments in foreign securities may be affected by currency controls and exchange rates; different accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices; expropriation; changes in tax policy; greater market volatility; differing securities market structures; higher transaction costs; and various administrative difficulties, such as delays in clearing and settling portfolio transactions or in receiving payment of dividends.

 

 

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Special Risks Related to Foreign Securities. Foreign securities involve special risks and costs, which are considered by the Adviser in evaluating the creditworthiness of issuers. Foreign securities fluctuate in price because of political, financial, social and economic events in foreign countries (including, for example, military confrontations, war and terrorism). A foreign security could also lose value because of more or less stringent foreign securities regulations and less stringent accounting and disclosure standards. In addition, foreign markets may have greater volatility than domestic markets and foreign securities may be less liquid and harder to value than domestic securities. Certain foreign markets may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, organizations, entities and/or individuals, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers, and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. International trade barriers or economic sanctions against foreign countries, organizations, entities and/or individuals may adversely affect the Fund’s foreign holdings or exposures. Foreign securities, and in particular foreign debt securities, are sensitive to changes in interest rates. In addition, investment in the securities of foreign governments involves the risk that foreign governments may default on their obligations or may otherwise not respect the integrity of their debt. 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. Foreign investments also may involve risks associated with the level of currency exchange rates, less complete financial information about the issuers, less market liquidity, more market volatility and political instability. Moreover, clearance and settlement procedures may differ from those in the U.S. and in certain markets such procedures have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, thus making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on dividend income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign holdings, the possible establishment of exchange controls or freezes on the convertibility of currency, trade restrictions (including tariffs) or the adoption of other governmental restrictions might adversely affect an investment in foreign securities. Additionally, foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements and to different accounting, auditing and recordkeeping requirements. The Adviser may determine not to invest in, or may limit the Fund’s overall investment in, a particular issuer, country or geographic region due to, among other things, heightened risks regarding repatriation restrictions, confiscation of assets and property, expropriation or nationalization.

 

○

Developed Countries Investing Risk. The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

 

 

 

 


11 

 

    Developed countries generally tend to rely on services sectors (e.g., the financial services sector) as the primary means of economic growth. A prolonged slowdown in, among others, services sectors is likely to have a negative impact on economies of certain developed countries. Developed countries experienced a significant economic slowdown during the recent financial crisis. In the past, certain developed countries have been targets of terrorism. Acts of terrorism in developed countries or against their interests abroad may cause uncertainty in the financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which the Fund has exposure. Heavy regulation of, among others, labor and product markets may have an adverse effect on certain issuers. Such regulations may negatively affect economic growth or cause prolonged periods of recession. Many developed countries are heavily indebted and face rising healthcare and retirement expenses. In addition, price fluctuations of certain commodities and regulations impacting the import of commodities may negatively affect developed country economies.
     

 

○

Internal Conflicts/Civil Wars Risk. Various countries have seen significant internal conflicts and in some cases, civil wars may have had an adverse impact on the securities markets of the countries concerned. In addition, the occurrence of new disturbances due to acts of war or terrorism or other political developments cannot be excluded. Nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes, government regulation, political, regulatory or social instability or uncertainty or diplomatic developments, including the imposition of sanctions or other similar measures, could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.

 

Recent examples of the above include conflict, loss of life and disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict in Europe and the Middle East. The extent, duration and impact of these conflicts, related sanctions and retaliatory actions are difficult to ascertain, but could be significant and have severe adverse effects on the region, including significant adverse effects on the regional or global economies and the markets for certain securities and commodities. These impacts could negatively affect the Fund’s investments in securities and instruments that are economically tied to the applicable region, and include (but are not limited to) declines in value and reductions in liquidity. In addition, to the extent new sanctions are imposed or previously relaxed sanctions are reimposed (including with respect to countries undergoing transformation), complying with such restrictions may prevent the Fund from pursuing certain investments, cause delays or other impediments with respect to consummating such investments or divestments, require divestment or freezing of investments on unfavorable terms, render divestment of underperforming investments impracticable, negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective, prevent the Fund from receiving payments otherwise due, increase diligence and other similar costs to the Fund, render valuation of affected investments challenging, or require the Fund to consummate an investment on terms that are less advantageous than would be the case absent such restrictions. Any of these outcomes could adversely affect the Fund’s performance with respect to such investments, and thus the Fund’s performance as a whole.

 

Large Cap Security Risk. Securities of companies with certain market capitalizations may perform differently from the equities markets generally. At times, large-cap companies may underperform as compared to small- or mid-capitalization companies, and vice versa. Larger, more established companies may be unable to respond to new competitive challenges such as changes in consumer tastes or innovative smaller competitors. The stocks of large capitalization companies as a group could fall out of favor with the market, causing the Fund to underperform investments that focus solely on small- or medium-capitalization stocks.

 

Market Risk. The Fund's NAV and investment return will fluctuate based upon changes in the value of its investments. The market value of the Fund's holdings is based upon the market's perception of value and is not necessarily an objective measure of an investment's value. There is no assurance that the Fund will

 


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realize its investment objective, and an investment in the Fund is not, by itself, a complete or balanced investment program. You could lose money on your investment in the Fund, or the Fund could underperform other investments.

 

Periods of unusually high financial market volatility and restrictive credit conditions, at times limited to a particular sector or geographic area, have occurred in the past and may be expected to recur in the future. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted or have signaled protectionist trade measures, relaxation of the financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis, and/or reductions to corporate taxes. The current presidential administration has called for and is seeking to quickly enact significant changes to U.S. fiscal, tax, trade, healthcare, immigration, foreign, and government regulatory policy. Significant uncertainty exists with respect to legislation, regulation and government policy at the federal level, as well as the state and local levels. Recent events have created a climate of heightened uncertainty and introduced new and difficult-to-quantify macroeconomic and political risks with potentially far-reaching implications. There has been a corresponding meaningful increase in the uncertainty surrounding interest rates, inflation, foreign exchange rates, trade volumes and fiscal and monetary policy. To the extent the U.S. Congress or the current presidential administration implements changes to U.S. policy, those changes may impact, among other things, the U.S. and global economy, international trade and relations, unemployment, immigration, corporate taxes, healthcare, the U.S. regulatory environment, inflation and other areas. Although the Fund cannot predict the impact, if any, of these changes to the Fund's business, they could adversely affect the Fund's business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Until the Fund knows what policy changes are made and how those changes impact the Fund's business and the business of the Fund's competitors over the long term, the Fund will not know if, overall, the Fund will benefit from them or be negatively affected by them.

 

Additionally, climate change poses long-term threats to physical and biological systems. Potential hazards and risks related to climate change for a State or municipality include, among other things, wildfires, rising sea levels, more severe coastal flooding and erosion hazards, and more intense storms. Storms in recent years have demonstrated vulnerabilities in a State's or municipality's infrastructure to extreme weather events. Climate change risks, if they materialize, can adversely impact a State's or municipality's financial plan in current or future years. In addition, economists and others have expressed increasing concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. A rise in sea levels, an increase in powerful windstorms and/or a climate-driven increase in sea levels or flooding could cause coastal properties to lose value or become unmarketable altogether. Economists warn that, unlike previous declines in the real estate market, properties in affected coastal zones may not ever recover their value. Large wildfires driven by high winds and prolonged drought may devastate businesses and entire communities and may be very costly to any business found to be responsible for the fire. Regulatory changes and divestment movements tied to concerns about climate change could adversely affect the value of certain land and the viability of industries whose activities or products are seen as accelerating climate change. The Fund cannot predict the effects of or likelihood of such events on the U.S. and world economies. The Fund could be materially impacted by such events which may, in turn, negatively affect the value and performance of the Fund.

 

Advancements in technology may also adversely impact markets and the overall performance of the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and increased regulation of artificial intelligence. As the use of technology grows, liquidity and market movements may be affected. As artificial intelligence is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund.

 

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties, or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems

 


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failures. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.

 

Risk of Non-Diversification. The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest a high percentage of its assets in a limited number of securities. Since the Fund is non-diversified, its net asset value, market price and total returns may fluctuate or fall more than a diversified fund. As a non-diversified fund, the Fund has a greater potential to realize losses upon the occurrence of adverse events affecting a particular issuer.

 

Sector Concentration Risk. Sector risk is the possibility that a certain sector may perform differently than other sectors or the market as a whole. Although the Fund does not intend to concentrate its investments in any particular sector or sectors, the Fund may emphasize investments in one or more sectors, which may cause it to have increased relative exposure to the price movements of those sectors. At times when the Fund emphasizes a particular sector, the value of its net assets will be more susceptible to the financial, market or economic events affecting that sector than would be the case for mutual funds that do not emphasize investment in a particular sector. This may increase the risk of loss associated with an investment in the Fund and increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price. As of August 31, 2026, the Fund had approximately [...]% of its net assets invested in stocks within the information technology sector. The values of securities of companies in the information technology sector may be significantly affected adversely by competitive pressures, short product cycles, aggressive pricing and rapid obsolescence of existing technologies and products.

 

 

○

[Information Technology Sector Risk. The information technology sector includes companies in the software and services, technology hardware and equipment, and semiconductors and semiconductor equipment industry groups. Companies in the information technology sector are subject to rapid obsolescence of existing technology, short product cycles, falling prices and profits, competition from new market entrants, and general economic conditions. Stocks of companies in the information technology sector, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Technological developments, fixed rate pricing, and the ability to retain skilled employees can significantly affect the industries in the information technology sector. Additionally, success in the internet services and infrastructure industry is subject to continued demand for internet services.]

 

NON-PRINCIPAL RISKS

 

Please review the SAI for more information about additional non-principal types of securities in which the Fund may invest and their associated risks.

 

Temporary Defensive Positions. The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies in an attempt to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions. For example, when the Adviser believes that market conditions are unfavorable for profitable investing, or is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund’s cash or similar investments may increase. During such an unusual set of circumstances, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its portfolio in cash or cash equivalent positions. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not participate in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested, and the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.

 


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U.S. Government Securities. U.S. government securities are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, depending upon whether the securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, the ability to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, or only by the credit of the issuing U.S. government agency, instrumentality or corporation. There is no assurance that the U.S. government will provide financial support to U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored entities if it is not obligated to do so by law, and it is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations. Further, from time to time, uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the U.S. government to increase the statutory debt ceiling could impact the creditworthiness of the U.S. and could impact the liquidity of the U.S. government securities markets and ultimately the Fund.

 

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

 

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

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

Investment Adviser

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Emerald’s primary business address is 3175 Oregon Pike, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540. The Adviser is responsible for providing a continuous program of investing the Fund’s assets and determining the portfolio composition of the Fund. The Adviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerald Advisers, LLC, and has served as an investment adviser to the Fund since July 24, 2026 when it joined F/m as a co-investment adviser to the Fund. From April 2020 through July 23, 2026, F/m served as the sole investment adviser to the Fund. Effective December 31, 2026, Emerald serves as the sole investment adviser to the Fund. The Fund's senior portfolio manager has remained the same since the inception of the Fund and is now an employee of Emerald.

 

Management Fees

 

In return for providing management services to the Fund, the Fund pays the Adviser a monthly fee at an annual rate of 0.70% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The Adviser may pay certain financial institutions (which may include banks, brokers, securities dealers and other industry professionals) a fee for providing distribution related services and/or for performing certain administrative servicing functions for Fund shareholders to the extent these institutions are allowed to do so by applicable statute, rule or regulation.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and to absorb Fund expenses (a "Waiver/Reimbursement") to the extent necessary to limit total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, distribution and/or service fees, brokerage commissions, dividend expenses on short sales, and other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business) to an amount not exceeding a percentage of average daily net assets of 1.15% for Investor Class Shares and 0.90% for Institutional Class Shares through December 31, 2027. Any such Waiver/Reimbursement is subject to repayment by the Fund for a period of 3 years following the date of the Waiver/Reimbursement but only if such recoupment can be achieved without exceeding the expense limitation in place at the time of the Waiver/Reimbursement. After taking into account fee reductions, F/m and Emerald were effectively paid an annualized management fee of [  ]% and [  ]%, respectively, of the Fund’s average daily net assets for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 


15 

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement is included in the Fund’s annual shareholder report dated August 31, 2026.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

The SAI contains additional information about the portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, and the portfolio manager’s ownership of shares of the Fund.

 

Francisco J. Bido. Mr. Bido has managed the Fund since 2023 and the Predecessor Fund since its inception in 2016. He has served as a Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Emerald since January 2026. Mr. Bido served as Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at F/m Investments LLC from April 2020 to December 2025 and was Head of Quantitative Research at Cognios Capital, LLC prior to joining F/m Investments LLC. Mr. Bido received his M.S. and M.A. degrees in Applied Mathematics and Economics, respectively, from the University of Arizona, M.S. in Mathematics from New York University’s Courant Institute, and B.S. in Electromechanical Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra.

 

SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION

 

Pricing of Fund Shares

 

Investor Class Shares and Institutional Class Shares are priced at their NAV. The NAV of each class of the Fund’s Shares is calculated as follows:

 

 

Value of Assets Attributable to the Class

NAV =

- Value of Liabilities Attributable to the same Class

 

Number of Outstanding Shares of the Class

 

The Fund’s NAV is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day the NYSE is open. Due to the fact that different expenses are charged to the Institutional Class Shares and Investor Class Shares, the NAV of the two classes of the Fund may vary. The NYSE is generally open Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The NYSE also may be closed on national days of mourning or due to natural disaster or other extraordinary events or emergency. Due to the fact that different expenses are charged to each class of Shares, the NAV of each class of the Fund may vary. The Fund will effect purchases of Shares at the NAV next calculated after receipt by the Transfer Agent of your purchase order in good order. The Fund will effect redemptions of Shares at the NAV next calculated after receipt by the Fund’s Transfer Agent of your redemption request in good order as described below.

 

The Fund’s equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price, except for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System (“NASDAQ”). Equity securities listed on the NASDAQ will be valued at the official closing price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, equity securities will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market value at the close of the market. Foreign securities, currencies and other securities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of such currencies against the U.S. dollar provided by a pricing service. All assets denominated in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the time of valuation. If the Fund holds foreign equity securities,

 


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the calculation of the Fund’s NAV will not occur at the same time as the determination of the value of the foreign equities securities in the Fund’s portfolio, since these securities are traded on foreign exchanges.

 

Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses). Investments in exchange-traded funds, REITs and closed-end funds will be valued at their market price.

 

If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable by the Fund’s administrator, in consultation with the Adviser, securities will be valued by the Adviser, as the Fund’s valuation designee, in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board and under the Board’s ultimate supervision. In addition, the prices of foreign securities may be affected by events that occur after the close of a foreign market but before the Fund prices its Shares. In such instances, a foreign security may be fair valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by the Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

 

Market Timing

 

In accordance with the policy adopted by its Board, the Company discourages and does not accommodate market timing and other excessive trading practices. Purchases should be made with a view to longer-term investment only. Excessive short-term (market timing) trading practices may disrupt portfolio management strategies, increase brokerage and administrative costs, harm Fund performance and result in dilution in the value of Shares held by long-term shareholders. The Company and the Adviser reserve the right to (i) reject a purchase or exchange order, (ii) delay payment of immediate cash redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days, (iii) revoke a shareholder’s privilege to purchase Shares (including exchanges), or (iv) limit the amount of any exchange involving the purchase of Shares. An investor may receive notice that their purchase order or exchange has been rejected after the day the order is placed or after acceptance by a financial intermediary. It is currently expected that a shareholder will receive notice that its purchase order or exchange has been rejected within 48 hours after such purchase order or exchange has been received by the Company in good order. The Company and the Adviser will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. To minimize harm to the Company and its shareholders (or the Adviser), the Company (or the Adviser) will exercise its right if, in the Company’s (or the Adviser’s) judgment, an investor has a history of excessive trading or if an investor’s trading, in the judgment of the Company (or the Adviser), has been or may be disruptive to the Fund. No waivers of the provisions of the policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

 

Pursuant to the policy adopted by the Board, the Adviser has developed criteria that it uses to identify trading activity that may be excessive. The Adviser reviews on a regular, periodic basis available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of excessive trading. As part of its excessive trading surveillance process, the Adviser, on a periodic basis, examines transactions that exceed certain monetary thresholds or numerical limits within a period of time. If, in its judgment, the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, it may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor’s account with the Fund. The Adviser may modify its surveillance procedure and criteria from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Adviser will apply the criteria in a manner that, in its judgment, will be uniform.

 

If necessary, the Company may prohibit additional purchases of Shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers’

 


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trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Company. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Company’s excessive trading policies, the Company may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

 

There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to identify market timers, particularly if they are investing through intermediaries.

 

Purchase of Fund Shares

 

Shares representing interests in the Fund are offered continuously for sale by Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”).

 

General. You may also purchase Shares of the Fund at the NAV per Share next calculated after your order is received by the Transfer Agent in good order as described below. The Fund’s NAV is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day the NYSE is open. After an initial purchase is made, the Transfer Agent will set up an account for you on the Company records. The minimum initial investment in Investor Class Shares is $1,000, and the minimum initial investment for Institutional Class Shares is $100,000. There is no subsequent investment minimum. Institutional Class Shares are available only to institutional investors and certain broker dealers and financial institutions that have entered into appropriate arrangements with the Fund. These arrangements are generally limited to discretionary managed, asset allocation, eligible retirement plan or wrap products offered by broker-dealers and financial institutions. Shareholders participating in these programs may be charged fees by their broker-dealer or financial institution. The Fund may accept initial investments of smaller amounts in its sole discretion. You can purchase Shares of the Fund only on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below.

 

Purchases Through Intermediaries. Shares of the Fund may also be available through Service Organizations. Certain features of the Shares, such as the initial and subsequent investment minimums and certain trading restrictions, may be modified or waived by Service Organizations. Service Organizations may impose minimum investment requirements. Service Organizations may also impose transaction or administrative charges or other direct fees, which charges and fees would not be imposed if Shares are purchased directly from the Company. Therefore, you should contact the Service Organization acting on your behalf concerning the fees (if any) charged in connection with a purchase or redemption of Shares and should read this Prospectus in light of the terms governing your accounts with the Service Organization. Service Organizations will be responsible for promptly transmitting client or customer purchase and redemption orders to the Company in accordance with their agreements with the Company or its agent and with clients or customers. Service Organizations or, if applicable, their designees that have entered into agreements with the Company or its agent may enter confirmed purchase orders on behalf of clients and customers, with payment to follow no later than the Company’s pricing on the following business day. If payment is not received by such time, the Service Organization could be held liable for resulting fees or losses. The Company will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when a Service Organization, or, if applicable, its authorized designee, accepts a purchase or redemption order in good order if the order is actually received by the Company in good order not later than the next business morning. If a purchase order is not received by the Fund in good order, the Transfer Agent will contact the financial intermediary to determine the status of the purchase order. Orders received by the Company in good order will be priced at the Fund’s NAV next computed after such orders are deemed to have been received by the Service Organization or its authorized designee.

 

For administration, sub-accounting, transfer agency and/or other services, the Adviser, the Distributor or their affiliates may pay Service Organizations and certain recordkeeping organizations a fee (the “Service Fee”) relating to the average annual NAV of accounts with the Company maintained by such Service

 


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Organizations or recordkeepers. The Service Fee payable to any one Service Organization is determined based upon a number of factors, including the nature and quality of services provided, the operations processing requirements of the relationship and the standardized fee schedule of the Service Organization or recordkeeper.

 

In addition to fees that the Fund may pay to a Service Organization under a plan of distribution for the Investor Class Shares, the Fund may enter into agreements with Service Organizations pursuant to which the Fund will pay a Service Organization for networking, sub-transfer agency, sub-administration and/or sub-accounting services. These payments are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of Fund shareholders serviced by the Service Organization or (2) a fixed dollar amount for each account serviced by the Service Organization. The aggregate amount of these payments may be substantial.

 

Shares may also be available on brokerage platforms of firms that have agreements with the Company to offer such Shares when acting solely on an agency basis for the purchase or sale of such Shares. If you transact in Institutional Class Shares or Investor Class Shares through one of these programs, you may be required to pay a commission and/or other forms of compensation to the broker.

 

Purchases By Telephone. Investors may purchase additional Investor Class Shares and Institutional Class Shares of the Fund by calling (toll free) 1-855-828-9909. If you elected this option on your account application, and your account has been open for at least 7 business days, telephone orders will be accepted via electronic funds transfer from your bank account through the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) network. You must have banking information established on your account prior to making a purchase. If your order is received prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, your Shares will be purchased at the NAV calculated on the day your order is placed.

 

Telephone trades must be received by or prior to market close for same day pricing. During periods of high market activity, shareholders may encounter higher than usual call waits. Please allow sufficient time to place your telephone transaction.

 

Initial Investment By Mail. An account may be opened by completing and signing an account application and mailing it to the Transfer Agent at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund.

 

Regular Mail:

Overnight Mail:

Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund

c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services

P.O. Box 219252

Kansas City, MO 64121-9252

Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund

c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services

801 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 219252

Kansas City, MO 64105-1307

 

The Fund does not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be its agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services, or receipt at the Transfer Agent’s post office box, of purchase orders or redemption requests does not constitute receipt by the Transfer Agent of the Fund. Receipt of purchase orders or redemption requests is based on when the order is received at the Transfer Agent’s offices.

 

All checks must be in U.S. dollars drawn on a domestic bank. The Fund will not accept payment in cash or money orders. The Fund does not accept post-dated checks or any conditional order or payment. To prevent check fraud, the Fund will not accept third party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler’s checks or starter checks for the purchase of shares.

 


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Shares will be purchased at the NAV next computed after the time the application and funds are received in proper order and accepted by the Fund. The Transfer Agent will charge a $25 fee against a shareholder’s account, in addition to any loss sustained by the Fund, for any payment that is returned. It is the policy of the Fund not to accept applications under certain circumstances or in amounts considered disadvantageous to shareholders. The Fund reserves the right to reject any application.

 

Initial Investment By Wire. If you are making your first investment in the Fund, before you wire funds, the Transfer Agent must have a completed account application. You may mail or overnight deliver your account application to the Transfer Agent. Upon receipt of your completed account application, the Transfer Agent will establish an account for you. The account number assigned will be required as part of the instruction that should be provided to your bank to send the wire. Your bank must include both the name of the Fund you are purchasing, the account number, and your name so that monies can be correctly applied. Your bank should transmit funds by wire to:

 

Wire Instructions:

U.S. Bank, National Association

777 East Wisconsin Avenue

Milwaukee, WI 53202

ABA #075000022

Credit:

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

Account #112-952-137

For Further Credit to:

Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund

(shareholder registration)

(shareholder account number)

 

Wired funds must be received prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time to be eligible for same day pricing. The Fund and U.S. Bank, N.A. are not responsible for the consequences of delays resulting from the banking or Federal Reserve wire system, or from incomplete wiring instructions.

 

Subsequent Investments By Wire. Before sending your wire, please contact the Transfer Agent to advise them of your intent to wire funds. This will ensure prompt and accurate credit upon receipt of your wire.

 

Telephone Purchase. Investors may purchase additional Shares of the Fund by calling 1-855-828-9909. If you did not decline this option on your account application, and your account has been open for at least 7 business days, telephone orders, in amounts of $100 or more, will be accepted via electronic funds transfer from your bank account through the ACH network. You must have banking information established on your account prior to making a purchase. If your order is received prior to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, your Shares will be purchased at the NAV calculated on the day your order is placed.

 

In order to arrange for telephone options after an account has been opened or to change your bank account, a written request must be sent to the Transfer Agent. The request must be signed by each shareholder of the account and may require a signature guarantee, signature verification from a Signature Validation Program member, or other form of signature authentication from a financial institution source.

 

Additional Investments. To make additional investments once you have opened your account, write your account number on the check and send it together with the Invest by Mail form from your most recent confirmation statement received from the Transfer Agent. If you do not have the Invest by Mail form, include the Fund name, your name, address, and account number on a separate piece of paper along with your check. Initial and additional purchases made by check or electronic funds transfer (ACH) cannot be

 


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redeemed until payment of the purchase has been collected. This may take up to 15 calendar days from the purchase date. Shareholders can avoid this delay by utilizing the wire purchase option.

 

Automatic Investment Plan. Once your account has been opened with the initial minimum investment, you may make additional purchases at regular intervals through an automatic investment plan (the “Automatic Investment Plan”). The Automatic Investment Plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted from your bank account, for investment into the Fund, on a monthly or quarterly basis. In order to participate in the Automatic Investment Plan, each purchase must be in the amount of $250 or more, and your financial institution must be a member of the ACH network. If your bank rejects your payment, the Transfer Agent will charge a $25 fee to your account. To begin participating in the Automatic Investment Plan, please complete the Automatic Investment Plan section on the account application or call the Transfer Agent at 1-855-828-9909 for instructions. Any request to change or terminate your Automatic Investment Plan should be submitted to the Transfer Agent five (5) days prior to the effective date.

 

Retirement Plans/IRA Accounts. The Fund offers prototype documents for a variety of retirement accounts for individuals and small businesses. Please call 1-855-828-9909 for information on:

 

 

•

Individual Retirement Plan, including Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs

 

 

•

Small Business Retirement Plans, including Simple IRAs and SEP IRAs

 

 

•

Coverdell Education Savings Accounts

 

There may be special distribution requirements for a retirement account, such as required distributions or mandatory federal income tax withholding. For more information, call the number listed above. You may be charged a $15 annual account maintenance fee for each retirement account up to a maximum of $30 annually and a $25 fee for transferring assets to another custodian or for closing a retirement account.

 

Purchases in Kind. In certain circumstances, Shares of the Fund may be purchased “in kind” (i.e. in exchange for securities, rather than cash). The securities rendered in connection with an in-kind purchase must be liquid securities that are not restricted as to transfer and have a value that is readily ascertainable in accordance with the Company’s valuation procedures. Securities accepted by the Fund will be valued, as set forth in this Prospectus, as of the time of the next determination of NAV after such acceptance. The Shares of the Fund that are issued to the investor in exchange for the securities will be determined as of the same time. All dividend, subscription, or other rights that are reflected in the market price of accepted securities at the time of valuation become the property of the Fund and must be delivered to the Fund by the investor upon receipt from the issuer. The Fund will not accept securities in exchange for its Shares unless such securities are, at the time of the exchange, eligible to be held by the Fund and satisfy such other conditions as may be imposed by the Adviser or the Company. Purchases in-kind may result in the recognition of gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on the securities transferred to the Fund.

 

Other Purchase Information. The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend the offering of Shares or to reject purchase orders when, in the judgment of management, such suspension or rejection is in the best interest of the Fund. The Adviser will monitor the Fund’s total assets and may, subject to Board approval, decide to close the Fund at any time to new investments or to new accounts due to concerns that a significant increase in the size of the Fund may adversely affect the implementation of the Fund’s strategy. The Adviser, subject to Board approval, may also choose to reopen the Fund to new investments at any time, and may subsequently close the Fund again should concerns regarding the Fund’s size recur.

 


21 

 

 

If the Fund closes to new investments, the Fund may be offered only to certain existing shareholders of the Fund and certain other persons who may be subject to cumulative, maximum purchase amounts, as follows:

 

  a. Persons who already hold Shares of the closed Fund directly or through accounts maintained by brokers by arrangement with the Adviser;  

 

  b. Employees of the Adviser and their spouses, parents and children; and  

 

  c. Directors of the Company.  

 

Distributions to all shareholders of the closed Fund will continue to be reinvested unless a shareholder elects otherwise. The Adviser, subject to the Board’s discretion, reserves the right to implement other purchase limitations at the time of closing, including limitations on current shareholders.

 

Purchases of the Shares will be made in full and fractional Shares of the Fund calculated to three decimal places.

 

Certificates for Shares will not be issued.

 

Good Order. A purchase request is considered to be in good order when all necessary information is provided and all required documents are properly completed, signed and delivered (i.e., the purchase request includes the name of the Fund, the dollar amount of Shares to be purchased, your account application or investment stub, and a check payable to the Fund). Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

 


22 

 

 

Customer Identification Program. In compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, please note that the Transfer Agent will verify certain information on your account application as part of the Company’s Anti-Money Laundering Program. As requested on the account application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. Mailing addresses containing only a P.O. Box will not be accepted. If you need additional assistance when completing your account application, please contact the Transfer Agent at 1-855-828-9909.

 

Applications without the required information may not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Company reserves the right (a) to place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (b) to refuse an investment in a Company portfolio or to involuntarily redeem an investor’s Shares and close an account in the event that an investor’s identity is not verified. The Company and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor’s account resulting from the investor’s delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor’s Shares when an investor’s identity cannot be verified.

 

Redemption of Fund Shares

 

You may redeem Shares at the next NAV calculated after a redemption request is received by the Transfer Agent in good order. The Fund’s NAV is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day the NYSE is open. You can redeem Shares of the Fund only on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below. You may redeem Fund Shares by mail, or, if you are authorized, by telephone. The value of Shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the market value of the investment securities held by the Fund.

 

Redemption By Mail. Your redemption request should be addressed to Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 219252, Kansas City, MO 64121-9252, or for overnight delivery to Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, 801 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 219252, Kansas City, MO 64105-1307.

 

A signature guarantee, from either a Medallion program member or a non-Medallion program member, is required in the following situations:

 

 

•

If ownership is being changed on your account;

 

•

When a redemption is received by the Transfer Agent and the account address has changed within the last 15 calendar days;

 

•

When redemption proceeds are payable or sent to any person, address or bank account not on record;

 

•

For all redemptions in excess of $100,000 from any shareholder account.

 

The Fund may waive any of the above requirements in certain instances. In addition to the situations described above, the Fund and/or the Transfer Agent reserve the right to require a signature guarantee in other instances based on the circumstances relative to the particular situation.

 

Nonfinancial transactions, including establishing or modifying certain services on an account, may require a signature guarantee, signature verification from a Signature Validation Program member, or other acceptable form of authentication from a financial institution source.

 


23 

 

 

Signature guarantees will generally be accepted from domestic banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations, as well as from participants in the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature Program and the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (“STAMP”). A notary public is not an acceptable signature guarantor.

 

The Fund does not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be its agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services, or receipt at the Transfer Agent’s post office box, of purchase orders or redemption requests does not constitute receipt by the Transfer Agent of the Fund. Receipt of purchase orders or redemption requests is based on when the order is received at the Transfer Agent’s offices.

 

Redemption By Telephone. If you did not decline telephone options on your account application, you may initiate a redemption of shares in the amount up to the total value of the account by calling the Transfer Agent at 1-855-828-9909.

 

Investors may have a check sent to the address of record, proceeds may be wired to a shareholder’s bank account of record, or funds may be sent via electronic funds transfer through the ACH network, also to the bank account of record. Wires are subject to a $15 fee paid by the investor, but the investor does not incur any charge when proceeds are sent via the ACH system.

 

Once a telephone transaction has been placed, it cannot be canceled or modified after the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time).

 

In order to arrange for telephone options after an account has been opened or to change your bank account, a written request must be sent to the Transfer Agent. The request must be signed by each shareholder of the account and may require a signature guarantee, signature verification from a Signature Validation Program member, or other form of signature authentication from a financial institution source.

 

Telephone trades must be received by or prior to market close. During periods of high market activity, shareholders may encounter higher than usual call waits. Please allow sufficient time to place your telephone transaction.

 

Before executing an instruction received by telephone, the Transfer Agent will use reasonable procedures to confirm that the telephone instructions are genuine. The telephone call may be recorded and the caller may be asked to verify certain personal identification information. If the Fund or its agents follow these procedures, they cannot be held liable for any loss, expense or cost arising out of any telephone redemption request that is reasonably believed to be genuine. This includes fraudulent or unauthorized requests. If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, the Fund will accept telephone instructions from any one owner or authorized person.

 

IRA and Other Retirement Plan Redemptions. If you have an IRA, you must indicate on your written redemption request whether or not to withhold federal income tax. Redemption requests failing to indicate an election to have tax withheld will be subject to 10% withholding.

 

Shares held in IRA accounts may be redeemed by telephone at 1-855-828-9909. Investors will be asked whether or not to withhold taxes from any distribution.

 

Other Redemption Information. Redemption proceeds for shares of the Fund recently purchased by check or electronic funds transfer through the ACH network may not be distributed until payment for the purchase

 


24 

 

 

has been collected, which may take up to fifteen calendar days from the purchase date. Shareholders can avoid this delay by utilizing the wire purchase option. Redemption proceeds will ordinarily be paid within seven business days after a redemption request is received by the Transfer Agent in good order. The Company may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date at times when the NYSE or the bond market is closed or under any emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC. The Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by paying out proceeds from cash or cash equivalent holdings, or by selling portfolio securities. In stressed market conditions, redemption methods may include redeeming in kind.

 

If the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the Fund to make payment wholly or partly in cash, redemption proceeds may be paid in whole or in part by an in-kind distribution of readily marketable securities held by the Fund instead of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC and the Company’s Policy and Procedure Related to the Processing of In-Kind Redemptions. Investors generally will incur brokerage charges on the sale of portfolio securities so received in the payment of redemptions. If a shareholder receives redemption proceeds in-kind, the shareholder will bear the market risk of the securities received in the redemption until their disposition and should expect to incur transaction costs upon the disposition of the securities. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, so that the Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of the Fund.

 

Good Order. A redemption request is considered to be in good order when the redemption request includes the name of the Fund, the number of Shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, the account number, and signatures by all of the shareholders whose names appear on the account registration with a signature guarantee, if applicable. Redemption requests not in good order may be delayed.

 

Involuntary Redemption. Because the Fund incurs certain fixed costs in maintaining shareholder accounts, the Fund may require you to redeem all of your Shares in the Fund on 30 days’ written notice if the value of your Shares is less than the minimum investment requirement for Investor Class Shares (due to redemption), or such other minimum amount as the Fund may determine from time to time. An involuntary redemption constitutes a sale. You should consult your tax advisor concerning the tax consequences of involuntary redemptions. You may increase the value of your Shares in the Fund to the minimum amount within the 30 day period. In addition, all Shares of the Fund are subject to involuntary redemption if the Board determines to liquidate the Fund. An involuntary redemption will create a capital gain or a capital loss, which may have tax consequences about which you should consult your tax advisor.

 

Dividends and Distributions

 

The Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to its shareholders. All distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional Shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects otherwise.

 

The Fund will declare and pay dividends from net investment income annually. Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, will be distributed by the Fund at least annually.

 

The Fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times, if necessary, for the Fund to avoid U.S. federal tax. The Fund’s distributions and dividends, whether received in cash or reinvested in additional Shares, are subject to U.S. federal income tax.

 

All distributions will be reinvested in Fund Shares unless you elect to receive cash. If you elect to receive distributions and/or capital gains paid in cash, and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the check, or if a

 


25 

 

 

check remains outstanding for six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account, at the Fund’s current NAV, and to reinvest all subsequent distributions. You may change the distribution option on your account at any time by telephone or in writing. You should notify the Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone at least five (5) days prior to the next distribution.

 

More Information About Taxes

 

The following is a summary of certain United States federal income tax considerations relevant under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents. The following discussion does not purport to be a complete analysis of all relevant tax rules and considerations, nor does it purport to be a complete listing of all potential tax risks inherent in making an investment in the Fund. A shareholder may be subject to other taxes, including but not limited to, state and local taxes, estate and inheritance taxes, and intangible taxes that may be imposed by various jurisdictions. You should consult your tax adviser for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation.

 

Distributions. The Fund contemplates distributing as dividends each year all or substantially all of its taxable income, including its net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss). Except as otherwise discussed below, you will be subject to federal income tax on Fund distributions regardless of whether they are paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares. Fund distributions attributable to short-term capital gains and net investment income will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income, except as discussed below.

 

Distributions attributable to the net capital gain of the Fund will be taxable to you as long-term capital gain, no matter how long you have owned your Shares. The maximum federal long-term capital gain rate applicable to individuals, estates, and trusts is currently 23.8% (which includes a 3.8% Medicare tax). You will be notified annually of the tax status of distributions to you.

 

Distributions of “qualifying dividends” will also generally be taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates, as long as certain requirements are met. In general, if 95% or more of the gross income of the Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of dividends received from domestic corporations or “qualified” foreign corporations (“qualifying dividends”), then all distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be taxed at long-term capital gains rates. But if less than 95% of the gross income of the Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of qualifying dividends, then distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be qualifying dividends only to the extent they are derived from qualifying dividends earned by the Fund. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Fund shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the Fund’s ex-dividend date (and the Fund will need to have met a similar holding period requirement with respect to the shares of the corporation paying the qualifying dividend). The amount of the Fund’s distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities (if any), a high portfolio turnover rate or investments in debt securities or non-qualified foreign corporations.

 

The Fund may make distributions to you of “section 199A dividends” with respect to qualified dividends that it receives with respect to the Fund’s investments in REITs. A section 199A dividend is any dividend or part of such dividend that the Fund pays to you and reports as a section 199A dividend in written statements furnished to you. Distributions paid by the Fund that are eligible to be treated as section 199A dividends for a taxable year may not exceed the “qualified REIT dividends” received by the Fund from a REIT reduced by the Fund’s allocable expenses. Section 199A dividends may be taxed to individuals and other non-corporate shareholders at a reduced effective federal income tax rate, provided you have satisfied a holding period requirement for the Fund’s Shares and satisfied certain other conditions. For the lower

 


26 

 

 

rates to apply, you must have owned your Fund Shares for at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the Fund’s ex-dividend date, but only to the extent that you are not under an obligation (under a short-sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property.

 

Distributions from the Fund will generally be taxable to you in the taxable year in which they are paid, with one exception. Distributions declared by the Fund in October, November or December and paid in January of the following year are taxed as though they were paid on December 31.

 

A portion of distributions paid by the Fund to shareholders that are corporations may also qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations, subject to certain holding period requirements and debt financing limitations. The amount of the dividends qualifying for this deduction may, however, be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities (if any), by a high portfolio turnover rate or by investments in debt securities or foreign corporations.

 

If you purchase Shares just before a distribution, the purchase price will reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution, but you will be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of capital. This adverse tax result is known as “buying into a dividend.”

 

Sales of Shares. You will generally recognize taxable gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on a sale or redemption of your Shares based on the difference between your tax basis in the Shares and the amount you receive for them. Generally, you will recognize long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Shares for over twelve months at the time you dispose of them.

 

Any loss realized on Shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends that were received on the Shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a disposition of Shares of the Fund may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent the Shares disposed of are replaced with other Shares of the Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the Shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in Shares of the Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the Shares acquired.

 

The Fund (or relevant broker or financial adviser) is required to compute and report to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and furnish to Fund shareholders cost basis information when Shares are sold. The Fund has elected to use the average cost method, unless you instruct the Fund to use a different IRS-accepted cost basis method, or choose to specifically identify your Shares at the time of each sale. If your account is held by your broker or other financial adviser, they may select a different cost basis method. In these cases, please contact your broker or other financial adviser to obtain information with respect to the available methods and elections for your account. You should carefully review the cost basis information provided by the Fund and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on your federal and state income tax returns. Fund shareholders should consult with their tax advisers to determine the best IRS-accepted cost basis method for their tax situation and to obtain more information about how the cost basis reporting requirements apply to them.

 

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans. The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on, and sales and redemptions of, Shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless such Shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

 

Backup Withholding. The Fund may be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the IRS a percentage of taxable dividends or gross proceeds realized upon sale payable to shareholders who have

 


27 

 

 

failed to provide a correct tax identification number in the manner required, or who are subject to withholding by the IRS for failure to properly include on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends, or who have failed to certify to the Fund that they are not subject to backup withholding when required to do so or that they are “exempt recipients.” The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

 

U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign Shareholders. Generally, nonresident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign investors are subject to a 30% withholding tax on dividends paid by a U.S. corporation (or lower rate provided by an applicable treaty) to the extent of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits unless the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of a foreign shareholder. If the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of a foreign shareholder, and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States, the distributions will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to the U.S. shareholder, and the Fund will not be required to withhold U.S. federal tax if the foreign shareholder complies with applicable certification and disclosure requirements. Special certification requirements apply to a foreign shareholder that is a foreign partnership or a foreign trust, and such entities are urged to consult their tax advisers.

 

In the case of a regulated investment company such as the Fund, however, certain categories of dividends are exempt from the 30% withholding tax. These generally include dividends attributable to the Fund's net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), dividends attributable to the Fund's “qualified net interest income” (generally, the Fund's U.S.-source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the Fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income) and dividends attributable to the Fund's “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the Fund's net short-term capital gain over its long-term capital loss for such taxable year). In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a foreign shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign shareholder status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN (for individuals), IRS Form W-8BEN-E (for entities) or an acceptable substitute or successor form). In the case of Shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund designates the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Foreign shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on the sale or redemption of Shares in the Fund, except that a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a calendar year will be taxable on such gains and on capital gain dividends from the Fund.

 

However, if a foreign investor conducts a trade or business in the United States and the investment in the Fund is effectively connected with that trade or business (and, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the foreign shareholder in the United States), then the foreign investor’s income from the Fund will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax at graduated rates in a manner similar to the income of a U.S. citizen or resident.

 

If the Fund distributes its net capital gains in the form of deemed rather than actual distributions, a foreign shareholder will be entitled to a U.S. federal income tax credit or tax refund equal to the foreign shareholder's allocable share of the corporate-level tax the Fund pays on the capital gains deemed to have been distributed; however, in order to obtain the refund, the foreign shareholder must obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number and file a U.S. federal income tax return even if the foreign shareholder would not otherwise be required to obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number or file a U.S. federal income tax return.

 


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For a corporate foreign shareholder, distributions (both cash and in Shares), and gains realized upon the sale or redemption of Shares that are effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business may, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate (or at a lower rate if provided for by an applicable treaty).

 

The Fund will also generally be required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments to foreign entities that do not provide a Form W-8BEN-E that evidences their compliance with, or exemption from, specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

 

All foreign investors should consult their own tax advisers regarding the tax consequences in their country of residence of an investment in the Fund.

 

Shares of the Fund have not been registered for sale outside of the United States and certain United States territories.

 

State and Local Taxes. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on income and gain from Fund Shares. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of the Fund’s distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest on U.S. government securities. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.

 

More information about taxes is contained in the SAI.

 

Distribution Arrangements

 

The Board has adopted a plan of distribution for Investor Class Shares of the Fund (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Fund’s Distributor is entitled to receive from the Fund a distribution fee with respect to the Investor Class Shares, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of up to 0.25%, of the Investor Class Shares, on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Investor Class Shares of the Fund. The actual amount of such compensation under the Plan is agreed upon by the Company’s Board and by the Distributor. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. Amounts paid to the Distributor under the Plan may be used by the Distributor to cover expenses that are related to (i) the sale of the Shares, (ii) ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders, and (iii) sub-transfer agency services, sub-accounting services or administrative services related to the sale of the Shares, all as set forth in the Fund’s 12b-1 Plan. Ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders may include updating and mailing the Prospectus and shareholder reports, responding to inquiries regarding shareholder accounts and acting as agent or intermediary between shareholders and the Fund or its service providers. The Distributor may delegate some or all of these functions to Service Organizations. See “Purchases Through Intermediaries” above. The Plan obligates the Fund, during the period it is in effect, to accrue and pay to the Distributor on behalf of the Investor Class Shares the fee agreed to under a distribution agreement between the Distributor and the Company, on behalf of the Fund. Payments under the Plan are not tied exclusively to expenses actually incurred by the Distributor, and the payments may exceed distribution expenses actually incurred. Institutional Class Shares are not subject to any 12b-1 fees.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

Householding. In an effort to decrease costs, the Fund intends to reduce the number of duplicate Prospectus and other similar documents you receive by sending only one copy of each to those addresses shared by two or more accounts and to shareholders we reasonably believe are from the same family or household.

 


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Once implemented, if you would like to discontinue householding for your accounts, please call the Transfer Agent toll-free at 1-855-828-9909 to request individual copies of these documents. Once the Fund receives notice to stop householding, we will begin sending individual copies thirty days after receiving your request. This policy does not apply to account statements.

 

Lost Shareholders, Inactive Accounts and Unclaimed Property. It is important that the Fund maintains a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned to the Fund. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, the Fund will attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the Fund is unable to locate the shareholder, then it will determine whether the shareholder’s account can legally be considered abandoned. Your mutual fund account may be transferred to the state government of your state of residence if no activity occurs within your account during the “inactivity period” specified in your state’s abandoned property laws. The Fund is legally obligated to escheat (or transfer) abandoned property to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Please proactively contact the Transfer Agent at 1-855-828-9909 (toll free) at least annually to ensure your account remains in active status.

 

If you are a resident of the state of Texas, you may designate a representative to receive notifications that, due to inactivity, your mutual fund account assets may be delivered to the Texas Comptroller. Please contact the Transfer Agent if you wish to complete a Texas Designation of Representative form.

 

NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUND’S SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.

 


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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the past five years. The Fund has adopted the financial statements of the Predecessor Fund. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from the financial statements audited by [  ], an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the [annual report] for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, which is available upon request. Information for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021 was audited by the Original Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm.

 


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Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund

Investor Class Shares

Financial Highlights

 

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

 

  

For the
Year

Ended

August 31,

2026

   

For the
Year

Ended

August 31,

2025

  

For the
Period Ended

August 31,

2024^

  

For the
Year Ended

June 30,

2024 (e)

  

For the
Year Ended

June 30,

2023

  

For the
Year Ended

June 30,

2022

 
PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE                               
Net asset value, beginning of period   [...]    $17.17   $17.17   $13.82   $12.57   $19.96 
Net investment income/(loss)(a)     [...]     (0.08)   (0.03)   (0.09)   (0.01)   (0.08)
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments   [...]     4.80    0.03    3.44    3.04    (3.07)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations   [...]     4.72    —    3.35    3.03    (3.15)
Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:                               
Net investment income   —     —    —    —    —    — 
Net realized capital gains   [...]     (1.35)   —    —    (1.78)   (4.24)
Total distributions   [...]     (1.35)   —    —    (1.78)   (4.24)
Net asset value, end of period   [...]    $20.54   $17.17   $17.17   $13.82   $12.57 
Total investment return/(loss)(b)     [...]%    28.87%   0.00%(g)   24.24%   28.91%   (21.33)%
 RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA                               
Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)   [...]    $16,999   $14,157   $14,279   $12,887   $9,934 
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets (c)(d)    [...]%    1.36%   1.24%(h)   1.44%   1.39%   1.39%
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets(d)   [...]%    1.15%   1.15%(h)   1.15%   1.15%   1.15%
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets(f)    [...]%    (0.39)%   (0.68)%(h)   (0.53)%   (0.11)%   (0.46)%
Portfolio turnover rate   [...]%    132%   19%(g)   59%   113%   169%

 

 


32 

 

 

^

The amounts shown are for the fiscal period from July 1, 2024 to August 31, 2024.

(a)

Per share net investment income (loss) has been determined on the basis of average number of Shares outstanding during the period.

(b)

Total return is a measure of the change in value of an investment in the Fund over the periods covered, which assumes any dividends or capital gains distributions are reinvested in Shares of the Fund. The returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund Shares. Had Emerald or F/m, as co-advisers, and/or the administrator not reduced/waived its fees, the total returns would have been lower.

(c)

Ratios were determined based on expenses prior to any fee reductions/waivers by Emerald or F/m, as co-advisers, and/or the administrator.

(d)

These ratios exclude the impact of expenses of the underlying exchange traded funds in which the Fund invests.

(e)

Prior to the close of business on October 27, 2023, the Fund was a series (the “Predecessor Fund”) of F/m Funds Trust, an open-end management investment company organized as an Ohio business trust. The Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Fund following the close of business on October 27, 2023 (the “Reorganization”). As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund was assumed by the Fund. Performance and accounting information prior to October 30, 2023 included herein is that of the Predecessor Fund.

(f)

Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying exchange traded funds in which the Fund invests. The ratio does not include net investment income of the exchange traded funds in which the Fund invests.

(g)

Not Annualized.

(h)

Annualized.

 


33 

 

Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund

Institutional Class Shares
Financial Highlights

 

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

 

  

For the
Year

Ended

August 31,

2026

 

For the
Year

Ended

August 31,

2025

  

For the
Period

Ended

August 31,

2024^

  

For the
Year

Ended

June 30,

2024(f)

  

For the
Year

Ended

June 30,

2023

  

For the
Year Ended

June 30,

2022

 
PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE                               
Net asset value, beginning of period   [...]    $17.51   $17.50   $14.06   $12.72   $20.10 
Net investment income/(loss) (a)     [...]     (0.02)   —(b)   (0.03)   0.02    (0.02)
Net realized and unrealized gain/ (loss) from investments   [...]     4.89    0.01    3.47    3.10    (3.12)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations   [...]     4.87    0.01    3.44    3.12    (3.14)
Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:                               
Net investment income   —     —    —    —    —    — 
Net realized capital gains   [...]     (1.35)   —    —    (1.78)   (4.24)
Total distributions   [...]     (1.35)   —    —    (1.78)   (4.24)
Net asset value, end of period   [..]    $21.03   $17.51   $17.50   $14.06   $12.72 
Total investment return/(loss)(c)     [...]%    29.19%   0.06%(h)   24.47%   29.31%   (21.12)%
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA                               
Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)   [...]    $64,534   $51,387   $51,860   $48,477   $56,045 
Ratio of total expenses to average net assets (d)(e)      [...]%    1.11%   0.99%(i)   1.20%   1.14%   1.14%
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets(e)    [...]%    0.90%   0.90%(i)   0.90%   0.90%   0.90%
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets(g)   [...]%    (0.14)%   (0.43)%(i)   (0.28)%   0.16%   (0.21)%
Portfolio turnover rate   [...]%    132%   19%(h)   59%   113%   169%

 


34 

 

 

^

The amounts shown are for the fiscal period from July 1, 2024 to August 31, 2024.

(a)

Per share net investment income (loss) has been determined on the basis of average number of Shares outstanding during the period.

(b)

Rounds to less than $0.005 per Share.

(c)

Total return is a measure of the change in value of an investment in the Fund over the periods covered, which assumes any dividends or capital gains distributions are reinvested in Shares of the Fund. The returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund Shares. Had Emerald or F/m, as co-advisers, and/or the administrator not reduced/waived its fees, the total returns would have been lower.

(d)

Ratios were determined based on expenses prior to any fee reductions/waivers by Emerald or F/m, as co-advisers, and/or the administrator.

(e)

These ratios exclude the impact of expenses of the underlying exchange traded funds in which the Fund invests.

(f)

Prior to the close of business on October 27, 2023, the Fund was a series (the “Predecessor Fund”) of the F/m Funds Trust, an open-end management investment company organized as an Ohio business trust. The Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Fund following the close of business on October 27, 2023 (the "Reorganization"). As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund was assumed by the Fund. Performance and accounting information prior to October 30, 2023 included herein is that of the Predecessor Fund.

(g)

Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying exchange traded funds in which the Fund invests. The ratio does not include net investment income of the exchange traded funds in which the Fund invests.

(h)

Not annualized.

(i)

Annualized.

 

 


35 

 

 

PRIVACY NOTICE

 

FACTS

WHAT DOES THE FUND DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

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

What?

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

 

• Social Security number

• account balances

• account transactions

• transaction history

• wire transfer instructions

• checking account information

 

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

How?

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

 

Reasons we can share your information

Does the Fund share?

Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purpose —

such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes —

to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

Yes

No

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

Yes

No

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

Questions?

Call 1-855-828-9909

 

 


36 

 

 

What we do

How does the Fund protect my personal information?

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

How does the Fund collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

 

• open an account

• provide account information

• give us your contact information

• make a wire transfer

• tell us where to send the money

 

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

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

 

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

• affiliates from using your information to market to you

• sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

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

Definitions

 

Affiliates

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

 

• Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust, the Adviser to the Fund, and its parent, Emerald Advisers, LLC, could be deemed to be affiliates.

Nonaffiliates

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

 

• The Fund doesn’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

Joint marketing

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

 

• The Fund doesn’t currently have any joint marketing arrangements with other financial institutions.

 

 


37 

 

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

This Prospectus contains important information you should know before you invest. Read it carefully and keep it for future reference. More information about the Fund is available free of charge, upon request, including:

 

Annual/Semi-Annual Reports

 

The Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports contain additional information about the Fund’s investments, describe the Fund’s performance, list portfolio holdings, and discuss recent market conditions and economic trends. The [annual report] includes fund strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year.

 

The Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders are available by visiting www.teamemeraldfunds.com or may be obtained by calling 1-855-828-9909.

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

The Fund’s SAI, dated [ ], 2026, has been filed with the SEC. The SAI, which includes additional information about the Fund, may be obtained free of charge, along with the annual and semi-annual reports (once available), by calling 1-855-828-9909. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus (and is legally part of this Prospectus). The SAI is available by visiting www.teamemeraldfunds.com or a copy may be obtained by calling 1-855-828-9909.

 

Shareholder Inquiries

 

Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday-Friday. Call: 1-855-828-9909.

 

Purchases and Redemptions
Call your registered representative or 1-855-828-9909.

 

Written Correspondence

 

Post Office Address:

Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund

c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services

P.O. Box 219252

Kansas City, MO 64121-9252

 

 

Street Address:

Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund

c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Securities and Exchange Commission

 

You may view and copy information about the Company and the Fund, including the SAI, by visiting the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov. You may also obtain copies of Fund documents by paying a duplicating fee and sending an electronic request to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

Investment Company Act File No. 811-05518

 


38 

 

 

 

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

 

Subject to Completion

Dated October 30, 2026

 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

EMERALD LARGE CAP FOCUSED FUND

(formerly known as the F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund)

 

Institutional Class Shares (Ticker: IAFLX)

Investor Class Shares (Ticker: IAFMX)

 

of THE RBB FUND, INC.

 

[  ], 2026

 

Investment Adviser:

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) provides supplementary information pertaining to shares of the Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund (formerly known as the F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund) (the “Fund”) of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”). This SAI is not a prospectus and should be read only in conjunction with the Fund’s current Prospectus (the “Prospectus”) dated [  ], 2026. This SAI supplements and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus, a copy of which may be obtained without charge by writing c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, or by calling 1-855-828-9909. The Prospectus is incorporated by reference into this SAI.

 

The financial statements and financial highlights for the Fund (File No. 333-180717) for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, which are contained in the [annual report] on Form N-CSR for that fiscal year, are hereby incorporated herein by reference into this SAI. These financial statements have been audited by [  ], the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, whose report thereon is incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

1

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES

1

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND’S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

1

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RISKS

1

NON-PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RISKS

6

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

12

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

13

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

14

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

15

CODE OF ETHICS

23

PROXY VOTING

23

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

24

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES

24

INVESTMENT ADVISER

24

THE PORTFOLIO MANAGER

26

ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT

29

CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT

29

TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT

30

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

30

FUND TRANSACTIONS

32

SECURITY LENDING

33

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION

33

TELEPHONE TRANSACTION PROCEDURES

35

VALUATION OF SHARES

35

TAXES

36

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES

37

MISCELLANEOUS

38

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

39

APPENDIX A

A-1

APPENDIX B

B-1

 

 

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

The Company is an open-end management investment company currently consisting of [...] separate portfolios. The Company is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and was organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988. This SAI pertains only to shares of the Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund (the "Fund"), a non-diversified portfolio. Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust (“Emerald” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. From April 2020 to July 23, 2026 the Fund’s former investment adviser, F/m Investments LLC (“F/m”), served as the sole investment adviser to the Fund and from July 24, 2026 to December 31, 2026 served together with the Adviser as co-adviser to the Fund. The Fund currently offers two classes of shares: Investor Class Shares and Institutional Class Shares.

 

Effective following the close of business on October 27, 2023, the F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund, a series of F/m Funds Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”), was reorganized into the Fund in a tax-free reorganization. Unless otherwise indicated, references to the “Fund” in the SAI for periods prior to the close of business on October 27, 2023 refer to the Predecessor Fund.

 

Prior to August 31, 2026, the Fund was known as the “F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund.”

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES

 

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Fund.

 

The Fund’s investment objective is long-term growth of capital. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund may not necessarily invest in all of the instruments or use all of the investment techniques permitted by the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI, or invest in such instruments or engage in such techniques to the full extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and limitations.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND’S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

 

Principal Investment Policies And Risks

 

Common Stocks - The Fund may invest in common stocks, which include the common stock of any class or series of domestic or foreign corporations or any similar equity interest, such as a trust or partnership interest. These investments may or may not pay dividends and may or may not carry voting rights. Common stock occupies the most junior position in a company’s capital structure. The Fund may also invest in warrants and rights related to common stocks.

 

Cyber Security Risk - The Fund and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, or lose operational capacity. Breaches in cyber security 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 cyber-attacks. Cyber security breaches affecting the Fund or the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber security breaches may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value (“NAV”), cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the

 

1

 

 

 

Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such companies to lose value. While the Fund and its service providers have established information technology and data security programs and have in place business continuity plans and other systems designed to prevent losses and mitigate cyber security risk, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified or that cyber-attacks may be highly sophisticated. Furthermore, the Fund has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser, and the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by its service providers or any other third parties whose operations may affect the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

 

Equity Investments - The Fund may invest in equity securities (which generally include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants, securities convertible into common or preferred stocks and similar securities). Common stock and other equity securities may take the form of stock in corporations, partnership interests, interests in limited liability companies and other direct or indirect interests in business organizations. The value of a company’s stock may fall as a result of factors directly related to that company, such as decisions made by its management or a lower demand for the company’s products or services. A stock’s value also may fall because of factors affecting not just the company, but companies in the same industry or in a number of different industries, such as increased production costs. The value of a company’s stock is also based upon investor sentiment and market perceptions. The increasing popularity of passive index-based investing may have the potential to increase security price correlations and volatility. Since passive investing strategies generally buy or sell securities based simply on inclusion and representation in an index, stock prices may have an increasing tendency to rise or fall based on whether money is flowing into or out of passive strategies, rather than based on an analysis of the prospects and valuation of individual securities. This may result in increased market volatility as more money is invested through passive strategies. The value of a company’s stock also may be affected by changes in the financial markets that are relatively unrelated to the company or its industry, such as changes in interest rates or currency exchange rates. The value of a company’s stock is also generally subject to the risk of future local, national or global economic disturbances based on unknown weaknesses in the markets in which the Fund invests. In the event of such a disturbance, issuers of securities held by the Fund may experience significant declines in the value of their assets and even cease operations, or may receive government assistance accompanied by increased restrictions on their business operations or other government intervention.

 

Foreign Securities - Foreign securities include U.S. dollar-denominated and non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers. The Fund may invest directly in foreign equity securities traded directly on U.S. exchanges, foreign exchanges, over-the-counter or in the form of American Depositary Receipts. The Fund may also invest in foreign currency-denominated fixed-income securities. Investing in securities issued by companies whose principal business activities are outside the United States may involve significant risks that are not present in domestic investments. Many of the risks are more pronounced for investments in developing or emerging market countries, or countries whose markets are becoming open, or have only recently opened, to private investment, foreign investment or both.

 

Depositary Receipts. The Fund’s investments may include securities of foreign issuers in the form of sponsored or unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) and European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”). ADRs are depositary receipts typically issued by a United States bank or trust company which evidence ownership of the underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. ADRs are subject to many of the risks affecting foreign investments generally, except for those specific to trading securities on foreign exchanges. EDRs and GDRs are typically issued by foreign banks

 

2

 

 

 

or trust companies, although they also may be issued by United States banks or trust companies, and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by either a foreign or a United States corporation. Generally, depositary receipts in registered form are designed for use in the United States securities market and depositary receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the United States. Depositary receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. Depositary receipts may be issued as sponsored or unsponsored programs. In sponsored programs, an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities trade in the form of ADRs. In unsponsored programs, the issuer may not be directly involved in the creation of the program. Although regulatory requirements with respect to sponsored and unsponsored programs are generally similar, in some cases it may be easier to obtain financial information from an issuer that has participated in the creation of a sponsored program.

 

Foreign Currencies; Currency Fluctuations. The Fund’s investments in foreign securities may be denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currencies. For securities valued in foreign currencies, a change in the value of any such currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s assets denominated in that currency. Such changes will also affect the Fund’s income and may affect the income of companies in which the Fund invests. Generally, when a given currency appreciates against the U.S. dollar (the U.S. dollar weakens), the value of the Fund’s securities denominated in that currency will rise. When a given currency depreciates against the U.S. dollar (the U.S. dollar strengthens), the value of the Fund’s securities denominated in that currency will decline. Countries with managed currencies that are maintained at artificial levels to the U.S. dollar rather than at levels determined by the market may experience sudden and large adjustments in the currency which, in turn, can have a disruptive and negative effect on foreign investors. Similarly, the Fund may be adversely affected by holding securities in foreign currencies that are not readily convertible into U.S. dollars.

 

Government Action. Governments in certain foreign countries continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and payment of dividends. The economies of many foreign countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by protective trade barriers and economic conditions of their trading partners. The enactment by these trading partners of protectionist trade legislation could have a significant adverse effect upon the securities markets of such countries.

 

Information and Supervision. There is generally less publicly available information about foreign companies comparable to reports and ratings that are published about companies in the United States. Foreign companies are also generally not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices, and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. It also is often more difficult to keep currently informed of corporate actions that affect the prices of portfolio securities.

 

Investment and Repatriation Restrictions. Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain foreign countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions limit and, at times, preclude investment in such countries and increase the cost and expenses of the Fund. Investments by foreign investors are subject to a variety of restrictions in many developing countries. These restrictions may take the form of prior governmental approval, limits on the amount or type of securities held by foreigners, and limits on the types of companies in which foreigners may invest. Additional or different restrictions may be imposed at any time by these or other countries in which the Fund invests. In addition, the repatriation of both investment income and capital from several foreign countries is restricted and controlled under certain regulations, including in some cases the need for certain government consents.

 

Market Characteristics. Foreign securities markets are generally not as developed or efficient as, and may be more volatile and have less volume and liquidity than, those in the United States. Securities may trade

 

3

 

 

 

at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. Commissions on foreign securities trades are generally higher than commissions on U.S. exchanges, and while there are an increasing number of overseas securities markets that have adopted a system of negotiated rates, a number are still subject to an established schedule of minimum commission rates. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, which increase the likelihood of a “failed settlement.” Failed settlements can result in losses to the Fund.

 

Political and Economic Factors. Foreign investments involve risks unique to the local political, economic, and regulatory structures in place, as well as the potential for social instability, military unrest, or diplomatic developments that could prove adverse to the interests of U.S. investors. Individual foreign economies can differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, and balance of payments position. In addition, significant external political and economic risks currently affect some foreign countries. War and terrorism affect many countries. Many countries throughout the world are dependent on a healthy U.S. economy or economies elsewhere around the world (e.g., Europe), and are adversely affected when the U.S. or other world economies weaken or their markets decline.

 

Additionally, various countries have seen significant internal conflicts and in some cases, civil wars may have had an adverse impact on the securities markets of the countries concerned. In addition, the occurrence of new disturbances due to acts of war or terrorism or other political developments cannot be excluded. Nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes, government regulation, political, regulatory or social instability or uncertainty or diplomatic developments, including the imposition of sanctions or other similar measures, could adversely affect the Fund's investments.

 

Recent examples of the above include conflict, loss of life and disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict in Europe and the Middle East. The extent, duration and impact of these conflicts, related sanctions and retaliatory actions are difficult to ascertain, but could be significant and have severe adverse effects on the region, including significant adverse effects on the regional or global economies and the markets for certain securities and commodities. These impacts could negatively affect the Fund's investments in securities and instruments that are economically tied to the applicable region, and include (but are not limited to) declines in value and reductions in liquidity. In addition, to the extent new sanctions are imposed or previously relaxed sanctions are reimposed (including with respect to countries undergoing transformation), complying with such restrictions may prevent the Fund from pursuing certain investments, cause delays or other impediments with respect to consummating such investments or divestments, require divestment or freezing of investments on unfavorable terms, render divestment of underperforming investments impracticable, negatively impact the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective, prevent the Fund from receiving payments otherwise due, increase diligence and other similar costs to the Fund, render valuation of affected investments challenging, or require the Fund to consummate an investment on terms that are less advantageous than would be the case absent such restrictions. Any of these outcomes could adversely affect the Fund's performance with respect to such investments, and thus the Fund's performance as a whole.

 

Potential Adverse Changes. With respect to certain foreign countries, especially developing and emerging ones, there is the possibility of adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, limitations on the removal of funds or other assets, political or social instability, or diplomatic developments which could affect investments by U.S. persons in those countries.

 

4

 

 

 

Taxes. The dividends and interest payable on foreign portfolio securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, thus reducing the net amount of income available for distribution to the Fund’s shareholders. In addition, some governments may impose a tax on purchases by foreign investors of certain securities that trade in their country.

 

General Investment Risks - All investments in securities and other financial instruments involve a risk of financial loss. No assurance can be given that the Fund’s investment program will be successful. Investors should carefully review the descriptions of the Fund’s investments and their risks described in the Prospectus and this SAI.

 

Geopolitical Risk - Global economies and financial markets have become increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact companies or foreign exchange rates in a different country or region. Geopolitical and other risks, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, political or economic dysfunction within some nations, public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes, fires and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in trade policies and international trade agreements could affect the economies of many countries in unpredictable ways. The U.S. Government has in the past discouraged certain foreign investments by U.S. investors through taxation, economic sanctions or other restrictions and it is possible that the Fund could be prohibited from investing in securities issued by companies subject to such restrictions. The imposition of sanctions by the U.S. or another government or country could cause disruptions to the country’s financial system and economy, which could negatively impact the value of securities issued by that country. Likewise, systemic market dislocations of the kind that occurred during the financial crisis that began in 2008, if repeated, would be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely affecting individual companies and industries, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments.

 

Political turmoil within the United States and abroad may also impact the Fund. Although the U.S. Government has honored its credit obligations, it remains possible that the United States could default on its obligations. The U.S. Government is also considering significant new investments in infrastructure and national defense, and government agencies project that the U.S. will continue to maintain high debt levels for the foreseeable future, which could lead to the downgrading of the long-term sovereign credit rating of the U.S. While it is impossible to predict the consequences of such an unprecedented event, it is likely that a default by the United States would be highly disruptive to the U.S. and global securities markets and could significantly impair the value of the Fund’s investments. Similarly, political events within the U.S. at times have resulted, and may in the future result, in a shutdown of government services, which could negatively affect the U.S. economy, decrease the value of the Fund’s investments and increase uncertainty in or impair the operation of the U.S. and other securities markets. At such times, the Fund’s exposure to the risks described elsewhere in this SAI and in the Prospectus can increase and it may be difficult for the Fund to implement its investment program for a period of time.

 

Industry/Sector and Non-Diversification Risks - The greater the Fund’s exposure to any single type of investment, including investment in a given industry, sector, country, region or type of security, the greater the impact the performance of that investment will have on the Fund’s performance. As a non-diversified series, the Fund may hold a larger percentage of its assets in the securities of fewer issuers than a diversified fund and is subject to the risk that its performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few securities. Companies in the same industry often face similar obstacles, issues and regulatory burdens. As a result, the securities of companies in the same industry may react similarly to, and move in unison with, one another. An industry or a sector’s performance over any period of time may be quite different from that of the overall market. Certain sectors, such as technology, financial services or energy, can be highly volatile. As of August 31, 2026, the Fund had approximately [...]% of its net assets

 

5

 

 

 

invested in stocks within the technology sector. Technology companies rely heavily on technological advances and face intense competition from new market entrants, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the technology sector are also heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, and a loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Companies in the technology industries can be significantly affected by the obsolescence of existing technologies, short product cycles, falling prices and profits. Technology companies may not successfully introduce new products, develop and maintain a loyal customer base or achieve general market acceptance for their new products. Technology companies engaged in manufacturing, such as semiconductor companies, often operate internationally which could expose them to risks associated with instability and changes in economic and political conditions, including currency fluctuations, changes in foreign regulations, competition from subsidized foreign competitors with lower production costs and other risks inherent to international business.

 

Money Market Instruments - The Fund may invest in money market instruments including U.S. Government obligations or corporate debt obligations (including those subject to repurchase agreements), provided that they are eligible for purchase by the Fund. Money market instruments also may include Banker’s Acceptances and Certificates of Deposit of domestic branches of U.S. banks, Commercial Paper, and Variable Amount Demand Master Notes (“Master Notes”). Banker’s Acceptances are time drafts drawn on and “accepted” by a bank. When a bank “accepts” such a time draft, it assumes liability for its payment. When the Fund acquires a Banker’s Acceptance, the bank that “accepted” the time draft is liable for payment of interest and principal when due. The Banker’s Acceptance carries the full faith and credit of such bank. A Certificate of Deposit (“CD”) is an unsecured, interest bearing debt obligation of a bank. Commercial Paper is an unsecured, short-term debt obligation of a bank, corporation, or other borrower. Maturities of Commercial Paper generally range from 2 to 270 days and are usually sold on a discounted basis rather than as an interest-bearing instrument. The Fund will invest in Commercial Paper only if it is rated in one of the top two rating categories by Moody’s, S&P or Fitch, or if not rated, of equivalent quality in the Adviser’s opinion. Commercial Paper may include Master Notes of the same quality. Master Notes are unsecured obligations which are redeemable upon demand of the holder and which permit the investment of fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest. Master Notes are acquired by the Fund only through the Master Note program of the Fund’s custodian bank, acting as administrator thereof. The Adviser will monitor, on a continuous basis, the earnings power, cash flow, and other liquidity ratios of the issuer of a Master Note held by the Fund.

 

Non-Principal Investment Policies And Risks

 

Bank Obligations. Bank obligations that may be purchased by the Fund include, but are not limited to, certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and fixed time deposits. A certificate of deposit is a short-term negotiable certificate issued by a commercial bank against the funds deposited in the bank and is either interest-bearing or purchased on a discount basis. A banker’s acceptance is a short-term draft drawn on a commercial bank by a borrower, usually in connection with an international commercial transaction. The borrower is liable for payment, as is the bank, which unconditionally guarantees to pay the draft at its face amount on the maturity date. Fixed time deposits are obligations of branches of U.S. or non-U.S. banks which are payable at a stated maturity date and bear a fixed rate of interest. Although fixed time deposits do not have a market, there are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in the deposit to a third party. Bank obligations may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligations or by government regulation. Securities issued or guaranteed by non-U.S. banks and non-U.S. branches of U.S. banks are subject to many of the risks of investing in non-U.S. securities generally.

 

Banks are subject to extensive governmental regulations which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments which may be made and interest rates and fees which may be

 

6

 

 

 

charged. The profitability of this industry is to a significant extent dependent upon the availability and cost of capital of funds used by the bank to finance its lending operations. Also, general economic conditions play an important part in the operations of this industry and exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers might affect a bank’s ability to meet its obligations.

 

Borrowing. Borrowing creates an opportunity for increased return, but, at the same time, creates special risks. Furthermore, if the Fund were to engage in borrowing, an increase in interest rates could reduce the value of the Fund’s shares by increasing the Fund’s interest expense.

 

Subject to the limitations described under “Investment Limitations” below, the Fund is permitted to borrow for temporary purposes and/or for investment purposes. Such a practice will result in leveraging of the Fund’s assets and may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. This borrowing may be secured or unsecured. Provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets will count against this asset coverage requirement. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint if the Fund sells securities at that time. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased, if any. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowings 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.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds and Other Similar Instruments. Shares of exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and other similar instruments may be purchased by the Fund. Generally, an ETF is an investment company that is registered under the 1940 Act that holds a portfolio of securities designed to track the performance of a particular index or index segment. Similar instruments, used by pools that are not investment companies, offer similar characteristics and may be designed to track the performance of an index or basket of securities of companies engaged in a particular market or sector. ETFs sell and redeem their shares at net asset value in large blocks (typically 50,000 of its shares) called “creation units.” Shares representing fractional interests in these creation units are listed for trading on national securities exchanges and can be purchased and sold in the secondary market in lots of any size at any time during the trading day.

 

Investments in ETFs and other similar instruments involve certain inherent risks generally associated with investments in a broadly-based portfolio of stocks including: (i) risks that the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of each unit of the ETF or other instrument; (ii) an ETF may not fully replicate the performance of its benchmark index because of temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weightings of securities or number of stocks held; (iii) an ETF may also be adversely affected by the performance of the specific index, market sector or group of industries on which it is based; and (iv) an ETF may not track an index as well as a traditional index mutual fund because ETFs are valued by the market and, therefore, there may be a difference between the market value and the ETF’s net asset value.

 

Because ETFs and pools that issue similar instruments incur various fees and expenses, the Fund’s investment in these instruments will involve certain indirect costs, as well as transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions. The Adviser will consider expenses associated with an investment in determining whether to invest in an ETF or other instrument. In the case of ETFs that are investment companies, they

 

7

 

 

 

invest substantially all of their assets in securities of various securities indices or a particular segment of a securities index. The market price of ETFs is expected to fluctuate in accordance with both changes in the asset values of their underlying indices and supply and demand of an ETF’s shares on the exchange (the "Exchange") on which the ETF is listed and traded. ETFs may trade at relatively modest discounts or premiums to net asset value. In general, most ETFs have a limited operating history and information may be lacking regarding the actual performance and trading liquidity of such shares for extended periods or over complete market cycles. In addition, there is no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of ETFs in which the Fund invests will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. In the event substantial market or other disruptions affecting the shares of ETFs held by the Fund should occur in the future, the liquidity and value of the Fund’s shares could also be adversely affected. If such disruptions were to occur, the Fund could be required to reconsider the use of ETFs as part of its investment strategy.

 

Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act, which prohibits the Fund from acquiring more than 3% of the outstanding shares of another investment company, may restrict the Fund’s ability to purchase shares of certain ETFs. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) adopted Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act in November 2020, which allows, subject to certain conditions, the Fund to invest in other registered investment companies, including ETFs, and other registered investment companies to invest in the Fund beyond the limits contained in the 1940 Act.

 

Firm Commitments and When-Issued Securities. The Fund may purchase securities on a firm commitment basis, including when-issued securities. The Fund may also be entitled to receive when-issued securities in relation to its holdings in common stock of companies that undertake certain corporate actions and reorganizations. Securities purchased on a firm commitment basis are purchased for delivery beyond the normal settlement date at a stated price and yield. No income accrues to the purchaser of a security on a firm commitment basis prior to delivery. Such securities are recorded as an asset and are subject to changes in value based upon changes in the general level of interest rates. Purchasing a security on a firm commitment basis can involve a risk that the market price at the time of delivery may be lower than the agreed upon purchase price, in which case there could be an unrealized loss at the time of delivery. The Fund will only make commitments to purchase securities on a firm commitment basis with the intention of actually acquiring the securities, but may sell them before the settlement date if it is deemed advisable. Notwithstanding the requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, the Fund may invest in a security on a when-issued or forward-settling basis, or with a non-standard settlement cycle, and the transaction will be deemed not to involve a senior security, provided that: (1) the Fund intends to physically settle the transaction; and (2) the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date. As when-issued securities are subject to delayed or deferred settlement, such securities may be either illiquid, or suffer from severe constraints in liquidity.

 

Fixed Income Securities. The Fund may invest in fixed income securities. Fixed income securities generally pay a specified rate of interest or dividends, or a rate that is adjusted periodically by reference to some specified index or market rate or other factor. Fixed income securities may include securities issued by U.S. federal, state, local, and non-U.S. governments and other agencies and instrumentalities, and by a wide range of private or corporate issuers. Fixed income securities include, among others, bonds, notes, bills, debentures, convertible securities, bank obligations, mortgage and other asset-backed securities, loan participations and assignments and commercial paper.

 

The price of fixed income debt securities is dependent in part on the continuing ability of the issuers of the fixed income debt securities to meet their obligations for the payment of principal and interest when due. The issuer’s ability to service its debt obligations may be adversely affected by specific corporate developments, the issuer’s inability to meet specific projected business forecasts or the unavailability of additional financing. Obligations of issuers of debt securities are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy,

 

8

 

 

 

insolvency, sovereign immunity, and other laws that affect the rights and remedies of creditors. There is also the possibility that, as a result of litigation or other conditions, the ability of an issuer to pay the principal and interest on its debt instruments when due may be materially affected.

 

The price of fixed income debt securities is also dependent on interest rates. Except to the extent that values are affected independently by other factors such as developments relating to a specific issuer or group of issuers, when interest rates decline, the value of a fixed-income security can generally be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a fixed-income security can generally be expected to decline. Prices of longer term securities generally increase or decrease more sharply than those of shorter term securities in response to interest rate changes, particularly if such securities were purchased at a discount. It should be noted that the market values of securities rated below investment grade and comparable unrated securities tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rate levels than do those of higher-rated securities.

 

Floating and Variable Rate Instruments. The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate obligations. Floating or variable rate obligations bear interest at rates that are not fixed, but vary with changes in specified market rates or indices, such as the prime rate, and at specified intervals. The variable rate obligations in which the Fund may invest include variable rate master demand notes, which are unsecured instruments issued pursuant to an agreement between the issuer and the holder that permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary and provide for periodic adjustments in the interest rate.

 

Certain of the floating or variable rate obligations that may be purchased by the Fund may carry a demand feature that would permit the holder to tender them back to the issuer of the instrument or to a third party at par value prior to maturity. Some of the demand instruments purchased by the Fund are not traded in a secondary market and derive their liquidity solely from the ability of the holder to demand repayment from the issuer or third party providing credit support. If a demand instrument is not traded in a secondary market, the Fund will nonetheless treat the instrument as liquid for the purposes of its investment restriction limiting investments in illiquid securities unless the demand feature has a notice period of more than seven days; if the notice period is greater than seven days, such a demand instrument will be characterized as illiquid for such purpose. The Fund’s right to obtain payment at par on a demand instrument could be affected by events occurring between the date the Fund elects to demand payment and the date payment is due that may affect the ability of the issuer of the instrument or a third party providing credit support to make payment when due. To facilitate settlement, some demand instruments may be held in book entry form at a bank other than the Fund’s custodian subject to a sub-custodian agreement approved by the Fund between that bank and the Fund’s custodian.

 

Forward Commitment & When-Issued Securities. The Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis or for settlement at a future date if the Fund holds sufficient assets to meet the purchase price. In such purchase transactions, the Fund will not accrue interest on the purchased security until the actual settlement. Similarly, if a security is sold for a forward date, the Fund will accrue the interest until the settlement of the sale. When-issued security purchases and forward commitments have a higher degree of risk of price movement before settlement due to the extended time period between the execution and settlement of the purchase or sale. As a result, the exposure to the counterparty of the purchase or sale is increased. Although the Fund would generally purchase securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis with the intention of taking delivery, the Fund may sell such a security prior to the settlement date if the Adviser felt such action was appropriate. In such a case, the Fund could incur a short-term gain or loss.

 

Government Securities. The Fund may invest a portion of the portfolio in U.S. government securities, defined to be U.S. government obligations such as U.S. Treasury notes, U.S. Treasury bonds, and U.S. Treasury bills, obligations guaranteed by the U.S. government such as Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) as well as obligations of U.S. government authorities, agencies and

 

9

 

 

 

instrumentalities such as Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”), Federal Farm Credit Bank (“FFCB”), Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”), Student Loan Marketing Association (“SLMA”), and The Tennessee Valley Authority. U.S. government securities may be acquired subject to repurchase agreements. While obligations of some U.S. government sponsored entities are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government (e.g. GNMA), several are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Government (e.g. FNMA, FHLMC), and still others are supported only by the credit of the issuer itself (e.g. SLMA, FFCB). No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities in the future, other than as set forth above, since it is not obligated to do so by law. The guarantee of the U.S. Government does not extend to the yield or value of the Fund’s shares.

 

Illiquid Investments. The Fund may not purchase or otherwise acquire any illiquid investments if, immediately after the acquisition, the value of illiquid investments held by the Fund would exceed 15% of its net assets. An illiquid investment is any investment that the 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. Under the supervision of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board” and the members thereof, the "Directors"), the Adviser determines the liquidity of the Fund’s investments and, through reports from the Adviser, the Board monitors investments in illiquid instruments. If through a change in values, net assets, or other circumstances, the Fund were in a position where more than 15% of its net assets were invested in illiquid securities, it would seek to take appropriate steps to protect liquidity pursuant to the Board’s liquidity risk management program. The sale of some illiquid and other types of investments may be subject to legal restrictions.

 

If the Fund invests in investments for which there is no ready market, it may not be able to readily sell such investments. Such investments are unlike investments that are traded in the open market, and which can be expected to be sold immediately if the market is adequate. The sale price of illiquid investments once realized may be lower or higher than the Adviser’s most recent estimate of their fair market value. Generally, less public information is available about the issuers of such investments than about companies whose investments are publicly traded.

 

The Fund values illiquid securities using its fair value procedures (described below) but there can be no assurance that (i) the Fund will determine fair value for a private investment accurately; (ii) that the Fund will be able to sell private securities for the fair value determined by the Fund; or (iii) that the Fund will be able to sell such securities at all. Investment in illiquid securities poses risks of potential delays in resale and uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund may be unable to dispose of illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices.

 

Inflation and Deflation. The Fund may be subject to inflation and deflation risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the present value of assets or income of the Fund will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the present value of money. Unanticipated or persistent inflation may have a material and adverse impact on the financial condition or results of operations of companies in which the Fund may invest, which may cause the value of the Fund’s holdings in such companies to decline. In addition, higher interest rates that often accompany or follow periods of high inflation may cause investors to favor asset classes other than common stocks, which may lead to broader market declines not necessarily related to the performance of specific companies. Deflation risk is the risk that the prices of goods and services in the U.S. and many foreign economies may decline over time. Deflation may have an adverse effect on stock prices and the creditworthiness of issuers and may make defaults on debt more likely. If a country’s economy slips into a deflationary pattern, it could last for a prolonged period and be difficult to reverse.

 

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Investments in Small-Cap Companies. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities of companies with small market capitalizations. Certain small-cap companies may offer greater potential for capital appreciation than larger companies. However, investors should note that this potential for greater capital appreciation is accompanied by a substantial risk of loss and that, by their very nature, investments in small-cap companies tend to be very volatile and speculative. Small-cap companies may have a small share of the market for their products or services, their businesses may be limited to regional markets, or they may provide goods and services for a limited market. For example, they may be developing or marketing new products or services for markets that are not yet established or may never become established. In addition, small-cap companies may have or will develop only a regional market for products or services and thus be affected by local or regional market conditions. In addition, small-cap companies may lack depth of management or they may be unable to generate funds on favorable terms necessary for growth or potential development, either internally or through external financing. Such companies may also be insignificant in their industries and be subject to or become subject to intense competition from larger companies. Due to these and other factors, the Fund’s investments in small-cap companies may suffer significant losses. Further, there is typically a smaller market for the securities of a small-cap company than for securities of a large company. Therefore, investments in small-cap companies may be less liquid and subject to significant price declines that may result in losses for the Fund.

 

Real Estate Securities. The Fund will not invest in real estate (including mortgage loans and limited partnership interests), but may invest in readily marketable securities issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein. The Fund may also invest in readily marketable interests in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). REITs are generally publicly traded on the national stock exchanges and in the over-the-counter market and have varying degrees of liquidity. Investments in real estate securities are subject to risks inherent in the real estate market, including risks related to changes in interest rates.

 

Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a short-term investment in which the purchaser acquires ownership of a U.S. Government security and the seller agrees to repurchase the security at a future time at a set price, thereby determining the yield during the purchaser’s holding period. Any repurchase transaction in which the Fund engages will require full collateralization of the seller’s obligation during the entire term of the repurchase agreement. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default of the seller, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses in value.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into “reverse” repurchase agreements to avoid selling securities during unfavorable market conditions to meet redemptions. Pursuant to a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund will sell portfolio securities and agree to repurchase them from the buyer at a particular date and price. The Fund pays interest on amounts obtained pursuant to reverse repurchase agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Fund.

 

Temporary Defensive Positions. The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies in an attempt to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such an unusual set of circumstances, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its portfolio in cash or cash equivalent positions. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.

 

Warrants and Rights. The Fund may invest in warrants and rights. 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 until a stated expiration date. Buying a warrant generally can provide a greater potential for profit or loss than an investment of equivalent amounts in the underlying common stock. The market value of a warrant does not necessarily move with the value of the underlying securities. If a holder does not sell the warrant, it risks the loss of its entire investment if the

 

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market price of the underlying security does not, before the expiration date, exceed the exercise price of the warrant. Investing in warrants is a speculative activity. Warrants pay no dividends and confer no rights (other than the right to purchase the underlying securities) with respect to the assets of the issuer. A right is a privilege granted, typically to existing shareholders of a corporation, to subscribe for shares of a new issue of stock before it is issued. Rights normally have a short life, usually two to four weeks, may be freely transferable and generally entitle the holder to buy the new common stock at a lower price than the public offering price.

 

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

 

The Fund has adopted the following fundamental investment limitations which may not be changed with respect to the Fund without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding shares (as defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act). As used in this SAI and in the Prospectus, “shareholder approval” and a “majority of the outstanding shares” of the Fund means, with respect to the approval of an investment advisory agreement, a distribution plan or a change in a fundamental investment limitation, the lesser of (1) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present in person or by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Unless otherwise noted, the Fund’s investment goals and strategies described in the Prospectus may be changed by the Board without the approval of the Fund’s shareholders.

 

The Fund may not:

 

 

1.

Invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets (measured at the time of the investment) in the same industry or group of industries (excluding obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any state or territory of the United States or any of their agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions);

 

 

2.

Borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act (see “Borrowing” above);

 

 

3.

Make loans, except that the Fund may purchase or hold debt instruments in accordance with its investment objectives and policies; provided however, this restriction does not apply to repurchase agreements or loans of portfolio securities;

 

 

4.

Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers except that, in the disposition of portfolio securities, it may be deemed to be an underwriter under the federal securities laws;

 

 

5.

Purchase or sell real estate, although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which deal in real estate, securities which are secured by interests in real estate, and securities which represent interests in real estate, and may acquire and dispose of real estate or interests in real estate acquired through the exercise of its rights as a holder of debt obligations secured by real estate or interests therein;

 

 

6.

Purchase or sell physical commodities, except that the Fund may purchase and financial transactions not requiring the delivery of physical commodities, including but not limited to, purchasing or selling commodity exchange-traded funds or exchange-traded notes; and

 

 

7.

Issue senior securities, except for permitted borrowings or as otherwise permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

Restrictions (2) and (7) above shall be interpreted based upon the requirements of Rule 18f-4 of the 1940 Act, no-action letters and other pronouncements of the staff of the SEC, as applicable. Under current

 

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pronouncements, certain Fund positions may be excluded from the definition of “senior security” so long as the Fund maintains adequate cover, segregation of assets or otherwise. See “Borrowing” above.

 

For the purposes of restriction (1) above, industry classifications are determined for the Fund in accordance with the industry or sub-industry classifications established by the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). The Fund may use other classification titles, standards and systems from time to time, as it determines to be in the best interests of shareholders. These classifications are not fundamental policies of the Fund. The Fund may invest in underlying funds or ETFs that may concentrate their assets in one or more industries. The Fund will consider the investments of the underlying funds and ETFs in which it invests in determining compliance with this fundamental restriction.

 

In addition, the Fund will not purchase any illiquid security, including any securities whose disposition is restricted under federal securities laws and illiquid investments, if, as a result, more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets (based on then-current value) would then be invested in such securities. For purposes of this restriction, the staff of the SEC is presently of the view that repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are subject to this restriction. Until that position is revised, modified or rescinded, the Fund will conduct its operations in a manner consistent with this view. This limitation on investment in illiquid securities does not apply to certain restricted securities, including securities pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and certain commercial paper that the Adviser has determined to be liquid under procedures approved by the Board.

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

 

The Company has adopted, on behalf of the Fund, a policy relating to the selective disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings by the Adviser, Board, officers, or third-party service providers, in accordance with regulations that seek to ensure that disclosure of information about portfolio holdings is in the best interest of Fund shareholders. The policies relating to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings are designed to allow disclosure of portfolio holdings information where necessary to the Fund’s operation without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. It is the policy of the Company that disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings to a select person or persons prior to the release of such holdings to the public (“selective disclosure”) is prohibited, unless there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure.

 

The Company discloses portfolio holdings information as required in regulatory filings and shareholder reports, discloses portfolio holdings information as required by federal and state securities laws and may disclose portfolio holdings information in response to requests by governmental authorities. As required by the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Company will disclose the Fund’s portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR, Form N-CEN, and Form N-PORT or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require.

 

Generally, after the 30th business day of the month following each month end, the Fund may provide, at the Adviser’s discretion, its portfolio holdings to various rating and ranking organizations. In addition, generally after the 30th business day of the month following each month end, the Fund may post to its website a list of the Fund’s top ten holdings or full portfolio holdings at the discretion of the Adviser. The timing, frequency and type (i.e., ratings/rankings/holdings) of disclosure may change at the Adviser’s discretion, as well as whether to post to the Fund’s website.

 

The Company may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings that is not publicly available to its third-party service providers, which include U.S. Bank, N.A., the Fund’s custodian; U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services”), the Fund’s administrator, accounting agent and transfer agent; [ ], the Fund’s

 

13

 

 

 

independent registered public accounting firm; Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, legal counsel; FilePoint, the financial printer; the Fund’s proxy voting service(s); and the Company’s liquidity classification agent. These service providers are required to keep such information confidential, and are prohibited from trading based on the information or otherwise using the information except as necessary in providing services to the Fund. Such holdings are released on conditions of confidentiality, which include appropriate trading prohibitions. “Conditions of confidentiality” include confidentiality terms included in written agreements, implied by the nature of the relationship (e.g., attorney-client relationship), or required by fiduciary or regulatory principles (e.g., custody services provided by financial institutions). Portfolio holdings may also be provided earlier to shareholders and their agents who receive redemptions in kind that reflect a pro rata allocation of all securities held in the Fund’s portfolio.

 

Portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to (i) certain independent reporting agencies recognized by the SEC as acceptable agencies for the reporting of industry statistical information, and (ii) financial consultants to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients, in each case in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws and the Company’s and the Adviser’s fiduciary duties to Fund shareholders. Disclosures to financial consultants are also subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions. The foregoing disclosures are made pursuant to the Company’s policy on selective disclosure of portfolio holdings. The Board or a committee thereof may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

 

The Adviser reserves the right to refuse to fulfill any request for portfolio holdings information from a shareholder or non-shareholder if it believes that providing such information will be contrary to the best interests of the Fund.

 

The Board provides ongoing oversight of the Company’s policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Board receives from the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Board receives an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any violation of the policy set forth above as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such violation must be reported by the Adviser, Directors, officers or third-party service providers to the Company’s CCO, who will determine whether the violation should be reported immediately to the Board or at its next quarterly Board meeting.

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

 

Portfolio turnover measures the percentage of the Fund’s total portfolio market value that was purchased or sold during the period. The Fund’s turnover rate provides an indication of how transaction costs (which are not included in the Fund’s expenses) may affect the Fund’s performance. Also, funds with a high turnover may be more likely to distribute capital gains that may be taxable to shareholders.

 

The Fund’s portfolio turnover rates for the two most recent fiscal years are stated below. Portfolio turnover rates could change significantly in response to turbulent market conditions.

 

Fiscal Period Ended

August 31, 2026

Fiscal Period Ended

August 31, 2025

[...]

132%

 

14

 

 

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the oversight of the Board, subject to the laws of the State of Maryland and the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as supplemented and amended (the “Charter”). The Directors are responsible for deciding matters of overall policy and overseeing the actions of the Company’s service providers. The officers of the Company conduct and supervise the Company’s daily business operations.

 

Directors who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) are referred to as “Independent Directors.” Directors who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company are referred to as “Interested Directors.” The Board is currently composed of five Independent Directors and two Interested Directors. The Board has selected Arnold M. Reichman, an Independent Director, to act as Chair. Mr. Reichman’s duties include presiding at meetings of the Board and interfacing with management to address significant issues that may arise between regularly scheduled Board and Committee meetings. In the performance of his duties, Mr. Reichman will consult with the other Independent Directors and the Company’s officers and legal counsel, as appropriate. The Chair may perform other functions as requested by the Board from time to time.

 

The Board meets as often as necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Currently, the Board conducts regular, in-person meetings at least four times a year, and holds special in-person or telephonic meetings as necessary to address specific issues that require attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Board also relies on professionals, such as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms and legal counsel, to assist the Directors in performing their oversight responsibilities.

 

The Board has established seven standing committees — Audit, Contract, Executive, Nominating and Governance, Product Development, Regulatory Oversight, and Valuation Committees (each a “Committee” and together, the “Committees”). The Board may establish other committees, or nominate one or more Directors to examine particular issues related to the Board’s oversight responsibilities, from time to time. Each Committee meets periodically to perform its delegated oversight functions and reports its findings and recommendations to the Board. For more information on the Committees, see the section entitled “Standing Committees.”

 

The Board has also established an Advisory Board whose members are not “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who serve in a consultative capacity to the Board, providing non-binding advice to the Board regarding the oversight of the affairs of the Company (each, an “Advisory Board Member”). An Advisory Board Member participates in Board discussions and reviews Board materials relating to the Funds, but is not a Director, has no power to vote on any matter presented to the Board, and has no power to act on behalf of or otherwise bind the Board, the Directors or any committee of the Board. The Board appointed Eugene Podsiadlo as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

The Board has determined that the Company’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to effectively perform its oversight responsibilities.

 

15

 

 

 

Directors, Advisory Board Members, and Executive Officers

 

The Directors, Advisory Board Members, and executive officers of the Company, their year of birth, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth in this section.

 

Name,

Address, and

Year of Birth

Position(s)

Held with

Company

Term of Office

and Length

of

Time Served(1)

Principal

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by Director*

Other

Directorships

Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Gregory P. Chandler

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1966

Director

2012 to present

Since 2025 Financial Consultant; from 2020-2025, Chief Financial Officer, HC Parent Corp (life sciences consulting services).

[...]

FS Specialty Lending Corp (previously Energy and Power Fund) (registered investment company); Wilmington Funds (10 portfolios) (registered investment company).

Lisa A. Dolly

615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53202

Year of Birth: 1966

Director

October 2021 to present

Independent Director.

[...]

Allfunds Group PLC (United Kingdom wealthtech and fund distribution provider); Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (trade association for broker dealers, investment banks and asset managers); Hightower Advisors (wealth management firm); Cohen & Steers, Inc. (global investment manager).

Nicholas A. Giordano

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1943

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

[...]

None.

Arnold M. Reichman

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1948

Chair

 

Director

2005 to present

 

1991 to present

Retired.

[...]

None.

Martha A. Tirinnanzi

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Director

January 2024 to present

Since 2014, Instructor, The Institute for Financial Markets; from 2013-2023, President and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Standards, Inc. (consulting firm); from 2020-2022, Adjunct Professor of Finance and Accounting, The Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business.

[...]

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (“ICE”) (financial services company and operator of global exchanges and clearinghouses); ICE Mortgage Services, LLC (a subsidiary of ICE); ICE Mortgage Technology, Inc. (a subsidiary of ICE).

INTERESTED DIRECTORS(2)

Robert Sablowsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1938

Vice Chair

 

Director

2016 to present

 

1991 to present

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

[...]

None.

Brian T. Shea

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Director

2018 to present

Independent Director.

[...]

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company); Barclays PLC, Barclays Bank PLC and Barclays Execution Services Limited (financial services companies).

 

16

 

 

 

DISINTERESTED ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS(3)

Eugene Podsiadlo

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1957

Advisory Board Member

October 2025 to present

Since 2023, Senior Advisor and Limited Partner, AI Capital, LLC; since 2020, Senior Advisor and Industry Council Member, Cross Creek Advisors; from February-June 2023, Executive Vice President of Clearbrook, LLC; from 2020-2022, Registered

Securities Principal and Representative, March Capital.

N/A

None.

OFFICERS

Steven Plump

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1959

President

August 2022 to present

From 2011 to 2021, Executive Vice President, PIMCO LLC.

N/A

N/A

Salvatore Faia, JD,

CPA, CFE

Vigilant Compliance, LLC

Gateway Corporate

Center, Suite 216

223 Wilmington West

Chester Pike

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Year of Birth: 1962

Chief Compliance Officer

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company); since 2021, Chief Compliance Officer of The RBB Fund Trust; President of The RBB Fund Trust from 2021 to 2022; President of The RBB Fund, Inc. from 2009 to 2022.

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Chief Financial Officer

and

Secretary

 

Chief Operating Officer

2016 to present

 

August 2022 to present

Since 2022, Chief Operating Officer of The RBB Fund Trust; since 2021, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of The RBB Fund Trust.

N/A

N/A

Craig A. Urciuoli

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1974

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2021, Director of Marketing & Business Development of The RBB Fund Trust.

N/A

N/A

Thomas Reynolds

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

September 2024 to present

Since 2024, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of The RBB Fund Trust; from 2023 to 2024, Vice President of Virtus Investment Partners; from 2020 to 2023, CFO of Stone Harbor Investment Partners LP.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1982

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2020, Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

 

17

 

 

 

Joshua Solin

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1988

Assistant Treasurer

January 2025 to present

Since 2023, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm); from 2021 to 2023, Officer, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services.

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1971

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

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

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Year of Birth: 1979

Assistant

Secretary

2017 to present

Since 2017, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees [...] portfolios of the fund complex, consisting of the series in the Company ([...] portfolios) and The RBB Fund Trust ([...] portfolios).

 

1.

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

 

2.

Messrs. Sablowsky and Shea are considered “interested persons” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and are referred to as “Interested Directors.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as a senior officer of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer. Mr. Shea is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position on the Board of Barclays Bank plc, a multinational bank.

 

3.

A Disinterested Advisory Board Member is an Advisory Board Member that is not an “interested person” of the Company within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his or her qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Ms. Dolly has over three decades of experience in the financial services industry, and she has demonstrated her leadership and management abilities by serving in numerous senior executive-level positions. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing, banking, and investment services industry, including service on the boards of public companies, industry regulatory organizations and a university. Ms. Tirinnanzi has over 20 years of strategic, regulatory and operational management experience in the financial and mortgage industries, including service on the boards of a public company and real estate investment trust, and brings to the Board her expertise regarding derivatives markets and related businesses.

 

18

 

 

 

Standing Committees

 

The responsibilities of each Committee of the Board and its members are described below.

 

Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Audit Committee are Ms. Tirinnanzi and Messrs. Chandler and Giordano. The Audit Committee, among other things, reviews results of the annual audit and approves the firm(s) to serve as independent auditors. The Audit Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Contract Committee. The Board has a Contract Committee comprised of an Interested Director and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Contract Committee are Mses. Dolly and Tirinnanzi and Mr. Sablowsky. The Contract Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board regarding the approval and continuation of agreements and plans of the Company. The Contract Committee convened five times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Executive Committee. The Board has an Executive Committee comprised of an Interested Director and three Independent Directors. The current members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano, Reichman and Sablowsky. The Executive Committee may generally carry on and manage the business of the Company when the Board is not in session. The Executive Committee did not meet during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has a Nominating and Governance Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano and Reichman. The Nominating and Governance Committee recommends to the Board all persons to be nominated as Directors of the Company. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Recommendations should be submitted to the Committee care of the Company’s Secretary. The Nominating and Governance Committee convened two times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Product Development Committee. The Board has a Product Development Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Product Development Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Reichman, Sablowsky, and Shea. The Product Development Committee oversees the process regarding the addition of new investment advisers and investment products to the Company. The Product Development Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Regulatory Oversight Committee. The Board has a Regulatory Oversight Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Regulatory Oversight Committee are Ms. Dolly and Messrs. Reichman, Sablowsky, and Shea. The Regulatory Oversight Committee monitors regulatory developments in the mutual fund industry and focuses on various regulatory aspects of the operation of the Company. The Regulatory Oversight Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Valuation Committee. The Board has a Valuation Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two officers of the Company. The members of the Valuation Committee are Messrs. Faia, Sablowsky, Shea and Shaw. The Valuation Committee is responsible for reviewing fair value determinations. The Valuation Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

19

 

 

 

Risk Oversight

 

The Board performs its risk oversight function for the Company through a combination of (1) direct oversight by the Board as a whole and Board committees and (2) indirect oversight through the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, Company officers and the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). The Company is subject to a number of risks, including but not limited to investment risk, compliance risk, operational risk, reputational risk, credit risk and counterparty risk. Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Company is the responsibility of the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk) that carry out the Company’s investment management and business affairs. Each of the investment advisers and the other service providers have their own independent interest in risk management and their policies and methods of risk management will depend on their functions and business models and may differ from the Company’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls.

 

The Board provides risk oversight by receiving and reviewing, on a regular basis, reports from the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers, receiving and approving compliance policies and procedures, periodic meetings with the Company’s portfolio managers to review investment policies, strategies and risks, and meeting regularly with the Company’s CCO to discuss compliance reports, findings and issues. The Board also relies on the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, with respect to the day-to-day activities of the Company, to create and maintain procedures and controls to minimize risk and the likelihood of adverse effects on the Company’s business and reputation.

 

Board oversight of risk management is also provided by various Board Committees. For example, the Audit Committee meets with the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms to ensure that the Company’s respective audit scopes include risk-based considerations as to the Company’s financial position and operations. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight. The Board’s oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Company’s investments or activities.

 

Director and Advisory Board Member Ownership of Shares of the Company

 

The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Director and Advisory Board Member in the Fund and in all of the portfolios of the Company (which for each Director comprise all registered investment companies within the Company’s family of investment companies

 

20

 

 

 

overseen by him or her), as of December 31, 2025, including amounts through the deferred compensation plan:

 

Name of Director

Dollar Range of

Equity Securities in the

Fund

Aggregate Dollar Range of

Equity Securities in All

Registered Investment Companies

Overseen by Director within the

Family of Investment Companies

Independent Directors

 

 

Gregory P. Chandler

None

Over $100,000

Lisa A. Dolly

None

$50,001-$100,000

Nicholas A. Giordano

None

$50,001-$100,000

Arnold M. Reichman

None

Over $100,000

Martha A. Tirinnanzi

None

Over $100,000

Interested Directors

 

 

Robert Sablowsky

None

Over $100,000

Brian T. Shea

None

$10,001-$50,000

Disinterested Advisory Board Members

 

Eugene Podsiadlo(1)

None

$10,001-$50,000

 

(1)

Mr. Podsiadlo is not a Director. He was appointed as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

Directors’, Advisory Board Members’ and Officers’ Compensation

 

Effective January 1, 2026, the Fund Complex, based on an allocation formula, pays each Director and Advisory Board Member a retainer at the rate of $265,000 annually, $15,000 for each regular meeting of the Board attended in-person; $6,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $5,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $9,000 and $6,500, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $4,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each receives an additional fee of $50,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each receives an additional fee of $40,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee receives an additional fee of $25,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $125,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $50,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

 

From January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, the Fund Complex, based on an allocation formula, paid each Director and Advisory Board Member a retainer at the rate of $225,000 annually, $15,000 for each regular meeting of the Board attended in-person; $6,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $5,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $9,000 and $6,500, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $4,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each received an additional fee of $50,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each received an additional fee of $40,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee received an additional fee of $25,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $125,000 per year for his services in this

 

21

 

 

 

capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $50,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

 

Directors are reimbursed for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board or any committee thereof. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as CCO of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Fund Complex, and such compensation is determined by the Board. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Vigilant Compliance, LLC received $1,145,625 in aggregate from all series of the Fund Complex for its services. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Vigilant Compliance, LLC received $8,882 from the Fund. Employees of the Company serve as President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, Director of Marketing & Business Development, and Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary, and are compensated for services provided.

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, each of the following Directors and officers received compensation from the Fund Complex in the following amounts:

 

Name of Director/Officer

Aggregated
Compensation
from the Fund

Pension or
Retirement Benefits
Accrued as Part of
Fund Expenses

Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement

Total
Compensation
From Fund
Complex Paid to

Trustees
or Officers

Independent Directors:

 

 

 

 

Gregory P. Chandler, Director

$1,341

N/A

N/A

$445,500

Lisa A. Dolly, Director

$1,253

N/A

N/A

$405,000

Nicholas A. Giordano, Director

$1,285

N/A

N/A

$419,500

Arnold M. Reichman, Director and Chair

$1,626

N/A

N/A

$526,500

Martha A. Tirinnanzi, Director

$1,171

N/A

N/A

$390,500

Interested Directors:

 

 

 

 

Robert Sablowsky, Director and Vice Chair

$1,603

N/A

N/A

$532,500

Brian T. Shea, Director

$1,279

N/A

N/A

$432,500

Disinterested Advisory Board Members

 

 

 

 

Eugene Podsiadlo(1)

$1,107

N/A

N/A

$347,000

Officers:

 

 

 

 

Steven Plump, President

$1,155

N/A

N/A

$504,750

James G. Shaw, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

$1,386

N/A

N/A

$606,000

Craig Urciuoli, Director of Marketing & Business Development

$1,018

N/A

N/A

$444,750

Thomas Reynolds, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

$854

N/A

N/A

$373,250

 

(1)

Mr. Podsiadlo began serving as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

Each compensated Director is entitled to participate in the Company’s deferred compensation plan (the “DC Plan”). Under the DC Plan, a compensated Director may elect to defer all or a portion of his or her compensation and have the deferred compensation treated as if it had been invested by the Company in shares of one or more of the portfolios of the Company. The amount paid to the Directors under the DC Plan will be determined based upon the performance of such investments.

 

As of December 31, 2025, the Independent Directors and their respective immediate family members (spouse or dependent children) did not own beneficially or of record any securities of the Company’s investment advisers or distributor, or of any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment advisers or distributor.

 

22

 

 

 

Director Emeritus Program

 

The Board has created a position of Director Emeritus, whereby an incumbent Director who has attained at least the age of 75 and completed a minimum of fifteen years of service as a Director may, in the sole discretion of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Company (the “NGC”), be recommended to the full Board to serve as Director Emeritus.

 

A Director Emeritus that has been approved as such receives an annual fee in an amount equal to up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Director. Effective January 1, 2026, a Director Emeritus can receive an annual fee in an amount up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Director in effect at the time such Director Emeritus was first appointed Director Emeritus. Compensation will be determined annually by the NGC and the Board with respect to each Director Emeritus. In addition, a Director Emeritus will be reimbursed for certain expenses incurred in connection with their service, including expenses of travel and lodging incurred in attendance at Board/Committee meetings. A Director Emeritus will continue to receive relevant materials concerning the Funds and will be available to consult with the Directors at reasonable times as requested. However, a Director Emeritus does not have any voting rights at Board meetings and is not subject to election by shareholders of the Funds.

 

A Director Emeritus will be permitted to serve in such capacity from year to year at the pleasure of the NGC and the Board for up to three years. Effective February 2024, Julian Brodsky serves as a Director Emeritus of the Company. Effective January 2025, Robert Straniere serves as a Director Emeritus of the Company.

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Messrs. Brodsky and Straniere received compensation for their roles as a Director Emeritus in the following amounts:

 

Director Emeritus

Aggregate Compensation from the Fund(1)

Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses

Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement

Total Compensation From Fund Complex

Julian Brodsky

$410

N/A

N/A

$112,500

Robert A. Straniere

$410

N/A

N/A

$112,500

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

The Company and the Adviser have each adopted a code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act that permits personnel subject to the codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Company, subject to certain restrictions.

 

PROXY VOTING

 

The Board has delegated the responsibility of voting proxies with respect to the portfolio securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Fund’s Adviser, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by its general fiduciary duty to act prudently and in the interest of the Fund. The Adviser will consider factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments and the rights of shareholders in its determination on voting portfolio securities.

 

The Adviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures describe how it intends to vote proxies relating to the Fund’s portfolio securities. The Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures of Emerald are attached to this SAI as Appendix B. Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12 month period ended June 30 is available without charge upon request by calling 1-855-828-9909 or on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

23

 

 

 

The Company is required to disclose annually the Fund’s complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX. The Fund’s proxy voting record for the most recent 12 month period ended June 30 will be available upon request by calling 1-855-828-9909 or by writing to the Fund at: Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 219252, Kansas City, MO 64121-9252. The Fund’s Form N-PX will also be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

 

As of [ ], 2026, to the Company’s knowledge, the following named persons at the addresses shown below were owners of record of approximately 5% or more of the total outstanding shares of the Fund as indicated in the following table. See “Additional Information Concerning Company Shares” below. Any shareholder that owns 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund may be presumed to “control” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) the portfolio or class. Shareholders controlling the Fund could have the ability to vote a majority of the shares of the Fund on any matter requiring approval of the shareholders of the Fund.

 

Investor Class Shares

 

Shareholder Name and Address

Percentage of

Shares Owned as of

December 1, 2026

[•]

[•]

 

Institutional Class Shares

 

Shareholder Name and Address

Percentage of

Shares Owned as of

December 1, 2026

[•]

[•]

 

[As of [ ], 2026, the Directors and officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.]

 

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES

 

Investment Adviser

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Emerald is located at 3175 Oregon Pike, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540. The Adviser is responsible for providing a continuous program of investing the Fund’s assets and determining the portfolio composition of the Fund. Emerald is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerald Advisers, LLC, and has served as investment adviser to the Fund since July 24, 2026.

 

Advisory Agreement with the Company. The Adviser renders advisory services to the Fund pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (“Advisory Agreement”). From July 24, 2026 through December 31, 2026, the Adviser served as co-adviser to the Fund pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the parties to which are the Company, on behalf of the Fund, F/m, and the Adviser. The terms of the Advisory Agreement, which was approved by the Fund’s shareholders on June 22, 2026, provide that the termination of the

 

24

 

 

 

Agreement with respect to either F/m or the Adviser shall not affect the validity of the Agreement with respect to the other. F/m resigned as the Fund's co-investment adviser, effective December 31, 2026, in anticipation of its pending acquisition by T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., which is expected to close in 2027, subject to customary closing conditions. Effective December 31, 2026, the Adviser serves as the sole investment adviser to the Fund. Subject to the supervision of the Board, the Adviser will provide for the overall management of the Fund including (i) the provision of a continuous investment program for the Fund, including investment research and management with respect to all securities, investments, cash and cash equivalents, (ii) the determination from time to time of what securities and other investments will be purchased, retained or sold by the Fund, and (iii) the placement from time to time of orders for all purchases and sales of securities and other investments made for the Fund. The Adviser will provide the services rendered by it in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective, restrictions and policies as stated in the Prospectus and in this SAI. The Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment, mistake of law, or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the performance of the Advisory Agreement, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Advisory Agreement.

 

For its services, the Adviser is entitled to an advisory fee computed daily and payable monthly at the annual rate of 0.70% of its average daily net assets.

 

The Adviser has entered into a contractual agreement with the Fund under which it has agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and to absorb Fund expenses (a "Waiver/Reimbursement") to the extent necessary to limit total annual operating expenses (excluding interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, dividend expenses on short sales, and other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business) to an amount not exceeding 1.15% of the average daily net assets attributable to Investor Class Shares and 0.90% of the average daily net assets attributable to Institutional Class Shares. This contractual limitation is in effect until December 31, 2027, and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. Any payments by the Adviser under the Waiver/Reimbursement are subject to repayment by the Fund for a period of three years following the date of such Waiver/Reimbursement but only if such recoupment can be achieved without exceeding the expense limitation in place at the time of the Waiver/Reimbursement.

 

Except as otherwise noted in the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser will pay all expenses incurred by it in connection with its activities under the Advisory Agreement. The Fund bears all of its own expenses not specifically assumed by the Adviser. General expenses of the Company not readily identifiable as belonging to a portfolio of the Company are allocated among all investment portfolios by or under the direction of the Board in such manner as it deems to be fair and equitable. Expenses borne by the Fund include, but are not limited to the following (or the Fund’s share of the following): (a) the cost (including brokerage commissions) of securities purchased or sold by the Fund and any losses incurred in connection therewith; (b) fees payable to and expenses incurred on behalf of the Fund by the Adviser; (c) filing fees and expenses relating to the registration and qualification of the Company and the Fund’s shares under federal and/or state securities laws and maintaining such registrations and qualifications; (d) fees and salaries payable to the Company’s Directors and officers; (e) taxes (including any income or franchise taxes) and governmental fees; (f) costs of any liability and other insurance or fidelity bonds; (g) any costs, expenses or losses arising out of a liability of or claim for damages or other relief asserted against the Company or the Fund for violation of any law; (h) legal, accounting and auditing expenses, including legal fees of special counsel for the independent Directors; (i) charges of custodians and other agents; (j) expenses of setting in type and printing prospectuses, statements of additional information and supplements thereto for existing shareholders, reports, statements, and confirmations to shareholders and proxy materials that are not

 

25

 

 

 

attributable to a class; (k) costs of mailing prospectuses, statements of additional information and supplements thereto to existing shareholders, as well as reports to shareholders and proxy materials that are not attributable to a class; (l) any extraordinary expenses; (m) fees, voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; (n) costs of mailing and tabulating proxies and costs of shareholders’ and Directors’ meetings; (o) costs of independent pricing services to value a portfolio’s securities; and (p) the costs of investment company literature and other publications provided by the Company to its Directors and officers. Distribution expenses, transfer agency expenses, expenses of preparation, printing and mailing prospectuses, statements of additional information, proxy statements and reports to shareholders, and organizational expenses and registration fees, identified as belonging to a particular class of the Company, are allocated to such class.

 

The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall at all times have all rights in and to the Fund’s name and all investment models used by or on behalf of the Fund. The Adviser may use the Fund’s name or any portion thereof in connection with any other mutual fund or business activity without the consent of any shareholder, and the Company has agreed to execute and deliver any and all documents required to indicate its consent to such use.

 

The table below provides the fees paid from the Fund to the Fund’s former investment adviser, F/m Investments LLC (“F/m”) for each period shown, and fees paid to the Adviser and F/m for the period from July 24, 2026, through August 31, 2026, during which F/m and the Adviser served as co-advisers to the Fund.

 

 

Gross Management Fees Accrued

Waivers and/or

Reimbursements

Net Management

Fees Paid to Adviser

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026

[...]

[...]

[...]

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025

$492,981

$151,497

$341,484

For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2024*

$77,331

$10,543

$66,788

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024

$416,231

$174,698

$241,533

 

*

In 2024, the Fund changed its fiscal year end from June 30 to August 31. The amounts shown are for the fiscal period from July 1, 2024 to August 31, 2024.

 

The Portfolio Manager

 

This section includes information about the Fund’s portfolio manager, including information about other accounts the portfolio manager manages, the dollar range of Fund shares the portfolio manager owns and how the portfolio manager is compensated.

 

Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Manager

 

The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the Fund with respect to which information is provided) for which the portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. This information is provided as of August 31, 2026.

 

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Name of Portfolio Manager

Type of Accounts

Total

# of

Accounts

Managed

Total Assets

# of Accounts

Managed that

Advisory Fee

Based on

Performance

Total Assets

that Advisory

Fee Based on

Performance

Francisco J. Bido

Other Registered Investment Companies:

[...]

$[...] million

0

$0

 

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:

0

$0

0

$0

 

Other Accounts:

[...]

$[...] million

0

$0

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust Portfolio Manager

 

Description of Compensation. Emerald’s portfolio manager compensation is structured to align the interests of portfolio managers with those of the shareholders whose assets they manage. It includes the components described below, each of which is determined with reference to a number of factors such as overall performance, market competition, and internal equity. Compensation is not directly tied to the value of assets held in client portfolios.

 

Base Salary: Portfolio managers receive base pay in the form of a fixed annual salary.

 

Bonus: A significant portion of portfolio manager compensation takes the form of a quarterly incentive bonus tied to performance based on quarterly performance reviews and the manager’s relative performance for rolling quarter, year, and five year periods. Bonus payments are determined by a combination of factors, including pre-tax investment performance calculated as the average of all investment mandates for which the portfolio manager has responsibility compared against such mandates’ respective benchmarks, non-qualitative items relating to the portfolio manager’s fulfillment of his or her obligations and duties to each investment mandate as determined by senior management, and control of expenses by the portfolio manager taking into account income and gains of the investment mandates for which the portfolio manager has responsibility. Finally, the overall performance of Emerald Asset Management PA, LLC, the parent company of Emerald, is considered in determining any portfolio manager bonus. Additionally, Emerald’s employees are eligible to participate in a company-wide discretionary bonus pool that is awarded by the compensation committee (which is comprised of members of the Adviser’s parent company board of directors). The amount of the bonus pool is calculated based on the parent company’s profitability. Also, portfolio managers are eligible to receive equity grant awards that include the payment of annual distributions.

 

Deferred Compensation Plans: Portfolio managers are eligible to participate in the Adviser’s 401(k) plan and vested employees participate in the Adviser’s parent company ESOP retirement plan.

 

Conflict of Interest. Certain conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the management of multiple portfolios. Potential conflicts include, for example, conflicts among investment strategies and conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities. Emerald has adopted the following policies regarding the allocation and aggregation of securities transactions among client accounts:

 

Aggregation Policy: Aggregations of trades can produce meaningful cost savings to clients. Emerald’s policy is constructed to meet the requirements of the SEC. Specifically, Emerald’s policy is designed to address these issues:

 

1. Duty of Disclosure: Emerald will disclose fully to its clients the arrangements for aggregation of securities transactions.

 

27

 

 

 

2. Duty to Act Only in the Clients’ Best Interests: The aggregation of client transactions will be done only after client consent, consistent with each such client’s best interests.

3. Duty to Treat Each Client Fairly: Securities transactions will be done on a pro rata basis at the average share price, consistent with the specific conditions discussed below.

4. Duty to Seek Best Execution: Emerald recognizes its duty to aggregate and allocate securities transactions in a manner that ensures best execution. This is discussed more fully below.

 

Aggregation Procedures: Emerald will endeavor to bunch trades for clients in order to effect best execution at the lowest cost (commissions and spread) and to avoid disparities in execution prices for accounts that are managed similarly. The following bunching and trade aggregation procedures are designed to treat all client accounts equally. All client accounts with like mandates will participate in bunched trades, average pricing and pro rata execution. Emerald will allocate trades internally prior to any bunched trades based on the requirements of the various groups of accounts as determined by the firm’s portfolio managers (see “Block Trading” below).

 

Emerald manages certain accounts pursuant to differing client mandates. With respect to certain accounts, Emerald has full discretion with respect to investments and execution of portfolio transactions. For certain client accounts, specific brokerage firms have been designated, which prevents bunching trades with other accounts. These accounts would also prevent new or secondary issuance of stocks being equally divided across these types of accounts. Certain accounts may have directed investment policies and/or restrictions. These accounts may have different investment objectives and strategies, and therefore might invest in different individual stocks from other types of accounts and may have different sector allocation percentages, which would affect how Emerald allocates aggregated trades for such accounts. Certain funds with daily cash flow differences (usually mutual funds) would have different trading activity dictated by internal cash flows (or withdrawals), the timing and tax consequences of which require that trades be made in different percentages for each share.

 

Because of these differences in policies and strategies of the various accounts Emerald manages, Emerald portfolio managers will aggregate the number of shares determined to be desired for each account type and maintain a dated and time-stamped record of this pre-trade allocation. Each account will then average price pro-rata to the shares actually executed. If a client uses a particular directed broker-dealer, Emerald will execute these trades separately, which trades may be executed at prices different than the bunched trades due to number of share differences, use of DOT system, movement and volatility of stock trading, or other relevant factors. While these differences may be noticeable on a trade-by-trade basis, they should balance out over time.

 

The intention of this policy is that Emerald must make a trade allocation before the results of the actual trade have been determined. This policy will assure that the allocation cannot be affected by the results of the trade.

 

Block Trading: Emerald also has established Block Trading Procedures to ensure that no advisory or sub-advisory client account or group of client accounts, neither public nor private, nor corporate nor individual, will receive preferential trading execution pursuant to federal and state regulations.

 

Securities Ownership. As of August 31, 2026, the portfolio manager owned securities of the Fund in the amount set forth in the table below.

 

Portfolio Manager

Dollar Value of Securities Beneficially Owned

Francisco J. Bido

[None]

 

*

Dollar ranges are as follows: none; $1-$10,000; $10,001-$50,000; $50,001-$100,000; $100,001-$500,000; $500,001-$1,000,000; and over $1,000,000.

 

28

 

 

 

ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT

 

Fund Services, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as fund administrator to the Fund pursuant to a fund administration servicing agreement and serves as fund accountant pursuant to a fund accounting servicing agreement (the “Administration Agreements”). Under the fund accounting servicing agreement, Fund Services has agreed to furnish to the Fund statistical and research data, clerical, accounting and bookkeeping services, and certain other services required by the Fund. Under the fund administration servicing agreement, Fund Services has agreed to provide fund administration services to the Company. These services include the preparation and coordination of the Company’s annual post-effective amendment filing and supplements to the Fund’s registration statement, the preparation and assembly of board meeting materials, and certain other services necessary to the Company’s fund administration. In addition, Fund Services has agreed to prepare and file various reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepare materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Fund.

 

The Administration Agreements provide that Fund Services shall be obligated to exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties and that Fund Services shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Company in connection with its duties under the Administration Agreements, except a loss resulting from Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of the applicable Administration Agreement or from its bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties thereunder.

 

Fund Services receives a fee under the Administration Agreements based on the average daily net assets of the Company.

 

Previous Administrators and Transfer Agents: Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (“Ultimus”), 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246, served as the Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent to the Predecessor Fund pursuant to an Administration Agreement, a Fund Accounting Agreement and a Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Agreement.

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025, the fiscal period ended August 31, 2024, and the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, the Fund and Predecessor Fund paid Fund Services and Ultimus certain administration and accounting fees and related out-of-pocket expenses as follows:

 

 

Administration and Accounting Fees Paid

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026

[...] (Fund Services)

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025

$74,440 (Fund Services)

For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2024*

$1,695 (Fund Services)

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024

$59,555 (Fund Services); $15,297 (Ultimus)

 

*

In 2024, the Fund changed its fiscal year end from June 30 to August 31. The amounts shown are for the fiscal period from July 1, 2024 to August 31, 2024.

 

CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT

 

U.S. Bank, N.A., (the “Custodian”), 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, is custodian of the Fund’s assets pursuant to a custodian agreement (the “Custodian Agreement”). Under the Custodian Agreement, the Custodian: (a) maintains a separate account or accounts in the name of the Fund; (b) holds and transfers portfolio investments on account of the Fund; (c) accepts receipts and

 

29

 

 

 

makes disbursements of money on behalf of the Fund; (d) collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the Fund’s portfolio investments; and (e) makes periodic reports to the Board concerning the Fund’s operations. The Custodian is authorized to select one or more banks or trust companies to serve as sub-custodian on behalf of the Fund, provided that the Custodian remains responsible for the performance of all of its duties under the Custodian Agreement and holds the Fund harmless from the acts and omissions of any affiliate, sub-custodian or domestic sub-custodian. For its services to the Fund under the Custodian Agreement, the Custodian receives a fee based on the Fund’s average gross assets calculated daily and payable monthly. Transaction charges and out-of-pocket expenses are also charged to the Fund. The Custodian and Fund Services are affiliates.

 

TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT

 

Fund Services also serves as the transfer and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund pursuant to a transfer agency and servicing agreement (the “Transfer Agency Agreement”), under which Fund Services: (a) issues and redeems shares of the Fund; (b) addresses and mails all communications by the Fund to record owners of the shares, including reports to shareholders, dividend and distribution notices and proxy materials for its meetings of shareholders; (c) maintains shareholder accounts and, if requested, sub-accounts; and (d) makes periodic reports to the Board concerning the operations of the Fund. Fund Services may, subject to the Board’s approval, assign its duties as transfer and dividend disbursing agent to any affiliate. For its services to the Fund under the Transfer Agency Agreement, Fund Services receives an annual fee based on the number of accounts in the Fund and the Fund’s average gross assets calculated daily and payable monthly. Transaction charges and out-of-pocket expenses are also charged to the Fund.

 

Fund Services also provides services relating to the implementation of the Company’s Anti-Money Laundering Program. In addition, Fund Services provides services relating to the implementation of the Fund’s Customer Identification Program, including verification of required customer information and the maintenance of records with respect to such verification.

 

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), whose principal business address is 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101, serves as the underwriter to the Fund pursuant to the terms of a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”). The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The Distributor is not affiliated with the Company or the Adviser.

 

Under the Distribution Agreement with the Fund, the Distributor serves as the agent of the Company in connection with the continuous offering of shares of the Fund. The Distributor continually distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Distributor has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Fund shares. The Distributor and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Company.

 

The Distributor may enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries for distribution of shares of the Fund. With respect to certain financial intermediaries and related fund “supermarket” platform arrangements, the Fund and/or the Adviser, rather than the Distributor, typically enter into such agreements. These financial intermediaries may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from parties other than the Distributor. These financial intermediaries may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for promptly transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Fund.

 

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Investors who purchase shares through financial intermediaries will be subject to the procedures of those intermediaries through which they purchase shares, which may include charges, investment minimums, cutoff times and other restrictions in addition to, or different from, those listed herein. Information concerning any charges or services will be provided to customers by the financial intermediary through which they purchase shares. Investors purchasing shares of the Fund through financial intermediaries should acquaint themselves with their financial intermediary’s procedures and should read the Prospectus in conjunction with any materials and information provided by their financial intermediary. The financial intermediary, and not its customers, will be the shareholder of record, although customers may have the right to vote shares depending upon their arrangement with the financial intermediary. The Distributor does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the Investor Class Shares for which a Rule 12b-1 distribution plan is effective. The Adviser may pay the Distributor a fee for certain distribution-related services.

 

The Distribution Agreement has an initial term of up to two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities in accordance with the 1940 Act. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Company on behalf of the Fund on no less than 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the members of the Board who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Distribution Agreement, or by the Distributor, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Distribution Agreement provides that the Distributor shall not be liable for any loss suffered by the Company in connection with the performance of the Distributor’s obligations and duties under the Distribution Agreement, except a loss resulting from the Distributor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of such duties and obligations, or by reason of its reckless disregard thereof.

 

Rule 12b-1 Plan

 

As described in the Prospectus, the Fund has adopted a Rule 12b-1 plan (the “Plan”) for its Investor Class Shares. The Plan, among other things, permits the Investor Class Shares to pay the Distributor a quarterly service fee at annual rates not exceeding 0.25% of the assets of the Investor Class Shares as compensation for its services as principal underwriter of the shares of such classes. Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, the Plan (together with the Distribution Agreement) was approved by the Fund’s Board, including a majority of the Directors who are not interested persons of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Plan or the Distribution Agreement. The principal types of activities for which payments under the Plan may be made include payments to intermediaries for shareholder servicing, for “no transaction fee” or wrap programs, and for retirement plan recordkeeping. Payments under the Plan also may be made for activities such as advertising, printing and mailing the Prospectus to persons who are not current shareholders, compensation to underwriters, compensation to broker-dealers, compensation to sales personnel, and interest, carrying or other financing charges. The Company believes that the Plan benefits the Fund by increasing net sales of the Fund (or reducing net redemptions), potentially allowing the Fund to benefit from economies of scale.

 

The Plan may be terminated by vote of a majority of the Independent Directors, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the relevant class of shares of the Fund. The Plan may be amended by vote of the Directors, including a majority of the Independent Directors, cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose. Any change in the Plan that would materially increase the fees payable thereunder by the relevant class of shares of the Fund requires approval by a vote of the holders of a majority of such shares outstanding. The Fund’s Directors review quarterly a written report of such costs and the purposes for which such costs have been incurred.

 

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The Plan will continue in effect for successive one-year periods, provided that each such continuance is specifically approved (i) by the vote of a majority of the Independent Directors and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the entire Board cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding securities of the relevant class.

 

FUND TRANSACTIONS

 

Subject to policies established by the Board and applicable rules, the Adviser is responsible for the execution of portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage transactions for the Fund. In executing portfolio transactions, the Adviser seeks to obtain the best price and most favorable execution for the Fund, taking into account such factors as the price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of the order, difficulty of execution and operational facilities of the firm involved. While the Adviser generally seeks reasonably competitive commission rates, payment of the lowest commission or spread is not necessarily consistent with obtaining the best price and execution in particular transactions.

 

Brokerage Transactions

 

Subject to policies established by the Board, the Adviser is responsible for the Fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the Fund’s portfolio transactions. In selecting brokers to be used in portfolio transactions, the Adviser’s general guiding principal is to obtain the best overall execution for each trade, which is a combination of price and execution. With respect to execution, the Adviser considers a number of judgmental factors, including, without limitation, the actual handling of the order, the ability of the broker to settle the trade promptly and accurately, the financial standing of the broker, the ability of the broker to position stock to facilitate execution, the Adviser’s past experience with similar trades and other factors that may be unique to a particular order. Recognizing the value of these judgmental factors, the Adviser may select brokers who charge a brokerage commission that is higher than the lowest commission that might otherwise be available for any given trade. The Adviser may not give consideration to sales of shares of the Fund as a factor in selecting brokers to execute portfolio transactions. The Adviser may, however, place portfolio transactions with brokers that promote or sell the Fund’s shares so long as such transactions are done in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the Directors that are designed to ensure that the selection is based on the quality of the broker’s execution and not on the broker’s sales efforts.

 

Under Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and as provided in the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is authorized to cause the Fund to pay a brokerage commission in excess of that which another broker might have charged for effecting the same transaction, in recognition of the value of brokerage and/or research services provided by the broker. The research received may include, without limitation: information on the United States and other world economies; information on specific industries, groups of securities, individual companies, political and other relevant news developments affecting markets and specific securities; technical and quantitative information about markets; analysis of proxy proposals affecting specific companies; accounting and performance systems that allow the Adviser to determine and track investment results; and trading systems that allow the Adviser to interface electronically with brokerage firms, custodians and other providers. Where a product or service has a mixed use among research, brokerage and other purposes, the Adviser will make a reasonable allocation according to the uses and will pay for the non-research and non-brokerage functions in cash using its own funds.

 

The research and investment information services described above make available to the Adviser for its analysis and consideration the views and information of individuals and research staffs of other securities firms. These services may be useful to the Adviser in connection with advisory clients other than the Fund and not all such services may be useful to the Adviser in connection with the Fund. Although such

 

32

 

 

 

information may be a useful supplement to the Adviser’s own investment information in rendering services to the Fund, the value of such research and services is not expected to reduce materially the expenses of the Adviser in the performance of its services under the Advisory Agreement and will not reduce the management fees payable to the Adviser by the Fund.

 

During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, the Fund [did not direct any] of its brokerage transactions to brokers for research services provided.

 

The Fund may invest in securities traded in the over-the-counter market. Transactions in the over-the-counter market are generally principal transactions with dealers and the costs of such transactions involve dealer spreads rather than brokerage commissions. The Fund, where possible, deals directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and/or execution are available elsewhere. When a transaction involves exchange listed securities, the Adviser considers the advisability of effecting the transaction with a broker which is not a member of the securities exchange on which the security to be purchased is listed or effecting the transaction in the institutional market.

 

Aggregated Trades. While investment decisions for the Fund are made independently of the Adviser’s other client accounts, the Adviser’s other client accounts may invest in the same securities as the Fund. To the extent permitted by law, the Adviser may aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be sold or purchased for other investment companies or accounts in executing transactions. When a purchase or sale of the same security is made at substantially the same time on behalf of the Fund and another investment company or account, the transaction will be averaged as to price and available investments allocated as to amount in a manner which the Adviser believes to be equitable to the Fund and such other investment company or account. In some instances, this investment procedure may adversely affect the price paid or received by the Fund or the size of the position obtained or sold by the Fund.

 

The following table shows the total amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, fiscal year ended August 31, 2025, fiscal period ended August 31, 2024, and for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

 

August 31, 2026

August 31, 2025

August 31, 2024*

June 30, 2024

[...]

$27,418

$0

$27,665

 

*

In 2024, the Fund changed its fiscal year end from June 30 to August 31. The amounts shown are for the fiscal period from July 1, 2024 to August 31, 2024.

 

The Fund is required to identify any securities of the Fund’s regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or their parents held by the Fund as of the end of the most recent fiscal year. As of August 31, 2026, there were [no securities held by the Fund] of its regular broker-dealers.

 

SECURITIES LENDING

 

No securities lending information is provided as the Fund had not engaged in securities lending activities during the most recently completed fiscal year.

 

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION

 

Read the Fund’s Prospectus for information regarding the purchase and redemption of Fund shares. The following information supplements information in the Fund’s Prospectus. You may purchase shares through an account maintained by your brokerage firm, financial institutions and industry professionals

 

33

 

 

 

(“Service Organizations”), and you may also purchase shares directly by mail or wire. The Company reserves the right, if conditions exist which make cash payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase of the Fund’s shares by making payment in whole or in part in securities chosen by the Company and valued in the same way as they would be valued for purposes of computing the Fund’s NAV. If payment is made in securities, a shareholder may incur transaction costs in converting these securities into cash. A shareholder will also bear any market risk or tax consequences as a result of a payment in securities. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act so that the Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of the Fund. A shareholder will bear the risk of a decline in market value and any tax consequences associated with a redemption in securities.

 

Under the 1940 Act, the Company may suspend the right to redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the “NYSE”) is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), or during which the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE or determines an emergency exists as a result of which disposal or valuation of portfolio securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the SEC may permit. (The Company may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of its shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions).

 

Shares of the Fund are subject to redemption by the Company, at the redemption price of such shares as in effect from time to time, including, without limitation: (1) to reimburse the Fund for any loss sustained by reason of the failure of a shareholder to make full payment for shares purchased by the shareholder or to collect any charge relating to a transaction effected for the benefit of a shareholder as provided in the Prospectus from time to time; (2) if such redemption is, in the opinion of the Board, desirable in order to prevent the Company or the Fund from being deemed a “personal holding company” within the meaning of the Code; (3) if the net income with respect to any particular class of common stock should be negative or it should otherwise be appropriate to carry out the Company’s responsibilities under the 1940 Act.

 

The Fund has the right to redeem your shares at current NAV at any time and without prior notice if, and to the extent that, such redemption is necessary to reimburse the Fund for any loss sustained by reason of your failure to make full payment for shares of the Fund you previously purchased or subscribed for.

 

Other Purchase Information

 

If shares of the Fund are held in a “street name” account with an authorized dealer, all recordkeeping, transaction processing and payments of distributions relating to the beneficial owner’s account will be performed by the authorized dealer, and not by the Fund and its Transfer Agent. Since the Fund will have no record of the beneficial owner’s transactions, a beneficial owner should contact the authorized dealer to purchase, redeem or exchange shares, to make changes in or give instructions concerning the account or to obtain information about the account. The transfer of shares in a “street name” account to an account with another dealer or to an account directly with the Fund involves special procedures and will require the beneficial owner to obtain historical purchase information about the shares in the account from the authorized dealer.

 

The Fund has established two share classes - Investor Class Shares and Institutional Class Shares. Before choosing a share class, you should consider the following factors, as well as any other relevant facts and circumstances. Investor Class Shares are sold through certain financial intermediaries and may have higher expenses than Institutional Class Shares, since they are subject to a distribution fee of 0.25% of net assets. Institutional Class Shares are not subject to distribution fees but have a higher minimum investment requirement than Investor Class Shares. For more information, see the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

34

 

 

 

TELEPHONE TRANSACTION PROCEDURES

 

The Company’s telephone transaction procedures include the following measures: (1) requiring the appropriate telephone transaction privilege forms; (2) requiring the caller to provide the names of the account owners, the account social security number and name of the Fund, all of which must match the Company’s records; (3) requiring the Company’s service representative to complete a telephone transaction form, listing all of the above caller identification information; (4) permitting exchanges (if applicable) only if the two account registrations are identical; (5) requiring that redemption proceeds be sent only by check to the account owners of record at the address of record, or by electronic funds transfer through the ACH network or by wire only to the owners of record at the bank account of record; (6) sending a written confirmation for each telephone transaction to the owners of record at the address of record within five (5) business days of the call; and (7) maintaining tapes of telephone transactions for six months, if the Company elects to record shareholder telephone transactions. For accounts held of record by broker-dealers, financial institutions, securities dealers, financial planners and other industry professionals, additional documentation or information regarding the scope of a caller’s authority is required. Finally, for telephone transactions in accounts held jointly, additional information regarding other account holders is required.

 

VALUATION OF SHARES

 

In accordance with procedures adopted by the Board, the NAV per share of the Fund is calculated by determining the value of the net assets attributed to the Fund and dividing by the number of outstanding shares of the Fund. All securities are valued on each Business Day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE (normally, but not always, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) or such other time as the NYSE or National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System (“NASDAQ”) market may officially close. The term “Business Day” means any day the NYSE is open for trading, which is Monday through Friday except for holidays. The NYSE is generally closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day (observed), Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday (observed), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

The time at which transactions and shares are priced and the time by which orders must be received may be changed in case of an emergency or if regular trading on the NYSE is stopped at a time other than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The Company reserves the right to reprocess purchase, redemption and exchange transactions that were initially processed at a NAV other than the Fund’s official closing NAV (as the same may be subsequently adjusted), and to recover amounts from (or distribute amounts to) shareholders based on the official closing NAV. The Company reserves the right to advance the time by which purchase and redemption orders must be received for same business day credit as otherwise permitted by the SEC. In addition, the Fund may compute its NAV as of any time permitted pursuant to any exemption, order or statement of the SEC or its staff.

 

The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by the Fund and its Valuation Designee (defined below) in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable. Prices are generally determined using readily available market prices. Subject to the approval of the Board, the Fund may employ outside organizations, which may use a matrix or formula method that takes into consideration market indices, matrices, yield curves and other specific adjustments in determining the approximate market value of portfolio investments. This may result in the investments being valued at a

 

35

 

 

 

price that differs from the price that would have been determined had the matrix or formula method not been used. All cash, receivables, and current payables are carried on the Fund’s books at their face value. Other assets, if any, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Valuation Designee.

 

The procedures used by any pricing service and its valuation results are reviewed by the Valuation Designee under the general supervision of the Board.

 

The Fund may hold portfolio securities that are listed on foreign exchanges. These securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the value of these investments may change on days when you cannot purchase or sell Fund shares.

 

TAXES

 

The following summarizes certain additional tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders that are not described in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund or its shareholders, and the discussions here and in the Prospectus are not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Potential investors should consult their tax advisers with specific reference to their own tax situations.

 

The discussions of the federal tax consequences in the Prospectus and this SAI are based on the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) and the regulations issued under it, and court decisions and administrative interpretations, as in effect on the date of this SAI. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly alter the statements included herein, and any such changes or decisions may be retroactive.

 

General

 

The Fund qualified during its last taxable year and intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. As such, the Fund generally is exempt from federal income tax on its net investment income and realized capital gains that it distributes to shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company, it must meet three important tests each year.

 

First, the Fund must derive with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, other income derived with respect to the Fund’s business of investing in stock, securities or currencies, or net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

Second, generally, at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and securities of other issuers as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of the issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer, and no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of (1) any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), (2) two or more issuers that the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses (other than the securities of other regulated investment companies) or (3) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

Third, the Fund must distribute an amount equal to at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term

 

36

 

 

 

capital loss) before taking into account any deduction for dividends paid, and 90% of its tax-exempt income, if any, for the year.

 

The Fund intends to comply with these requirements. If the Fund were to fail to make sufficient distributions, it could be liable for corporate income tax and for excise tax in respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough, the Fund could be disqualified as a regulated investment company. If for any taxable year the Fund were not to qualify as a regulated investment company, all its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In that event, shareholders would recognize dividend income on distributions to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, and corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

 

The Code imposes a nondeductible 4% excise tax on regulated investment companies that fail to distribute each year an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for this excise tax.

 

As of August 31, 2026, the Fund had [no short-term capital loss carryforwards].

 

Taxation of Certain Investments

 

The tax principles applicable to transactions in financial instruments, such as futures contracts and options, that may be engaged in by the Fund, and investments in passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”), are complex and, in some cases, uncertain. Such transactions and investments may cause the Fund to recognize taxable income prior to the receipt of cash, thereby requiring the Fund to liquidate other positions, or to borrow money, so as to make sufficient distributions to shareholders to avoid corporate-level tax. Moreover, some or all of the taxable income recognized may be ordinary income or short-term capital gain, so that the distributions may be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.

 

In addition, in the case of any shares of a PFIC in which the Fund invests, the Fund may be liable for corporate-level tax on any ultimate gain or distributions on the shares if the Fund fails to make an election to recognize income annually during the period of its ownership of the shares.

 

State and Local Taxes

 

Although the Fund expects to qualify as a “regulated investment company” and to be relieved of all or substantially all federal income taxes, depending upon the extent of its activities in states and localities in which its offices are maintained, in which its agents or independent contractors are located or in which it is otherwise deemed to be conducting business, the Fund may be subject to the tax laws of such states or localities.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES

 

The Company has authorized capital of 100 billion shares of common stock at a par value of $0.001 per share. Currently, [...] billion shares have been classified into [...] classes. However, the Company only has approximately [...] active share classes that have begun investment operations. Under the Company’s Charter, the Board has the power to classify and reclassify any unissued Shares of common stock from time to time.

 

Each share that represents an interest in the Fund has an equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to such Fund with each other share that represents an interest in such Fund, even where a share has a

 

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different class designation than another share representing an interest in that Fund. Shares of the Company do not have preemptive or conversion rights. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectus, shares of the Company will be fully paid and non-assessable.

 

The Company does not currently intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders except as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. The Company’s amended By-Laws (the "By-Laws") provide that shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding shares of all classes of common stock of the Company have the right to call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more directors. To the extent required by law, the Company will assist in shareholder communication in such matters.

 

Holders of shares of each class of the Company will vote in the aggregate and not by class on all matters, except where otherwise required by law. Further, shareholders of the Company will vote in the aggregate and not by portfolio except as otherwise required by law or when the Board determines that the matter to be voted upon affects only the interests of the shareholders of a particular portfolio or class of shares. Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted by the provisions of such Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Company shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each portfolio affected by the matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that a portfolio shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each portfolio in the matter are identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of the portfolio. Under Rule 18f-2 the approval of an investment advisory agreement or distribution agreement or any change in a fundamental investment objective or fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a portfolio only if approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such portfolio. However, the Rule 18f-2 also provides that the ratification of the selection of independent public accountants and the election of directors are not subject to the separate voting requirements and may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of an investment company voting without regard to a portfolio. Shareholders of the Company are entitled to one vote for each full share held (irrespective of class or portfolio) and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Voting rights are not cumulative and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate shares of common stock of the Company may elect all of the Directors.

 

Notwithstanding any provision of Maryland law requiring a greater vote of shares of the Company’s common stock (or of any class voting as a class) in connection with any corporate action, unless otherwise provided by law (for example by Rule 18f-2 discussed above), or by the Company’s Charter and By-Laws, the Company may take or authorize such action upon the favorable vote of the holders of more than 50% of all of the outstanding shares of common stock voting without regard to class (or portfolio).

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Anti-Money Laundering Program

 

The Fund has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”). To ensure compliance with this law, the Fund’s Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures, and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that certain of its service providers have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or

 

38

 

 

 

fraudulent activity, and conducting a complete and thorough review of all new account applications. The Fund will not transact business with any person or legal entity whose identity and beneficial owners, if applicable, cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

Counsel

 

The law firm of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-6996, serves as independent counsel to the Company and the Independent Directors.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

[  ], located at [  ], serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, and in that capacity audits the Fund’s financial statements. [  ] an affiliate of [  ], provides tax services as requested.

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The 2026 audited financial statements, which include the financial highlights of the Fund for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2026 and 2025, for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2024 and fiscal years ended June 30, 2024, 2023, and 2022, as set forth in the Fund’s [annual report] on Form N-CSR to shareholders, including the notes thereto and the report of [  ], the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, are incorporated herein by reference. Copies of the annual report may be obtained at no charge by telephoning the Fund at the telephone number appearing on the front page of this SAI.

 

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APPENDIX A

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS

 

Short-Term Credit Ratings

 

An S&P Global Ratings short-term issue credit rating is generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. 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 commitment 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.

 

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.

 

“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

 

Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial 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.

 

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

 

“P-1” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-2” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-3” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short-term” based on market convention.1 Typically, this means a timeframe of up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured

 

1. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity.

 

A-1

 

 

 

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” – Securities possess the highest short-term credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

“F2” – Securities possess good short-term credit quality. This designation indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

 

“F3” – Securities possess fair short-term credit quality. This designation indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

“B” – Securities possess speculative short-term credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

“C” – Securities possess 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an issue of a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated.

 

The Morningstar DBRS® Ratings Limited (“Morningstar DBRS”) short-term obligation ratings provide Morningstar DBRS’s opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of shorter than one year. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the subcategories “(high)”, “(middle)”, and “(low)”.

 

The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for commercial paper and short-term debt:

 

“R-1 (high)” - Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be 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 or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.

 

“R-2 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the 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” – Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the 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” – Short-term debt rated “R-4” is considered to be of speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.

 

“R-5” – Short-term debt rated “R-5” is considered to be of 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.

 

A-2

 

 

 

“D” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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. 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 Issue Credit Ratings

 

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 is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) – 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.

 

A-3

 

 

 

Moody’s long-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more. Such ratings reflect both on the likelihood of 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:

 

“AAA” – Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit 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” – Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

“A” – Securities considered to be of high credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit 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” – Securities considered to be of good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of credit 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” – Securities considered to be speculative. “BB” ratings indicates an elevated vulnerability to credit 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 to be met.

 

“B” – Securities considered to be highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material credit risk is present

 

“CCC” – A “CCC” rating indicates that substantial credit risk is present.

 

“CC” – A “CC” rating indicates very high levels of credit risk.

 

“C” – A “C” rating indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

 

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned “RD” or “D” ratings but are instead rated in the “CCC” to “C” rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics.

 

A-4

 

 

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to “AAA” ratings and ratings below the “CCC” category.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issue of a rated issuer.

 

The Morningstar DBRS long-term credit ratings provide opinions on risk of default. Morningstar DBRS considers the risk of default to be the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy the financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which a long-term obligation has been issued. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of one year or longer. All rating categories from AA to CCC contain subcategories “(high)” and “(low)”. The absence of either a “(high)” or “(low)” designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category. The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for long-term debt:

 

“AAA” – Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

 

“AA” – Long-term debt rated “AA” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “A” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.

 

“BB” – Long-term debt rated “BB” is of speculative, non-investment grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.

 

“B” – Long-term debt rated “B” is of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.

 

“CCC”, “CC” and “C” – Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is of 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 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” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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. 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 symbols are as follows:

 

“SP-1” – A municipal note rated “SP-1” exhibits a 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” – A municipal note rated “SP-2” exhibits a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

 

“SP-3” – A municipal note rated “SP-3” exhibits a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

 

A-5

 

 

 

“D” – This rating 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 Scale

 

“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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

For 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

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.

 

A-6

 

 

 

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.

 

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, 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).

 

Morningstar DBRS offers independent, transparent, and innovative credit analysis to the market. Credit ratings are forward-looking opinions about credit risk that reflect the creditworthiness of an issuer, rated entity, security and/or obligation based on Morningstar DBRS’s quantitative and qualitative analysis in accordance with applicable methodologies and criteria. They are meant to provide opinions on relative measures of risk and are not based on expectations of, or meant to predict, any specific default probability. Credit ratings are not statements of fact. Morningstar DBRS issues credit ratings using one or more categories, such as public, private, provisional, final(ized), solicited, or unsolicited. From time to time, credit ratings may also be subject to trends, placed under review, or discontinued. Morningstar DBRS credit ratings are determined by credit rating committees.

 

A-7

 

 

 

APPENDIX B

 

EMERALD ADVISERS, LLC
EMERALD MUTUAL FUND ADVISERS TRUST
EMERALD SEPARATE ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY

 

The voting policies set forth below apply to all proxies which Emerald Advisers, LLC. and subsidiaries are entitled to vote. It is Emerald’s policy to vote all such proxies. Corporate governance through the proxy process is solely concerned with the accountability and responsibility for the assets entrusted to corporations. The role of institutional investors in the governance process is the same as the responsibility due all other aspects of the fund’s management. First and foremost, the investor is a fiduciary and secondly, an owner. Fiduciaries and owners are responsible for their investments. These responsibilities include:

 

1) selecting proper directors

 

2) insuring that these directors have properly supervised management

 

3) resolve issues of natural conflict between shareholders and managers

 

a. Compensation

 

b. Corporate Expansion

 

c. Dividend Policy

 

d. Free Cash Flow

 

e. Various Restrictive Corporate Governance Issues, Control Issues, etc.

 

f. Preserving Integrity

 

In voting proxies, Emerald will consider those factors which would affect the value of the investment and vote in the manner, which in its view, will best serve the economic interest of its clients. Consistent with this objective, Emerald will exercise its vote in a activist pro-shareholder manner in accordance with the following policies.

 

I. BOARDS OF DIRECTORS

 

In theory, the board represents shareholders, in practice, all to often Board members are selected by management. Their allegiance is therefore owed to management in order to maintain their very favorable retainers and prestigious position. In some cases, corporations never had a nominating process, let alone criteria for the selection of Board members. Shareholders have begun to focus on the importance of the independence of the Board of Directors and the nominating process for electing these Board members. Independence is an important criterium to adequately protect shareholders’ ongoing financial interest and to properly conduct a board member’s oversight process. Independence though, is only the first criteria for a Board. Boards need to be responsible fiduciaries in their oversight and decision making on behalf of the owners and corporations. Too many companies are really ownerless. Boards who have failed to perform their duties, or do not act in the best interests of the shareholders should be voted out. A clear message is sent when a no confidence vote is given to a set of directors or to a full Board.

 

A. Election of Directors, a Board of Directors, or any number of Directors. In order to assure Boards are acting solely for the shareholders they represent, the following resolutions will provide a clear message to underperforming companies and Boards who have failed to fulfill duties assigned to them.

 

B-1

 

 

 

• Votes should be cast in favor of shareholder proposals asking that boards be comprised of a majority of outside directors.

 

• Votes should be cast in favor of shareholder proposals asking that board audit, compensation and nominating committees be comprised exclusively of outside directors.

 

• Votes should be cast against management proposals to re-elect the board if the board has a majority of inside directors.

 

• Votes should be withheld for directors who may have an inherent conflict of interest by virtue of receiving consulting fees from a corporation (affiliated outsiders).

 

• Votes should be withheld, on a case by case basis, for those directors of the compensation committees responsible for particularly egregious compensation plans.

 

• Votes should be withheld for directors who have failed to attend 75% of board or committee meetings in cases where management does not provide adequate explanation for the absences.

 

• Votes should be withheld for incumbent directors of poor performing companies; defining poor performing companies as those companies who have below average stock performance (vs. peer group/Wilshire 5000) and below average return on assets and operating margins.

 

• Votes should be cast in favor of proposals to create shareholder advisory committees. These committees will represent shareholders’ views, review management, and provide oversight of the board and their directors.

 

B. Board Diversity: Emerald will generally support and votes should be cast in favor of proposals requiring diversity among a company’s Board of Directors. Using NASDAQ’s proposed rule 560(f)(2) as a guide, a diverse board should have two or more directors who self-identify as: (i) Female, (ii) an Underrepresented Minority, or (iii) LGBTQ+. Emerald will generally support and votes should be cast in favor of proposals seeking an explanation why a company does not meet this requirement.

 

• For purposes of this section I.B, the following terms shall have the following meanings: “Female” shall mean an individual who self-identifies her gender as a woman, without regard to the individual’s designated sex at birth. “Underrepresented Minority” shall mean an individual who self-identifies as one or more of the following: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian, Native American or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or two or more races or ethnicities. “LGBTQ+” shall mean an individual who self-identifies as any of the following: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or a member of the queer community.

 

C. Selection of Accountants: Emerald will generally support a rotation of accountants to provide a truly independent audit. This rotation should generally occur every 4-5 years.

 

D. Incentive Stock Plans. Emerald will generally vote against all excessive compensation and incentive stock plans which are not performance related.

 

E. Corporate restructuring plans or company name changes, will generally be evaluated on a case by case basis.

 

F. Annual Meeting Location. This topic normally is brought forward by minority shareholders, requesting management to hold the annual meeting somewhere other than where management desires. Resolution. Emerald normally votes with management, except in those cases where management seeks a location to avoid their shareholders.

 

G. Preemptive Rights. This is usually a shareholder request enabling shareholders to participate first in any new offering of common stock. Resolution: We do not feel that preemptive rights would add value to shareholders, we would vote against such shareholder proposals.

 

H. Mergers and/or Acquisitions. Each merger and/or acquisition has numerous ramifications for long term shareholder value. Resolution: After in-depth valuation Emerald will vote its shares on a case by case basis.

 

B-2

 

 

 

II. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ISSUES

 

These issues include those areas where voting with management may not be in the best interest of the institutional investor. All proposals should be examined on a case by case basis.

 

A. Provisions Restricting Shareholder Rights. These provisions would hamper shareholders ability to vote on certain corporate actions, such as changes in the bylaws, greenmail, poison pills, recapitalization plans, golden parachutes, and on any item that would limit shareholders’ right to nominate, elect, or remove directors. These items can change the course of the corporation overnight and shareholders should have the right to vote on these critical issues. Resolution: Vote Against management proposals to implement such restrictions and vote For shareholder proposals to eliminate them.

 

B. Anti-Shareholder Measures. These are measures designed to entrench management so as to make it more difficult to effect a change in control of the corporation. They are normally not in the best interests of shareholders since they do not allow for the most productive use of corporate assets.

 

1. Classification of the Board of Directors:

 

A classified Board is one in which directors are not elected in the same year rather their terms of office are staggered. This eliminates the possibility of removing entrenched management at any one annual election of directors. Resolution: Vote Against proposals to classify the Board and support proposals (usually shareholder initiated) to implement annual election of the Board.

 

2. Shareholder Rights Plans (Poison Pills):

 

Anti-acquisition proposals of this sort come in a variety of forms. In general, issuers confer contingent benefits of some kind on their common stockholders. The most frequently used benefit is the right to buy shares at discount prices in the event of defined changes in corporate control. Resolution: Vote Against proposals to adopt Shareholder Rights Plans, and vote For Shareholder proposals eliminating such plans.

 

3. Unequal Voting Rights:

 

A takeover defense, also known as superstock, which gives holders disproportionate voting rights. Emerald adheres to the One Share, One Vote philosophy, as all holders of common equity must be treated fairly and equally. Resolution: Vote Against proposals creating different classes of stock with unequal voting privileges.

 

4. Supermajority Clauses:

 

These are implemented by management requiring that an overly large amount of shareholders (66-95% of shareholders rather than a simple majority) approve business combinations or mergers, or other measures affecting control. This is another way for management to make changes in control of the company more difficult. Resolution: Vote Against management proposals to implement supermajority clauses and support shareholder proposals to eliminate them.

 

5. Fair Price Provisions:

 

These provisions allow management to set price requirements that a potential bidder would need to satisfy in order to consummate a merger. The pricing formulas normally used are so high that the provision makes any tender offer prohibitively expensive. Therefore, their existence can foreclose the possibility of tender offers and hence, the opportunity to secure premium prices for holdings. Resolution: Vote Against management proposals to implement fair price provisions and vote For shareholder proposals to eliminate them.

 

Caveat: Certain fair price provisions are legally complex and require careful analysis and advice before concluding whether or not their adoption would serve stockholder interest.

 

B-3

 

 

 

6. Increases in authorized shares and/or creation of new classes of common and preferred stock:

 

a. Increasing authorized shares.

 

Emerald will support management if they have a stated purpose for increasing the authorized number of common and preferred stock. Under normal circumstances, this would include stock splits, stock dividends, stock option plans, and for additional financing needs. However, in certain circumstances, it is apparent that management is proposing these increases as an anti-takeover measure. When used in this manner, share increases could inhibit or discourage stock acquisitions by a potential buyer, thereby negatively affecting a fair price valuation for the company.

 

Resolution: On a case by case basis, vote Against management if they attempt to increase the amount of shares that they are authorized to issue if their intention is to use the excess shares to discourage a beneficial business combination. One way to determine if management intends to abuse its right to issue shares is if the amount of authorized shares requested is double the present amount of authorized shares.

 

b. Creation of new classes of stock.

 

Managements have proposed authorizing shares of new classes of stock, usually preferreds, which the Board would be able to issue at their discretion. The Board would also be granted the discretion to determine the dividend rate, voting privileges, redemption provisions, conversion rights, etc. without approval of the shareholders. These “blank check” issues are designed specifically to inhibit a takeover, merger, or accountability to its shareholders.

 

Resolution: Emerald would vote AGAINST management in allowing the Board the discretion to issue any type of “blank check” stock without shareholder approval.

 

c. Directors and Management Liability and Indemnification.

 

These proposals are a result of the increasing cost of insuring directors and top management against lawsuits. Generally, managements propose that the liability of directors and management be either eliminated or limited. Shareholders must have some recourse for losses that are caused by negligence on the part of directors and management. Therefore directors and management should be responsible for their fiduciary duty of care towards the company. The Duty of Care is defined as the obligation of directors and management to be diligent in considering a transaction or in taking or refusing to take a corporate action.

 

Resolution: On a case by case basis, Emerald votes Against attempts by management to eliminate directors and management liability for their duty of care.

 

d. Compensation Plans (Incentive Plans)

 

Management occasionally will propose to adopt an incentive plan which will become effective in the event of a takeover or merger. These plans are commonly known as “golden parachutes” or “tin parachutes” as they are specifically designed to grossly or unduly benefit a select few in management who would most likely lose their jobs in an acquisition. Shareholders should be allowed to vote on all plans of this type.

 

Resolution: On a case by case basis, vote Against attempts by management to adopt proposals that are specifically designed to grossly or unduly benefit members of executive management in the event of an acquisition.

 

e. Greenmail

 

Emerald would not support management in the payment of greenmail.

 

Resolution: Emerald would vote FOR any shareholder resolution that would eliminate the possibility of the payment of greenmail.

 

B-4

 

 

 

f. Cumulative Voting

 

Cumulative voting entitles stockholders to as many votes as equal the number of shares they own multiplied by the number of directors being elected. According to this set of rules, a shareholder can cast all votes towards a single director, or any two or more. This is a proposal usually made by a minority shareholder seeking to elect a director to the Board who sympathizes with a special interest. It also can be used by management that owns a large percentage of the company to ensure that their appointed directors are elected.

 

Resolution: Cumulative voting tends to serve special interests and not those of shareholders, therefore Emerald will vote Against any proposals establishing cumulative voting and For any proposal to eliminate it.

 

g. Proposals Designed to Discourage Mergers & Acquisitions In Advance

 

These provisions direct Board members to weigh socioeconomic and legal as well as financial factors when evaluating takeover bids. This catchall apparently means that the perceived interests of customers, suppliers, managers, etc., would have to be considered along with those of the shareholder. These proposals may be worded: “amendments to instruct the Board to consider certain factors when evaluating an acquisition proposal”. Directors are elected primarily to promote and protect the shareholder interests. Directors should not allow other considerations to dilute or deviate from those interests.

 

Resolution: Emerald will vote Against proposals that would discourage the most productive use of corporate assets in advance.

 

h. Confidential Voting

 

A company that does not have a ballot provision has the ability to see the proxy votes before the annual meeting. In this way, management is able to know before the final outcome how their proposals are being accepted. If a proposal is not going their way, management has the ability to call shareholders to attempt to convince them to change their votes. Elections should take place in normal democratic process which includes the secret ballot. Elections without the secret ballot can lead to coercion of shareholders, employees, and other corporate partners.

 

Resolution: Vote For proposals to establish secret ballot voting.

 

i. Disclosure

 

Resolution: Emerald will vote Against proposals that would require any kind of unnecessary disclosure of business records. Emerald will vote For proposals that require disclosure of records concerning unfair labor practices or records dealing with the public safety.

 

j. Sweeteners

 

Resolution: Emerald will vote Against proposals that include what are called “sweeteners” used to entice shareholders to vote for a proposal that includes other items that may not be in the shareholders best interest. For instance, including a stock split in the same proposal as a classified Board, or declaring an extraordinary dividend in the same proposal installing a shareholders rights plan (Poison Pill).

 

k. Changing the State of Incorporation

 

If management sets forth a proposal to change the State of Incorporation, the reason for change is usually to take advantage of another state’s liberal corporation laws, especially regarding mergers, takeovers, and anti-shareholder measures. Many companies view the redomestication in another jurisdiction as an opportune time to put new anti-shareholder measures on the books or to purge their charter and bylaws of inconvenient shareholder rights, written consent, cumulative voting, etc.

 

B-5

 

 

 

Resolution: On a case-by-case basis, Emerald will vote Against proposals changing the State of Incorporation for the purpose of their anti-shareholder provisions and will support shareholder proposals calling for reincorporation into a jurisdiction more favorable to shareholder democracy.

 

l. Equal Access to Proxy Statements

 

Emerald supports stockholders right to equal access to the proxy statement, in the same manner that management has access. Stockholders are the owners of a corporation and should not be bound by timing deadlines and other obstacles that presently shareholders must abide by in sponsoring proposals in a proxy statement. The Board should not have the ability to arbitrarily prevent a shareholder proposal from appearing in the proxy statement.

 

Resolution: Emerald will support any proposal calling for equal access to proxy statements.

 

m. Abstention Votes

 

Emerald supports changes in the method of accounting for abstention votes. Abstention votes should not be considered as shares “represented” or “cast” at an annual meeting. Only those shares cast favoring or opposing a proposal should be included in the total votes cast to determine if a majority vote has been achieved. Votes cast abstaining should not be included in total votes cast.

 

Resolution: Emerald will support any proposal to change a company’s by-laws or articles of incorporation to reflect the proper accounting for abstention votes.

 

III. Other Issues

 

On other major issues involving questions of community interest, moral and social concern, fiduciary trust and respect for the law such as:

 

A. Human Rights

 

B. Nuclear Issues

 

C. Defense Issues

 

D. Social Responsibility

 

Emerald, in general supports the position of management. Exceptions to this policy Include:

 

1. South Africa

 

Emerald will actively encourage those corporations that have South African interests to adopt and adhere to the Statement of Principles for South Africa, formerly known as the Sullivan Principles, and to take further actions to promote responsible corporate activity.

 

2. Northern Ireland

 

Emerald will actively encourage U.S. companies in Northern Ireland to adopt and adhere to the MacBride Principles, and to take further actions to promote responsible corporate activity.

 

IV. Other Potential Conflicts of Interest

 

Emerald may manage a variety of corporate accounts that are publicly traded.

 

B-6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Subject to Completion

 

Dated October 30, 2026

 

Prospectus

 

Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF

(formerly known as the F/m Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF)

 

(Ticker: Nasdaq – LFSC)

 

of The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

[  ], 2026

 

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

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Summary Section – Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF

1

Additional Information about the Fund

14

Management of the Fund  

23

How to Buy and Sell Shares

25

Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes

28

Distribution

33

Additional Considerations

34

Financial Highlights  

36

For More Information

39

 

No securities dealer, sales representative, or any other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations, other than those contained in this Prospectus or in approved sales literature in connection with the offer contained herein, and if given or made, such other information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF or The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”). This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby in any jurisdiction or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer.

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust became the Fund's investment adviser effective December 31, 2026, following the resignation of F/m Investments LLC. See “Management of the Fund” for more information.

 

 

 

 

Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF

 

SUMMARY SECTION

 

Investment Objective

 

The investment objective of the Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF (the “Fund”) is to seek long-term capital appreciation.

 

Fees and Expenses  

 

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 tables and example below.

 

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

Management Fees

0.79%

Distribution (12b-1) Fees

0.00%

Other Expenses

0.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.79%

  

1

 

 

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 hold or redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that: (1) your investment has a 5% return each year, and (2) the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the contractual expense limitation in the first year). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

$55

$227

$414

$955

 

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 annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal year end of August 31, 2026, the portfolio turnover rate of the Fund was [...]% of the average value of its portfolio. 

 

Principal Investment Strategies  

 

The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) and invests primarily in equity securities of life science companies selected by Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust (the “Adviser”), the Fund’s investment adviser. The Fund intends to identify and invest in unique growth opportunities within the life sciences universe by following scientific, technological and/or strategic innovation. The Adviser believes that innovative companies are those developing new products or reinventing/redesigning existing products/services, thereby generating value for their customers, creating a competitive advantage and/or driving business growth. The Adviser applies this theme of innovation by using its proprietary 10-step research process to identify companies that the Adviser believes are substantially focused on or are expected to substantially benefit from one or more of the following criteria:

 

 

•

Technological Advancement: In its simplest terms, technological advancement in life science companies involves the translation of innovative science into new products and/or services that improve the lives of consumers.

 

 

•

Market Disruption: Market disruption occurs when a company uses new or enhanced technology, manufacturing, marketing, distribution or service delivery approaches to challenge conventional business models, markets, or industries.

 

 

•

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in life science: AI plays a key role in many areas within the Life Sciences industry, utilized by companies that build new AI products and those that most effectively use AI to enhance their business.

 

2

 

 

 

The Adviser intends to apply the above principles to the following life science fields, among others:

 

Biotechnology. Biotechnology companies translate innovative science into therapeutic applications. This is done by a variety of treatment modalities including small molecules, antibodies, nucleic acids, or a combination of several of these treatment modalities.

 

Pharmaceutical. Pharmaceutical companies develop, produce and distribute medications.

 

Medical Diagnostics. Medical Diagnostic companies play a vital role in diagnosing and monitoring medical conditions. These can be an imaging test using an X-Ray, CT, MRI etc. or a laboratory performed test on a sample, among others. Molecular Diagnostic tests are used to help identify a disease or the risk of developing a disease, such as cancer, by studying molecules, such as DNA, RNA, and proteins, in a tissue or fluid sample. Molecular diagnostics may also be used to help plan the treatment for a disease, look for recurrence of a disease, or find out how well a treatment is working. This can take the form of tests for specific biomarkers, genetic tests for predisposition to a disease or condition, tumor sequencing tests or liquid biopsy tests.

 

Medical Devices. Medical devices companies produce instruments, apparatuses, or machines that are used in the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of illness or disease, or for detecting, measuring, restoring, correcting, or modifying the structure or function of the body for a health purpose.

 

Healthcare Services. Healthcare services companies provide care and/or services in multiple settings, ranging from hospital services to urgent care clinics to newer modes of engagement with telemedicine.

 

Healthcare Technologies (“Health-tech”). Health-tech companies incorporate novel technologies that enable the delivery of technology-enabled healthcare products and services that can be delivered or consumed outside of a hospital or physician’s office or enhance overall outcomes through artificial intelligence or machine learning.

 

Synthetic Biology. Synthetic Biology is a scientific field that uses engineering principles to design and modify organisms and biological systems. Synthetic Biology has applications in many different areas such as health promoting nutraceuticals, designing enzymes that can speed up a reaction and alter the manufacturing process within the pharmaceutical industry or metabolic engineering of organisms for bio-based production of fuel.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities issued by life science companies demonstrating innovation (the “80% Policy”). The Fund defines life science as a broad field of scientific study focused on living organisms and life processes. It encompasses a variety of disciplines that explore the structure, function, growth, evolution, and interaction of living organisms, ranging from microscopic cells to complex ecosystems. This includes biology, genetics, physiology, ecology, and related areas such as biotechnology, biomedicine, and agricultural sciences. The life sciences aim to improve understanding of biological mechanisms, contribute to human health, and solve challenges in agriculture, medicine, and environmental sustainability. For purposes of the 80% Policy, the Adviser will select life sciences issuers from those companies included in the following Subsectors of the FTSE Russell Industry Classification Benchmark (“FTSE Classification”) at the time of the Fund’s investment, (any future changes or reconstitution of the FTSE Classification will be interpreted in good faith by Adviser in its sole discretion to maintain the focus and integrity of the Fund):

 

3

 

 

 

Health Care Facilities

Medical Services

Health Care Management Services

Biotechnology

Health Care Services

Pharmaceuticals

Health Care: Misc.

Healthcare REIT

Medical Equipment

Drug Retailers

Medical Supplies

 

 

For purposes of the 80% Policy, the Fund considers companies demonstrating innovation as those companies developing new products or reinventing/redesigning existing products/services, as determined in the sole discretion of the Fund’s Adviser.

 

The Adviser’s research process includes utilizing its proprietary 10-Step Research Process in prescreening potential investments. This includes, but is not limited to, the review of SEC filings, [annual reports], financial statements, patents/other intellectual property, press releases and news stories, conducting surveys, monitoring patient groups, meeting with management, interviewing customers, industry contacts, medical professionals, key opinion leaders, competitors, suppliers and distributors, developing financial and valuation models, reviewing third-party, peer-reviewed and internal research, and communicating and collaborating with fellow investment team members.

 

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stock, preferred stock, other investment companies, and depositary receipts. The Fund may invest in shares of companies through private placements, warrants, rights, and initial public offerings.

 

The Fund intends to invest primarily in U.S. companies, but it may invest up to 20% of its net assets in foreign companies listed on a U.S. exchange. A company is deemed to be a foreign company if one or more of the following tests are met: (i) the company is organized in, or its primary business office or principal trading market of its equity security is located outside the United States; (ii) a majority of the company’s revenues are derived from outside the United States; or (iii) a majority of the issuer’s assets are located outside the United States. The Fund may invest in shares of companies through initial public offerings and private placements.

 

The Fund has elected to be, and intends to continue to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

Principal Investment Risks  

 

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the Fund. The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly from day to day and over time. You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The Fund’s principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the

 

4

 

 

 

order in which it appears. Different risks may be more significant at different times depending on market conditions or other factors.

 

 

•

Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in a particular issue, issuer or issuers, country, market segment, industries, project types, or asset class.

 

 

•

Currency Risk. Currency risk results from changes in the rate of exchange between the currency of the country in which a foreign company is domiciled or keeps its books and the U.S. dollar. Whenever the Fund holds securities valued in a foreign currency or holds the currency itself in connection with its purchases and sales of foreign securities, changes in the exchange rate add to or subtract from the value of the investment in U.S. dollars. The Fund generally does not seek to hedge currency risk, and although the Adviser considers currency risks as part of its investment process, its judgments in this regard may not always be correct.

 

 

•

Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures.

 

 

•

Depositary Receipts Risk. The Fund may purchase depositary receipts (American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depositary receipts (“GDRs”), and Non-Voting Depositary Receipts (“NVDRs”)) to facilitate its investments in foreign securities. By investing in ADRs rather than investing directly in the securities of foreign issuers, the Fund can avoid currency risks during the settlement period for purchase and sales. However, ADRs do not eliminate all the risks inherent in investing in the securities of foreign issuers. Depositary receipts may be issued in a sponsored program, in which an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities traded in the form of depositary receipts, or in an unsponsored program, in which the issuer may not be directly involved. The holders of depositary receipts that are unsponsored generally bear various costs associated with the facilities, while a larger portion of the costs associated with sponsored depositary receipts are typically borne by the foreign issuers.

 

 

•

Equity Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in, or have exposure to, equity securities. Equity securities tend to be more volatile than other investment choices, such as debt and money market instruments. The value of

your investment may decrease in response to overall stock market movements or the value of individual securities.

 

5

 

 

 

 

•

ETF Risk. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks: “Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk,” “Cash Transactions Risk,” “Secondary Market Trading Risk,” and “Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than Net Asset Value (“NAV”) Risk.”

 

 

•

Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant (“AP”) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are institutional investors and may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to its net asset value (“NAV”) and possibly face delisting: (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. These events, among others, may lead to the Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than the NAV when you buy Shares in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those Shares in the secondary market. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold. In periods of market volatility, APs, market makers and/or liquidity providers may be less willing to transact in Shares.

 

 

•

Cash Transactions Risk. Unlike certain ETFs, the Fund may effect its creations and redemptions partially or wholly for cash rather than on an in-kind basis. Because of this, the Fund may incur costs such as brokerage costs or be unable to realize certain tax benefits associated with in-kind transfers of portfolio securities that may be realized by other ETFs. These costs may decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent that the costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP. Shareholders may be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise have been subject to and/or at an earlier date than if the Fund had effected redemptions wholly on an in-kind basis.

 

 

•

Secondary Market Trading Risk. Although Shares are listed on a national securities exchange, 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 an active or liquid trading market for them will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted. Trading may be halted because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in the Fund inadvisable. These may include: (a) the extent to which trading is not occurring in the securities and/or the financial instruments composing the Fund’s Portfolio; or (b) whether other unusual conditions or circumstances detrimental to the maintenance of a fair and orderly market are present.

During periods of market stress, 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.

 

6

 

 

 

 

•

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. There is a risk that market prices for Fund Shares will vary significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Where all or portion of the Fund’s underlying securities trade in a foreign market that is closed when the market in which the Fund’s Shares are listed is open for trading, there may be changes between the last quote of the underlying securities’ value in the closed foreign market and the value of such underlying securities during the Fund’s domestic trading day.

 

 

•

Foreign Investments Risk. The Fund invests in the securities of foreign companies. Investing in securities of foreign companies involves risks generally not associated with investments in the securities of U.S. companies, including the risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, less stringent investor protections, unreliable and untimely information about issuers, and political and economic instability. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares.

 

 

•

Health Care Sector Risk. To the extent the Fund focuses on the health care sector, the Fund may be more susceptible to the particular risks that may affect companies in the health care sector than if it were invested in a wider variety of companies in unrelated sectors. The profitability of companies in the health care sector may be adversely affected by the following factors, among others: extensive government regulations, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, changes in the demand for medical products and services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and other market developments.

 

 

•

Infectious Illness Risk. A widespread outbreak of an infectious illness, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, may result in travel restrictions, disruption of healthcare services, prolonged quarantines, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, business closures, lower consumer demand, layoffs, ratings downgrades, defaults and other significant economic, social and political impacts. Markets may experience temporary closures, extreme volatility, severe losses, reduced liquidity, and increased trading costs. Such events may adversely affect the Fund and its investments and may impact the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities or cause elevated tracking error and increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV. Despite the development of vaccines, the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects cannot be predicted with certainty.

 

 

•

Initial Public Offerings (“IPOs”) Risk. Special risks associated with IPOs may include, among others, the fact that there may be only a limited number of shares available for trading. The market for those securities may be unseasoned. The issuer may have a limited operating history. These factors may contribute to price

volatility. The limited number of shares available for trading in some IPOs may also make it more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices.

 

7

 

 

 

 

•

Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform different from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.

 

 

•

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.

 

 

•

Life Science Companies Risk. The Fund focuses its investments in securities of companies that are categorized in the “life sciences” sector, including companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, health care services, and medical device industries. Because of this, companies in the Fund’s portfolio may share common characteristics and may be more sensitive to changes in government funding or subsidies, new or anticipated legislative changes, or technological advances. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater risks and its NAV may fluctuate more than other funds.

 

 

•

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk, due to certain investments trading in lower volumes or to market and economic conditions that the Fund may be unable to find a buyer for its investments when it seeks to sell them or to receive the price it expects based on the Fund’s valuation of the investments. Events that may lead to increased redemptions, such as market disruptions, may also negatively impact the liquidity of the Fund’s investments when it needs to dispose of them. If the Fund is forced to sell its investments at an unfavorable time and/or under adverse conditions in order to meet redemption requests, such sales could negatively affect the Fund. Liquidity issues may also make it difficult to value the Fund’s investments.

 

 

•

Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk as an actively-managed investment portfolio. The Adviser’s investment approach may fail to produce the intended results.

 

 

•

Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. Investors may lose money. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets.

 

 

•

Micro-Cap and Small Cap Companies Risk. Investments in securities of micro- and small-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of larger-capitalization companies. The securities of micro- and 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 micro- and 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. Micro- and small-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.

 

8

 

 

 

 

•

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. The securities of mid-capitalization companies may involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies. The prices of securities of mid-cap companies tend to be more vulnerable to adverse developments specific to a company or its industry, or the securities markets generally, than are securities of larger capitalization companies.

 

 

•

New Fund Risk. The Fund is a newly organized, management investment company with a limited operating history. In addition, there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to, or maintain, an economically viable size, in which case the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company may determine to liquidate the Fund.

 

 

•

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties, or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes or technology or systems failures. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.

 

 

•

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stocks are subject to the risks of equity securities generally and also risks associated with fixed-income securities, such as interest rate risk. A company’s preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the company makes required payments to creditors. As a result, the value of a company’s preferred stock will react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects.

 

 

•

Private Placements Risk. Investments in private placements could decrease the Fund’s liquidity profile or prevent the Fund from disposing of such securities promptly at advantageous prices. Private placements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the Fund might be unable to dispose of such securities promptly or at prices reflecting their true value. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities, and the Fund may only get limited information about the issuer of a private placement security, so it may be less able to anticipate a loss.

 

 

•

Risk of Investing in the United States. Certain changes in the United States economy, such as when the economy weakens or when its financial markets decline, may have an adverse effect on the securities to which the Fund has exposure.

 

 

•

Securities Issued By Other Investment Companies Risk. The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including other mutual funds, money market funds, ETFs, HOLDRs, unit investment trusts, and closed-end funds, to gain exposure to a particular portion of the market rather than purchase securities directly.

Investing in another investment company exposes the Fund to all the risks of that investment company, and, in general, subjects it to a pro rata portion of the other investment company’s fees and expenses.

 

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•

Turnover Rate Risk. The Fund may have portfolio turnover rates in excess of 100%. Increased portfolio turnover causes the Fund to incur higher brokerage costs, which may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and may produce increased taxable distributions. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate is expected to vary from year to year.

 

 

•

Warrants and Rights Risk. Rights are similar to warrants but normally have a short duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its shareholders. Warrants and rights are not dividend-paying investments and do not have the voting rights of common stock. They also do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. As a result, warrants and rights may be considered more speculative than direct equity investments.

 

Performance  

 

The bar chart and performance table illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund. The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund for one year. The table illustrates how the Fund's average annual total returns for the one-year and since-inception periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance and another benchmark with similar portfolio characteristics to the Fund. Past performance, both before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.emeraldetfs.com.

 

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Total Returns for the Calendar Year Ended December 31

 

  

Best Quarter: 23.17% in the quarter ended December 31, 2025

Worst Quarter: -4.07% in the quarter ended March 31, 2025

 

The Fund’s year-to-date total return for the nine months ended September 30, 2026 was 21.33%.

 

PERFORMANCE TABLE

 

(Average annual total returns for the periods ended December 31, 2025)

 

Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF

1 Year

Since

Inception

October 30, 2024

Return Before Taxes

56.56%

38.55%

Return After Taxes on Distributions

56.56%

38.55%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

33.48%

29.56%

Russell 3000 Index Health Care Total Return Index

14.56%

5.99%

Russell 3000 Total Return Index

17.15%

15.99%

 

 

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Management of the Fund

 

Investment Adviser

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust serves as the investment adviser.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

Name

Title with Investment Adviser

Tenure with the Fund

Joseph W. Garner, MBA

Director of Research

Since Inception in 2024

Kenneth G. Mertz II, CFA

Chief Investment Officer

Since Inception in 2024

Stacey L. Sears, MBA

Senior Vice President

Since Inception in 2024

Terry M. Smith, Ph.D., MBA

Director - Life Sciences Research

Since Inception in 2024

Nishit Trivedi, Ph.D., MBBS, MBA

Director - Life Sciences Research

Since Inception in 2024

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares  

 

Shares are listed on a national securities exchange, the Exchange, and investors can only buy and sell Shares through brokers or dealers 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 (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Information on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is provided at [www.emeraldetfs.com].

 

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 closely approximating the holdings of the Fund (the “Deposit Securities”) and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.

 

Tax Information  

 

Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination of the foregoing), unless your investment is made through 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.

 

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Financial Intermediary Compensation

 

If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Fund’s 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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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND

 

Investment Objective  

 

The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Board of the Company without shareholder approval. Shareholders will, however, receive 60 days’ prior written notice of any changes. Any such changes may result in the Fund having an investment objective different from the objective that the shareholder considered appropriate at the time of investment in the Fund.

 

The Fund’s 80% Policy is non-fundamental and can be changed by the Board upon 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders. The Fund must comply with its 80% Policy at the time the Fund invests its assets. Accordingly, when the Fund no longer meets the 80% requirement as a result of circumstances beyond its control, such as changes in the value of portfolio holdings, the Fund would not have to sell its holdings, but any new investments it makes would need to be consistent with its 80% Policy.

 

Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Investments and Risks  

 

Artificial Intelligence Risk. Advancements in technology may also adversely impact markets and the overall performance of the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and increased regulation of artificial intelligence. As the use of technology grows, liquidity and market movements may be affected. As artificial intelligence is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund.

 

Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities and/or other assets of a particular issuer or issuers, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, project types, group of project types, sector, market segment or asset class. The Fund may be more adversely affected by the underperformance of those securities and/or other assets, may experience increased price volatility and may be more susceptible to adverse economic, market, political or regulatory occurrences affecting those securities and/or other assets than a fund that does not concentrate its investments.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk results from changes in the rate of exchange between the currency of the country in which a foreign company is domiciled or keeps its books and the U.S. dollar. Whenever the Fund holds securities valued in a foreign currency or holds the currency itself in connection with its purchases and sales of foreign securities, changes in the exchange rate add to or subtract from the value of the investment in U.S. dollars. The Fund generally

 

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does not seek to hedge currency risk, and although the Adviser considers currency risks as part of its investment process, its judgments in this regard may not always be correct.

 

Cyber Security Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund is susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security failures or breaches by the Adviser  and other service providers (including, but not limited to, the Fund’s accountant, custodian, transfer agent and administrator), and the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, impediments to trading, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning could exacerbate these risks or result in cyber security incidents that implicate personal data. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, and issuers in which the Fund invests. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. The Fund may purchase depositary receipts, including ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and NVDRs to facilitate its investments in foreign securities. By investing in ADRs rather than investing directly in the securities of foreign issuers, the Fund can avoid currency risks during the settlement period for purchase and sales.

 

However, ADRs do not eliminate all the risk inherent in investing in the securities of foreign issuers. The information available for ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and NVDRs is subject to the accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards of the market or exchange on which they are traded, and those standards may be more uniform and more exacting than those to which many foreign issuers may be subject.

 

Depositary receipts may be issued in a sponsored program, in which an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities traded in the form of depositary receipts, or in an unsponsored program, in which the issuer may not be directly involved. The holders of depositary receipts that are unsponsored generally bear various costs associated with the facilities, while a larger portion of the costs associated with sponsored depositary receipts are typically borne by the foreign issuers.

 

The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited securities or to pass through the voting rights to facility holders with respect to the deposited securities. Available information concerning the issuers may not be as current for unsponsored

 

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depositary receipts and the prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than would be the case if the receipts were sponsored by the issuers.

 

Equity Securities Risk. The price of equity securities may rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, sectors or industries selected for the Fund or the securities market as a whole, such as changes in economic or political conditions. Equity securities are subject to “stock market risk” meaning that stock prices in general (or in particular, the types of securities in which the Fund invests) may decline over short or extended periods of time. When the value of the Fund’s securities goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value. Common stocks are generally exposed to greater risk that other types of securities, such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. 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. 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, and banking crises.

 

ETF Risk. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, the Fund is exposed to the following risks:

 

Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. Only an AP may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund may have 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. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (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. These events, among others, may lead to the Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than the NAV when you buy Shares in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those Shares in the secondary market. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold. In periods of market volatility, APs, market makers and/or liquidity providers may be less willing to transact in Fund Shares.

 

Cash Transactions Risk. Unlike certain ETFs, the Fund may effect its creations and redemptions partially or wholly for cash rather than on an in-kind basis. Because of this, the Fund may incur costs such as brokerage costs or be unable to realize certain tax benefits associated with in-kind transfers of portfolio securities that may be realized by other ETFs. These costs may decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent that the costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP. Shareholders may be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise have been subject to and/or at an earlier date than if the Fund had effected redemptions wholly on an in-kind basis.

 

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Secondary Market Trading Risk. Although the Fund’s 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 Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in the Fund’s 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. 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 the Fund’s Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than the Fund’s Shares. In addition, during periods of market stress, 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.

 

Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV Risk. As with all ETFs, Shares of the Fund 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines. In addition, where all or portion of the Fund’s underlying securities trade in a foreign market that is closed when the market in which the Fund’s Shares are listed is open for trading, there may be changes between the last quote of the underlying securities’ value in the closed foreign market and the value of such underlying securities during the Fund’s domestic trading day.

 

Foreign Investments Risk. The Fund invests in the securities of foreign companies, which may include the purchase of depositary receipts that represent indirect interests in the securities of foreign companies. Investing in securities of foreign companies involves risks generally not associated with investments in the securities of U.S. companies. These risks may relate to those associated with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, more or less foreign government regulation; less public information; less stringent investor protections; less stringent accounting, corporate governance, financial reporting and disclosure standards; less economic, political and social stability; and even the nationalization of assets. The liquidity of foreign investments may be more limited than for comparable U.S. investments. Therefore, at times, it may be difficult to sell foreign securities at favorable prices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares.

 

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

 

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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.

 

Infectious Illness Risk. A widespread outbreak of an infectious illness, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, may adversely affect the economies of many nations and the global economy and may impact individual issuers and capital markets in ways that cannot be foreseen. An infectious illness outbreak may result in travel restrictions, closed international borders, disruption of healthcare services, prolonged quarantines, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, lower consumer demand, temporary and permanent closures of businesses, layoffs, defaults and other significant economic, social and political impacts, as well as general concern and uncertainty. An infectious illness outbreak may result in extreme volatility, severe losses, credit deterioration of issuers, and disruptions in markets, which could adversely impact the Fund and its investments, including impairing any hedging activity. Certain local markets may be subject to closures. Any suspension of trading in markets in which the Fund invests will have an impact on the Fund and its investments and will impact the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities in such markets. Market or economic disruptions could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, an outbreak could impair the operations of the Fund’s service providers, which could adversely impact the Fund. Governmental and quasi-governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world may respond to an outbreak and any resulting economic disruptions with a variety of fiscal and monetary policy changes, including direct capital infusions into companies and other issuers, new monetary policy tools, and changes in interest rates. A reversal of these policies, or the ineffectiveness of such policies, is likely to increase market volatility, which could adversely affect the Fund’s investments. An outbreak may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally, which could adversely affect the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV. Despite the development of vaccines, the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects cannot be predicted with certainty.

 

Initial Public Offerings (“IPOs”) Risk. Securities issued in IPOs have not traded publicly until the time of their offerings. Special risks associated with IPOs may include, among others, the fact that there may be only a limited number of shares available for trading. The market for those securities may be unseasoned. The issuer may have a limited operating history. These factors may contribute to price volatility. The limited number of shares available for trading in some IPOs may also make it more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. In addition, some companies initially offering their shares publicly are involved in relatively new industries or lines of business, which may not be widely understood by investors. Some of the companies involved in new industries may be regarded as developmental stage companies, without revenues or operating income, or the near-term prospects of them. Many IPOs are by companies that are undercapitalized.

 

Issuer Risk. The performance of a Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.

 

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk. The Fund may invest in the securities of large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected if securities of large-capitalization companies

 

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underperform securities of smaller-capitalization companies or the market as a whole. 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.

 

Life Science Companies Risk. The Fund focuses its investments in “life sciences” related industry groups. Because of this, companies in its portfolio may share common characteristics and react similarly to market developments. For example, many companies with a life science orientation are highly regulated and may be dependent upon certain types of technology. Changes in government funding or subsidies, new or anticipated legislative changes, or technological advances could affect the value of such companies and, therefore, the Fund’s NAV. The Fund may be exposed to additional risks because life sciences companies invest heavily in research and development, which may not necessarily lead to commercially successful products. In addition, life sciences companies can be more volatile because they are subject to competitive pressures and are heavily dependent on patents on intellectual property rights.

 

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk, due to certain investments trading in lower volumes or to market and economic conditions that the Fund may be unable to find a buyer for its investments when it seeks to sell them or to receive the price it expects based on the Fund’s valuation of the investments. Events that may lead to increased redemptions, such as market disruptions, may also negatively impact the liquidity of the Fund’s investments when it needs to dispose of them. If the Fund is forced to sell its investments at an unfavorable time and/or under adverse conditions in order to meet redemption requests, such sales could negatively affect the Fund. Liquidity issues may also make it difficult to value the Fund’s investments.

 

Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk as an actively-managed investment portfolio. The Adviser’s investment approach may fail to produce the intended results, which could cause the Fund to lose value or its investment results to lag relevant benchmarks or other funds with similar objectives. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the Adviser in connection with managing the Fund and may also adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment goal.

 

Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. Investors may lose money. Although the Fund will invest in companies that the Adviser believes will produce less volatility, there is no guarantee that the companies will perform as expected. The prices of securities held by the Fund may decline in response to conditions affecting the general economy, overall market changes, local, regional or global political, social or economic instability, and currency, interest rate and commodity price fluctuations.

 

Periods of unusually high financial market volatility and restrictive credit conditions, at times limited to a particular sector or geographic area, have occurred in the past and may be expected to recur in the future. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted or have signaled protectionist trade measures, relaxation of the financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis, and/or reductions to corporate taxes. The current presidential administration has called for and is seeking to quickly enact significant changes to U.S. fiscal, tax, trade, healthcare, immigration, foreign, and government regulatory policy. Significant uncertainty exists with respect to legislation, regulation and government policy at the federal level, as well as the state and local levels. Recent events have created

 

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a climate of heightened uncertainty and introduced new and difficult-to-quantify macroeconomic and political risks with potentially far-reaching implications. There has been a corresponding meaningful increase in the uncertainty surrounding interest rates, inflation, foreign exchange rates, trade volumes and fiscal and monetary policy. To the extent the U.S. Congress or the current presidential administration implements changes to U.S. policy, those changes may impact, among other things, the U.S. and global economy, international trade and relations, unemployment, immigration, corporate taxes, healthcare, the U.S. regulatory environment, inflation and other areas. Although the Fund cannot predict the impact, if any, of these changes to the Fund's business, they could adversely affect the Fund's business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Until the Fund knows what policy changes are made and how those changes impact the Fund's business and the business of the Fund's competitors over the long term, the Fund will not know if, overall, the Fund will benefit from them or be negatively affected by them.

 

Additionally, climate change poses long-term threats to physical and biological systems. Potential hazards and risks related to climate change for a State or municipality include, among other things, wildfires, rising sea levels, more severe coastal flooding and erosion hazards, and more intense storms. Storms in recent years have demonstrated vulnerabilities in a State's or municipality's infrastructure to extreme weather events. Climate change risks, if they materialize, can adversely impact a State's or municipality's financial plan in current or future years. In addition, economists and others have expressed increasing concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. A rise in sea levels, an increase in powerful windstorms and/or a climate-driven increase in sea levels or flooding could cause coastal properties to lose value or become unmarketable altogether. Economists warn that, unlike previous declines in the real estate market, properties in affected coastal zones may not ever recover their value. Large wildfires driven by high winds and prolonged drought may devastate businesses and entire communities and may be very costly to any business found to be responsible for the fire. Regulatory changes and divestment movements tied to concerns about climate change could adversely affect the value of certain land and the viability of industries whose activities or products are seen as accelerating climate change. The Fund cannot predict the effects of or likelihood of such events on the U.S. and world economies. The Fund could be materially impacted by such events which may, in turn, negatively affect the value and performance the Fund.

 

Advancements in technology may also adversely impact markets and the overall performance of the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and increased regulation of artificial intelligence. As the use of technology grows, liquidity and market movements may be affected. As artificial intelligence is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund.

 

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. The value of securities of mid-cap companies may be more volatile than the value of securities of companies with larger capitalizations and also tend to be more adversely affected by issuer-specific events and political, market and economic developments than the securities of larger companies. Mid capitalization companies often have narrower commercial markets and more limited operating histories, product lines, and managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies. As a result, performance can be more volatile and they face greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility of a Fund’s portfolio. Additionally, mid-capitalization companies may have less market liquidity than larger capitalization companies, and they can be sensitive to changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings.

 

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Micro- and Small-Capitalization Companies Risk. Micro- and small-capitalization companies may be less well established and may have a more highly leveraged capital structure, less liquidity, a smaller investor base, limited product lines, greater dependence on a few customers or a few key personnel and similar factors that can make their business and stock market performance susceptible to greater fluctuation and volatility. There is typically less publicly available information concerning smaller-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Smaller-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings. As a result, the purchase or sale of more than a limited number of shares of a micro or small company may affect its market price. The Fund may need a considerable amount of time to purchase or sell its positions in these securities. In addition, smaller company stocks may not be well known to the investing public. These risks are more pronounced for micro-cap companies.

 

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties, or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.

 

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stocks are subject to the risks of equity securities generally and also risks associated with fixed-income securities, such as interest rate risk. A company’s preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the company makes required payments to creditors. As a result, the value of a company’s preferred stock will react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred stock may be less liquid than many other types of securities, such as common stock, and generally has limited or no voting rights. In addition, preferred stock is subject to the risks that a company may defer or not pay dividends, and, in certain situations, may call or redeem its preferred stock or convert it to common stock.

 

Private Placements Risk. Investments in private placements could decrease the Fund’s liquidity profile or prevent the Fund from disposing of such securities promptly at advantageous prices. Private placements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the Fund might be unable to dispose of such securities promptly or at prices reflecting their true value. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities, and the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement security, so it may be less able to anticipate a loss.

 

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Risk of Investing in the U.S. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations, inflation and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the U.S. are changing many aspects of financial, commercial, public health, environmental, and other regulation and may have a significant effect on U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. Governmental agencies project that the U.S. will continue to maintain elevated public debt levels for the foreseeable future. Although elevated debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, elevated public debt service costs may constrain future economic growth. Circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of interest or principal on U.S. government debt, such as reaching the legislative “debt ceiling.” Such non-payment would result in substantial negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial system. If U.S. relations with certain countries deteriorate, it could adversely affect U.S. issuers, as well as non-U.S. issuers, that rely on the U.S. for trade. The U.S. has also experienced increased internal unrest and discord. If these trends were to continue, it may have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which the Fund invests.

 

Turnover Rate Risk. The Fund may incur relatively high portfolio turnover. The active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs, which could reduce the Fund’s return.

 

Warrants and Rights Risk. Rights are similar to warrants but normally have a short duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its shareholders. Warrants and rights are not dividend-paying investments and do not have the voting rights of common stock. They also do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. As a result, warrants and rights may be considered more speculative than direct equity investments. In addition, the values of warrants and rights do not necessarily change with the values of the underlying securities, and these instruments may cease to have value if not exercised before their expiration dates. The use of warrants and rights can increase the volatility of the Fund’s portfolio. If the Fund invests in these instruments at unfortunate times or judges market conditions incorrectly, it may incur substantial losses. Changes in the liquidity of the secondary markets in which these instruments trade can result in significant, rapid, and unpredictable changes in their prices, and these conditions could also cause losses to the Fund.

 

Additional Information About the Fund’s Non-Principal Investments and Risks  

 

Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk. Investors buying or selling Shares of the Fund 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 the Fund’s Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the

 

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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 the 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 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.

 

Illiquid Investments Risk. The Fund invests primarily in publicly traded securities and do not generally purchase securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale or that are illiquid. However, liquid securities purchased by the Fund may become illiquid because of issuer-specific events or changes in market conditions. Illiquid investments are subject to the risk that the Funds will not be able to sell the investments when desired or at favorable prices. The Fund will not purchase an illiquid investment if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets would be so invested.

 

Legal and Regulatory Change Risk. The regulatory environment for investment companies is evolving, and changes in regulation may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments and its ability to pursue its trading strategy. In addition, the securities markets are subject to comprehensive statutes and regulations. The SEC and other regulators and self-regulatory organizations and exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of market emergencies. The effect of any future regulatory change on the Fund could be substantial and adverse.

 

RIC Compliance Risk. The Fund has elected to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a RIC under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. To continue to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a RIC, the Fund must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify for the special federal income tax treatment afforded to RICs, all of the Fund’s taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (without any deduction for distributions to its shareholders) and its income available for distribution will be reduced. Under certain circumstances, the Fund could cure a failure to qualify as a RIC, but in order to do so, the Fund could incur significant Fund-level taxes and could be forced to dispose of certain assets.

 

The Fund may make other types of investments and may engage in various other investment practices. These investments and practices, and their risks, are described in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

The Board of the Company, of which the Fund is a series, is responsible for supervising the operations and affairs of the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the daily management and administration of the Fund’s operations.

 

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Investment Adviser

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust ("Emerald" or the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser commenced business operations in April 2005 and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. The Adviser is located at 3175 Oregon Pike, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerald Advisers, LLC ("Emerald Advisers"), which commenced business operations in October 1992. As of [ ], 2026, Emerald Advisers and its affiliates had approximately $[ ] billion in assets under management.

 

Subject to the authority of the Board, the Adviser provides the Fund with a continuous program of investing the Fund's assets and determining the portfolio composition of the Fund. For its services, the Fund pays the Adviser a unitary management fee that is computed and paid monthly at an annual rate of [0.79]% of the average daily net assets of the Fund during the month. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, the Fund paid F/m, its investment adviser during that period, management fees equal to [0.79]% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. [The management fee rate payable to the Adviser is the same as the rate previously payable to F/m.] From the unitary management fees, the Adviser pays most of the expenses of the Fund, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services. However, under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is not responsible for interest expenses, brokerage commissions and other trading expenses, taxes and other extraordinary costs such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business. Prior to January 1, 2027, the Adviser had contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to limit Total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes) to 0.54% of the Fund's average daily net assets.

 

[A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's approval of the Fund's investment advisory agreement with the Adviser will be available in the Fund's Form N-CSR for the [fiscal/semi-annual] period ending [date].]

 

Transition of the Adviser

 

Prior to December 31, 2026, F/m served as the Fund's investment adviser, with Emerald serving as the Fund's investment sub‑adviser responsible for the day‑to‑day management of the Fund's portfolio. [F/m resigned as the Fund's investment adviser, effective December 31, 2026, in anticipation of an acquisition transaction that would terminate the investment advisory agreement between the Company, on behalf of the Fund, and F/m, and the sub‑advisory agreement between F/m and Emerald.] [From [date] until [date], Emerald served as the Fund's investment adviser under an interim investment advisory agreement approved by the Board in accordance with Rule 15a‑4 under the 1940

 

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Act.] [The Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, approved [an interim investment advisory agreement that became effective upon F/m’s resignation and continued in effect until] a new investment advisory agreement between the Company, on behalf of the Fund, and Emerald was approved by shareholders of the Fund at a special meeting of shareholders held on [date].] Emerald's portfolio management team continues to manage the Fund, and the Fund's investment objective and principal investment strategies did not change as a result of the transition.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

The following portfolio managers have served in this capacity since the inception of the Fund:

 

Joseph W. Garner, MBA, is the Director of Research for Emerald Advisers, a position he has held since January 1995. Mr. Garner has been employed by Emerald Advisers since April 1994 as an analyst, focusing on small to mid-size firms. He holds an M.B.A. from the Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh.

 

Stacey L. Sears, MBA, is Vice President of the Adviser and Emerald Advisers. Ms. Sears was employed by the Adviser’s parent company from 1992 to 2001, and from 1995 to 2000, served as a Research Analyst. She became an assistant portfolio manager to Mr. Mertz in 2001. In 2002, Ms. Sears became a Portfolio Manager.

 

Terry M. Smith, Ph.D., MBA, is a Director - Life Sciences Research for the Adviser and joined the firm in 2006. Dr. Smith received his Ph.D. in Integrative Biosciences – Molecular Toxicology at the Pennsylvania State University in 2006, and his MBA from the Pennsylvania State University in 2004.

 

Nishit Trivedi, Ph.D., MBBS, MBA, is a Director - Life Sciences Research for the Adviser, focusing on Biotech and Medical Device companies. Dr. Trivedi received both a Ph.D. and an MBA from Pennsylvania State University, and received his medical degree (MBBS) from Bombay University, India.

 

The SAI provides additional information about the compensation of each Portfolio Manager, other accounts managed by them, and their ownership of Shares of the Fund.

 

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

 

The Fund issues and redeems its Shares at NAV only in Creation Units. Only APs may acquire Shares directly from the Fund, and only APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV. APs must be (i) a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation, a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC participant (as discussed below). In addition, each AP 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. Once created, Shares trade in the secondary market in quantities less than a Creation Unit.

 

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Investors can only buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. 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 the Fund’s 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 (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares.

 

Investors owning the Fund’s 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.

 

Share Trading Prices on the Exchange  

 

Trading prices of the Fund’s Shares on the Exchange may differ from the Fund’s daily NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of Shares. To provide additional information regarding the indicative value of Shares, the Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates information every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association, or other widely disseminated means, an updated “intraday indicative value” (“IIV”) for Shares as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Funds are neither involved in nor responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIVs and make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIVs. If the calculation of the IIV is based on the basket of Deposit Securities, such IIV may not represent the best possible valuation of the Fund’s portfolio because the basket of Deposit Securities does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current Fund portfolio at a particular point in time. The IIV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the Fund’s NAV because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed only once a day, typically at the end of the business

 

26

 

 

 

day. The IIV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the Deposit Securities.

 

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares  

 

The Fund imposes 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 with the Fund, are an essential part of the ETF process and help keep share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, the Fund accommodate frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, the Board has also determined that frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase tracking error and portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains or losses. To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions, the Fund employs fair value pricing and impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effecting trades. In addition, the Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order at any time.

 

Determination of Net Asset Value  

 

The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, each day the NYSE is open for business. The NAV for the Fund is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by its Shares outstanding.

 

In calculating its NAV, the 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. If such information is not available for a security held by the Fund or is determined to be unreliable, the security will be valued at fair value estimates by the Fund’s Valuation Designee (defined below) under guidelines established by the Board.

 

Fair Value Pricing  

 

If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be fair valued by the Adviser, as the Fund’s Valuation Designee (the “Valuation Designee”), in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board and under the Board’s ultimate supervision. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by the Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments. The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by the Fund and its Valuation Designee in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under

 

27

 

 

 

the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) (“Rule 2a-5”), the Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable.

 

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

 

Dividends and Distributions  

 

The Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, quarterly, and distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders annually.

 

Dividend Reinvestment Service  

 

Brokers may make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available to their customers who own Shares. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and capital gains will automatically be reinvested in additional whole Shares of the Fund purchased on the secondary market. Without this service, investors would receive their distributions in cash. In order to achieve the maximum total return on their investments, investors are encouraged to use the dividend reinvestment service. To determine whether the dividend reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker. Brokers may require the Fund’s shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables.

 

For taxable investors, distributions of the Fund's taxable income or gain are taxable whether reinvested in Shares or received in cash.

 

Taxes  

 

As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in shares of the Fund will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information about certain U.S. tax considerations relevant under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. Such tax information does not represent a detailed description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you in light of your particular circumstances, including if you are subject to special tax treatment. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors ”United States persons” (within the meaning of the Code) holding Shares as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes (generally, for  investment). You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in shares of the Fund.

 

28

 

 

 

Unless your investment in Shares of the Fund is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when: (i) the Fund makes distributions; (ii) you sell your Shares listed on the Exchange; and (iii) you purchase or redeem Creation Units.

 

Taxes on Distributions  

 

The Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains income. For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income (as discussed below). Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her shares of the Fund. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by the 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. 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 the 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 by both the Fund and the shareholder. “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 the 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. The amount of the Fund’s distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities, if any. Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from the Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, provided holding period and other requirements are met by both the Fund and the shareholder. The amount of the dividends qualifying for this deduction may, however, be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities, if any.

 

If the Fund were to retain any net capital gain, the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to shareholders who, if subject to U.S. federal income tax on long-term capital gains, (i) will be required to include in income as long-term capital gain, their proportionate share of such undistributed amount, and (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate share of the U.S. federal income tax paid by the Fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. If such an event occurs, the tax basis of Shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, generally be increased by the difference between the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder.

 

29

 

 

 

The Fund may make distributions that are treated as a return of capital. Such distributions are generally not taxable but will reduce the basis of your Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the basis of your Shares, however, the excess will be treated as gain from a sale of the Shares.

 

Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the character of any distributions received from the Fund.

 

U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (including capital gains distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of shares of the Fund). 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.

 

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 the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the Shares' NAV when you purchased your Shares of the Fund). Income from U.S. treasury securities are generally exempt from state and local taxes. Distributions paid from any interest income and from any short-term or long-term capital gains will be taxable whether you reinvest those distributions or receive them in cash. Distributions paid from a Fund's net long-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held your Shares.

 

You may wish to avoid investing in the Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable to you even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment. This adverse tax result is known as “buying into a dividend.”

 

Taxes When Shares are Sold  

 

For federal income tax purposes, any gain or loss realized upon a sale of Shares of the Fund generally is treated as a capital gain or loss and as a long-term capital gain or loss if those Shares have been held for more than 12 months and as a short-term capital gain or loss if those Shares have been held for 12 months 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 or undistributed capital gains deemed paid with respect to such Shares of the Fund. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent Shares of the Fund are acquired (or the shareholder enters into a contract or option to acquire Shares of the Fund), including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the sale of Shares. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an increase to the basis of the Shares acquired.

 

30

 

 

 

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans  

 

The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on and sales of Shares of the Fund held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless it borrowed to acquire the Shares.

 

U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign Shareholders  

 

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 or returns of capital) paid to you by the Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. The 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. For these purposes, interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends generally represent distributions of interest or short-term capital gains that would not have been subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the source if received directly by a foreign shareholder, and that satisfy certain other requirements.

 

Properly reported distributions by the Fund that are received by foreign shareholders are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax when they (a) are paid by the Fund in respect of the Fund's “qualified net interest income” (i.e., the Fund's U.S. source interest income, subject to certain exceptions, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income), or (b) are paid by the Fund in connection with the Fund's “qualified short-term gains” (generally, the excess of the Fund's net short-term capital gains over the Fund's long-term capital losses for such tax year). However, depending on the circumstances, the Fund may report all, some or none of the Fund's potentially eligible distributions as derived from such qualified net interest income or from such qualified short-term gains, and a portion of such distributions (e.g., distributions attributable to interest from non-U.S. sources or any foreign currency gains) would be ineligible for this potential exemption from withholding.

 

If the Fund were to retain any net capital gain and designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to shareholders, foreign shareholders would be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to claim refunds of their portion of the tax paid by the Fund on deemed capital gain distributions.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on the sale of Shares in the Fund, except that a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a calendar year will be taxable on such gains and on Capital Gain Dividends from the Fund.

 

However, if a foreign investor conducts a trade or business in the United States and the investment in the Fund is effectively connected with that trade or business, then the foreign investor’s income from the Fund will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax at graduated rates in a manner similar to the income of a U.S. citizen or resident.

 

The Fund is generally required to withhold 30% on certain payments to shareholders that are foreign entities and that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.

 

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The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described herein. All foreign investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences in their country of residence of an investment in the Fund.

 

Backup Withholding  

 

The Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns shares of the Fund) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption 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 he, she or it is not subject to such backup withholding. A foreign investor can generally avoid such backup withholding by certifying his or her foreign status under penalties of perjury. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

 

Taxes on Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units  

 

An AP 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 market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the sum of the AP’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Any gain or loss realized by an AP upon a creation of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the AP holds the securities exchanged therefor as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held by the AP for more than 12 months, and otherwise will be short-term capital gain or loss.

 

The Company on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for a purchase of Creation Units if the AP (or a group of APs) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Company also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to an AP (or group of APs) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, the AP (or group of APs) may not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.

 

An AP who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units

 

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and the AP’s basis in the Creation Units. Any gain or loss realized by an AP upon a redemption of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the AP holds the shares comprising the Creation Units as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares comprising the Creation Units have been held by the AP for more than 12 months, and otherwise will generally be short-term capital gain or loss. Any capital loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable AP of long-term capital gains with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the AP as undistributed capital gains). However, any loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units will be disallowed to the extent Shares of a Fund are acquired (or the AP enters into a contract or option to acquire Shares of a Fund), including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the redemption. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an increase to the basis of the Shares acquired.

 

The 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. The Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the 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 , which would generally not give rise to a taxable gain or loss for the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.

 

Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.

 

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You also may be subject to state and local tax on Fund's distributions and sales of Shares of the Fund. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares of the Fund under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES” in the SAI.

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

The Distributor, Quasar Distributors, LLC, is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101.

 

33

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

 

Payments to Financial Intermediaries  

 

The Adviser, out of its own resources and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may pay intermediaries, including affiliates of the Adviser, for the sale of Fund Shares and related services, including participation in activities that are designed to make intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products. Payments are generally made to intermediaries that provide shareholder servicing, marketing and related sales support, educational training or support, or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. Payments may also be made to intermediaries for making Shares of the Fund available to their customers generally and in investment programs. The Adviser may also reimburse expenses or make payments from its own resources to intermediaries in consideration of services or other activities the Adviser believes may facilitate investment in the Fund.

 

The possibility of receiving, or the receipt of, the payments described above may provide intermediaries or their salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Shares of the Fund, and other funds whose affiliates make similar compensation available, over other investments that do not make such payments. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to the Fund and other ETFs.

 

Premium/Discount Information  

 

Information regarding how often Shares are traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund is presented, free of charge, on the Fund’s website at [www.emeraldetfs.com].

 

Continuous Offering  

 

The method by which Creation Units are purchased and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the Prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

 

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

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available with respect to such

 

34

 

 

 

transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker dealer-firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with Shares that are part of an over-allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(a) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares of the Fund are reminded that under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Fund’s Prospectus is available on the SEC’s electronic filing system. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 of the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings  

 

The Fund discloses its full portfolio holdings, as of the close of business the prior day, each day before the opening of trading on the Exchange at [www.emeraldetfs.com]. Information regarding the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid/ask spreads, is available at [www.emeraldetfs.com]. A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.

 

Additional Information  

 

The Fund enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including, among others, the Fund’s investment adviser, who provides services to the Fund. Shareholders are not parties to, or intended (or “third party”) beneficiaries of, those contractual arrangements.

 

The Prospectus and the SAI provide information concerning the Fund that you should consider in determining whether to purchase Shares of the Fund. The Fund may make changes to this information from time to time. Neither this Prospectus nor the SAI is intended to give rise to any contract rights or other rights in any shareholder, other than any rights conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.

 

NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUND’S SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.

 

35

 

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

The table below sets forth certain financial information for the period indicated for the Fund. Total return in the table represent the rate an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from the Fund’s financial statements and has been audited by [  ], the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. This information should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s financial statements, which, together with the report of the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, are included in the Fund’s [Annual Report], which is available upon request.

 

36

 

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

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

Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF

FOR THE

YEAR

ENDED

AUGUST 31,

2026

FOR THE

PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 2025(a)

PER SHARE DATA:

   

Net asset value, beginning of period

[...]

$

25.00

INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

   

Net investment loss(b)

[...]

(0.10

)

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments(d)

[...]

2.97

Total from investment operations

[...]

2.87

Net asset value, end of period

[...]

$

27.87

Total Return(e)

[...]

11.49

%

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:

   

Net assets, end of period (in thousands)

[...]

$

64,581

Ratio of expenses to average net assets:

   

Before expense reimbursement/recoupment(f)(g)

[...]

0.79

%

After expense reimbursement/recoupment(f)(g)

[...]

0.54

%

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets(c)(f)

[...]

(0.49

)%

Portfolio turnover rate(e)(h)

[...]

19

%

 

(a)Inception date of the Fund was October 30, 2024.
(b)Net Investment income per share has been calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(c)Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying exchange traded funds in which the Fund invests. The ratio does not include net investment income of the exchange traded funds in which the Fund invests.
(d)Realized and unrealized gains and losses per share in the caption are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net asset value per share for the period, and may not reconcile with the aggregate gains and losses in the Statement of Operations due to share transactions for the period.
(e)Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(f)Annualized for periods less than one year.
(g)These ratios exclude the impact of expenses of the underlying exchange traded funds in which the fund invests.
(h)Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

 

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INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust
3175 Oregon Pike
Leola, Pennsylvania 17540

 

ADMINISTRATOR AND
TRANSFER AGENT

 

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

 

[  ]

 

UNDERWRITER

 

Quasar Distributors, LLC
190 Middle Street, Suite 301
Portland, Maine 04101

 

COUNSEL

 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

 

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

For more information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:

 

Annual/Semi-Annual Reports  

 

Additional information about the Fund’s investments is included in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The [annual report] contains a concise summary of the relevant market conditions and investment strategies that materially affected the Fund’s performance during its most recently completed fiscal year. The Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders are available at the Fund’s website at [www.emeraldetfs.com] or by calling 1-800-617-0004.

 

Statement of Additional Information  

 

The Fund’s SAI, dated [  ], 2026, has been filed with the SEC. The SAI, which includes additional information about the Fund, may be obtained free of charge at the Fund’s website or by calling 1-800-617-0004. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and is legally considered a part of this Prospectus.

 

TO OBTAIN INFORMATION

 

The SAI is available, without charge, upon request along with the semi-annual and annual reports. To obtain a free copy of the SAI, semi-annual or annual reports or if you have questions about the Fund:

 

By Internet  

 

Go to [www.emeraldetfs.com].

 

By Telephone  

 

Call 1-800-617-0004 or your securities dealer.

 

From the SEC  

 

Information about the Fund (including the SAI) and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending an electronic request to publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

Investment Company Act File Number 811-05518

 

39

 

 

 

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

 

Subject to Completion

 

Dated October 30, 2026

 

Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF

 

(formerly known as the F/m Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF)

 

(Ticker: Nasdaq – LFSC)

 

A series of The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

 

3175 Oregon Pike, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

Dated [  ], 2026

 

The Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF (the “Fund”) is a diversified series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”), an open-end management investment company organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988.

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Information about the Fund is set forth in the prospectus dated [  ], 2026 (the “Prospectus”) and the Fund’s annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026 (“[Annual Report]”). To obtain a copy of the Prospectus and/or the Fund’s [Annual Report] and Semi-Annual Reports, please call 1-800-617-0004. This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus but contains information in addition to and more detailed than that set forth in the Prospectus. It is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. This SAI is intended to provide you with additional information regarding the activities and operations of the Fund and the Company, and it should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the same meaning set forth in the Prospectus.

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Fund History

1

Investment Policies and Practices  

1

Investment Restrictions

14

Exchange Listing and Trading  

16

Management of the Company  

17

Code of Ethics  

26

Principal Holders

26

Investment Advisory Agreement and Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement  

27

Portfolio Managers

29

Underwriter

32

Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units

32

Portfolio Holdings Information  

40

Determination of Net Asset Value

40

Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes

41

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage  

44

Securities Lending  

46

Proxy Voting Procedures

46

Payments To Financial Intermediaries  

47

Additional Information Concerning Company Shares  

47

General Information

48

Financial Statements  

51

Appendix A  

A-1

Appendix B

B-1

 

 

 

 

FUND HISTORY

 

The Company is an open-end management investment company currently consisting of [  ] separate portfolios. The Company is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and was organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988. This SAI pertains to shares of the Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF. Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund and is responsible for selecting the portfolio securities for investment by the Fund, subject to the general supervision of the Board.

 

The Fund offers and issues shares at its net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (each a “Creation Unit”). The Fund also 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 Company 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. The shares of the Fund are listed for trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”), and the Fund trades on the Exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the shares’ NAVs. The shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment. A Creation Unit of the Fund consists of at least 5,000 Shares.

 

Shares of the Fund may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Company cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities as set forth in the Participant Agreement (as defined below). The Company may impose a transaction fee for each creation or redemption (the “Transaction Fee”). In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. The Fund may charge, either in lieu or in addition to the fixed creation or redemption Transaction Fee, a variable fee for creations and redemptions in order to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction, up to a maximum of 2.00% of the NAV per Creation Unit, inclusive of any Transaction Fees charged (if applicable).

 

The Fund is an actively-managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”).

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES

 

The Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described in the Prospectus. The sections below describe some of the different types of investments that may be made by the Fund as part of its principal and non-principal investment strategies. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.

 

With respect to the 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.

 

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There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund may not necessarily invest in all of the instruments or use all of the investment techniques permitted by the Prospectus and this SAI, or invest in such instruments or engage in such techniques to the full extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and limitations.

 

Principal Investment Policies and Risks  

 

American, European and Global Depositary Receipts. The Fund may invest in American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”). ADRs, as well as other “hybrid” forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution in the issuer’s home country. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends and interest and corporate actions. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities including increased market, illiquidity, currency, political, information and other risks, and even where traded in U.S. dollars are subject to currency risk if the underlying security is traded in a foreign currency. GDRs, EDRs, and other similar instruments may be issued by a U.S. or non-U.S. entity and may be traded in other currencies. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. EDRs are issued in bearer form and are designed for use in European securities markets.

 

Investments in the securities of foreign issuers may subject the Fund to investment risks that differ in some respects from those related to investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Such risks include future adverse political and economic developments, possible imposition of withholding taxes on income, possible seizure, nationalization or expropriation of foreign deposits, possible establishment of exchange controls or taxation at the source or greater fluctuation in value due to changes in exchange rates. Foreign issuers of securities often engage in business practices different from those of domestic issuers of similar securities, and there may be less information publicly available about foreign issuers. In addition, foreign issuers are, generally speaking, subject to less government supervision and regulation and different accounting treatment than are those in the United States.

 

Cyber Security Risk. The Fund and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, or lose operational capacity. Breaches in cyber security 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 cyber-attacks. Cyber security breaches affecting the Fund, Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber security breaches may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value (“NAV”), cause the

 

2

 

 

 

release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such companies to lose value. While the Fund and its service providers have established information technology and data security programs and have in place business continuity plans and other systems designed to prevent losses and mitigate cyber security risk, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified or that cyber-attacks may be highly sophisticated. Furthermore, the Fund has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser.

 

Equity Securities. Equity securities represent ownership interests in a company and consist of common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock, and securities convertible into common stock. Investments in equity securities in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which the Fund invests will cause the NAV of the Fund to fluctuate. The Fund purchases equity securities traded in the U.S. on registered exchanges or the over-the-counter market. Equity securities are described in more detail below:

 

 

•

Common Stock. Common stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds and preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock.

 

 

•

Preferred Stock. Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has precedence over common stock in the payment of dividends. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock.

 

 

•

Warrants. Warrants are instruments that entitle the holder to buy an equity security at a specific price for a specific period of time. Changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The price of a warrant may be more volatile than the price of its underlying security, and a warrant may offer greater potential for capital appreciation as well as capital loss. Warrants do not entitle a holder to dividends or voting rights with respect to the underlying security and do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuing company. A warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date. These factors can make warrants more speculative than other types of investments.

 

 

•

Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks or other securities that may be converted or exchanged (by the holder or by the issuer) into shares of the underlying common stock (or cash or securities of equivalent value) at a stated exchange ratio. A convertible security may also be called for redemption or conversion by the issuer after a particular date and under certain circumstances (including a specified price) established upon issue. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for

redemption or conversion, the Fund could be required to tender it for redemption, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third party.

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

Convertible securities generally have less potential for gain or loss than common stocks. Convertible securities generally provide yields higher than the underlying common stocks, but generally lower than comparable non-convertible securities. Because of this higher yield, convertible securities generally sell at a price above their “conversion value,” which is the current market value of the stock to be received upon conversion. The difference between this conversion value and the price of convertible securities will vary over time depending on changes in the value of the underlying common stocks and interest rates. When the underlying common stocks decline in value, convertible securities will tend not to decline to the same extent because of the interest or dividend payments and the repayment of principal at maturity for certain types of convertible securities. However, securities that are convertible other than at the option of the holder generally do not limit the potential for loss to the same extent as securities convertible at the option of the holder. When the underlying common stocks rise in value, the value of convertible securities may also be expected to increase. At the same time, however, the difference between the market value of convertible securities and their conversion value will narrow, which means that the value of convertible securities will generally not increase to the same extent as the value of the underlying common stocks. Because convertible securities may also be interest-rate sensitive, their value may increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Convertible securities are also subject to credit risk, and are often lower-quality securities.

 

 

•

Micro, Small and Medium Capitalization Issuers. Investing in equity securities of small and medium capitalization companies often involves greater risk than is customarily associated with investments in larger capitalization companies. This increased risk may be due to the greater business risks of smaller size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded in the over-the-counter market and even if listed on a national securities exchange may not be traded in volumes typical for that exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies are less likely to be liquid, may have limited market stability, and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies or the market averages in general.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”). The Fund may invest in open-end investment companies whose shares are listed for trading on a national securities exchange. ETF shares typically trade like shares of common stock and provide investment results that generally correspond to the price and yield performance of the component stocks of a widely recognized index. There can be no assurance, however, that this can be accomplished, as it may not be possible for an ETF to replicate the composition and relative weightings of the securities of its corresponding index. Additionally, some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers and do not seek to provide investment results that correspond to an index.

 

ETFs are subject to risks of an investment in a broadly based portfolio of common stocks, including the risk that the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of such investment. An actively-managed ETF may not perform as well as its investment adviser and/or sub-advisers expect, and/or the actively-managed ETF’s portfolio management practices might not work to achieve the desired result. Individual shares of an

 

4

 

 

 

ETF are generally not redeemable at their NAV, but trade on an exchange during the day at prices that are normally close to, but not the same as, their NAV. There is no assurance that an active trading market will be maintained for the shares of an ETF or that market prices of the shares of an ETF will be close to their NAVs. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF’s shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their NAV. In addition, the purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to a mutual fund’s or ETF’s own expenses.

 

Investments in securities of ETFs beyond the limitations set forth in Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act are subject to certain terms and conditions described below. Section 12(d)(1)(A) states that a mutual fund may not acquire shares of other investment companies, such as ETFs, in excess of: 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the investment company; 5% of its total assets invested in the investment company; or more than 10% of the fund’s total assets were to be invested in the aggregate in all investment companies. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to a mutual fund’s own expenses. In October 2020, the SEC adopted certain regulatory changes and took other actions related to the ability of an investment company to invest in another investment company. The changes include, among other things, amendments to Rule 12d1-1, the rescission of Rule 12d1-2, and the adoption of Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 12d1-4”) which allows funds to invest in other investment companies in excess of some of the limitations discussed above, subject to certain limitations and conditions. An acquiring fund relying on Rule 12d-4 must enter into a fund of funds investment agreement with the acquired fund. Rule 12d1-4 outlines the requirements for fund of funds agreements and specifies certain reporting responsibilities of the acquiring fund’s adviser. The Fund expects to rely on Rule 12d1-4 to the extent the Adviser deems such reliance necessary or appropriate.

 

Investment Company Shares. The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions. These investment companies typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by the Fund. The Fund’s purchase of such investment company securities results in the layering of expenses, such that shareholders would indirectly bear a proportionate share of the operating expenses of such investment companies, including advisory fees, in addition to paying the Fund’s expenses. Unless an exception is available, Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act prohibits a fund from (i) acquiring more than 3% of the voting shares of any one investment company, (ii) investing more than 5% of its total assets in any one investment company, and (iii) investing more than 10% of its total assets in all investment companies combined. These limits will not apply to the investment of uninvested cash balances in shares of registered or unregistered money market funds whether affiliated or unaffiliated. The foregoing exemption, however, only applies to an unregistered money market fund that (i) limits its investments to those in which a money market fund may invest under Rule 2a-7 of the 1940 Act, and (ii) undertakes to comply with all the other provisions of Rule 2a-7.

 

For hedging or other purposes, the Fund may invest in investment companies that seek to track the composition and/or performance of specific indexes or portions of specific indexes. Certain of these investment companies, known as ETFs, are traded on a securities exchange. The market prices of index-based investments will fluctuate in accordance with changes in the underlying portfolio securities of the investment company and also due to supply and demand of the investment company’s shares on the exchange upon which the shares are traded. Index-based investments may not replicate or otherwise match the composition or performance of their specified index due to transaction costs, among other things.

 

5

 

 

 

Investments by the Fund in other investment companies, including ETFs, will be subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act. Pursuant to Rule 12d1-4 and procedures approved by the Board, the Fund may invest in other investment companies beyond the limits contained in the 1940 Act, subject to certain conditions imposed by Rule 12d1-4 including limits on control and voting of acquired funds’ shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements and limits on most three-tier fund structures.

 

Certain investment companies whose securities are purchased by the Fund may not be obligated to redeem such securities in an amount exceeding 1% of the investment company’s total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days. Therefore, such securities that exceed this amount may be illiquid.

 

Non-U.S. Issuers Risk. The Fund may invest in securities of non-U.S. corporate issuers. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers have different risks from securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, political instability which could affect U.S. investments in non-U.S. countries, uncertainties of transnational litigation, and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital, including the possible seizure or nationalization of the securities issued by non-U.S. issuers held by the Fund. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to less governmental regulation than U.S. issuers. Moreover, individual non-U.S. economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment positions. Unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments in non-U.S. countries could affect the payment of a security’s principal and interest. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers may also be less liquid than, and more difficult to value than, securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, the value of these securities may fluctuate due to changes in the exchange rate of the issuer’s local currency against the U.S. dollar.

 

Special Note Regarding Market Events. Periods of unusually high financial market volatility and restrictive credit conditions, at times limited to a particular sector or geographic area, have occurred in the past and may be expected to recur in the future. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted or have signaled protectionist trade measures, relaxation of the financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis, and/or reductions to corporate taxes. The scope of these policy changes is still developing, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations of change, which could increase volatility, particularly if a resulting policy runs counter to the market’s expectations. The outcome of such changes cannot be foreseen at the present time. In addition, geopolitical and other risks, including events such as war, military conflict, acts of terrorism, social unrest, natural disasters, recessions, inflation, rapid interest rate changes, supply chain disruptions, sanctions, the spread of infectious illness or other public health threats could also significantly impact the Fund and its investments. As a result of increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by events impacting a country or region, regardless of whether the Fund invests in issuers located in or with significant exposure to such country or region.

 

Disease outbreaks that affect local economies or the global economy may materially and adversely impact the Fund and/or the Adviser’s business. For example, uncertainties regarding the COVID-19 outbreak have resulted in serious economic disruptions across the globe. Recent events are impacting the securities markets. Governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve, have in the past responded to major economic

 

6

 

 

 

disruptions with changes to fiscal and monetary policy, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions, new monetary programs, and interest rates changes. Such policy changes may adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of dividend and interest paying securities.

 

In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in the Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or to accurately price its investments. Although multiple asset classes may be affected by a market disruption, the duration and effects may not be the same for all types of assets. To the extent the Fund may overweight its investments in certain countries, companies, industries or market sectors, such position will increase the Fund’s exposure to risk of loss from adverse developments affecting those countries, companies, industries or sectors. These conditions could result in the Fund’s inability to achieve its investment objectives, cause the postponement of reconstitution or rebalance dates for benchmark indices, adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, negatively impact the Fund’s performance, and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

 

Additionally, U.S. and global markets recently have experienced increased volatility, including the recent failures of certain U.S. and non-U.S. banks, which could be harmful to the Fund and issuers in which they invest. Conditions in the banking sector are evolving, and the scope of any potential impacts to the Fund and issuers, both from market conditions and also potential legislative or regulatory responses, are uncertain. Continued market volatility and uncertainty and/or a downturn in market and economic and financial conditions, as a result of developments in the banking industry or otherwise (including as a result of delayed access to cash or credit facilities), could have an adverse impact on the Fund and issuers in which they invest.

 

Temporary Defensive Positions. In anticipation of or in response to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions (up to 100% of its assets) in cash, cash equivalents and all types of money market and short-term debt securities. If the Fund were to take a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective for a period of time.

 

Non-Principal Investment Policies and Risks  

 

Borrowing. The Fund may borrow money from a bank equal to 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes to meet redemptions or to pay dividends. Borrowing may exaggerate changes in the NAV of the Fund’s shares and in the return on the Fund’s portfolio. Although the principal of any borrowing will be fixed, the Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. The Fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities at a time when it would be disadvantageous to do so in order to make payments with respect to any borrowing. The Fund may be required to earmark or segregate liquid assets in an amount sufficient to meet its obligations in connection with such borrowings. In an interest rate arbitrage transaction, the Fund borrows money at one interest rate and lends

 

7

 

 

 

the proceeds at another, higher interest rate. These transactions involve a number of risks, including the risks that the borrower will fail or otherwise become insolvent or that there will be a significant change in prevailing interest rates.

 

Forward Commitment and When-Issued Transactions. The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis (subject to its investment policies and restrictions). These transactions involve a commitment by the Fund to purchase or sell securities at a future date (ordinarily one or two months later). The price of the underlying securities (usually expressed in terms of yield) and the date when the securities will be delivered and paid for (the settlement date) are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. When-issued purchases and forward commitments are negotiated directly with the other party, and such commitments are not traded on exchanges.

 

When-issued purchases and forward commitments enable the Fund to lock in what is believed by its investment adviser to be an attractive price or yield on a particular security for a period of time, regardless of future changes in interest rates. For instance, in periods of rising interest rates and falling prices, the Fund might sell securities it owns on a forward commitment basis to limit its exposure to falling prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising prices, the Fund might sell securities it owns and purchase the same or a similar security on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, thereby obtaining the benefit of currently higher yields. When-issued securities or forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date.

 

The value of securities purchased on a when-issued or forward commitment basis and any subsequent fluctuations in their value are reflected in the computation of the Fund’s NAV starting on the date of the agreement to purchase the securities, and the Fund is subject to the rights and risks of ownership of the securities on that date. The Fund may not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until they are paid for and delivered on the settlement date. When the Fund makes a forward commitment to sell securities it owns, the proceeds to be received upon settlement are included in the Fund’s assets. Fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities are not reflected in the Fund’s NAV as long as the commitment to sell remains in effect. Settlement of when-issued purchases and forward commitment transactions generally takes place within two months after the date of the transaction, but the Fund may agree to a longer settlement period.

 

The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into. The Fund also may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. The Fund may realize a capital gain or loss in connection with these transactions, and its distributions from any net realized capital gains will be taxable to shareholders.

 

Equity Swaps. To the extent consistent with its investment objective and strategies, the Fund may enter into equity swap contracts to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of securities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. Equity swaps may be used by the Fund for hedging purposes, in anticipation of the purchase of securities, for liquidity management purposes, or to seek to increase total return. The counterparty to an equity swap contract will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker/dealer. Equity swap contracts may be structured in different ways. For example, a counterparty may agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap contract would have increased in value had it been invested in particular stocks (or an index of stocks), plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. In these cases, the Fund may agree to pay the counterparty the amount, if any, by which that notional

 

8

 

 

 

amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in the stocks. Therefore, the return to the Fund on any equity swap contract should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount. In other cases, the counterparty and the Fund may each agree to pay the other the difference between the relative investment performances that would have been achieved if the notional amount of the equity swap contract had been invested in different stocks (or indices of stocks).

 

The Fund will enter into equity swaps only on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the 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 an equity swap contract or periodically during its term. Equity swaps do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to equity swaps is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to an equity swap defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that such Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.

 

The Fund will not enter into any swap transactions unless the unsecured commercial paper, senior debt or claims-paying ability of the other party is rated either A, or A-1 or better by S&P® Global Ratings Services (“S&P”), or Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”); or A or Prime-1 or better by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or has received a comparable rating from another organization that is recognized as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”). If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.

 

The use of equity swaps is a highly specialized activity, which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, the investment performance of the Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if this investment technique were not used.

 

Illiquid Investments. Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 (“Rule 22e-4” or the “Liquidity Rule”) under the 1940 Act, the Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment as defined in Rule 22e-4 is an investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions within 7 calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. These investments may include restricted securities and repurchase agreements maturing in more than 7 days. Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and thus may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or pursuant to an exemption from registration. Subject to the adoption of guidelines by the Board, certain restricted securities that may be sold to institutional investors pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and non-exempt commercial paper may be determined to be liquid by the Adviser. Illiquid investments involve the risk that the investments will not be able to be sold at the time the Adviser desires or at prices approximating the value at which the Fund is carrying the investments. To the extent an investment held by the Fund is deemed to be an illiquid investment or a less liquid investment, the Fund will be exposed to greater liquidity risk.

 

9

 

 

 

The Company has implemented a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to identify illiquid investments pursuant to Rule 22e-4. If the limitation on illiquid investments is exceeded, the condition will be reported to the Board and, when required by the Liquidity Rule, to the SEC.

 

On November 2, 2022, the SEC proposed amendments to Rule 22e-4. If adopted as proposed, the proposed amendments would result in changes to the Fund’s liquidity classification framework and could potentially increase the percentage of the Fund’s investments deemed to be illiquid. In addition, the Fund’s operations and investment strategies may be adversely impacted if the proposed amendments are adopted.

 

Large Shareholder Purchase and Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause the Fund to sell its securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large share purchases may adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. In addition, a large redemption could result in the Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio.

 

Money Market Securities. The Fund may invest its assets in money market instruments (the types of which are discussed below). Money market instruments include (i) short-term U.S. government securities, including custodial receipts evidencing separately traded interest and principal components of securities issued by the U.S. Treasury; (ii) commercial paper rated in the highest short-term rating category by a nationally recognized statistical ratings organization (“NRSRO”), such as S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) or Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”), or determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality at the time of purchase; (iii) short-term bank obligations (certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances) of U.S. domestic banks, foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks, and commercial banks with assets of at least $1 billion as of the end of their most recent fiscal year; and (iv) repurchase agreements involving such securities. Each of these types of money market securities is discussed in more detail below. For a description of ratings, see Appendix A to this SAI.

 

The Fund may invest in obligations issued by banks and other savings institutions. Investments in bank obligations include obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks. Such investments in domestic branches of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks may involve risks that are different from investments in securities of domestic branches of U.S. banks. These risks may include future unfavorable political and economic developments, possible withholding taxes on interest income, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations, or other governmental restrictions which might affect the payment of principal or interest on the securities held by the Fund. Additionally, these institutions may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements and to different accounting, auditing, reporting and recordkeeping requirements than those applicable to domestic branches of U.S. banks. In addition, investments in bank loans may not be deemed to be securities and may not have the protections of the federal securities laws. Bank obligations include the following:

 

 

•

Bankers’ Acceptances. Bankers’ acceptances are bills of exchange or time drafts drawn on and accepted by a commercial bank. Corporations use bankers’ acceptances to finance the shipment and storage of goods and to furnish dollar exchange. Maturities are generally six months or less.

 

10

 

 

 

 

•

Certificates of Deposit. Certificates of deposit are interest-bearing instruments with a specific maturity. They are issued by banks and savings and loan institutions in exchange for the deposit of funds and normally can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity. Certificates of deposit with penalties for early withdrawal will be considered illiquid.

 

 

•

Time Deposits. Time deposits are non-negotiable receipts issued by a bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. Like a certificate of deposit, it earns a specified rate of interest over a definite period of time; however, it cannot be traded in the secondary market. Time deposits with a withdrawal penalty or that mature in more than seven days are considered to be illiquid securities.

 

Pandemic Risk. Disease outbreaks that affect local economies or the global economy may materially and adversely impact the Fund and/or the Adviser’s business. For example, uncertainties regarding the COVID-19 outbreak resulted in serious economic disruptions across the globe. These types of outbreaks can be expected to cause severe decreases in core business activities such as manufacturing, purchasing, tourism, business conferences and workplace participation, among others. These disruptions lead to instability in the marketplace, including stock market losses and overall volatility, as occurred in connection with COVID-19. In the face of such instability, governments may take extreme and unpredictable measures to combat the spread of disease and mitigate the resulting market disruptions and losses. The Adviser  has in place business continuity plans reasonably designed to ensure that it maintains normal business operations, and it periodically tests those plans. However, in the event of a pandemic or an outbreak, there can be no assurance that the Adviser or the Fund’s service providers will be able to maintain normal business operations for an extended period of time or will not lose the services of key personnel on a temporary or long-term basis due to illness or other reasons. Although vaccines for COVID-19 are widely available, the full impacts of a pandemic or disease outbreaks are unknown and the pace of recovery may vary from market to market, resulting in a high degree of uncertainty for potentially extended periods of time.

 

Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with financial institutions. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which the Fund acquires a fixed income security (generally a security issued by the U.S. government or an agency thereof, a banker’s acceptance, or a certificate of deposit) from a commercial bank, broker, or dealer, and simultaneously agrees to resell such security to the seller at an agreed upon price and date (normally, the next business day). Because the security purchased constitutes collateral for the repurchase obligation, a repurchase agreement may be considered a loan that is collateralized by the security purchased. The acquisition of a repurchase agreement may be deemed to be an acquisition of the underlying securities as long as the obligation of the seller to repurchase the securities is collateralized fully. The Fund follows certain procedures designed to minimize the risks inherent in such agreements. These procedures include effecting repurchase transactions only with creditworthy financial institutions whose condition will be continually monitored by the Adviser. The repurchase agreements entered into by the Fund will provide that the underlying collateral at all times shall have a value at least equal to 102% of the resale price stated in the agreement and consist only of securities permissible under Section 101(47)(A)(i) of the Bankruptcy Code (the Adviser monitors compliance with this requirement). Under all repurchase agreements entered into by the Fund, the custodian or its agent must take possession of the underlying collateral. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, the Fund will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercising of the Fund’s right to liquidate such collateral could involve certain costs or delays and, to

 

11

 

 

 

the extent that proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, the Fund could suffer a loss. It is the current policy of the Fund not to invest in repurchase agreements that do not mature within seven days if any such investment, together with any other illiquid assets held by the Fund, amounts to more than 15% of the Fund’s total assets. The investments of the Fund in repurchase agreements, at times, may be substantial when, in the view of the Adviser, liquidity or other considerations so warrant.

 

Restricted Securities. The Fund may purchase securities which are not registered under the 1933 Act but which may be sold to “qualified institutional buyers” in accordance with Rule 144A under the 1933 Act (“Restricted Securities”). These securities will not be considered illiquid so long as it is determined by the Adviser that an adequate trading market exists for the securities. This investment practice could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in an underlying investment company during any period that qualified institutional buyers become uninterested in purchasing restricted securities. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser may consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the unregistered nature of the security; (2) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (3) the number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (5) the nature of the security and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer).

 

The purchase price and subsequent valuation of Restricted Securities normally reflect a discount from the price at which such securities trade when they are not restricted, since the restriction makes them less liquid. The amount of the discount from the prevailing market price is expected to vary depending upon the type of security, the character of the issuer, the party who will bear the expenses of registering the Restricted Securities and prevailing supply and demand conditions.

 

As consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund may also invest in Section 4(2) commercial paper. Section 4(2) commercial paper is issued in reliance on an exemption from registration under Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act and is generally sold to institutional investors who purchase for investment. Any resale of such commercial paper must be in an exempt transaction, usually to an institutional investor through the issuer or investment dealers who make a market in such commercial paper. The Company believes that Section 4(2) commercial paper is liquid to the extent it meets the criteria established by the Board. The Company intends to treat such commercial paper as liquid and not subject to the investment limitations applicable to illiquid securities or restricted securities.

 

Rights Offerings and Purchase Warrants. Rights offerings and purchase warrants are privileges issued by a corporation which enable the owner to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. Subscription rights normally have a short lifespan to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not executed prior to the right’s or warrant’s expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security.

 

12

 

 

 

Securities Lending. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to financial institutions. Such loans would involve risks of delay in receiving additional collateral in the event the value of the collateral decreases below the value of the securities loaned or of delay in recovering the securities loaned or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. However, loans will be made only to borrowers which the Adviser deems to be of good standing and only when, in the Adviser’s judgment, the income to be earned from the loans justifies the attendant risks. The Fund may not make loans in excess of 331/3% of the value of its total assets. The Fund may pay a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral, or other fee, to an unaffiliated or, to the extent consistent with the 1940 Act or the rules and SEC interpretations thereunder, affiliated third party for acting as the Fund’s securities lending agent.

 

By lending its securities, the Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower that reflect the amount of any interest or any dividends payable on the loaned securities as well as by either investing cash collateral received from the borrower in short-term instruments or obtaining a fee from the borrower when U.S. government securities or letters of credit are used as collateral. The Fund does not have the right to vote loaned securities. The Fund may attempt to call loaned securities back to permit the exercise of voting rights if time and jurisdictional restrictions permit. There is no guarantee that all loans can be recalled.

 

Special Situation Companies. The Fund may invest in “Special Situations.” The term “Special Situation” shall be deemed to refer to a security of a company in which an unusual and possibly non-repetitive development is taking place which, in the opinion of the Adviser, may cause the security to attain a higher market value independently, to a degree, of the trend in the securities market in general. The particular development (actual or prospective), which may qualify a security as a Special Situation, may be one of many different types.

 

Such developments may include, among others, a technological improvement or important discovery or acquisition which, if the expectation for it materialized, would effect a substantial change in the company’s business; a reorganization; a recapitalization or other development involving a security exchange or conversion; a merger, liquidation or distribution of cash, securities or other assets; a breakup or workout of a holding company; litigation which, if resolved favorably, would improve the value of the company’s stock; a new or changed management; or material changes in management policies. A Special Situation may often involve a comparatively small company, which is not well known, and which has not been closely watched by investors generally, but it may also involve a large company. The fact, if it exists, that an increase in the company’s earnings, dividends or business is expected, or that a given security is considered to be undervalued, would not in itself be sufficient to qualify as a Special Situation. The Fund may invest in securities (even if not Special Situations) which, in the opinion of its investment adviser, are appropriate investments for the Fund, including securities which the investment adviser believes are undervalued by the market. The Fund is not required to invest any minimum percentage of their aggregate portfolio in “Special Situations,” nor are they required to invest any minimum percentage of their aggregate portfolio in securities other than “Special Situations.”

 

RIC Compliance Risk. The Fund intends to elect to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”). To continue to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a RIC, the Fund must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. If for any taxable year a Fund fails to qualify for the special

 

13

 

 

 

federal income tax treatment afforded to RICs, all of such Fund's taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (without any deduction for distributions to its shareholders) and its income available for distribution will be reduced. Under certain circumstances, a Fund could cure a failure to qualify as a RIC, but in order to do so, such Fund could incur significant Fund-level taxes and could be forced to dispose of certain assets.

 

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

 

The Company has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Fund. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to the Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of the 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 the 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 the Fund.

 

Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the Fund may not:

 

 

1.

Borrow money or issue senior securities, except that the Fund may borrow from banks and enter into reverse repurchase agreements provided that there is at least 300% asset coverage for the borrowings of the Fund. The Fund may not mortgage, pledge or hypothecate any assets, except in connection with any such borrowing and then in amounts not in excess of one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing. However, the amount shall not be in excess of lesser of the dollar amounts borrowed or 331/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing, provided that: (a) short sales and related borrowings of securities are not subject to this restriction; and (b) for the purposes of this restriction, collateral arrangements with respect to options, short sales, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin and collateral arrangements with respect to derivatives instruments are not deemed to be a pledge or other encumbrance of assets. Securities held in escrow or separate accounts in connection with the Fund’s investment practices are not considered to be borrowings or deemed to be pledged for purposes of this limitation;

 

 

2.

Act as an underwriter of securities within the meaning of the 1933 Act, except insofar as it might be deemed to be an underwriter upon disposition of certain portfolio securities acquired within the limitation on purchases of restricted securities;

 

 

3.

Purchase or sell real estate (including real estate limited partnership interests), provided that the Fund may invest: (a) in securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein; or (b) in real estate investment trusts;

 

 

4.

Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except as permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended, and as interpreted or modified by the regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time;

 

 

5.

Make loans, except through loans of portfolio securities and repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction the acquisition of bonds, debentures or other debt instruments or interests therein and

investment in government obligations, loan participations and assignments, short-term commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances shall not be deemed to be the making of a loan; or

 

14

 

 

 

 

6.

Invest 25% or more of its total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry or group of related industries, provided that there is no limitation with respect to instruments issued or guaranteed by the United States, any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia or any of their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions and repurchase agreements secured by such instruments, and except that, under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets, in aggregate, in the following subsectors:

 

Health Care Facilities

Medical Services

Health Care Management Services

Biotechnology

Health Care Services

Pharmaceuticals

Health Care: Misc.

Healthcare REIT

Medical Equipment

Drug Retailers

Medical Supplies

 

 

In addition to the fundamental investment limitations specified above, the Fund is subject to the following non-fundamental limitations, which may be changed without shareholder approval, in compliance with applicable law and regulatory policy. The Fund may not:

 

 

1.

Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management, but investments by the Fund in wholly-owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed the making of investments for the purpose of exercising control or management.

 

The Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies within the limits prescribed by the 1940 Act. As a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees. These expenses would be in addition to the advisory and other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations.

 

Securities held by the Fund generally may not be purchased from, sold or loaned to the Adviser or its affiliates or any of their directors, officers or employees, acting as principal, unless pursuant to a rule or exemptive order under the 1940 Act.

 

If a percentage restriction under one of the Fund’s investment policies or limitations or the use of assets is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentages resulting from changing values will not be considered a violation (except with respect to any restrictions that may apply to borrowings or senior securities issued by the Fund).

 

15

 

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

Shares are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Exchange.

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund will continue to meet the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund’s shares. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of the Fund from listing if, among other things (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of the fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the Fund’s shares; (ii) the Fund’s portfolio holdings are not made available to all market participants at the same time; (iii) the Fund has failed to file any filings required by the SEC or the Exchange is aware that the Fund is not in compliance with the conditions of any exemptive order or no-action relief granted by the SEC or its staff under the 1940 Act with respect to the Fund; (iv) the Exchange’s ongoing listing requirements are not continuously maintained; (v) any of the continuous listing representations for the issue of the Fund’s shares are not continuously met; or (vi) such other event shall occur or condition exists that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the Fund’s shares from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund. The Exchange will remove the Fund’s shares from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.

 

The Company reserves the right to adjust the price levels of its 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 Fund.

 

As in the case of other stocks traded on the Exchange, broker’s commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

 

16

 

 

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the oversight of the Board, subject to the laws of the State of Maryland and the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as supplemented and amended (the “Charter”). The Directors are responsible for deciding matters of overall policy and overseeing the actions of the Company’s service providers. The officers of the Company conduct and supervise the Company’s daily business operations.

 

Directors who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) are referred to as “Independent Directors.” Directors who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company are referred to as “Interested Directors.” The Board is currently composed of five Independent Directors and two Interested Directors. The Board has selected Arnold M. Reichman, an Independent Director, to act as Chair. Mr. Reichman’s duties include presiding at meetings of the Board and interfacing with management to address significant issues that may arise between regularly scheduled Board and Committee meetings. In the performance of his duties, Mr. Reichman will consult with the other Independent Directors and the Company’s officers and legal counsel, as appropriate. The Chair may perform other functions as requested by the Board from time to time.

 

The Board meets as often as necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Currently, the Board conducts regular, in-person meetings at least four times a year, and holds special in-person or telephonic meetings as necessary to address specific issues that require attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Board also relies on professionals, such as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms and legal counsel, to assist the Directors in performing their oversight responsibilities.

 

The Board has established seven standing committees — Audit, Contract, Executive, Nominating and Governance, Product Development, Regulatory Oversight, and Valuation Committees (each a “Committee” and together, the “Committees”). The Board may establish other committees, or nominate one or more Directors to examine particular issues related to the Board’s oversight responsibilities, from time to time. Each Committee meets periodically to perform its delegated oversight functions and reports its findings and recommendations to the Board. For more information on the Committees, see the section entitled “Standing Committees.”

 

The Board has also established an Advisory Board whose members are not “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who serve in a consultative capacity to the Board, providing non-binding advice to the Board regarding the oversight of the affairs of the Company (each, an “Advisory Board Member”). An Advisory Board Member participates in Board discussions and reviews Board materials relating to the Funds, but is not a Director, has no power to vote on any matter presented to the Board, and has no power to act on behalf of or otherwise bind the Board, the Directors or any committee of the Board. The Board appointed Eugene Podsiadlo as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

The Board has determined that the Company’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to effectively perform its oversight responsibilities.

 

17

 

 

Directors, Advisory Board Members, and Executive Officers

 

The Directors, Advisory Board Members, and executive officers of the Company, their year of birth, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth in this section.

 

Name,

Address, and

Year of Birth

Position(s)

Held with

Company

Term of Office

and Length

of

Time Served(1)

Principal 

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by Director*

Other 

Directorships

Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Gregory P. Chandler

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1966

Director

2012 to present

Since 2025 Financial Consultant; from 2020-2025, Chief Financial Officer, HC Parent Corp (life sciences consulting services).

[...]

FS Specialty Lending Corp (previously Energy and Power Fund) (registered investment company); Wilmington Funds (10 portfolios) (registered investment company).

Lisa A. Dolly

615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53202

Year of Birth: 1966

Director

October 2021 to present

Independent Director.

[...]

Allfunds Group PLC (United Kingdom wealthtech and fund distribution provider); Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (trade association for broker dealers, investment banks and asset managers); Hightower Advisors (wealth management firm); Cohen & Steers, Inc. (global investment manager).

Nicholas A. Giordano

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1943

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

[...]

None.

Arnold M. Reichman

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1948

Chair

 

Director

2005 to present

 

1991 to present

Retired.

[...]

None.

Martha A. Tirinnanzi

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Director

January 2024 to present

Since 2014, Instructor, The Institute for Financial Markets; from 2013-2023, President and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Standards, Inc. (consulting firm); from 2020-2022, Adjunct Professor of Finance and Accounting, The Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business.

[...]

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (“ICE”) (financial services company and operator of global exchanges and clearinghouses); ICE Mortgage Services, LLC (a subsidiary of ICE); ICE Mortgage Technology, Inc. (a subsidiary of ICE).

INTERESTED DIRECTORS(2)

Robert Sablowsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1938

Vice Chair

 

Director

2016 to present

 

1991 to present

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

[...]

None.

Brian T. Shea

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Director

2018 to present

Independent Director.

[...]

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company); Barclays PLC, Barclays Bank PLC and Barclays Execution Services Limited (financial services companies).

 

18

 

 

 

Name,

Address, and

Year of Birth

Position(s)

Held with

Company

Term of Office

and Length

of

Time Served(1)

Principal 

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by Director*

Other 

Directorships

Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

DISINTERESTED ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS(3)

Eugene Podsiadlo

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1957

Advisory Board Member

October 2025 to present

Since 2023, Senior Advisor and Limited Partner, AI Capital, LLC; since 2020, Senior Advisor and Industry Council Member, Cross Creek Advisors; from February-June 2023, Executive Vice President of Clearbrook, LLC; from 2020-2022, Registered Securities Principal and Representative, March Capital.

N/A

Alpha Healthcare Acquisition Corp III (2021-2023); Esoterica Thematic Trust (2020-2021).

OFFICERS

Steven Plump

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1959

President

August 2022 to present

From 2011 to 2021, Executive Vice President, PIMCO LLC.

N/A

N/A

Salvatore Faia, JD,

CPA, CFE

Vigilant Compliance, LLC

Gateway Corporate

Center, Suite 216

223 Wilmington West

Chester Pike 

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Year of Birth: 1962

Chief Compliance Officer

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company); since 2021, Chief Compliance Officer of The RBB Fund Trust; President of The RBB Fund Trust from 2021 to 2022; President of The RBB Fund, Inc. from 2009 to 2022.

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Chief Financial Officer

and

Secretary

 

Chief Operating Officer

2016 to present

 

August 2022 to present

Since 2022, Chief Operating Officer of The RBB Fund Trust; since 2021, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of The RBB Fund Trust.

N/A

N/A

Craig A. Urciuoli

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1974

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2021, Director of Marketing & Business Development of The RBB Fund Trust.

N/A

N/A

Thomas Reynolds

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

September 2024  to present

Since 2024, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of The RBB Fund Trust; from 2023 to 2024, Vice President of Virtus Investment Partners; from 2020 to 2023, CFO of Stone Harbor Investment Partners LP.

N/A

N/A

 

19

 

 

 

Name,

Address, and

Year of Birth

Position(s)

Held with

Company

Term of Office

and Length

of

Time Served(1)

Principal 

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by Director*

Other 

Directorships

Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

Jennifer Witt

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1982

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2020, Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Joshua Solin

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1988

Assistant Treasurer

January 2025 to present

Since 2023, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm); from 2021 to 2023, Officer, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services.

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1971

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

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

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Year of Birth: 1979

Assistant

Secretary

2017 to present

Since 2017, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

 

*Each Director oversees [...]  portfolios of the fund complex, consisting of the series in the Company ([...] portfolios) and The RBB Fund Trust ([...] portfolios).

 

1.

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

 

2.

Messrs. Sablowsky and Shea are considered “interested persons” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and are referred to as “Interested Directors.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as a senior officer of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer. Mr. Shea is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position on the Board of Barclays Bank plc, a multinational bank.

 

3.

A Disinterested Advisory Board Member is an Advisory Board Member that is not an “interested person” of the Company within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills  

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his or her qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Ms. Dolly has over three decades of experience in the financial services industry, and she has demonstrated her leadership and management abilities by serving in numerous senior executive-level positions. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management

 

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experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing, banking, and investment services industry, including service on the boards of public companies, industry regulatory organizations and a university. Ms. Tirinnanzi has over 20 years of strategic, regulatory and operational management experience in the financial and mortgage industries, including service on the boards of a public company and real estate investment trust, and brings to the Board her expertise regarding derivatives markets and related businesses.

 

Standing Committees  

 

The responsibilities of each Committee of the Board and its members are described below.

 

Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Audit Committee are Ms. Tirinnanzi and Messrs. Chandler and Giordano. The Audit Committee, among other things, reviews results of the annual audit and approves the firm(s) to serve as independent auditors. The Audit Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Contract Committee. The Board has a Contract Committee comprised of an Interested Director and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Contract Committee are Mses. Dolly and Tirinnanzi and Mr. Sablowsky. The Contract Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board regarding the approval and continuation of agreements and plans of the Company. The Contract Committee convened five times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Executive Committee. The Board has an Executive Committee comprised of an Interested Director and three Independent Directors. The current members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano, Reichman and Sablowsky. The Executive Committee may generally carry on and manage the business of the Company when the Board is not in session. The Executive Committee did not meet during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has a Nominating and Governance Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano and Reichman. The Nominating and Governance Committee recommends to the Board all persons to be nominated as Directors of the Company. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Recommendations should be submitted to the Committee care of the Company’s Secretary. The Nominating and Governance Committee convened two times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Product Development Committee. The Board has a Product Development Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Product Development Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Reichman, Sablowsky, and Shea. The Product Development Committee oversees the process regarding the addition of new investment advisers and investment products to the Company. The Product Development Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

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Regulatory Oversight Committee. The Board has a Regulatory Oversight Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Regulatory Oversight Committee are Ms. Dolly and Messrs. Reichman, Sablowsky, and Shea. The Regulatory Oversight Committee monitors regulatory developments in the mutual fund industry and focuses on various regulatory aspects of the operation of the Company. The Regulatory Oversight Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Valuation Committee. The Board has a Valuation Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two officers of the Company. The members of the Valuation Committee are Messrs. Faia, Sablowsky, Shea and Shaw. The Valuation Committee is responsible for reviewing fair value determinations. The Valuation Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Risk Oversight

 

The Board performs its risk oversight function for the Company through a combination of (1) direct oversight by the Board as a whole and Board committees and (2) indirect oversight through the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, Company officers and the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). The Company is subject to a number of risks, including but not limited to investment risk, compliance risk, operational risk, reputational risk, credit risk and counterparty risk. Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Company is the responsibility of the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk) that carry out the Company’s investment management and business affairs. Each of the investment advisers and the other service providers have their own independent interest in risk management and their policies and methods of risk management will depend on their functions and business models and may differ from the Company’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls.

 

The Board provides risk oversight by receiving and reviewing on a regular basis reports from the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers, receiving and approving compliance policies and procedures, periodic meetings with the Company’s portfolio managers to review investment policies, strategies and risks, and meeting regularly with the Company’s CCO to discuss compliance reports, findings and issues. The Board also relies on the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, with respect to the day-to-day activities of the Company, to create and maintain procedures and controls to minimize risk and the likelihood of adverse effects on the Company’s business and reputation.

 

Board oversight of risk management is also provided by various Board Committees. For example, the Audit Committee meets with the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms to ensure that the Company’s respective audit scopes include risk-based considerations as to the Company’s financial position and operations. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight. The Board’s oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Company’s investments or activities.

 

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Director Ownership of Shares of the Company  

 

The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Director in the Fund and in all of the portfolios of the Company and The RBB Fund Trust (which for each Director comprise all registered investment companies within the Company’s family of investment companies overseen by him or her), as of December 31, 2025, including amounts through the deferred compensation plan:

 

Name of Director

Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Fund

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Director within the Family of Investment Companies

Independent Directors

 

 

Gregory P. Chandler

None

Over $100,000

Lisa A. Dolly

None

$50,001-$100,000

Nicholas A. Giordano

None

$50,001-$100,000

Arnold M. Reichman

None

Over $100,000

Martha A. Tirinnanzi

None

Over $100,000

Interested Directors

 

 

Robert Sablowsky

$10,001-$50,000

Over $100,000

Brian T. Shea

None

$10,001-$50,000

Disinterested Advisory Board Members

 

Eugene Podsiadlo(1)

None

$50,001-$100,000

(1)    Mr. Podsiadlo is not a Director. He was appointed as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

Directors’, Advisory Board Members' and Officers’ Compensation  

 

Effective January 1, 2026, the Company and The RBB Fund Trust, based on an allocation formula, pay each Director and Advisory Board Member a retainer at the rate of $265,000 annually, $15,000 for each regular meeting of the

 

23

 

 

 

Board attended in-person; $6,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $5,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $9,000 and $6,500, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $4,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each receives an additional fee of $50,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each receives an additional fee of $40,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee receives an additional fee of $25,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $125,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $50,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

 

From January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, the Company and The RBB Fund Trust, based on an allocation formula, paid each Director and Advisory Board Member a retainer at the rate of $225,000 annually, $15,000 for each regular meeting of the Board attended in-person; $6,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $5,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $9,000 and $6,500, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $4,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each received an additional fee of $50,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each received an additional fee of $40,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee received an additional fee of $25,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $125,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $50,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

 

Directors are reimbursed for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board or any committee thereof. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC (“Vigilant”) serves as CCO of the Company. Vigilant is compensated for the services provided to the Company, and such compensation is determined by the Board. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Vigilant received $1,145,625 in the aggregate from all series of the Company and The RBB Fund Trust (together, “Fund Complex”) for its services. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Vigilant received $6,944 from the Fund. Employees of the Company serve as President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, Director of Marketing & Business Development, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary, and are compensated for services provided. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, each of the following members of the Board and the President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, Director of Marketing & Business Development, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary received compensation from the Fund and the Fund Complex in the following amounts:

 

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Name of Director/Officer

Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund

Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses

Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement

Total Compensation From Fund Complex Paid to Directors or Officers

Independent Directors:

 

 

 

 

Gregory P. Chandler, Director

$748

N/A

N/A

$445,500

Lisa A. Dolly, Director

$711

N/A

N/A

$405,000

Nicholas A. Giordano, Director

$726

N/A

N/A

$419,500

Arnold M. Reichman, Director and Chair

$911

N/A

N/A

$526,500

Martha A. Tirinnanzi, Director

$663

N/A

N/A

$390,500

Interested Director:

 

 

 

 

Robert Sablowsky, Director and Vice Chair

$894

N/A

N/A

$532,500

Brian T. Shea, Director

$712

N/A

N/A

$432,500

Disinterested Advisory Board Members

 

 

 

Eugene Podsiadlo(1)

$652

N/A

N/A

$347,000

Officers:

 

 

 

 

Steven Plump, President

$763

N/A

N/A

$504,750

James G. Shaw, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

$916

N/A

N/A

$606,000

Craig Urciuoli, Director of Marketing & Business Development

$673

N/A

N/A

$444,750

Thomas Reynolds, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

$564

N/A

N/A

$373,250

(1)

Mr. Podsiadlo began serving as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

Each compensated Director is entitled to participate in the Company’s deferred compensation plan (the “DC Plan”). Under the DC Plan, a compensated Director may elect to defer all or a portion of his or her compensation and have the deferred compensation treated as if it had been invested by the Company in shares of one or more of the portfolios of the Company. The amount paid to the Directors under the DC Plan will be determined based upon the performance of such investments.

 

As of December 31, 2025, the Independent Directors and their respective immediate family members (spouse or dependent children) did not own beneficially or of record any securities of the Company’s investment advisers or distributor, or of any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment advisers or distributor.

 

Director Emeritus Program  

 

The Board has created a position of Director Emeritus, whereby an incumbent Director who has attained at least the age of 75 and completed a minimum of fifteen years of service as a Director may, in the sole discretion of the

 

25

 

 

 

Nominating and Governance Committee of the Company (the “NGC”), be recommended to the full Board to serve as Director Emeritus.

 

A Director Emeritus that has been approved as such receives an annual fee in an amount equal to up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Director. Effective January 1, 2026, a Director Emeritus can receive an annual fee in an amount up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Director in effect at the time such Director Emeritus was first appointed Director Emeritus. Compensation will be determined annually by the NGC and the Board with respect to each Director Emeritus. In addition, a Director Emeritus will be reimbursed for certain expenses incurred in connection with their service, including expenses of travel and lodging incurred in attendance at Board/Committee meetings. A Director Emeritus will continue to receive relevant materials concerning the Funds and will be available to consult with the Directors at reasonable times as requested. However, a Director Emeritus does not have any voting rights at Board meetings and is not subject to election by shareholders of the Funds.

 

A Director Emeritus will be permitted to serve in such capacity from year to year at the pleasure of the NGC and the Board for up to three years. Effective February 2024, Julian Brodsky serves as a Director Emeritus of the Company. Effective January 2025, Robert Straniere serves as a Director Emeritus of the Company.

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Messrs. Brodsky and Straniere received compensation for their roles as a Director Emeritus in the following amounts:

 

Director Emeritus

Aggregate Compensation from the Funds

Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses

Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement

Total Compensation From Fund Complex

Julian Brodsky

$240

N/A

N/A

$112,500

Richard Straniere

$240

N/A

N/A

$112,500

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

The Company and the Adviser have each adopted a code of ethics (“Code of Ethics”) pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, which governs personal securities trading by their respective personnel. Each Code of Ethics permits such individuals to purchase and sell securities, including securities that are purchased, sold, or held by the Fund, but only subject to certain conditions designed to ensure that purchases and sales by such individuals do not adversely affect the Fund’s investment activities.

 

PRINCIPAL HOLDERS

 

Any person owning, directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund is presumed to control the Fund. Principal holders are persons who own 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. [As of [  ], 2026, the Company does not have information regarding the record or beneficial ownership of shares of each Fund held in the names of DTC participants, as DTC has not provided the Company with access to such information.]

 

26

 

 

 

[As of [  ], 2026, the Directors and officers of the Company as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of each Fund.]

 

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

Investment Adviser and Advisory Agreement  

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust ("Emerald" or the "Adviser"), 3175 Oregon Pike, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540, serves as investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Company, on behalf of the Fund, and the Adviser (the "Advisory Agreement"). The Adviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerald Advisers, LLC, which commenced business operations in 1992. Emerald Advisers, LLC is owned by Emerald Asset Management PA, LLC which is majority owned by F/m Managers Group, LLC, control person of the Adviser.

 

Prior to December 31, 2026, F/m Investments LLC ("F/m") served as the Fund's investment adviser, with Emerald serving as the Fund's sub‑adviser pursuant to a sub‑advisory agreement with F/m. [F/m resigned as the Fund's investment adviser, effective December 31, 2026, in anticipation of an acquisition transaction that would terminate the investment advisory agreement with F/m (the "Prior Advisory Agreement") and the sub‑advisory agreement with Emerald.] [The Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, approved [an interim investment advisory agreement (the “Interim Advisory Agreement”) that became effective upon F/m’s resignation and continued in effect until] a new investment advisory agreement between the Company, on behalf of the Fund and Emerald was approved by shareholders of the Fund at a special meeting of shareholders held on [date].] The Interim Advisory Agreement had the same advisory fee rate as the Prior Advisory Agreement. [Fees earned under the Interim Agreement were held in an interest‑bearing escrow account and paid to the Adviser upon shareholder approval of the Advisory Agreement.]]

 

The Adviser provides investment advisory services to the Fund pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement. [The Advisory Agreement has an initial term ending August 16, 2027.] After the initial term, the Advisory Agreement may be continued in effect from year to year with the approval of (1) the Board or (2) a vote of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, provided that in either event the continuance must also be approved by a majority of the Independent Directors by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Advisory Agreement terminates automatically in the event of its assignment, as defined in the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder.

 

Subject to the supervision of the Board, the Adviser provides for the overall management of the Fund, including (i) the provision of a continuous investment program for the Fund, including investment research and management with respect to all securities, investments, cash and cash equivalents, (ii) the determination from time to time of the securities and other investments to be purchased, retained, or sold by the Fund, and (iii) the placement from time to time of orders for all purchases and sales of securities and other investments made for the Fund. The Adviser provides its services in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, restrictions and policies as stated in the Prospectus and in this SAI. The Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment, mistake of law, or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the performance of the Advisory Agreement, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance,

 

27

 

 

 

bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Advisory Agreement.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, in consideration of the services provided by the Adviser, the Fund pays the Adviser a unitary management fee that is calculated and paid monthly at an annual rate of [0.79]% of the Fund's average daily net assets. From the unitary management fee, the Adviser pays most of the expenses of the Fund, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services. However, under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is not responsible for interest expenses, brokerage commissions and other trading expenses, taxes [, acquired fund fees and expenses, distribution (12b-1) fees, if any,] and other extraordinary costs such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business.

 

Prior to January 1, 2027, the Adviser had contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to limit Total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes) to 0.54% of the Fund's average daily net assets.

 

Former Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement  

 

Under the terms of a former investment sub-advisory agreement among the Company, F/m, and Emerald (the "Sub-Advisory Agreement"), [which terminated effective December 31, 2026] F/m paid Emerald, out of the advisory fee F/m received from the Fund, a fee at the annual rate of 0.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets.

 

During the following fiscal periods, the Fund paid advisory fees to F/m, and F/m waived fees and/or reimbursed expenses, as indicated in the following table:

 

 

Advisory Fee Accrued

Advisory Fee Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed

Net Advisory Fee Received

Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF

 

 

 

Fiscal Period Ended August 31, 2026

[...]

[...]

[...]

Fiscal Period Ended August 31, 2025(1)

$351,277

($111,164)

$240,113

 

(1)The Fund commenced operations on October 30, 2024

 

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PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 

This section includes information about the Fund’s portfolio managers, including information about other accounts they manage, the dollar range of Fund shares they own and how they are compensated.

 

Description of Compensation. The Adviser’s portfolio manager compensation is structured to align the interests of portfolio managers with those of the shareholders whose assets they manage. It includes the components described below, each of which is determined with reference to a number of factors such as overall performance, market competition, and internal equity. Compensation is not directly tied to the value of assets held in client portfolios.

 

Base Salary: Portfolio managers receive base pay in the form of a fixed annual salary.

 

Bonus: A significant portion of portfolio manager compensation takes the form of a quarterly incentive bonus tied to performance based on quarterly performance reviews and the manager’s relative performance for rolling quarter, year, and five year periods. Bonus payments are determined by a combination of factors, including pre-tax investment performance calculated as the average of all investment mandates for which the portfolio manager has responsibility compared against such mandates’ respective benchmarks, non-qualitative items relating to the portfolio manager’s fulfillment of his or her obligations and duties to each investment mandate as determined by senior management, and control of expenses by the portfolio manager taking into account income and gains of the investment mandates for which the portfolio manager has responsibility. Finally, the overall performance of Emerald Asset Management PA, LLC, the parent company of the Adviser, is considered in determining any portfolio manager bonus. Additionally, the Adviser’s employees are eligible to participate in a company-wide discretionary bonus pool that is awarded by the compensation committee (which is comprised of members of the Adviser’s parent company board of directors). The amount of the bonus pool is calculated based on the parent company’s profitability. Also, portfolio managers are eligible to receive equity grant awards that include the payment of annual distributions.

 

Deferred Compensation Plans: Portfolio managers are eligible to participate in the Adviser’s 401(k) plan and vested employees participate in the Adviser’s parent company ESOP retirement plan.

 

Other Accounts. In addition to the Fund, each portfolio manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of certain other accounts, as listed below. The information below is provided as of August 31, 2026.

 

Portfolio Manager Total Accounts

Accounts With

Performance-Based Fees

Other Accounts Number Assets Number Assets
[Joseph W. Garner]        
Registered Investment Companies [...] $[...] billion 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles [...] $[...] million 0 $0
Other Accounts [...] $[...]billion [...] $[...] million
         
[Kenneth G. Mertz, II]        
Registered Investment Companies [...] $[...] billion 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles [...] $[...] million 0 $0
Other Accounts [...] $[...]billion [...] $[...] million
         
[Stacey L. Sears]        
Registered Investment Companies [...] $[...] billion 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles [...] $[...] million 0 $0
Other Accounts [...] $[...]billion [...] $[...] million
         
[Terry M. Smith]        
Registered Investment Companies [...] $[...] billion 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles [...] $[...] million 0 $0
Other Accounts [...] $[...]billion [...] $[...] million
         
[Nishit Trivedi]        
Registered Investment Companies [...] $[...] billion 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles [...] $[...] million 0 $0
Other Accounts [...] $[...]billion [...] $[...] million

 

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Conflict of Interest. Certain conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the management of multiple portfolios. Potential conflicts include, for example, conflicts among investment strategies and conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities. The Adviser has adopted the following policies regarding the allocation and aggregation of securities transactions among client accounts:

 

Aggregation Policy: Aggregations of trades can produce meaningful cost savings to clients. The Adviser’s policy is constructed to meet the requirements of the SEC. Specifically, the Adviser’s policy is designed to address these issues:

 

1.

Duty of Disclosure: The Adviser will disclose fully to its clients the arrangements for aggregation of securities transactions.

 

2.

Duty to Act Only in the Clients’ Best Interests: The aggregation of client transactions will be done only after client consent, consistent with each such client’s best interests.

 

3.

Duty to Treat Each Client Fairly: Securities transactions will be done on a pro rata basis at the average share price, consistent with the specific conditions discussed below.

 

4.

Duty to Seek Best Execution: The Adviser recognizes its duty to aggregate and allocate securities transactions in a manner that ensures best execution. This is discussed more fully below.

 

Aggregation Procedures: The Adviser will endeavor to bunch trades for clients in order to effect best execution at the lowest cost (commissions and spread) and to avoid disparities in execution prices for accounts that are managed similarly. The following bunching and trade aggregation procedures are designed to treat all client accounts equally.

 

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All client accounts with like mandates will participate in bunched trades, average pricing and pro rata execution. The Adviser will allocate trades internally prior to any bunched trades based on the requirements of the various groups of accounts as determined by the firm’s portfolio managers (see “Block Trading” below).

 

The Adviser manages certain accounts pursuant to differing client mandates. With respect to certain accounts, the Adviser has full discretion with respect to investments and execution of portfolio transactions. For certain client accounts, specific brokerage firms have been designated, which prevents bunching trades with other accounts. These accounts would also prevent new or secondary issuance of stocks being equally divided across these types of accounts. Certain accounts may have directed investment policies and/or restrictions. These accounts may have different investment objectives and strategies, and therefore might invest in different individual stocks from other types of accounts and may have different sector allocation percentages, which would affect how the Adviser allocates aggregated trades for such accounts. Certain funds with daily cash flow differences (usually mutual funds) would have different trading activity dictated by internal cash flows (or withdrawals), the timing and tax consequences of which require that trades be made in different percentages for each share.

 

Because of these differences in policies and strategies of the various accounts the Adviser manages, the Adviser’s portfolio managers will aggregate the number of shares determined to be desired for each account type and maintain a dated and time-stamped record of this pre-trade allocation. Each account will then average price pro-rata to the shares actually executed. If a client uses a particular directed broker-dealer, the Adviser will execute these trades separately, which trades may be executed at prices different than the bunched trades due to number of share differences, use of DOT system, movement and volatility of stock trading, or other relevant factors. While these differences may be noticeable on a trade-by-trade basis, they should balance out over time.

 

The intention of this policy is that the Adviser must make a trade allocation before the results of the actual trade have been determined. This policy will assure that the allocation cannot be affected by the results of the trade.

 

Block Trading: The Adviser also has established Block Trading Procedures to ensure that no advisory or sub-advisory client account or group of client accounts, neither public nor private, nor corporate nor individual, will receive preferential trading execution pursuant to federal and state regulations.

 

Securities Ownership. As of August 31, 2026, each portfolio manager that retained decision making authority over a Fund’s management beneficially owned the following dollar range of shares of such Fund:

 

Portfolio Manager

Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership in the Fund as of 8/31/26

[Joseph W. Garner]

[$100,001 - $500,000]

[Kenneth G. Mertz, II]

[$50,001 - $100,000]

[Stacey L. Sears]

[$50,001 - $100,000]

[Terry M. Smith]

[$500,001 - $1,000,000]

[Nishit Trivedi]

[$10,001 - $50,000]

 

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UNDERWRITER

 

The Company has entered into a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101, pursuant to which the Distributor acts as the Fund’s principal underwriter and distributes shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. Each Creation Unit is made up of at least 5,000 shares. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Company, will receive orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Company until accepted by the Company. The Distributor will deliver prospectuses and, upon request, Statements of Additional Information to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of orders placed with it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

 

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Creation of Creation Units” below) or DTC Participants.

 

The Distribution Agreement has an initial term of up to two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the Independent Directors. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Company, on behalf of the Fund, on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund’s shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors of the Company, or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment,” as defined in the 1940 Act.

 

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

Purchase and Issuance of Creation Units  

 

The Company issues and sells shares of the Fund only: (i) in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), at their NAV next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day, in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”); or (ii) pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Service (defined below). The NAV of the Fund’s shares is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The Fund will not issue fractional Creation Units. A Business Day is any day on which the Exchange is open for business.

 

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FUND DEPOSIT. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) per each Creation Unit, plus the Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company 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. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for all or a portion of Deposit Cash, the 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 associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities (“Non-Standard Charges”) 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 the Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the Fund’s 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 market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component will be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the market 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 will be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).

 

The Fund, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”), makes available on each Business Day, immediately 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 the Fund. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, in order to effect purchases of Creation Units of the 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 the Fund Deposit for the Fund changes from time to time as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected by the Adviser. The composition of the Deposit Securities will change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the securities constituting the Fund’s portfolio.

 

The Company reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount) to replace any Deposit Security, which will be added to the Deposit Cash, if applicable, and 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 (as defined below) 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

 

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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”).

 

CASH PURCHASE METHOD. The Company may at its discretion permit full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units of the Fund in instances permitted by the exemptive relief the Adviser is relying on in offering the Fund. When full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for the 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 the 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. In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an “Authorized Participant” or “AP”) must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Transfer Agent” or “Fund Services”) and the Company, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each AP 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 Company an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the Creation Transaction Fee (defined below) and any other applicable fees and taxes. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent the Adviser bears the expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Company in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover.

 

All orders to purchase shares directly from the Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units in the manner set forth in the Participant Agreement (the “Cut-Off Time”). 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 AP 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 the Fund in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an AP 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 APs may have international capabilities.

 

On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which the Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed on any day, the Fund will not accept orders on such day. Orders must be transmitted by an AP by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement

 

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and in accordance with the AP Handbook. With respect to the Fund, the Distributor 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 AP should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor by the Cut-Off Time on the Business Day on which the order is placed. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an AP.

 

Fund Deposits must be delivered by an AP through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a subcustody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Company or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian will cause the subcustodian of such Fund to maintain an account into which the AP will 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 Company. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local subcustodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the AP in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the Fund or its agents by no later than the settlement 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 Company, whose determination will 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 so as 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 in a timely manner by the settlement date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund.

 

The order will 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 Cut-Off Time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited by 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, 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 by 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the settlement date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the AP will be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, AP Handbook and this SAI are properly followed.

 

ISSUANCE OF A CREATION UNIT. Except as provided herein, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Company of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Distributor and the Adviser will be notified of such delivery, and the Company will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor. However, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-

 

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dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances. The AP will be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.

 

Creation Units may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Company 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 the 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 market value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which will be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. An additional amount of cash will be required to be deposited with the Company, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Company in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Company to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. APs will be liable to the Company for the costs incurred by the Company 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 market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Company 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 Company and deposited into the Company. In addition, a Transaction Fee as set forth below under “Creation Transaction Fee” will be charged in all cases, unless otherwise advised by the Fund, and Non- Standard Charges may also apply. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the settlement date.

 

ACCEPTANCE OF ORDERS OF CREATION UNITS. The Company reserves the right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Distributor in respect of the Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; or (e) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, be unlawful.

 

CREATION TRANSACTION FEE. A purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units, and investors will be required to pay a Creation Transaction Fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The Fund may adjust the creation transaction fee from time to time based upon actual experience. In addition, the Fund may impose a Non-Standard Charge of up to 2% of the value of the creation transactions for cash creations, non- standard orders, or partial cash purchases for the Fund. The Fund may adjust the Non-Standard Charge from time to time based upon actual experience. Investors who use the services of an AP, broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services, which may include an amount for the Creation Transaction Fee and Non-Standard Charges. Investors are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Company. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent it bears the expenses that

 

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otherwise would be borne by the Company in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover. The standard Creation Transaction Fee for the Fund is $300.

 

RISKS OF PURCHASING CREATION UNITS. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the Fund. Because the Fund’s 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 the 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. 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 a shareholder 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 the Fund’s 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)(C) of the Securities Act.

 

Redemption of Creation Units  

 

Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF THE FUND, THE COMPANY 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 Company. 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 Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available immediately 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 the 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 combination thereof, as determined by the Company. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the 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 the shares being redeemed, as next

 

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determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less any fixed redemption transaction fee as set forth below and any Non-Standard Charges. If the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an AP by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Company’s discretion, an AP 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 METHOD. Although the Company does not ordinarily permit full or partial cash redemptions of Creation Units of the Fund, when full or partial cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for the Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of full or partial cash redemptions, the AP will receive the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer. The Fund may incur costs such as brokerage costs or taxable gains or losses that the Fund might not have incurred if the redemption had been made in-kind. These costs may decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent that the costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP. Shareholders may be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise have been subject to and/or at an earlier date than if the Fund had effected redemptions wholly on an in-kind basis.

 

REDEMPTION TRANSACTION FEES. A redemption transaction fee may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units, and APs will be required to pay a Redemption Transaction Fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The redemption transaction fee is the same no matter how many Creation Units are being redeemed pursuant to any one redemption request. The Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time based upon actual experience. In addition, the Fund may impose a Non-Standard Charge of up to 2% of the value of a redemption transaction for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions for the Fund. Investors who use the services of an AP, broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services which may include an amount for the Redemption Transaction Fees and Non-Standard Charges. Investors are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Fund Securities to the account of the Company. The Non-Standard Charges are payable to the Fund as it incurs costs in connection with the redemption of Creation Units, the receipt of Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount and other transactions costs. The standard Redemption Transaction Fee for the Fund is $300.

 

PROCEDURES FOR REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS. Orders to redeem Creation Units must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an AP has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Company’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 Company is received by the Transfer Agent from the AP 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 will be rejected.

 

The AP must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Company, to the Transfer Agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their

 

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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 AP which 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 AP. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an AP and transfer of the shares to the Company’s 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 APs.

 

In connection with taking delivery of shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or AP 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 three business days of the trade date.

 

ADDITIONAL REDEMPTION PROCEDURES. In connection with taking delivery of shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, the AP 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 three Business Days of the trade date. However, due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, the different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (that is the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold), and in certain other circumstances, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds may take longer than three Business Days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. If neither the redeeming Shareholder nor the AP acting on behalf of such redeeming Shareholder has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Company may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming shareholder will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.

 

If it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities, the Company may in its discretion 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 the 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 relevant Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Company’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). The Fund may also, in their sole discretion, 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 Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Company could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An AP or an investor for which it is acting

 

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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 AP may request the redeeming investor of the shares to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an AP 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 AP may be required by the Company to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status in order to receive Fund Securities.

 

Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on the relevant exchange(s) 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 of the Fund, or to purchase or sell shares of such Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of such 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 the 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 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.

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

 

The Fund discloses its full portfolio holdings, as of the close of business the prior day, each day before the opening of trading on the Exchange at [www.emeraldetfs.com].

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

In accordance with procedures adopted by the Board, the NAV per share of the Fund is calculated by determining the value of the net assets attributed to the Fund and dividing by the number of outstanding shares of the Fund. All securities are valued on each Business Day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE (normally, but not always, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) or such other time as the NYSE or National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System (“NASDAQ”) market may officially close. The term “Business Day” means any day the NYSE is open for trading, which is Monday through Friday except for holidays. The NYSE is generally closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day (observed), Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday (observed), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

The time at which transactions and shares are priced and the time by which orders must be received may be changed in case of an emergency or if regular trading on the NYSE is stopped at a time other than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The Company reserves the right to reprocess purchase, redemption and exchange transactions that were initially processed at a NAV other than the Fund’s official closing NAV (as the same may be subsequently adjusted), and to recover amounts from (or distribute amounts to) shareholders based on the official closing NAV. The Company reserves the right to advance the time by which purchase and redemption orders must be received for same business day credit as

 

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otherwise permitted by the SEC. In addition, the Fund may compute its NAV as of any time permitted pursuant to any exemption, order or statement of the SEC or its staff.

 

The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by the Fund and its Valuation Designee (defined below) in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 2a-5”), the Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable. Prices are generally determined using readily available market prices. Subject to the approval of the Board, the Fund may employ outside organizations, which may use a matrix or formula method that takes into consideration market indices, matrices, yield curves and other specific adjustments in determining the approximate market value of portfolio investments. This may result in the investments being valued at a price that differs from the price that would have been determined had the matrix or formula method not been used. All cash, receivables, and current payables are carried on the Fund’s books at their face value. Other assets, if any, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Valuation Designee under the direction of the Board.

 

The procedures used by any pricing service and its valuation results are reviewed by the officers of the Company under the general supervision of the Board.

 

The Fund may hold portfolio securities that are listed on foreign exchanges. These securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the value of these investments may change on days when you cannot purchase or sell Fund shares.

 

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

 

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES.” In addition, the following is only a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations that generally affect the Fund and their shareholders. No attempt is made to present a comprehensive explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors with specific reference to their own tax situations, including their state, local, and foreign tax liabilities.

 

It is the policy of the Company each fiscal year to distribute substantially all of the Fund’s net investment income (i.e., generally, the income that it earns from dividends and interest on its investments, and any short-term capital gains, net of Fund expenses) and net capital gains (i.e., the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses), if any, to its shareholders.

 

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Dividend Reinvestment Service  

 

The Fund 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 Fund 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 in order 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 Fund at NAV. Distributions reinvested in additional shares of the Fund will nevertheless be taxable to beneficial owners acquiring such additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.

 

Taxes – General  

 

The discussions of the federal tax consequences in the Prospectus and this SAI are based on the Code and the regulations issued under it, and court decisions and administrative interpretations, as in effect on the date of this SAI. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly alter the statements included herein, and any such changes or decisions may be retroactive. The Fund has elected to be, and intends to qualify each year for tax treatment, as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. As such, the Fund generally will be exempt from federal income tax on its net investment income and realized capital gains that it distributes to shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company, the Fund must meet three important tests each year.

 

First, the Fund must derive with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies, or net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

Second, generally, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of such issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of (1) any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), (2) two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or (3) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

Third, the Fund must distribute an amount equal to at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) before taking into account any deduction for dividends paid, and 90% of its tax-exempt income, if any, for the year.

 

The Fund intends to comply with these requirements. If the Fund were to fail to make sufficient distributions, it could be liable for corporate income tax (which may include interest or penalties) and for excise tax (as discussed below) in

 

42

 

 

 

respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough, and such Fund does not satisfy the 90% distribution requirement described above, such Fund could be disqualified as a regulated investment company. If for any taxable year a Fund were not to qualify as a regulated investment company, all its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In that event, taxable shareholders would recognize dividend income on distributions to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, and corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

 

The Code imposes a nondeductible 4% excise tax on regulated investment companies that fail to distribute each year an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for this excise tax.

 

The Fund's hedging and derivatives transactions are subject to special and complex U.S. federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (ii) convert lower-taxed long-term capital gain into higher-taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income, (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur, (vi) adversely alter the intended characterization of certain complex financial transactions and (vii) produce income that will not be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the 90% gross income test described above. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders and the Fund's status as a regulated investment company. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions.

 

The Fund's investment in non-U.S. securities may be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes. In that case, the Fund's yield on those securities would be decreased. Shareholders will generally not be entitled to claim a credit or deduction with respect to any non-U.S. taxes paid by the Fund.

 

Loss Carryforwards  

 

For federal income tax purposes, the Fund is generally permitted to carry forward a net capital loss in any year to offset its own capital gains, if any, during subsequent years. As of August 31, 2026, the Fund had $[...] of carry forward capital losses.

 

State and Local Taxes  

 

Although the Fund expects to qualify as a regulated investment company and to be relieved of all or substantially all federal income taxes, depending upon the extent of its activities in states and localities in which its offices are maintained, in which its agents or independent contractors are located or in which it is otherwise deemed to be conducting business, the Fund may be subject to the tax laws of such states or localities.

 

43

 

 

 

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

 

Subject to policies established by the Board, the Adviser is responsible for the execution of portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage transactions for the Fund. In executing portfolio transactions, the Adviser seeks to obtain the best price and most favorable execution for the Fund, taking into account such factors as the price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of the order, difficulty of execution and operational facilities of the firm involved. While the Adviser generally seeks reasonably competitive commission rates, payment of the lowest commission or spread is not necessarily consistent with obtaining the best price and execution in particular transactions.

 

Brokerage Transactions  

 

Generally, equity securities, both listed and over-the-counter, are bought and sold through brokerage transactions for which commissions are payable. Purchases from underwriters will include the underwriting commission or concession, and purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include a dealer’s mark-up or reflect a dealer’s mark-down. Money market securities and other debt securities are usually bought and sold directly from the issuer or an underwriter or market maker for the securities. Generally, the Fund will not pay brokerage commissions for such purchases. When a debt security is bought from an underwriter, the purchase price will usually include an underwriting commission or concession. The purchase price for securities bought from dealers serving as market makers will similarly include the dealer’s mark up or reflect a dealer’s mark down. When the Fund executes transactions in the over-the-counter market, it will generally deal with primary market makers unless prices that are more favorable are otherwise obtainable.

 

In addition, the Adviser may place a combined order for two or more accounts they manage, including the Fund, engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security if, in its judgment, joint execution is in the best interest of each participant and will result in best price and execution. Transactions involving commingled orders are allocated in a manner deemed equitable to each account and the Fund. Although it is recognized that, in some cases, the joint execution of orders could adversely affect the price or volume of the security that a particular account or Fund may obtain, it is the opinion of the Adviser and the Board that the advantages of combined orders outweigh the possible disadvantages of separate transactions. Nonetheless, the Adviser believes that the ability of the Fund to participate in higher volume transactions will generally be beneficial to the Fund.

 

During the following fiscal period, the Fund incurred brokerage commissions as follows:

 

Fund

Fiscal Period Ended

August 31, 2025(1)

Fiscal Year Ended

August 31, 2026

Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF

$35,977

[...]

 

(1)The Fund commenced operations on October 30, 2024.

 

The Fund is required to identify any securities of the Company’s regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or their parents held by the Fund as of the end of the most recent fiscal year. As of August 31, 2026, the Fund [did not hold debt securities] issued by the parent companies of their “regular broker-dealers” as defined in the 1940 Act.

 

44

 

 

 

Brokerage Selection  

 

The Company does not expect to use one particular broker or dealer, and when one or more brokers is believed capable of providing the best combination of price and execution, the Adviser may select a broker based upon brokerage or research services provided to the Adviser. The Adviser may pay a higher commission than otherwise obtainable from other brokers in return for such services only if a good faith determination is made that the commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided.

 

Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, permits an investment 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. In addition to agency transactions, the Adviser may receive brokerage and research services in connection with certain riskless principal transactions, in accordance with applicable SEC guidance. Brokerage and research services include: (1) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; (2) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and the performance of accounts; and (3) effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance, settlement, and custody). In the case of research services, the Adviser believes that access to independent investment research is beneficial to their investment decision-making processes and, therefore, to the Fund.

 

To the extent research services may be a factor in selecting brokers, such services may be in written form or through direct contact with individuals and may include information as to particular companies and securities as well as market, economic, or institutional areas and information which assists in the valuation and pricing of investments. Examples of research-oriented services for which the Adviser might utilize Fund commissions include research reports and other information on the economy, industries, sectors, groups of securities, individual companies, statistical information, political developments, technical market action, pricing and appraisal services, credit analysis, risk measurement analysis, performance and other analysis. The Adviser may use research services furnished by brokers in servicing all client accounts and not all services may necessarily be used in connection with the account that paid commissions to the broker providing such services. Information so received by the Adviser will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement. Any advisory or other fees paid to the Adviser are not reduced as a result of the receipt of research services.

 

In some cases, the Adviser may receive a service from a broker that has both a “research” and a “non-research” use. When this occurs, the Adviser makes a good faith allocation, under all the circumstances, between the research and non-research uses of the service. The percentage of the service that is used for research purposes may be paid for with client commissions, while the Adviser will use its own funds to pay for the percentage of the service that is used for non-research purposes. In making this good faith allocation, the Adviser faces a potential conflict of interest, but the Adviser believes that its allocation procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that it appropriately allocates the anticipated use of such services to their research and non-research uses.

 

45

 

 

 

SECURITIES LENDING

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. serves as securities lending agent for the Fund and in that role administers the Fund’s securities lending program pursuant to the terms of a Master Securities Lending Agreement entered into between the Fund and U.S. Bank, N.A.

 

As securities lending agent, U.S. Bank, N.A. is responsible for marketing to approved borrowers available securities from the Fund’s portfolio. U.S. Bank, N.A. is responsible for the administration and management of the Fund’s securities lending program, including the preparation and execution of a participant agreement with each borrower governing the terms and conditions of any securities loan, ensuring that securities loans are properly coordinated and documented with the Fund’s custodian, ensuring that loaned securities are daily valued and that the corresponding required cash collateral of at least 102% of the current market value of the loaned securities is delivered by the borrower(s), using best efforts to obtain additional collateral on the next business day if the value of the collateral falls below the required amount, and arranging for the investment of cash collateral received from borrowers in accordance with the Fund’s investment guidelines.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. receives as compensation for its services a portion of the amount earned by the Fund for lending securities.

 

As of the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, the Fund [had not engaged] in securities lending transactions.

 

PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES

 

The Board has delegated the responsibility of voting proxies with respect to the portfolio securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by its general fiduciary duty to act prudently and in the interest of the Fund. The Adviser will consider factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments and the rights of shareholders in its determination on voting portfolio securities.

 

The Adviser will vote proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures, which are included in Appendix B to this SAI.

 

More Information  

 

Each year, the Fund will make available the actual voting records relating to portfolio securities held by the Fund during the 12-month period ending June 30 without charge, upon request by calling 1-800-617-0004, or by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Adviser’s proxy-voting policies and procedures is available by calling 1-800-617-0004 and will be sent within three business days of receipt of a request.

 

46

 

 

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

The Adviser and/or its affiliates, at their discretion, may make payments from their own resources and not from Fund assets to affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), trust companies, registered investment advisers, financial planners, retirement plan administrators, insurance companies, and any other institution having a service, administration, or any similar arrangement with the Fund, their service providers or their respective affiliates, as incentives to help market and promote the Fund and/or in recognition of their distribution, marketing, administrative services, and/or processing support.

 

These additional payments may be made to financial intermediaries that sell Fund shares or provide services to the Fund, the Distributor or shareholders of the Fund through the financial intermediary’s retail distribution channel and/or fund supermarkets. Payments may also be made through the financial intermediary’s retirement, qualified tuition, fee-based advisory, wrap fee bank trust, or insurance (e.g., individual or group annuity) programs. These payments may include, but are not limited to, placing the Fund in a financial intermediary’s retail distribution channel or on a preferred or recommended fund list; providing business or shareholder financial planning assistance; educating financial intermediary personnel about the Fund; providing access to sales and management representatives of the financial intermediary; promoting sales of Fund shares; providing marketing and educational support; maintaining share balances and/or for sub-accounting, administrative or shareholder transaction processing services. A financial intermediary may perform the services itself or may arrange with a third party to perform the services.

 

The Adviser and/or its affiliates may also make payments from their own resources to financial intermediaries for costs associated with the purchase of products or services used in connection with sales and marketing, participation in and/or presentation at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs, client and investor entertainment and other sponsored events. The costs and expenses associated with these efforts may include travel, lodging, sponsorship at educational seminars and conferences, entertainment and meals to the extent permitted by law.

 

Revenue sharing payments may be negotiated based on a variety of factors, including the level of sales, the amount of Fund assets attributable to investments in the Fund by financial intermediaries’ customers, a flat fee or other measures as determined from time to time by the Adviser and/or its affiliates. A significant purpose of these payments is to increase the sales of Fund shares, which in turn may benefit the Adviser through increased fees as Fund assets grow.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES

 

The Company has authorized capital of 100 billion shares of common stock at a par value of $0.001 per share. Currently, [...] billion shares have been classified into [...] classes. However, the Company only has approximately [...] active share classes that have begun investment operations. Under the Company’s Charter, the Board has the power to classify and reclassify any unissued Shares of common stock from time to time.

 

Each share that represents an interest in the Fund has an equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to that Fund with each other share that represents an interest in that Fund, even where a share has a different class designation than another share representing an interest in that Fund. Shares of the Company do not have preemptive or conversion rights. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectus, shares of the Company will be fully paid and non-assessable.

 

47

 

 

 

The Company does not currently intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders except as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. The Company’s amended By-Laws provide that shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding shares of all classes of Common Stock of the Company have the right to call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more directors. To the extent required by law, the Company will assist in shareholder communication in such matters.

 

Holders of shares of each class of the Company will vote in the aggregate on all matters, except where otherwise required by law. Further, shareholders of the Company will vote in the aggregate and not by portfolio except as otherwise required by law or when the Board determines that the matter to be voted upon affects only the interests of the shareholders of a particular portfolio or class of shares. Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 18f-2”) provides that any matter required to be submitted by the provisions of such Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Company shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each portfolio affected by the matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that a portfolio shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each portfolio in the matter are identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of the portfolio. Under Rule 18f-2 the approval of an investment advisory agreement or distribution agreement or any change in a fundamental investment objective or fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a portfolio only if approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such portfolio. However, the Rule 18f-2 also provides that the ratification of the selection of independent public accountants and the election of directors are not subject to the separate voting requirements and may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of an investment company voting without regard to a portfolio. Shareholders of the Company are entitled to one vote for each full share held (irrespective of class or portfolio) and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Voting rights are not cumulative and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate shares of common stock of the Company may elect all of the Directors.

 

Notwithstanding any provision of Maryland law requiring a greater vote of shares of the Company’s common stock (or of any class voting as a class) in connection with any corporate action, unless otherwise provided by law (for example by Rule 18f-2 discussed above), or by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, the Company may take or authorize such action upon the favorable vote of the holders of more than 50% of all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock voting without regard to class (or portfolio).

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Anti-Money Laundering Program  

 

The Fund has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”). To ensure compliance with this law, the Fund’s Program provides for the development of

 

48

 

 

 

internal practices, procedures, and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that certain of its service providers have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity, and conducting a complete and thorough review of all new account applications. The Fund will not transact business with any person or legal entity and beneficial owner, if applicable, whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm  

 

[  ], located at [  ], serves as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Fund. Its services include auditing the Fund’s financial statements. [  ], an affiliate of [  ], provides tax services as requested.

 

Transfer Agent  

 

Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent.

 

Custodian  

 

U.S. Bank, N.A, 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, WI 53212, serves as custodian (the “Custodian”) of the Fund’s assets and is responsible for maintaining custody of the Fund’s cash and investments and retaining sub-custodians, including in connection with the custody of foreign securities. Cash held by the Custodian, the amount of which may at times be substantial, is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to the amount of available insurance coverage limits. The Custodian and Fund Services are affiliates.

 

Administrator  

 

Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202, serves as the administrator (the “Administrator”) and provides various administrative and accounting services necessary for the operations of the Fund. Services provided by the Administrator include facilitating general Fund management; monitoring Fund compliance with federal and state regulations; supervising the maintenance of the Fund’s general ledger, the preparation of the Fund’s financial statements, the determination of NAV, and the payment of dividends and other distributions to shareholders; and preparing specified financial, tax, and other reports. Fund Services and the Custodian are affiliates.

 

During the following fiscal period, the Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF paid the following administration and accounting fees to Fund Services:

 

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Fund

Fiscal Period Ended

August 31, 2025(1)

Fiscal Year Ended

August 31, 2026)

Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF

$17,990

[...]

 

(1)The Fund commenced operations on October 30, 2024.

 

Counsel  

 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-6996, serves as counsel to the Company.

 

Registration Statement  

 

This SAI and the Prospectus do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement the Company has filed with the SEC. The complete Registration Statement may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the fee prescribed by SEC rules and regulations. A text-only version of the Registration Statement is available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.

 

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The financial statements included in the [Annual Report] for the Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF, and the report of [  ], the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The Funds will provide a copy of the Funds’ annual report on Form N-CSR and semi-annual reports, on request and without charge. Copies of the annual report may be obtained at no charge by telephoning the Fund at the telephone number appearing on the front page of this SAI.

 

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APPENDIX A

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS

 

Short-Term Credit Ratings  

 

An S&P Global Ratings short-term issue credit rating is generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. 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 commitment 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.

 

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

 

A-1

 

 

 

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.

 

“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

 

Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial 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.

 

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

 

“P-1” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-2” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-3” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short-term” based on market convention.1 Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:

 

“F1” – Securities possess the highest short-term credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

“F2” – Securities possess good short-term credit quality. This designation indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

 

“F3” – Securities possess fair short-term credit quality. This designation indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

“B” – Securities possess speculative short-term credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

“C” – Securities possess high short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.

 

1 A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity.

 

A-2

 

 

 

“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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an issue of a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated.

 

The Morningstar® DBRS Ratings Limited (“Morningstar DBRS”) short-term obligation ratings provide  Morningstar DBRS opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of shorter than one year. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the subcategories “(high)”, “(middle)”, and “(low)”.

 

The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for commercial paper and short-term debt:

 

“R-1 (high)” - Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be 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 or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.

 

“R-2 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the 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” – Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the 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.

 

A-3

 

 

 

“R-4” – Short-term debt rated “R-4” is considered to be of speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.

 

“R-5” – Short-term debt rated “R-5” is considered to be of 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” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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. 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 Issue Credit Ratings  

 

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

 

A-4

 

 

 

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 is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) – 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 of financial obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more. Such ratings reflect both on the likelihood of 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.

 

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“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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:

 

“AAA” – Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit 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” – Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

“A” – Securities considered to be of high credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit 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” – Securities considered to be of good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of credit 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” – Securities considered to be speculative. “BB” ratings indicates an elevated vulnerability to credit 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 to be met.

 

“B” – Securities considered to be highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material credit risk is present

 

“CCC” – A “CCC” rating indicates that substantial credit risk is present.

 

“CC” – A “CC” rating indicates very high levels of credit risk.

 

A-6

 

 

 

“C” – A “C” rating indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

 

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned “RD” or “D” ratings but are instead rated in the “CCC” to “C” rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. Fitch believes that this approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the “AAA” obligation rating category, or to corporate finance obligation ratings in the categories below “CCC”.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issue of a rated issuer.

 

The Morningstar DBRS long-term obligation ratings provide Morningstar DBRS’ opinion on the risk that investors may not be repaid in accordance with the terms under which the long-term obligation was issued. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of one year or longer. All rating categories from AA to CCC contain subcategories “(high)” and “(low)”. The absence of either a “(high)” or “(low)” designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category. The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for long-term debt:

 

“AAA” – Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

 

“AA” – Long-term debt rated “AA” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “A” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.

 

“BB” – Long-term debt rated “BB” is of speculative, non-investment grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.

 

“B” – Long-term debt rated “B” is of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.

 

“CCC”, “CC” and “C” – Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is of 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 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.

 

A-7

 

 

 

“D” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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. 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 symbols are as follows:

 

“SP-1” – A municipal note rated “SP-1” exhibits a 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” – A municipal note rated “SP-2” exhibits a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

 

“SP-3” – A municipal note rated “SP-3” exhibits a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

 

“D” – This rating 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.

 

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MIG Scale

 

“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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

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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.

 

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.

 

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, 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).

 

Morningstar DBRS offers independent, transparent, and innovative credit analysis to the market. Credit ratings are forward-looking opinions about credit risk that reflect the creditworthiness of an issuer, rated entity, security and/or obligation based on Morningstar DBRS’s quantitative and qualitative analysis in accordance with applicable methodologies and criteria. They are meant to provide opinions on relative measures of risk and are not based on expectations of, or meant to predict, any specific default probability. Credit ratings are not statements of fact. Morningstar DBRS issues credit ratings using one or more categories, such as public, private, provisional, final(ized), solicited, or unsolicited. From time to time, credit ratings may also be subject to trends, placed under review, or discontinued. Morningstar DBRS credit ratings are determined by credit rating committees.

 

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APPENDIX B

 

EMERALD ADVISERS, LLC
EMERALD MUTUAL FUND ADVISERS TRUST
EMERALD SEPARATE ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY

 

The voting policies set forth below apply to all proxies which Emerald Advisers, LLC. and subsidiaries are entitled to vote. It is Emerald’s policy to vote all such proxies. Corporate governance through the proxy process is solely concerned with the accountability and responsibility for the assets entrusted to corporations. The role of institutional investors in the governance process is the same as the responsibility due all other aspects of the fund’s management. First and foremost, the investor is a fiduciary and secondly, an owner. Fiduciaries and owners are responsible for their investments. These responsibilities include:

 

1) selecting proper directors

 

2) insuring that these directors have properly supervised management

 

3) resolve issues of natural conflict between shareholders and managers

 

 

a.

Compensation

 

 

b.

Corporate Expansion

 

 

c.

Dividend Policy

 

 

d.

Free Cash Flow

 

 

e.

Various Restrictive Corporate Governance Issues, Control Issues, etc.

 

 

f.

Preserving Integrity

 

In voting proxies, Emerald will consider those factors which would affect the value of the investment and vote in the manner, which in its view, will best serve the economic interest of its clients. Consistent with this objective, Emerald will exercise its vote in a activist pro-shareholder manner in accordance with the following policies.

 

I. BOARDS OF DIRECTORS  

 

In theory, the board represents shareholders, in practice, all to often Board members are selected by management. Their allegiance is therefore owed to management in order to maintain their very favorable retainers and prestigious position. In some cases, corporations never had a nominating process, let alone criteria for the selection of Board members. Shareholders have begun to focus on the importance of the independence of the Board of Directors and the nominating process for electing these Board members. Independence is an important criterium to adequately protect

 

B-1

 

 

 

shareholders’ ongoing financial interest and to properly conduct a board member’s oversight process. Independence though, is only the first criteria for a Board. Boards need to be responsible fiduciaries in their oversight and decision making on behalf of the owners and corporations. Too many companies are really ownerless. Boards who have failed to perform their duties, or do not act in the best interests of the shareholders should be voted out. A clear message is sent when a no confidence vote is given to a set of directors or to a full Board.

 

A. Election of Directors, a Board of Directors, or any number of Directors. In order to assure Boards are acting solely for the shareholders they represent, the following resolutions will provide a clear message to underperforming companies and Boards who have failed to fulfill duties assigned to them.

 

 

•

Votes should be cast in favor of shareholder proposals asking that boards be comprised of a majority of outside directors.

 

 

•

Votes should be cast in favor of shareholder proposals asking that board audit, compensation and nominating committees be comprised exclusively of outside directors.

 

 

•

Votes should be cast against management proposals to re-elect the board if the board has a majority of inside directors.

 

 

•

Votes should be withheld for directors who may have an inherent conflict of interest by virtue of receiving consulting fees from a corporation (affiliated outsiders).

 

 

•

Votes should be withheld, on a case by case basis, for those directors of the compensation committees responsible for particularly egregious compensation plans.

 

 

•

Votes should be withheld for directors who have failed to attend 75% of board or committee meetings in cases where management does not provide adequate explanation for the absences.

 

 

•

Votes should be withheld for incumbent directors of poor performing companies; defining poor performing companies as those companies who have below average stock performance (vs. peer group/Wilshire 5000) and below average return on assets and operating margins.

 

 

•

Votes should be cast in favor of proposals to create shareholder advisory committees. These committees will represent shareholders’ views, review management, and provide oversight of the board and their directors.

 

B. Board Diversity: Emerald will generally support and votes should be cast in favor of proposals requiring diversity among a company’s Board of Directors. Using NASDAQ’s proposed rule 560(f)(2) as a guide, a diverse board should have two or more directors who self-identify as: (i) Female, (ii) an Underrepresented Minority, or (iii) LGBTQ+. Emerald will generally support and votes should be cast in favor of proposals seeking an explanation why a company does not meet this requirement.

 

 

•

For purposes of this section I.B, the following terms shall have the following meanings: “Female” shall mean an individual who self-identifies her gender as a woman, without regard to the individual’s

designated sex at birth. “Underrepresented Minority” shall mean an individual who self-identifies as one or more of the following: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian, Native American or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or two or more races or ethnicities. “LGBTQ+” shall mean an individual who self-identifies as any of the following: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or a member of the queer community.

 

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C. Selection of Accountants: Emerald will generally support a rotation of accountants to provide a truly independent audit. This rotation should generally occur every 4-5 years.

 

D. Incentive Stock Plans. Emerald will generally vote against all excessive compensation and incentive stock plans which are not performance related.

 

E. Corporate restructuring plans or company name changes, will generally be evaluated on a case by case basis.

 

F. Annual Meeting Location. This topic normally is brought forward by minority shareholders, requesting management to hold the annual meeting somewhere other than where management desires. Resolution. Emerald normally votes with management, except in those cases where management seeks a location to avoid their shareholders.

 

G. Preemptive Rights. This is usually a shareholder request enabling shareholders to participate first in any new offering of common stock. Resolution: We do not feel that preemptive rights would add value to shareholders, we would vote against such shareholder proposals.

 

H. Mergers and/or Acquisitions. Each merger and/or acquisition has numerous ramifications for long term shareholder value. Resolution: After in-depth valuation Emerald will vote its shares on a case by case basis.

 

II. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ISSUES  

 

These issues include those areas where voting with management may not be in the best interest of the institutional investor. All proposals should be examined on a case by case basis.

 

A. Provisions Restricting Shareholder Rights. These provisions would hamper shareholders ability to vote on certain corporate actions, such as changes in the bylaws, greenmail, poison pills, recapitalization plans, golden parachutes, and on any item that would limit shareholders’ right to nominate, elect, or remove directors. These items can change the course of the corporation overnight and shareholders should have the right to vote on these critical issues. Resolution: Vote Against management proposals to implement such restrictions and vote For shareholder proposals to eliminate them.

 

B. Anti-Shareholder Measures. These are measures designed to entrench management so as to make it more difficult to effect a change in control of the corporation. They are normally not in the best interests of shareholders since they do not allow for the most productive use of corporate assets.

 

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1. Classification of the Board of Directors:

A classified Board is one in which directors are not elected in the same year rather their terms of office are staggered. This eliminates the possibility of removing entrenched management at any one annual election of directors. Resolution: Vote Against proposals to classify the Board and support proposals (usually shareholder initiated) to implement annual election of the Board.

 

2. Shareholder Rights Plans (Poison Pills):

Anti-acquisition proposals of this sort come in a variety of forms. In general, issuers confer contingent benefits of some kind on their common stockholders. The most frequently used benefit is the right to buy shares at discount prices in the event of defined changes in corporate control. Resolution: Vote Against proposals to adopt Shareholder Rights Plans, and vote For Shareholder proposals eliminating such plans.

 

3. Unequal Voting Rights:

A takeover defense, also known as superstock, which gives holders disproportionate voting rights. Emerald adheres to the One Share, One Vote philosophy, as all holders of common equity must be treated fairly and equally. Resolution: Vote Against proposals creating different classes of stock with unequal voting privileges.

 

4. Supermajority Clauses:

These are implemented by management requiring that an overly large amount of shareholders (66-95% of shareholders rather than a simple majority) approve business combinations or mergers, or other measures affecting control. This is another way for management to make changes in control of the company more difficult. Resolution: Vote Against management proposals to implement supermajority clauses and support shareholder proposals to eliminate them.

 

5. Fair Price Provisions:

These provisions allow management to set price requirements that a potential bidder would need to satisfy in order to consummate a merger. The pricing formulas normally used are so high that the provision makes any tender offer prohibitively expensive. Therefore, their existence can foreclose the possibility of tender offers and hence, the opportunity to secure premium prices for holdings. Resolution: Vote Against management proposals to implement fair price provisions and vote For shareholder proposals to eliminate them.

 

Caveat: Certain fair price provisions are legally complex and require careful analysis and advice before concluding whether or not their adoption would serve stockholder interest.

 

6. Increases in authorized shares and/or creation of new classes of common and preferred stock:

 

 

a.

Increasing authorized shares.

 

Emerald will support management if they have a stated purpose for increasing the authorized number of common and preferred stock. Under normal circumstances, this would include stock splits, stock dividends, stock option plans, and for additional financing needs. However, in certain circumstances, it is apparent that management is proposing these increases as an anti-takeover measure. When used in this manner, share increases could inhibit or discourage stock acquisitions by a potential buyer, thereby negatively affecting a fair price valuation for the company.

 

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Resolution: On a case by case basis, vote Against management if they attempt to increase the amount of shares that they are authorized to issue if their intention is to use the excess shares to discourage a beneficial business combination. One way to determine if management intends to abuse its right to issue shares is if the amount of authorized shares requested is double the present amount of authorized shares.

 

 

b.

Creation of new classes of stock.

 

Managements have proposed authorizing shares of new classes of stock, usually preferreds, which the Board would be able to issue at their discretion. The Board would also be granted the discretion to determine the dividend rate, voting privileges, redemption provisions, conversion rights, etc. without approval of the shareholders. These “blank check” issues are designed specifically to inhibit a takeover, merger, or accountability to its shareholders.

 

Resolution: Emerald would vote AGAINST management in allowing the Board the discretion to issue any type of “blank check” stock without shareholder approval.

 

 

c.

Directors and Management Liability and Indemnification.

 

These proposals are a result of the increasing cost of insuring directors and top management against lawsuits. Generally, managements propose that the liability of directors and management be either eliminated or limited. Shareholders must have some recourse for losses that are caused by negligence on the part of directors and management. Therefore directors and management should be responsible for their fiduciary duty of care towards the company. The Duty of Care is defined as the obligation of directors and management to be diligent in considering a transaction or in taking or refusing to take a corporate action.

 

Resolution: On a case by case basis, Emerlad votes Against attempts by management to eliminate directors and management liability for their duty of care.

 

 

d.

Compensation Plans (Incentive Plans)

 

Management occasionally will propose to adopt an incentive plan which will become effective in the event of a takeover or merger. These plans are commonly known as “golden parachutes” or “tin parachutes” as they are specifically designed to grossly or unduly benefit a select few in management who would most likely lose their jobs in an acquisition. Shareholders should be allowed to vote on all plans of this type.

 

Resolution: On a case by case basis, vote Against attempts by management to adopt proposals that are specifically designed to grossly or unduly benefit members of executive management in the event of an acquisition.

 

 

e.

Greenmail

 

Emerald would not support management in the payment of greenmail.

 

Resolution: Emerald would vote FOR any shareholder resolution that would eliminate the possibility of the payment of greenmail.

 

B-5

 

 

 

 

f.

Cumulative Voting

 

Cumulative voting entitles stockholders to as many votes as equal the number of shares they own multiplied by the number of directors being elected. According to this set of rules, a shareholder can cast all votes towards a single director, or any two or more. This is a proposal usually made by a minority shareholder seeking to elect a director to the Board who sympathizes with a special interest. It also can be used by management that owns a large percentage of the company to ensure that their appointed directors are elected.

 

Resolution: Cumulative voting tends to serve special interests and not those of shareholders, therefore Emerald will vote Against any proposals establishing cumulative voting and For any proposal to eliminate it.

 

 

g.

Proposals Designed to Discourage Mergers & Acquisitions In Advance

 

These provisions direct Board members to weigh socioeconomic and legal as well as financial factors when evaluating takeover bids. This catchall apparently means that the perceived interests of customers, suppliers, managers, etc., would have to be considered along with those of the shareholder. These proposals may be worded: “amendments to instruct the Board to consider certain factors when evaluating an acquisition proposal”. Directors are elected primarily to promote and protect the shareholder interests. Directors should not allow other considerations to dilute or deviate from those interests.

 

Resolution: Emerald will vote Against proposals that would discourage the most productive use of corporate assets in advance.

 

 

h.

Confidential Voting

 

A company that does not have a ballot provision has the ability to see the proxy votes before the annual meeting. In this way, management is able to know before the final outcome how their proposals are being accepted. If a proposal is not going their way, management has the ability to call shareholders to attempt to convince them to change their votes. Elections should take place in normal democratic process which includes the secret ballot. Elections without the secret ballot can lead to coercion of shareholders, employees, and other corporate partners.

 

Resolution: Vote For proposals to establish secret ballot voting.

 

 

i.

Disclosure

 

Resolution: Emerald will vote Against proposals that would require any kind of unnecessary disclosure of business records. Emerald will vote For proposals that require disclosure of records concerning unfair labor practices or records dealing with the public safety.

 

 

j.

Sweeteners

 

Resolution: Emerald will vote Against proposals that include what are called “sweeteners” used to entice shareholders to vote for a proposal that includes other items that may not be in the shareholders best interest.

 

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For instance, including a stock split in the same proposal as a classified Board, or declaring an extraordinary dividend in the same proposal installing a shareholders rights plan (Poison Pill).

 

 

k.

Changing the State of Incorporation

 

If management sets forth a proposal to change the State of Incorporation, the reason for change is usually to take advantage of another state’s liberal corporation laws, especially regarding mergers, takeovers, and anti-shareholder measures. Many companies view the redomestication in another jurisdiction as an opportune time to put new anti-shareholder measures on the books or to purge their charter and bylaws of inconvenient shareholder rights, written consent, cumulative voting, etc.

 

Resolution: On a case-by-case basis, Emerald will vote Against proposals changing the State of Incorporation for the purpose of their anti-shareholder provisions and will support shareholder proposals calling for reincorporation into a jurisdiction more favorable to shareholder democracy.

 

 

l.

Equal Access to Proxy Statements

 

Emerald supports stockholders right to equal access to the proxy statement, in the same manner that management has access. Stockholders are the owners of a corporation and should not be bound by timing deadlines and other obstacles that presently shareholders must abide by in sponsoring proposals in a proxy statement. The Board should not have the ability to arbitrarily prevent a shareholder proposal from appearing in the proxy statement.

 

Resolution: Emerald will support any proposal calling for equal access to proxy statements.

 

 

m.

Abstention Votes

 

Emerald supports changes in the method of accounting for abstention votes. Abstention votes should not be considered as shares “represented” or “cast” at an annual meeting. Only those shares cast favoring or opposing a proposal should be included in the total votes cast to determine if a majority vote has been achieved. Votes cast abstaining should not be included in total votes cast.

 

Resolution: Emerald will support any proposal to change a company’s by-laws or articles of incorporation to reflect the proper accounting for abstention votes.

 

III. Other Issues  

 

On other major issues involving questions of community interest, moral and social concern, fiduciary trust and respect for the law such as:

 

 

A.

Human Rights

 

 

B.

Nuclear Issues

 

B-7

 

 

 

 

C.

Defense Issues

 

 

D.

Social Responsibility

 

Emerald, in general supports the position of management. Exceptions to this policy Include:

 

 

1.

South Africa

 

Emerald will actively encourage those corporations that have South African interests to adopt and adhere to the Statement of Principles for South Africa, formerly known as the Sullivan Principles, and to take further actions to promote responsible corporate activity.

 

 

2.

Northern Ireland

 

Emerald will actively encourage U.S. companies in Northern Ireland to adopt and adhere to the MacBride Principles, and to take further actions to promote responsible corporate activity.

 

IV. Other Potential Conflicts of Interest  

 

Emerald may manage a variety of corporate accounts that are publicly traded.

 

B-8

 

 

 

 

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

 

Subject to Completion

 

Dated October 30, 2026

 

Prospectus

 

Emerald Special Situations ETF

(formerly known as the F/m Emerald Special Situations ETF)

 

(Ticker: NASDAQ – SPIT)

 

of The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

[  ], 2026

 

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

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

SUMMARY SECTION

1

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND

13

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

26

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

28

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

30

DISTRIBUTION

37

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

37

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

39

FOR MORE INFORMATION

42

 

No securities dealer, sales representative, or any other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations, other than those contained in this Prospectus or in approved sales literature in connection with the offer contained herein, and if given or made, such other information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the [F/m] Emerald Special Situations ETF or The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”). This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby in any jurisdiction or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer.

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust became the Fund's investment adviser effective December 31, 2026, following the resignation of F/m Investments LLC. See “Management of the Fund” for more information.

 

 

 

 

Emerald Special Situations ETF

 

SUMMARY SECTION

 

Investment Objective

 

The investment objective of the Emerald Special Situations ETF (the “Fund”) is to seek long-term growth through capital appreciation.

 

Fees and Expenses  

 

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.

 

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

Management Fees

0.89%

Distribution (12b-1) Fees

N/A

Other Expenses

0.00%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(1)

[...]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

[...]

 

(1)

[Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (“AFFE”) are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, including mutual funds, money market funds and exchange traded funds. Please note that the amount of Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses shown in the above table will differ from the “Financial Highlights” section of the Prospectus, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include indirect expenses such as AFFE.]

 

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 hold or redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that: (1) your investment has a 5% return each year, and (2) the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 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 annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal period from May 1, 2026 through August 31, 2026, the Fund’s and Predecessor Fund’s (as defined below) combined portfolio turnover rate was [  ]% of the average value of its portfolio. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate is not annualized.

 

1

 

 

Principal Investment Strategies  

 

The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) and invests primarily in equity securities of companies experiencing unique, idiosyncratic situations and transformations (“Special Situations”), selected by Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust (the “Adviser”), the Fund’s investment adviser. The Adviser’s research staff conducts company-specific research analysis to identify securities of the companies in which an unusual and possibly non-repetitive development is taking place which, in the opinion of the Adviser, may cause the securities to attain a higher market value independently, to a degree, than the trend in the securities market in general.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities issued by companies experiencing Special Situations (the “80% Policy”). The Fund considers that the Special Situation developments may include:

 

 

•

Technological improvement or important discovery or acquisition which, if the expectation for it materialized, would effect a substantial change in the company’s business;

 

 

•

Corporate reorganization;

 

 

•

Recapitalization or other development involving a security exchange or conversion;

 

 

•

Material acquisition or transformational merger;

 

 

•

Spin-out, divestiture, liquidation or distribution of cash, securities or other assets;

 

 

•

Significant business model changes;

 

 

•

Material change in ownership;

 

 

•

Material or transformational contracts;

 

 

•

Impacts from business/external disruptions;

 

 

•

Litigation which, if resolved favorably, would improve the value of the company’s stock;

 

 

•

New or changed management;

 

 

•

Price dislocation;

 

 

•

Changes in governmental legislation, industry regulations, policy oversight;

 

 

•

Macroeconomic and industry catalysts; and

 

 

•

Positive or negative legislative or regulatory approvals or actions.

 

The Adviser’s research process includes utilizing its proprietary 10-Step Research Process in prescreening potential investments. This includes, but is not limited to, the review of SEC filings, annual reports, financial statements, patents/other intellectual property, press releases and news stories, conducting surveys, monitoring patient groups, attending industry trade shows/conferences, meeting with management, interviewing customers, industry contacts, medical professionals, key opinion leaders, competitors, suppliers and distributors, developing financial and valuation models, reviewing third-party, peer-reviewed and internal research, and communicating and collaborating with fellow investment team members.

 

The Fund can invest in companies from a wide range of industries and of various sizes. The Fund’s investment universe is not limited by market capitalization. Special Situations may often involve comparatively small companies which are not well known, and which have not been closely watched by investors generally, but may also involve larger companies.

 

2

 

 

 

The Fund may invest in companies engaged in financial technology-related activities including decentralized finance and distributed ledger technology. Financial technology is the application of new technological advancements to products and services in the financial industry, seeking to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services. Financial technology helps companies and consumers better manage their financial operations by utilizing specialized software. Financial technology companies compete with traditional financial methods in the delivery of financial services. Mobile banking, peer-to-peer lending, decentralized ledger technology and cryptocurrency are examples of financial technology. The Fund may also invest in companies that are engaged in the use of, or have exposure to, distributed ledger technology (“DLT”) and blockchain. The mechanics of using DLT, including blockchain, to transact in assets, including securities, is relatively new and untested and there is no assurance that widespread adoption will occur.

 

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stock, preferred stock, convertible preferred stock, shares of other investment companies and real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), and depositary receipts. The Fund may invest in shares of companies through private placements, warrants, rights, and initial public offerings. The Fund may invest in stocks of special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”). The Fund does not target a particular form of SPAC, with the exception that the SPAC must have identified an acquisition target at or prior to the time of the Fund’s investment.

 

The Fund intends to invest primarily in U.S. companies, but it may invest up to 10% of its net assets in foreign companies listed on a U.S. exchange. A company is deemed to be a foreign company if one or more of the following tests are met: (i) the company is organized in, or its primary business office or principal trading market of its equity security is located outside the United States; (ii) a majority of the company’s revenues are derived from outside the United States; or (iii) a majority of the issuer’s assets are located outside the United States. The Fund may invest in shares of companies through initial public offerings and private placements.

 

The Fund generally sells investments when the Adviser concludes that better investment opportunities exist in other securities, the security is fully valued, or the issuer’s circumstances or the political or economic outlook have changed.

 

The Fund has elected to be, and intends to continue to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

Principal Investment Risks  

 

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the Fund. The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly from day to day and over time. You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The Fund’s principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. Different risks may be more significant at different times depending on market conditions or other factors.

 

 

•

Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund invests more heavily in a particular issue, issuer or issuers, country, market segment, industries, project types, or asset class.

 

 

•

Convertible Securities Risk. Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities.

 

3

 

 

 

 

•

Currency Risk. Currency risk results from changes in the rate of exchange between the currency of the country in which a foreign company is domiciled or keeps its books and the U.S. dollar. Whenever the Fund holds securities valued in a foreign currency or holds the currency itself in connection with its purchases and sales of foreign securities, changes in the exchange rate add to or subtract from the value of the investment in U.S. dollars. The Fund generally does not seek to hedge currency risk, and although the Adviser considers currency risks as part of its investment process, its judgments in this regard may not always be correct.

 

 

•

Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures.

 

 

•

Distributed Ledger Technology (“DLT”) and Blockchain Investments Risk. The Fund may invest in companies listed on U.S. and Canadian exchanges that are engaged in the use of, or have exposure to, DLT and blockchain. The mechanics of using DLT, including blockchain, to transact in assets, including securities, is relatively new and untested and there is no assurance that widespread adoption will occur. DLT and blockchain are subject to a rapidly-evolving regulatory landscape in the United States and in other countries, which might include security, privacy or other regulatory concerns that could negatively impact the companies in which the Fund invests. Companies in which the Fund invests may also be subject to the risk of fraud and cybersecurity threats and intellectual property claims. A significant disruption of internet connectivity could impede the functionality of these technologies and could adversely affect the Fund.

 

 

•

Depositary Receipts Risk. The Fund may purchase depositary receipts (American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depositary receipts (“GDRs”), and Non-Voting Depositary Receipts (“NVDRs”)) to facilitate its investments in foreign securities. By investing in ADRs rather than investing directly in the securities of foreign issuers, the Fund can avoid currency risks during the settlement period for purchase and sales. However, ADRs do not eliminate all the risks inherent in investing in the securities of foreign issuers. Depositary receipts may be issued in a sponsored program, in which an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities traded in the form of depositary receipts, or in an unsponsored program, in which the issuer may not be directly involved. The holders of depositary receipts that are unsponsored generally bear various costs associated with the facilities, while a larger portion of the costs associated with sponsored depositary receipts are typically borne by the foreign issuers.

 

 

•

Emerging Markets Risk. The Fund may have exposure to securities in emerging markets. Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in foreign securities of developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers. The information available about an emerging market issuer may be less reliable than for comparable issuers in more developed capital markets. In addition, investments in certain emerging markets are subject to an elevated risk of loss resulting from market manipulation and the imposition of exchange controls (including repatriation restrictions). The legal rights and remedies available for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the rights and remedies available in the U.S.,

and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors in emerging markets may be limited.

 

4

 

 

 

 

•

Equity Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in, or have exposure to, equity securities. Equity securities tend to be more volatile than other investment choices, such as debt and money market instruments. The value of your investment may decrease in response to overall stock market movements or the value of individual securities.

 

 

•

ETF Risk. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks: “Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk,” “Cash Transactions Risk,” “Secondary Market Trading Risk,” and “Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than Net Asset Value (“NAV”) Risk.”

 

 

•

Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant (“AP”) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are institutional investors and may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to its net asset value (“NAV”) and possibly face delisting: (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. These events, among others, may lead to the Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than the NAV when you buy Shares in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those Shares in the secondary market. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold. In periods of market volatility, APs, market makers and/or liquidity providers may be less willing to transact in Shares.

 

 

•

Cash Transactions Risk. Unlike certain ETFs, the Fund may effect its creations and redemptions partially or wholly for cash rather than on an in-kind basis. Because of this, the Fund may incur costs such as brokerage costs or be unable to realize certain tax benefits associated with in-kind transfers of portfolio securities that may be realized by other ETFs. These costs may decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent that the costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP. Shareholders may be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise have been subject to and/ or at an earlier date than if the Fund had effected redemptions wholly on an in-kind basis.

 

 

•

Secondary Market Trading Risk. Although Shares are listed on a national securities exchange, 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 an active or liquid trading market for them will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted. Trading may be halted because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in the Fund inadvisable. These may include: (a) the extent to which trading is not occurring in the securities and/or the financial instruments composing the Fund’s Portfolio; or (b) whether other unusual conditions or circumstances detrimental to the maintenance of a fair and orderly market are present. During periods of market stress, 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.

 

 

•

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. There is a risk that market prices for Fund Shares will vary significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Where all or portion of the Fund’s underlying securities trade in a foreign market that is closed when the market in which

the Fund’s Shares are listed is open for trading, there may be changes between the last quote of the underlying securities’ value in the closed foreign market and the value of such underlying securities during the Fund’s domestic trading day.

 

5

 

 

 

 

•

Financial Technology Risk. The Fund may invest in companies engaged in financial technology-related activities. Companies that are developing financial technologies that seek to disrupt or displace established financial institutions generally face competition from much larger and more established firms. Financial technology companies may not be able to capitalize on their disruptive technologies if they face political and/or legal attacks from competitors, industry groups or local and national governments. Laws generally vary by country, creating some challenges to achieving scale. These financial technology companies may not currently derive any revenue, and there is no assurance that such company will derive any revenue from innovative technologies in the future. Additionally, financial technology companies may be adversely impacted by potential rapid product obsolescence, cybersecurity attacks, increased regulatory oversight and disruptions in the technology they depend on.

 

 

•

Foreign Investments Risk. The Fund may invest in the securities of foreign companies. Investing in securities of foreign companies involves risks generally not associated with investments in the securities of U.S. companies, including the risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, less stringent investor protections, unreliable and untimely information about issuers, and political and economic instability. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares.

 

 

•

Growth Stock Risk. Growth stocks are typically priced higher than other stocks, in relation to earnings and other measures, because investors believe they have more growth potential. This potential may or may not be realized and, if it is not realized, may result in a loss to the Fund. Growth stock prices also tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Because different types of stocks go out of favor with investors depending on market and economic conditions, the Fund’s return may be adversely affected during a market downturn and when growth stocks are out of favor.

 

 

•

Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund’s ability to buy or sell such securities. The Fund will not purchase an illiquid investment if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets would be so invested.

 

 

•

Initial Public Offerings (“IPOs”) Risk. Special risks associated with IPOs may include, among others, the fact that there may be only a limited number of shares available for trading. The market for those securities may be unseasoned. The issuer may have a limited operating history. These factors may contribute to price volatility. The limited number of shares available for trading in some IPOs may also make it more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices.

 

 

•

Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform different from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.

 

6

 

 

 

 

•

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.

 

 

•

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk, due to certain investments trading in lower volumes or to market and economic conditions that the Fund may be unable to find a buyer for its investments when it seeks to sell them or to receive the price it expects based on the Fund’s valuation of the investments. Events that may lead to increased redemptions, such as market disruptions, may also negatively impact the liquidity of the Fund’s investments when it needs to dispose of them. If the Fund is forced to sell its investments at an unfavorable time and/or under adverse conditions in order to meet redemption requests, such sales could negatively affect the Fund. Liquidity issues may also make it difficult to value the Fund’s investments.

 

 

•

Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk as an actively-managed investment portfolio. The Adviser’s investment approach may fail to produce the intended results.

 

 

•

Market Risk. The NAV of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. Investors may lose money. The value of investments held by the Fund may increase or decrease in response to economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets.

 

 

•

Micro-Cap and Small Cap Companies Risk. Investments in securities of micro- and small-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of larger-capitalization companies. The securities of micro- and 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 micro- and 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. Micro- and small-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.

 

 

•

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. The securities of mid-capitalization companies may involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies. The prices of securities of mid-cap companies tend to be more vulnerable to adverse developments specific to a company or its industry, or the securities markets generally, than are securities of larger capitalization companies.

 

 

•

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties, or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes or technology or systems failures. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.

 

 

•

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stocks are subject to the risks of equity securities generally and also risks associated with fixed-income securities, such as interest rate risk. A company’s preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the company makes required payments to creditors. As a result, the value of a company’s preferred stock will react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects.

 

 

•

Private Placements Risk. Investments in private placements could decrease the Fund’s liquidity profile or prevent the Fund from disposing of such securities promptly at advantageous prices. Private placements may be less liquid than other investments

because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the Fund might be unable to dispose of such securities promptly or at prices reflecting their true value. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities, and the Fund may only get limited information about the issuer of a private placement security, so it may be less able to anticipate a loss.

 

7

 

 

 

 

•

REITs Risk. Real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITS) and liquidity risks. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings, and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities.

 

 

 

Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law, or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any expenses, including management fees, paid by an externally managed REIT in which it invests.

 

 

•

Risk of Investing in the United States. Certain changes in the United States economy, such as when the economy weakens or when its financial markets decline, may have an adverse effect on the securities to which the Fund has exposure.

 

 

•

Sector Risk. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

 

•

Industrial Sector Risk: Companies in the industrial sector may be adversely affected by changes in the supply and demand for products and services, product obsolescence or discontinuance, claims for environmental damage or product liability and changes in general economic conditions, among other factors.

 

 

•

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.

 

 

•

Technology Sector Risk. To the extent the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in technology companies, the Fund is particularly vulnerable to factors affecting the technology section. In addition to market or economic factors, companies in the technology sector and companies that rely heavily on technology are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition.

 

 

•

Securities Issued by Other Investment Companies Risk. The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including other mutual funds, money market funds, exchange-traded funds, exchange-traded products, holding company depository receipt (“HOLDRs”), unit investment trusts, and closed-end funds, to gain exposure to a particular portion of the market rather than purchase securities directly. Shareholders of the Fund will indirectly be subject to the fees and expenses of the other investment companies in which the Fund invests and these fees and expenses are in addition to the fees and expenses that Fund shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations. In addition, shareholders will be exposed to the investment risks associated with investments in the other investment companies. The SEC has adopted revisions to the rules permitting funds to invest in other investment companies. While Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 12d1-4”) permits more types of fund of fund arrangements without reliance on an exemptive order or no-action letters, it imposes new conditions, including limits on control and voting of acquired funds’ shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements, and limits on most three-tier fund structures. Rule 12d1-4 went into effect on January 19, 2021. The rescission of the applicable exemptive orders and the withdrawal of the applicable no-action letters was effective on January 19, 2022. These regulatory changes may adversely impact the Fund’s investment strategies and operations.

 

8

 

 

 

 

•

Special Purpose Acquisition Company Risk. The Fund may invest in stock, rights, warrants, and other securities of special purpose acquisition companies or similar special purpose entities (collectively, “SPACs”). SPACs are often subject to extreme price volatility and speculative trading. SPACs may have little to no liquidity, and may trade at a discounted NAV. SPACs are “blank check” companies with no operating history. Accordingly, there is a limited basis, if any, on which to evaluate the SPAC’s ability to achieve its business objective, and the value of its securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to complete a profitable acquisition. The value of a SPAC’s securities can be highly volatile and may depreciate over time. A SPAC will not generate any revenues until, at the earliest, after the consummation of a transaction. Among other conflicts of interest, an investment in a SPAC may include the potential for misalignment of incentives in the structure of the SPAC.

 

 

•

Special Situations Risk. The Fund will seek to benefit from Special Situations, such as mergers, reorganizations, or other unusual events expected to affect a particular issuer. There is a risk that the Special Situation might not occur or involve longer time frames than originally expected, which could have a negative impact on the price of the issuer’s securities and fail to produce gains or produce a loss for the Fund.

 

 

•

Turnover Rate Risk. The Fund may have portfolio turnover rates in excess of 100%. Increased portfolio turnover causes the Fund to incur higher brokerage costs, which may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and may produce increased taxable distributions. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate is expected to vary from year to year.

 

 

•

Warrants and Rights Risk. Rights are similar to warrants but normally have a short duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its shareholders. Warrants and rights are not dividend-paying investments and do not have the voting rights of common stock. They also do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. As a result, warrants and rights may be considered more speculative than direct equity investments.

 

Performance Information  

 

Effective as of the close of business October 3, 2025, the Fund acquired all the assets and liabilities (the “Reorganization”) of the Emerald Insights Fund, a series of the Financial Investors Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”). As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund was assumed by the Fund. Although the Fund is the successor to the Predecessor Fund following the Reorganization, the Fund’s investment strategy differs materially from that of the Predecessor Fund such that the historical performance of the Predecessor Fund is not representative of the performance investors should reasonably expect from the Fund. Returns of the Predecessor Fund shown prior to October 6, 2025 were generated under the management of the Adviser, which served as the investment adviser to the Predecessor Fund. From October 6, 2025 to December 31, 2026, F/m  Investments, LLC served as the Fund’s investment adviser, with the Adviser responsible for the Fund’s day-to-day management as investment sub-adviser. Effective December 31, 2026, the Adviser began serving as the investment adviser to the Fund.

 

9

 

 

 

The bar chart below illustrates the performance of the Fund and the Institutional Class Shares of the Predecessor Fund, for the applicable periods. The information shows you how the Predecessor Fund’s performance has varied year by year during the periods indicated and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

 

The Fund’s and Predecessor Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future and does not guarantee future results. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at [www.emeraldetfs.com].

 

Annual Total Returns for the Calendar Years Ended December 31:

 

 

The Fund’s year-to-date return through September 30, 2026 was 17.92%.

 

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the Predecessor Fund’s highest return for a quarter was 35.39% during the quarter ended June 30, 2020, and the lowest return for a quarter was -23.66% during the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

 

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Calendar Years Ended December 31, 2025

 

 

1 Year

5 Year

10 Year

-Return Before Taxes

38.47%

15.98%

17.48%

-Return After Taxes on Distributions*

33.03%

13.73%

15.41%

-Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares*

25.16%

12.05%

13.92%

Russell 3000 Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)**

15.67%

11.55%

12.40%

Russell 3000 Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)***

17.76%

13.78%

16.42%

 

Performance shown prior to October 6, 2025 is based on the Predecessor Fund’s Institutional Class Shares.  

 

*

After-tax returns are calculated by using the highest historical individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates (i.e., maximum rates) and do not include state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. In certain cases, the figure representing “Return after Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares” may be higher than the other return figures for the same period, since a higher after-tax return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an assumed tax deduction that benefits the investor. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund Shares in tax-qualified accounts (i.e., retirement plans or Individual Retirement Accounts).

 

**

Broad-based securities market index.

 

***

Additional index.

 

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Management of the Fund  

 

Investment Adviser

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust serves as the investment adviser.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

The following portfolio managers have managed the Fund since its inception:

 

Name

Title with Investment Adviser

Tenure with the Fund*

David A. Volpe, CFA

Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director

Since July 2014

Stephen L. Amsterdam

Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst

Since January 2023

 

*

The start dates for the portfolio managers’ service are their respective start dates with the Predecessor Fund.

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares  

 

Shares are listed on the Exchange, and investors can only buy and sell Shares through brokers or dealers 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 (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information, including information on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is provided at [www.emeraldetfs.com].

 

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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 closely approximating the holdings of the Fund (the “Deposit Securities”) and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.

 

Tax Information  

 

Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination of the foregoing), unless your investment is made through 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 Fund’s 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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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND

 

Investment Objective  

 

The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Board of the Directors (the “Board”) of the Company without shareholder approval. Shareholders will, however, receive 60 days’ prior written notice of any changes. Any such changes may result in the Fund having an investment objective different from the objective that the shareholder considered appropriate at the time of investment in the Fund.

 

The Fund’s 80% Policy is non-fundamental and can be changed by the Board upon 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders.

 

Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies  

 

The Fund is an actively managed ETF and invests primarily in equity securities of companies experiencing Special Situations, selected by the Adviser. The Adviser’s research staff conducts company-specific research analysis to identify securities of the companies in which an unusual and possibly non-repetitive development is taking place which, in the opinion of the Adviser, may cause the securities to attain a higher market value independently, to a degree, than the trend in the securities market in general.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities issued by companies experiencing Special Situations (the “80% Policy”). The Fund considers that the Special Situation developments may include:

 

 

•

Technological improvement or important discovery or acquisition which, if the expectation for it materialized, would effect a substantial change in the company’s business;

 

 

•

Corporate reorganization;

 

 

•

Recapitalization or other development involving a security exchange or conversion;

 

 

•

Material acquisition or transformational merger;

 

 

•

Spin-out, divestiture, liquidation or distribution of cash, securities or other assets;

 

 

•

Significant business model changes;

 

 

•

Material change in ownership;

 

 

•

Material or transformational contracts;

 

 

•

Impacts from business/external disruptions;

 

 

•

Litigation which, if resolved favorably, would improve the value of the company’s stock;

 

 

•

New or changed management;

 

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•

Price dislocation;

 

 

•

Changes in governmental legislation, industry regulations, policy oversight;

 

 

•

Macroeconomic and industry catalysts; and

 

 

•

Positive or negative legislative or regulatory approvals or actions.

 

The Adviser’s research process includes utilizing its proprietary 10-Step Research Process in prescreening potential investments. This includes, but is not limited to, the review of SEC filings, annual reports, financial statements, patents/other intellectual property, press releases and news stories, conducting surveys, monitoring patient groups, attending industry trade shows/conferences, meeting with management, interviewing customers, industry contacts, medical professionals, key opinion leaders, competitors, suppliers and distributors, developing financial and valuation models, reviewing third-party, peer-reviewed and internal research, and communicating and collaborating with fellow investment team members.

 

The Fund can invest in companies from a wide range of industries and of various sizes. The Fund’s investment universe is not limited by market capitalization. Special Situations may often involve comparatively small companies which are not well known, and which have not been closely watched by investors generally, but may also involve larger companies.

 

The Fund may invest in companies engaged in financial technology-related activities including decentralized finance and distributed ledger technology. Financial technology is the application of new technological advancements to products and services in the financial industry, seeking to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services. Financial technology helps companies and consumers better manage their financial operations by utilizing specialized software. Financial technology companies compete with traditional financial methods in the delivery of financial services. Mobile banking, peer-to-peer lending, decentralized ledger technology and cryptocurrency are examples of financial technology. The Fund may also invest in companies that are engaged in the use of, or have exposure to, DLT and blockchain. The mechanics of using DLT, including blockchain, to transact in assets, including securities, is relatively new and untested and there is no assurance that widespread adoption will occur.

 

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stock, preferred stock, convertible preferred stock, shares of other investment companies and REITs, and depositary receipts. The Fund may invest in shares of companies through private placements, warrants, rights, and initial public offerings. The Fund may invest in stocks of SPACs. The Fund does not target a particular form of SPAC, with the exception that the SPAC must have identified an acquisition target at or prior to the time of the Fund’s investment.

 

The Fund intends to invest primarily in U.S. companies, but it may invest up to 10% of its net assets in foreign companies listed on a U.S. exchange. A company is deemed to be a foreign company if one or more of the following tests are met: (i) the company is organized in, or its primary business office or principal trading market of its equity security is located outside the United States; (ii) a majority of the company’s revenues are derived from outside the United States; or (iii) a majority of the issuer’s assets are located outside the United States. The Fund may invest in shares of companies through initial public offerings and private placements.

 

The Fund generally sells investments when the Adviser concludes that better investment opportunities exist in other securities, the security is fully valued, or the issuer’s circumstances or the political or economic outlook have changed.

 

The Fund has elected to be, and intends to continue to qualify each year for treatment as a RIC under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code.

 

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Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Investments and Risks  

 

Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities and/or other assets of a particular issuer or issuers, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, project types, group of project types, sector, market segment or asset class. The Fund may be more adversely affected by the underperformance of those securities and/or other assets, may experience increased price volatility and may be more susceptible to adverse economic, market, political or regulatory occurrences affecting those securities and/or other assets than a fund that does not concentrate its investments.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. Convertible securities have characteristics of both equity and fixed income securities. The value of a convertible security tends to move with the market value of the underlying stock, but may also be affected by interest rates, the credit quality of the issuer and any call provisions. In particular, when interest rates rise, fixed income securities will decline in value. Convertible securities frequently have speculative characteristics and may be acquired without regard to minimum quality ratings. Lower quality convertible securities, also known as “junk bonds,” involve greater risk of default or price changes due to the issuer’s creditworthiness. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate more than those of higher quality securities and may decline significantly in periods of general economic difficulty, which may follow periods of rising interest rates. Securities in the lowest quality category may present the risk of default or may be in default.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk results from changes in the rate of exchange between the currency of the country in which a foreign company is domiciled or keeps its books and the U.S. dollar. Whenever the Fund holds securities valued in a foreign currency or holds the currency itself in connection with its purchases and sales of foreign securities, changes in the exchange rate add to or subtract from the value of the investment in U.S. dollars. The Fund generally does not seek to hedge currency risk, and although the Adviser considers currency risks as part of its investment process, its judgments in this regard may not always be correct.

 

Cyber Security Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund is susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security failures or breaches by the Adviser and other service providers (including, but not limited to, the Fund’s accountant, custodian, transfer agent and administrator), and the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, impediments to trading, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber- attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, and issuers in which the Fund invests. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. The Fund may purchase depositary receipts, including ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and NVDRs to facilitate its investments in foreign securities. By investing in ADRs rather than investing directly in the securities of foreign issuers, the Fund can avoid currency risks during the settlement period for purchase and sales.

 

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However, ADRs do not eliminate all the risk inherent in investing in the securities of foreign issuers. The information available for ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and NVDRs is subject to the accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards of the market or exchange on which they are traded, and those standards may be more uniform and more exacting than those to which many foreign issuers may be subject.

 

Depositary receipts may be issued in a sponsored program, in which an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities traded in the form of depositary receipts, or in an unsponsored program, in which the issuer may not be directly involved. The holders of depositary receipts that are unsponsored generally bear various costs associated with the facilities, while a larger portion of the costs associated with sponsored depositary receipts are typically borne by the foreign issuers.

 

The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited securities or to pass through the voting rights to facility holders with respect to the deposited securities. Available information concerning the issuers may not be as current for unsponsored depositary receipts and the prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than would be the case if the receipts were sponsored by the issuers.

 

Distributed Ledger Technology (“DLT”) and Blockchain Investments Risk. The Fund may invest in companies that are engaged in the use of, or have exposure to, DLT and blockchain. DLT is similar to a database that is consensually shared, replicated, and synchronized. When an individual deposits a sum of money into a banking institution, the individual expects that the sum will be there until they decide to exchange it for goods or services. The individual expects the bank will have an accurate record of the transaction, such as the amount, depositor, date, and time of the deposit. More broadly, society relies on central repositories, such as banks or governments, to collect, maintain, and protect the recorded actions of individuals or institutions. DLT differs from centralized repositories in that it decentralizes the source of such expectations. An individual deposits their funds into a digital wallet and the value is captured on the DLT. If this individual purchases a digital song, the transaction is captured in the DLT along with the change in fund level in the individual’s digital account. The bank is not required as a third party. Instead, the record is recorded in the DLT and shared by all the parties with access on the network.

 

Blockchain is a type of DLT and contains three core parts, the block, the chain, and the network.

 

The “Block” is a list of recorded transactions that remain on the chain forever. Transactions can represent virtually any type of activity from registering a land deed to a single purchase. Any rules relating to the block itself are established when the network is first created. For example, the maximum number of transactions in a block or the size of each block can be limited.

 

The “Chain” is created when the block reaches its maximum size of transactions; it is chained or linked to the preceding block through a “bash.” A bash is an algorithm that takes a variable string of data and generates a fixed length value. The hash value of one block is inserted into the next block. This makes a link between the new block and the previous block. Repeating a hash function on an unaltered block of data will always generate the same fixed-length value. If a block of data is altered, the resulting hash output will be different. A user can then see the hashes are different and will know the original block has been altered and may no longer be trustworthy.

 

The “Network” is a cluster of servers or “nodes” running a blockchain. Each node contains the complete record of all transactions on a blockchain. No centralized “official” copy exists and no node is “trusted” more than another. The data integrity is maintained by the blockchain’s replication on all of the nodes. Each blockchain has its own rules or algorithms governing how nodes validate transactions intended for entry into the blockchain. These rules are called a consensus mechanism and are established when the blockchain is created. Each blockchain has its own consensus mechanism depending on the type of transaction it is capturing. Some consensus mechanisms are known as “proof of work”, “proof of space” or “proof of stake.” These mechanisms facilitate authenticity, or the immutability of transaction records.

 

DLT companies are those committing material resources to developing, researching, supporting, innovating or utilizing DLT technology for their proprietary use or for use by others (“DLT Companies”). These DLT Companies are committing material resources to further

 

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the use and deployment of DLT, including blockchain, to seek to, for example, streamline the distribution and verification of cross-border payments; more efficiently store and secure cloud-based digital data; facilitate trusted transactions based on data security and privacy; and mitigate risk in supply chain management, among other uses.

 

Blockchain technology is an emerging technology that is capable of redefining how a record of value is transacted. Blockchain technology seeks to solve transactional challenges of counterparty trust and the need for a central repository or ledger by providing a transparent and secure process to transfer and digitally record information on a shared transaction database through a secure, decentralized, peer-to-peer distributed ledger. In this regard, it is designed to seek to facilitate the transfer of information or property between users such that the transfer is secure and known to all participants and shared across a distributed network where, once verified, the legitimacy of the transfer is established. Blockchain technology may be used to support a vast array of business applications in many different industries and markets, and the extent of its versatility has not yet been fully explored.

 

An investment in these companies may be subject to the following risks:

 

 

•

The technology is new and many of its uses may be untested. The mechanics of using DLT to transact in other types of assets, such as securities or derivatives, is relatively new and untested. There is no assurance that widespread adoption will occur. A lack of expansion in the usage of DLT and/or blockchain technology could adversely affect an investment in Fund. A breach to one blockchain could cause investors, and the public generally, to lose trust in blockchain technology and increase reluctance to issue and invest in assets recorded on blockchains. Furthermore, DLT and blockchain technology is subject to a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape in the United States and in other countries, which might include security, privacy or other regulatory concerns that could require changes to blockchain networks.

 

 

•

Theft, loss or destruction. Transacting on a blockchain depends in part specifically on the use of cryptographic keys that are required to access a user’s account (or “wallet”). The theft, loss or destruction of these keys impairs the value of ownership claims users have over the relevant assets being represented by the ledger (whether “smart contracts,” securities, currency or other digital assets). The theft, loss or destruction of private or public keys needed to transact on a blockchain could also adversely affect a company’s business or operations if it were dependent on the ledger.

 

 

•

Cyber security incidents. Cyber security incidents may compromise an issuer, its operations or its business. Cyber security incidents may also specifically target a user’s transaction history, digital assets, or identity, thereby leading to privacy concerns. In addition, certain features of blockchain technology, such as decentralization, open source protocol, and reliance on peer-to-peer connectivity, may increase the risk of fraud or cyber-attack by potentially reducing the likelihood of a coordinated response.

 

 

•

Developmental risk. DLT and/or Blockchain technology may never develop optimized transactional processes that lead to realized economic returns for any company in which the Fund invests. Companies that are developing applications of blockchain technology applications may not in fact do so or may not be able to capitalize on those blockchain technologies. The development of new or competing platforms may cause consumers and investors to use alternatives to blockchains.

 

 

•

Intellectual property claims. A proliferation of recent startups attempting to apply DLT or blockchain technology in different contexts means the possibility of conflicting intellectual property claims could be a risk to an issuer, its operations or its business. This could also pose a risk to DLT or blockchain platforms that permit transactions in digital securities. Regardless of the merit of any intellectual property or other legal action, any threatened action that reduces confidence in the viability of DLT or blockchain may adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

 

•

Lack of liquid markets, and possible manipulation of blockchain-based assets. Digital assets that are represented and trade on a blockchain may not necessarily benefit from viable trading markets. Stock exchanges have listing requirements and vet issuers, and perhaps users. These conditions may not necessarily be replicated on a blockchain, depending on the platform’s controls and other policies. The more lenient a blockchain is about vetting issuers of digital assets or users that transact on the platform,

the higher the potential risk for fraud or the manipulation of digital assets. These factors may decrease liquidity or volume, or increase volatility of digital securities or other assets trading on a blockchain.

 

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•

Lack of regulation. Digital commodities and their associated platforms are largely unregulated, and the regulatory environment is rapidly evolving. Because blockchain works by having every transaction build on every other transaction, participants can self-police any corruption, which can mitigate the need to depend on the current level of legal or government safeguards to monitor and control the flow of business transactions. As a result, companies engaged in such blockchain activities may be exposed to adverse regulatory action, fraudulent activity or even failure.

 

 

•

Third party product defects or vulnerabilities. Where blockchain systems are built using third party products, those products may contain technical defects or vulnerabilities beyond a company’s control. Open-source technologies that are used to build a blockchain application may also introduce defects and vulnerabilities.

 

 

•

Reliance on the Internet. Blockchain functionality relies on the Internet. A significant disruption of Internet connectivity affecting large numbers of users or geographic areas could impede the functionality of blockchain technologies and adversely affect the Fund.

 

 

•

Line of business risk. Some of the companies in which the Fund may invest are engaged in other lines of business unrelated to DLT or blockchain and these lines of business could adversely affect their operating results. The operating results of these companies may fluctuate as a result of these additional risks and events in the other lines of business. In addition, a company’s ability to engage in new activities may expose it to business risks with which it has less experience than it has with the business risks associated with its traditional businesses. Despite a company’s possible success in activities linked to its use of DLT or blockchain, there can be no assurance that the other lines of business in which these companies are engaged will not have an adverse effect on a company’s business or financial condition.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. The Fund may have exposure to securities in emerging markets. Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in foreign securities of developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers. The information available about an emerging market issuer may be less reliable than for comparable issuers in more developed capital markets. In addition, investments in certain emerging markets are subject to an elevated risk of loss resulting from market manipulation and the imposition of exchange controls (including repatriation restrictions). The legal rights and remedies available for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the rights and remedies available in the U.S., and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors in emerging markets may be limited.

 

Equity Securities Risk. The price of equity securities may rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, sectors or industries selected for the Fund or the securities market as a whole, such as changes in economic or political conditions. Equity securities are subject to “stock market risk” meaning that stock prices in general (or in particular, the types of securities in which the Fund invests) may decline over short or extended periods of time. When the value of the Fund’s securities goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value. Common stocks are generally exposed to greater risk that other types of securities, such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. 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. 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, and banking crises.

 

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ETF Risk. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of its structure, the Fund is exposed to the following risks:

 

Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. Only an AP may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund may have 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. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (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. These events, among others, may lead to the Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than the NAV when you buy Shares in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those Shares in the secondary market. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold. In periods of market volatility, APs, market makers and/or liquidity providers may be less willing to transact in Fund Shares.

 

Cash Transactions Risk. Unlike certain ETFs, the Fund may effect its creations and redemptions partially or wholly for cash rather than on an in-kind basis. Because of this, the Fund may incur costs such as brokerage costs or be unable to realize certain tax benefits associated with in-kind transfers of portfolio securities that may be realized by other ETFs. These costs may decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent that the costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP. Shareholders may be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise have been subject to and/or at an earlier date than if the Fund had effected redemptions wholly on an in-kind basis.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. Although the Fund’s 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 Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in the Fund’s 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. 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 the Fund’s Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than the Fund’s Shares. In addition, during periods of market stress, 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.

 

Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV Risk. As with all ETFs, Shares of the Fund 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines. In addition, where all or portion of the Fund’s underlying securities trade in a foreign market that is closed when the market in which the Fund’s Shares are listed is open for trading, there may be changes between the last quote of the underlying securities’ value in the closed foreign market and the value of such underlying securities during the Fund’s domestic trading day.

 

Financial Technology Risk. The Fund may invest in companies engaged in financial technology-related activities. Companies that are developing financial technologies that seek to disrupt or displace established financial institutions generally face competition from much larger and more established firms. Financial technology companies may not be able to capitalize on their disruptive technologies if they face political and/or legal attacks from competitors, industry groups or local and national governments. Laws generally vary by country, creating some challenges to achieving scale. These financial technology companies may not currently derive any revenue, and there is no assurance that such company will derive any revenue from innovative technologies in the future. Additionally, financial technology

 

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companies may be adversely impacted by potential rapid product obsolescence, cybersecurity attacks, increased regulatory oversight and disruptions in the technology they depend on.

 

Foreign Investments Risk. The Fund may invest in the securities of foreign companies, which may include the purchase of depositary receipts that represent indirect interests in the securities of foreign companies. Investing in securities of foreign companies involves risks generally not associated with investments in the securities of U.S. companies. These risks may relate to those associated with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, more or less foreign government regulation; less public information; less stringent investor protections; less stringent accounting, corporate governance, financial reporting and disclosure standards; less economic, political and social stability; and even the nationalization of assets. The liquidity of foreign investments may be more limited than for comparable U.S. investments. Therefore, at times, it may be difficult to sell foreign securities at favorable prices. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be traded in markets that close before the time that the Fund calculates its NAV. Furthermore, certain foreign securities in which the Fund invests may be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate its NAV. As a result, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares.

 

Illiquid Investments Risk. Investing in illiquid investments is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. Less liquid securities that the Fund may want to invest in may be difficult or impossible to purchase. Federal banking regulations may also cause certain dealers to reduce their inventories of certain securities, which may further decrease the Fund’s ability to buy or sell such securities. The Fund will not purchase an illiquid investment if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets would be so invested.

 

Initial Public Offerings (“IPOs”) Risk. Securities issued in IPOs have not traded publicly until the time of their offerings. Special risks associated with IPOs may include, among others, the fact that there may be only a limited number of shares available for trading. The market for those securities may be unseasoned. The issuer may have a limited operating history. These factors may contribute to price volatility. The limited number of shares available for trading in some IPOs may also make it more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. In addition, some companies initially offering their shares publicly are involved in relatively new industries or lines of business, which may not be widely understood by investors. Some of the companies involved in new industries may be regarded as developmental stage companies, without revenues or operating income, or the near-term prospects of them. Many IPOs are by companies that are undercapitalized.

 

Issuer Risk. The performance of a Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.

 

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk. The Fund may invest in the securities of large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected if securities of large-capitalization companies underperform securities of smaller- capitalization companies or the market as a whole. 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.

 

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk, due to certain investments trading in lower volumes or to market and economic conditions that the Fund may be unable to find a buyer for its investments when it seeks to sell them or to receive the price it expects based on the Fund’s valuation of the investments. Events that may lead to increased redemptions, such as market disruptions, may also negatively impact the liquidity of the Fund’s investments when it needs to dispose of them. If the Fund is forced to sell its investments at an

 

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unfavorable time and/or under adverse conditions in order to meet redemption requests, such sales could negatively affect the Fund. Liquidity issues may also make it difficult to value the Fund’s investments.

 

Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk as an actively-managed investment portfolio. The Adviser’s investment approach may fail to produce the intended results, which could cause the Fund to lose value or its investment results to lag relevant benchmarks or other funds with similar objectives. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the Adviser in connection with managing the Fund and may also adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment goal.

 

Market Risk. The trading prices of securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors including economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. The Fund’s NAVs and market prices are based upon the market’s perception of value and are not necessarily an objective measure of an investment’s value. There is no assurance that the Fund will realize its investment objective, and an investment in the Fund is not, by itself, a complete or balanced investment program. You could lose money on your investment in the Fund, or the Fund could underperform other investments.

 

Periods of unusually high financial market volatility and restrictive credit conditions, at times limited to a particular sector or geographic area, have occurred in the past and may be expected to recur in the future. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted or have signaled protectionist trade measures, relaxation of the financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis, and/or reductions to corporate taxes. The current presidential administration has called for and is seeking to quickly enact significant changes to U.S. fiscal, tax, trade, healthcare, immigration, foreign, and government regulatory policies. Significant uncertainty exists with respect to legislation, regulation and government policy at the federal level, as well as the state and local levels. Recent events have created a climate of heightened uncertainty and introduced new and difficult-to-quantify macroeconomic and political risks with potentially far-reaching implications. There has been a corresponding meaningful increase in the uncertainty surrounding interest rates, inflation, foreign exchange rates, trade volumes and fiscal and monetary policy. To the extent that the US Congress or the current presidential administration implements changes to U.S. policy, those changes may impact, among other things, the U.S. and global economy, international trade and relations, unemployment, immigration, corporate taxes, healthcare, the U.S. regulatory environment, inflation and other areas. Although the Fund cannot predict the impact, if any, of these changes to the Fund’s business, they could adversely affect the Fund’s business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Until the Fund knows what policy changes are made and how those changes impact the Fund’s business and the business of the Fund’s competitors over the long term, the Fund will not know if, overall, the Fund will benefit from them or be negatively affected by them.

 

Recently, various countries have seen significant internal conflicts, and in some cases civil wars, which may have had an adverse impact on the securities markets of the countries concerned. In addition, the occurrence of new disturbances due to acts of war or terrorism or other political developments cannot be excluded. Nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes, government regulation, political, regulatory or social instability or uncertainty or diplomatic developments, including the imposition of sanctions or other similar measures, could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.

 

Additionally, climate change poses long-term threats to physical and biological systems. Potential hazards and risks related to climate change for a State or municipality include, among other things, wildfires, rising sea levels, more severe coastal flooding and erosion hazards, and more intense storms. Storms in recent years have demonstrated vulnerabilities in a State’s or municipality’s infrastructure to extreme weather events. Climate change risks, if they materialize, can adversely impact a State’s or municipality’s financial plan in current or future years. Regulatory changes and divestment movements tied to concerns about climate change could adversely affect the value of certain land and the viability of industries whose activities or products are seen as accelerating climate change. The Fund cannot predict the effects of or likelihood of such events on the U.S. and world economies. The Fund could be materially impacted by such events which may, in turn, negatively affect the value and performance the Fund.

 

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Advancements in technology may also adversely impact markets and the overall performance of the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and increased regulation of artificial intelligence. As the use of technology grows, liquidity and market movements may be affected. As artificial intelligence is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund.

 

Micro- and Small-Capitalization Companies Risk. Micro- and small-capitalization companies may be less well established and may have a more highly leveraged capital structure, less liquidity, a smaller investor base, limited product lines, greater dependence on a few customers or a few key personnel and similar factors that can make their business and stock market performance susceptible to greater fluctuation and volatility. There is typically less publicly available information concerning smaller-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Smaller-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings. As a result, the purchase or sale of more than a limited number of shares of a micro or small company may affect its market price. The Fund may need a considerable amount of time to purchase or sell its positions in these securities. In addition, smaller company stocks may not be well known to the investing public. These risks are more pronounced for micro-cap companies.

 

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. The value of securities of mid-cap companies may be more volatile than the value of securities of companies with larger capitalizations and also tend to be more adversely affected by issuer-specific events and political, market and economic developments than the securities of larger companies. Mid capitalization companies often have narrower commercial markets and more limited operating histories, product lines, and managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies. As a result, performance can be more volatile and they face greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility of a Fund’s portfolio. Additionally, mid-capitalization companies may have less market liquidity than larger capitalization companies, and they can be sensitive to changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings.

 

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties, or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.

 

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stocks are subject to the risks of equity securities generally and also risks associated with fixed- income securities, such as interest rate risk. A company’s preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the company makes required payments to creditors. As a result, the value of a company’s preferred stock will react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred stock may be less liquid than many other types of securities, such as common stock, and generally has limited or no voting rights. In addition, preferred stock is subject to the risks that a company may defer or not pay dividends, and, in certain situations, may call or redeem its preferred stock or convert it to common stock.

 

Private Placements Risk. Investments in private placements could decrease the Fund’s liquidity profile or prevent the Fund from disposing of such securities promptly at advantageous prices. Private placements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the Fund might be unable to dispose of such securities promptly or at prices reflecting their true value. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities, and the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement security, so it may be less able to anticipate a loss.

 

REITs Risk. Real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. These risks include possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, interest rate risks (especially mortgage REITS) and liquidity risks. REITs that invest in real estate mortgages are also subject to prepayment risk. Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited

 

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financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, engage in dilutive offerings, and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities.

 

Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500® Index. In addition, REITs could possibly fail to (i) qualify for favorable tax treatment under applicable tax law, or (ii) maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any expenses, including management fees, paid by an externally managed REIT in which it invests.

 

Risk of Investing in the U.S. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations, inflation and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the U.S. are changing many aspects of financial, commercial, public health, environmental, and other regulation and may have a significant effect on U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. Governmental agencies project that the U.S. will continue to maintain elevated public debt levels for the foreseeable future. Although elevated debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, elevated public debt service costs may constrain future economic growth. Circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of interest or principal on U.S. government debt, such as reaching the legislative “debt ceiling.” Such non-payment would result in substantial negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial system. If U.S. relations with certain countries deteriorate, it could adversely affect U.S. issuers, as well as non-U.S. issuers, that rely on the U.S. for trade. The U.S. has also experienced increased internal unrest and discord. If these trends were to continue, it may have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which the Fund invests.

 

Sector Risk. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may perform differently, than the broader market. The industries that constitute a sector may all react in the same way to economic, political or regulatory events.

 

Industrial Sector Risk. Companies in the industrial sector may be adversely affected by changes in the supply and demand for products and services, product obsolescence or discontinuance, claims for environmental damage or product liability and changes in general economic conditions, among other factors.

 

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.

 

Technology Sector Risk. Market or economic factors impacting information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information 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. 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. Information 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.

 

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Securities Issued By Other Investment Companies Risk. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies (including issues that would be investment companies but for sections 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act), but may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company or acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any other investment company. Among other things, the Fund may invest in money market mutual funds for cash management purposes by “sweeping” excess cash balances into such funds until the cash is invested or otherwise utilized. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by investment companies in which it invests in addition to the advisory and administration fees paid by the Fund. Investments in issuers that would be investment companies but for sections 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act will generally be considered illiquid investments and would be subject to the Fund’s 15% limitation on investments in illiquid investments. The SEC has adopted revisions to the rules permitting funds to invest in other investment companies to streamline and enhance the regulatory framework applicable to fund of funds arrangements. While Rule 12d1-4 permits more types of fund of fund arrangements without reliance on an exemptive order or no-action letters, it imposes new conditions, including limits on control and voting acquired funds’ shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements, and limits on most three-tier fund structures. These regulatory changes may adversely impact the Fund’s investment strategies and operations.

 

Special Purpose Acquisition Company Risk. The Fund may invest in stock, rights, warrants, and other securities of special purpose acquisition companies or similar special purpose entities (collectively, “SPACs”). A SPAC is a publicly traded company that raises investment capital in the form of a blind pool via an initial public offering (“IPO”) for the purpose of acquiring an existing company. The typical SPAC IPO involves the sale of units consisting of one share of common stock combined with one or more warrants or fractions of warrants to purchase common stock at a fixed price upon or after consummation of the acquisition. Shortly after the SPAC’s IPO, such units typically are split into publicly listed common stock and warrants (and rights, if applicable) which are each listed and traded separately. The proceeds from the IPO are placed in trust until such time that the SPAC identifies and consummates the acquisition. A SPAC generally invests the proceeds of its IPO (less a portion retained to cover expenses), which are held in trust, in U.S. government securities, money market securities and cash. If the SPAC does not complete the acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the entity’s shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless. SPACs are often subject to extreme price volatility and speculative trading. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. In addition, SPACs may have little to no liquidity, and may trade at a discount to NAV.

 

SPACs are “blank check” companies with no operating history and, at the time that the Fund invests in a SPAC, the SPAC typically has not conducted any discussions or made any plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective transaction candidates. Accordingly, there is a limited basis, if any, on which to evaluate the SPAC’s ability to achieve its business objective, and the value of its securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. The SPACs in which the Fund may invest may have less publicly available information than that which is available in connection with traditional IPOs, and early investors in a SPAC may invest solely on the reputation of the SPAC’s sponsor. Additionally, the value of a SPAC’s securities can be highly volatile and may depreciate over time. While certain SPACs are formed to make transactions in specified market sectors, others are complete “blank check” companies, and the management of the SPAC may have limited experience or knowledge of the market sector in which the transaction is made. Accordingly, at the time that the Fund invests in a SPAC, there may be little or no basis for the Fund to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the particular industry in which the SPAC may ultimately operate or the target business which the SPAC may ultimately acquire, and the Fund may invest in a SPAC at a higher price, which would reduce the return to shareholders. A SPAC will not generate any revenues until, at the earliest, after the consummation of a transaction. There can be no assurance that a market will develop.

 

The proceeds of a SPAC IPO that are placed in trust are subject to risks, including the risk of insolvency of the custodian of the funds, fraud by the trustee, interest rate risk and credit and liquidity risk relating to the securities and money market funds in which the proceeds are invested. Among other conflicts of interest, an investment in a SPAC may include the potential for misalignment of incentives in

 

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the structure of the SPAC. In addition, the economic interests of the management, directors, officers and related parties of a SPAC can differ from the economic interests of public shareholders, which may lead to conflicts as they evaluate, negotiate and recommend business combination transactions to shareholders. This risk may become more acute as the deadline for the completion of a business combination nears or in the event that attractive acquisition or merger targets become scarce.

 

Special Situations Risk. The Fund will seek to benefit from Special Situations, such as mergers, reorganizations, or other unusual events expected to affect a particular issuer. The term Special Situation shall be deemed to refer to a security of a company in which an unusual and possibly non-repetitive development is taking place which, in the opinion of the Adviser, may cause the security to attain a higher market value independently, to a degree, than the trend in the securities market in general.

 

The particular development (actual or prospective), which may qualify a security as a Special Situation, may be one of many different types. Such developments may include, among others, a technological improvement or important discovery or acquisition which, if the expectation for it materialized, would effect a substantial change in the company’s business; a reorganization; a recapitalization or other development involving a security exchange or conversion; a merger, liquidation or distribution of cash, securities or other assets; a breakup or workout of a holding company; litigation which, if resolved favorably, would improve the value of the company’s stock; a new or changed management; or material changes in management policies. A Special Situation may often involve a comparatively small company, which is not well known, and which has not been closely watched by investors generally, but it may also involve a large company. The fact, if it exists, that an increase in the company’s earnings, dividends or business is expected, or that a given security is considered to be undervalued, would not in itself be sufficient to qualify as a Special Situation. The Fund may invest in securities (even if not Special Situations) which, in the opinion of the Adviser, are appropriate investments for the Fund, including securities which the Adviser believes are undervalued by the market. There is a risk that the Special Situation might not occur or involve longer time frames than originally expected, which could have a negative impact on the price of the issuer’s securities and fail to produce gains or produce a loss for the Fund.

 

Turnover Rate Risk. The Fund may incur relatively high portfolio turnover. The active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs, which could reduce the Fund’s return.

 

Warrants and Rights Risk. Rights are similar to warrants but normally have a short duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its shareholders. Warrants and rights are not dividend-paying investments and do not have the voting rights of common stock. They also do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. As a result, warrants and rights may be considered more speculative than direct equity investments. In addition, the values of warrants and rights do not necessarily change with the values of the underlying securities, and these instruments may cease to have value if not exercised before their expiration dates. The use of warrants and rights can increase the volatility of the Fund’s portfolio. If the Fund invests in these instruments at unfortunate times or judges market conditions incorrectly, it may incur substantial losses. Changes in the liquidity of the secondary markets in which these instruments trade can result in significant, rapid, and unpredictable changes in their prices, and these conditions could also cause losses to the Fund.

 

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Additional Information About the Fund’s Non-Principal Investments and Risks  

 

Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk. Investors buying or selling Shares of the Fund 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 the Fund’s Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also 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 the 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 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.

 

Legal and Regulatory Change Risk. The regulatory environment for investment companies is evolving, and changes in regulation may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments and its ability to pursue its trading strategy. In addition, the securities markets are subject to comprehensive statutes and regulations. The SEC and other regulators and self-regulatory organizations and exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of market emergencies. The effect of any future regulatory change on the Fund could be substantial and adverse.

 

RIC Compliance Risk. The Fund has elected to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a RIC under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. To continue to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a RIC, the Fund must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify for the special federal income tax treatment afforded to RICs, all of the Fund’s taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (without any deduction for distributions to its shareholders) and its income available for distribution will be reduced. Under certain circumstances, the Fund could cure a failure to qualify as a RIC, but in order to do so, the Fund could incur significant Fund-level taxes and could be forced to dispose of certain assets.

 

Temporary Defensive Positions. In anticipation of or in response to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions (up to 100% of its assets) in cash, cash equivalents and all types of money market and short-term debt securities. If the Fund were to take a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective for a period of time.

 

The Fund may make other types of investments and may engage in various other investment practices. These investments and practices, and their risks, are described in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

The Board of the Company, of which the Fund is a series, is responsible for supervising the operations and affairs of the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the daily management and administration of the Fund’s operations.

 

Investment Adviser  

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust ("Emerald" or the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser commenced business operations in April 2005 and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. The Adviser is located at 3175 Oregon Pike, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerald Advisers, LLC ("Emerald Advisers"), which commenced business operations in October 1992. As of [ ], 2026, Emerald Advisers and its affiliates had approximately $[ ] billion in assets under management.

 

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Subject to the authority of the Board, the Adviser provides the Fund with a continuous program of investing the Fund's assets and determining the portfolio composition of the Fund. For its services, the Fund pays the Adviser a unitary management fee that is computed and paid monthly at an annual rate of [0.89]% of the average daily net assets of the Fund during the month. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, the Fund paid F/m, its investment adviser during that period, management fees equal to [0.89]% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. [The management fee rate payable to the Adviser is the same as the rate previously payable to F/m.]

 

[A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's approval of the Fund's investment advisory agreement with the Adviser will be available in the Fund's Form N-CSR for the [fiscal/semi-annual] period ending [date].]

 

Transition of the Adviser

 

Prior to December 31, 2026, F/m Investments LLC ("F/m") served as the Fund's investment adviser, with Emerald serving as the Fund's investment sub‑adviser responsible for the day‑to‑day management of the Fund's portfolio. [F/m resigned as the Fund's investment adviser, effective December 31, 2026, in anticipation of an acquisition transaction that would terminate the investment advisory agreement between the Company, on behalf of the Fund, and F/m, and the sub‑advisory agreement between F/m and Emerald.] [From [date] until [date], Emerald served as the Fund's investment adviser under an interim investment advisory agreement approved by the Board in accordance with Rule 15a‑4 under the 1940 Act.] [The Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, approved [an interim investment advisory agreement that became effective upon F/m’s resignation and continued in effect until] a new investment advisory agreement between the Company, on behalf of the Fund, and Emerald was approved by shareholders of the Fund at a special meeting of shareholders held on [date].] Emerald's portfolio management team continues to manage the Fund, and the Fund's investment objective and principal investment strategies did not change as a result of the transition.

 

Portfolio Managers  

 

[David A. Volpe, CFA, is Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director of Emerald Advisers and President of Emerald Asset Management PA, LLC with over 30 years of investment experience. He is manager of the Emerald Mid Cap Growth and Emerald Growth Opportunities portfolios. He also co-managed the Predecessor Fund. Additionally, Mr. Volpe maintains research coverage of the energy industry. He also assists with institutional marketing and client service, research, and strategic planning. From 1990 to 2000 he served as First Deputy City Controller of the City of Philadelphia, where he was responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Controller’s Office, and was a member of the Philadelphia Municipal Pension System Investment Committee. From 1996 to 2000, he was also Chief Investment Officer of the Philadelphia Gas Works Pension System, where he was responsible for all aspects of that entity’s pension fund. Prior to working for the City of Philadelphia, Mr. Volpe was a senior budget analyst for the Pennsylvania State Senate Appropriations Committee and served as an alternate member on the Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System and Pennsylvania School Employees’ Retirement System. Mr. Volpe was Chairman of Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell’s Finance transition team following his 1992 election to office. He is a board member and Finance Committee Chair of Merakey, Inc. and a member of the CFA Institute. Mr. Volpe earned a BA in Political Science from Potsdam College and a Masters in Public Administration from Penn State University. He was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2002 and is a CFA charterholder.]

 

[Stephen L. Amsterdam, is a Portfolio Manager of the Emerald Mid Cap Growth and Emerald Growth Opportunities portfolios and co-managed the Predecessor Fund. He is also a Senior Research Analyst and a member of the Emerald Advisers Technology research team. He has been with Emerald Advisers since 2001 and currently focuses his efforts on network infrastructure, optical technologies, embedded electronics, and unified communications. Prior to joining Emerald Advisers, Mr. Amsterdam spent a decade investing in, and advising, early-stage technology companies as a founding managing director of PA Early-Stage Partners, a $50M early-stage venture capital fund and senior associate of TLVentures, an $800M venture capital fund associated with Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. He is a graduate of Lehigh University.]

 

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The SAI provides additional information about the compensation of each Portfolio Manager, other accounts managed by them, and their ownership of Shares of the Fund.

 

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

 

The Fund issues and redeems its Shares at NAV only in Creation Units. Only APs may acquire Shares directly from the Fund, and only APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV. APs must be (i) a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation, a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC participant (as discussed below). In addition, each AP 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. Once created, Shares trade in the secondary market in quantities less than a Creation Unit.

 

Investors can only buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. 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 the Fund’s 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 (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares.

 

Investors owning the Fund’s 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.

 

Share Trading Prices on the Exchange  

 

Trading prices of the Fund’s Shares on the Exchange may differ from the Fund’s daily NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of Shares. To provide additional information regarding the indicative value of Shares, the Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates information every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association, or other widely disseminated means, an updated “intraday indicative value” (“IIV”) for Shares as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Fund is neither involved in nor responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIVs and make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIVs. If the calculation of the IIV is based on the basket of Deposit Securities, such IIV may not represent the best possible valuation of the Fund’s portfolio because the basket of Deposit Securities does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current Fund portfolio at a particular point in

 

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time. The IIV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the Fund’s NAV because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed only once a day, typically at the end of the business day. The IIV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the Deposit Securities.

 

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares  

 

The Fund imposes 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 with the Fund, are an essential part of the ETF process and help keep share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, the Fund accommodates frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, the Board has also determined that frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase tracking error and portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains or losses. To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions, the Fund employs fair value pricing and impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effecting trades. In addition, the Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order at any time.

 

Determination of Net Asset Value  

 

The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, each day the NYSE is open for business. The NAV for the Fund is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by its Shares outstanding.

 

In calculating its NAV, the 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. If such information is not available for a security held by the Fund or is determined to be unreliable, the security will be valued at fair value estimates by the Fund’s Valuation Designee (defined below) under guidelines established by the Board.

 

Fair Value Pricing  

 

If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be fair valued by the Adviser, as the Fund’s valuation designee (the “Valuation Designee”), in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board and under the Board’s ultimate supervision. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by the Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments. The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by the Fund and its Valuation Designee in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 2a-5”), the Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable.

 

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DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

 

Dividends and Distributions  

 

The Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, quarterly, and distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders annually.

 

Dividend Reinvestment Service  

 

Brokers may make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available to their customers who own Shares. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and capital gains will automatically be reinvested in additional whole Shares of the Fund purchased on the secondary market. Without this service, investors would receive their distributions in cash. In order to achieve the maximum total return on their investments, investors are encouraged to use the dividend reinvestment service. To determine whether the dividend reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker. Brokers may require the Fund’s shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables.

 

Taxes  

 

As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in shares of the Fund will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in shares of the Fund.

 

Unless your investment in shares of the Fund is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when: (i) the Fund makes distributions; (ii) you sell your shares listed on the Exchange; and (iii) you purchase or redeem Creation Units.

 

Taxes on Distributions  

 

The Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains income. 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 the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her shares of the Fund. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by the 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. 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 the 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 the 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. The amount of the Fund’s distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending

 

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activities, if any. Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from the Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. The amount of the dividends qualifying for this deduction may, however, be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities, if any.

 

Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the character of any distributions received from the Fund.

 

U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (including capital gains distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of shares of the Fund). 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.

 

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 the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the shares’ NAV when you purchased your shares of the Fund).

 

You may wish to avoid investing in the Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable to you even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment. This adverse tax result is known as “buying into a dividend.”

 

Taxes When Shares are Sold on the Exchange  

 

For federal income tax purposes, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares of the Fund generally is treated as a long- term capital gain or loss if those shares have been held for more than 12 months and as a short-term capital gain or loss if those shares have been held for 12 months 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 of the Fund. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent shares of the Fund are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the sale of shares. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired.

 

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans  

 

The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on and sales of shares of the Fund held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless it borrowed to acquire the shares.

 

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U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign Shareholders

 

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 the Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. The 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.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on the sale of shares in the Fund, except that a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a calendar year will be taxable on such gains and on capital gain dividends from the Fund.

 

However, if a foreign investor conducts a trade or business in the United States and the investment in the Fund is effectively connected with that trade or business, then the foreign investor’s income from the Fund will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax at graduated rates in a manner similar to the income of a U.S. citizen or resident.

 

The Fund is generally required to withhold 30% on certain payments to shareholders that are foreign entities and that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.

 

All foreign investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences in their country of residence of an investment in the Fund.

 

Backup Withholding  

 

The Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns shares of the Fund) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption 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 he, she or it is not subject to such backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

 

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 market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the sum of the AP’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Any gain or loss realized by an AP upon a creation of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the AP holds the securities exchanged therefor as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held by the AP for more than 12 months, and otherwise will be short-term capital gain or loss.

 

The Company on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for a purchase of Creation Units if the AP (or a group of APs) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Company also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80%

 

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determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to an AP (or group of APs) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, the AP (or group of APs) may not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.

 

An AP who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units and the AP’s basis in the Creation Units. Any gain or loss realized by an AP upon a redemption of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the AP holds the shares comprising the Creation Units as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares comprising the Creation Units have been held by the AP for more than 12 months, and otherwise will generally be short-term capital gain or loss. Any capital loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable AP of long-term capital gains with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the AP as undistributed capital gains).

 

The 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. The Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the 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, the Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.

 

Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.

 

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the 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 of the Fund. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares of the Fund under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES” in the SAI.

 

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

 

Dividends and Distributions  

 

The Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, quarterly, and distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders annually.

 

Dividend Reinvestment Service  

 

Brokers may make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available to their customers who own Shares. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and capital gains will automatically be reinvested in additional whole Shares of the Fund purchased on the secondary market. Without this service, investors would receive their distributions in cash. In order to achieve the maximum total return on their investments, investors are encouraged to use the dividend reinvestment service. To determine whether the dividend reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker. Brokers may require the Fund’s shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables.

 

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Taxes

 

As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in shares of the Fund will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in shares of the Fund.

 

Unless your investment in shares of the Fund is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when: (i) the Fund makes distributions; (ii) you sell your shares listed on the Exchange; and (iii) you purchase or redeem Creation Units.

 

Taxes on Distributions  

 

The Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains income. 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 the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her shares of the Fund. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by the 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. 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 the 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 the 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. The amount of the Fund’s distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities, if any. Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from the Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. The amount of the dividends qualifying for this deduction may, however, be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities, if any.

 

Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the character of any distributions received from the Fund.

 

U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (including capital gains distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of shares of the Fund). 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.

 

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 the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the shares’ NAV when you purchased your shares of the Fund).

 

You may wish to avoid investing in the Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable to you even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment. This adverse tax result is known as “buying into a dividend.”

 

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Taxes When Shares are Sold on the Exchange  

 

For federal income tax purposes, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares of the Fund generally is treated as a long- term capital gain or loss if those shares have been held for more than 12 months and as a short-term capital gain or loss if those shares have been held for 12 months 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 of the Fund. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent shares of the Fund are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the sale of shares. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired.

 

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans  

 

The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on and sales of shares of the Fund held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless it borrowed to acquire the shares.

 

U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign Shareholders  

 

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 the Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. The 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.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on the sale of shares in the Fund, except that a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a calendar year will be taxable on such gains and on capital gain dividends from the Fund.

 

However, if a foreign investor conducts a trade or business in the United States and the investment in the Fund is effectively connected with that trade or business, then the foreign investor’s income from the Fund will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax at graduated rates in a manner similar to the income of a U.S. citizen or resident.

 

The Fund is generally required to withhold 30% on certain payments to shareholders that are foreign entities and that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.

 

All foreign investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences in their country of residence of an investment in the Fund.

 

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Backup Withholding  

 

The Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns shares of the Fund) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption 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 he, she or it is not subject to such backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

 

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 market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the sum of the AP’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Any gain or loss realized by an AP upon a creation of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the AP holds the securities exchanged therefor as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held by the AP for more than 12 months, and otherwise will be short-term capital gain or loss.

 

The Company on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for a purchase of Creation Units if the AP (or a group of APs) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Company also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to an AP (or group of APs) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, the AP (or group of APs) may not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.

 

An AP who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units and the AP’s basis in the Creation Units. Any gain or loss realized by an AP upon a redemption of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the AP holds the shares comprising the Creation Units as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares comprising the Creation Units have been held by the AP for more than 12 months, and otherwise will generally be short-term capital gain or loss. Any capital loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable AP of long-term capital gains with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the AP as undistributed capital gains).

 

The 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. The Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the

 

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redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.

 

Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.

 

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the 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 of the Fund. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares of the Fund under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES” in the SAI.

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

The Distributor, Quasar Distributors, LLC, is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101.             

 

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

 

Payments to Financial Intermediaries  

 

The Adviser, out of its own resources and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may pay intermediaries, including affiliates of the Adviser, for the sale of Fund Shares and related services, including participation in activities that are designed to make intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products. Payments are generally made to intermediaries that provide shareholder servicing, marketing and related sales support, educational training or support, or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. Payments may also be made to intermediaries for making Shares of the Fund available to their customers generally and in investment programs. The Adviser may also reimburse expenses or make payments from its own resources to intermediaries in consideration of services or other activities the Adviser believes may facilitate investment in the Fund.

 

The possibility of receiving, or the receipt of, the payments described above may provide intermediaries or their salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Shares of the Fund, and other funds whose affiliates make similar compensation available, over other investments that do not make such payments. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to the Fund and other ETFs.

 

Premium/Discount Information  

 

Information regarding how often Shares are traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund is presented, free of charge, on the Fund’s website at [www.emeraldetfs.com].

 

Continuous Offering  

 

The method by which Creation Units are purchased and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities

 

37

 

 

 

Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the Prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

 

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

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available with respect to such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker dealer-firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with Shares that are part of an over-allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(a) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares of the Fund are reminded that under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Fund’s Prospectus is available on the SEC’s electronic filing system. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 of the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings  

 

The Fund discloses its full portfolio holdings, as of the close of business the prior day, each day before the opening of trading on the Exchange at [www.emeraldetfs.com]. Additional information, including information regarding the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid/ask spreads, is available at [www.emeraldetfs.com]. A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.

 

Additional Information  

 

The Fund enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including, among others, the Fund’s investment adviser, who provides services to the Fund. Shareholders are not parties to, or intended (or “third party”) beneficiaries of, those contractual arrangements.

 

The Prospectus and the SAI provide information concerning the Fund that you should consider in determining whether to purchase Shares of the Fund. The Fund may make changes to this information from time to time. Neither this Prospectus nor the SAI is intended to give rise to any contract rights or other rights in any shareholder, other than any rights conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.

 

NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUND’S SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.

 

38

 

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past five years. The financial information presented for each applicable period prior to October 6, 2025 is that of the Predecessor Fund. The Fund is the accounting successor to the Predecessor Fund as a result of the reorganization of the Predecessor Fund into the Fund following the close of business on October 3, 2025. The Fund has adopted the financial statements of the Predecessor Fund. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Predecessor Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate of return that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The information for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, and the fiscal years ended April 30, 2026, 2025, and 2024 in the table below has been audited by [  ], the Fund’s and the Predecessor Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm whose report, along with the financial statements of the Fund or the Predecessor Fund, as applicable, are included in the annual report for the respective fiscal year, which is available upon request. The information for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023 and 2022 was audited by the Predecessor Fund’s prior independent registered public accounting firm.

 

39

 

 

 

Emerald Special Situations ETF

 

Financial Highlights

 

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

 

 

Period ended

August 31,

Year ended

April 30,

 

2026**

2026*

2025

2024

2023

2022

PER SHARE DATA:

           

Net Asset value, beginning of year

[...]

$

19.56

$

18.28

$

14.49

$

15.64

$

20.67

 

           

INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

           

Net investment loss(a)

[...]

(0.10

)

(0.13

)

(0.09

)

(0.07

)

(0.12

)

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments(b)

[...]

15.76

1.54

3.88

(0.43

)

(2.05

)

Total from Investment Operations

[...]

15.66

1.41

3.79

(0.50

)

(2.17

)

 

           

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

           

Net realized gains

[...]

(3.95

)

(0.13

)

—

(0.65

)

(2.86

)

Total Distributions

[...]

(3.95

)

(0.13

)

—

(0.65

)

(2.86

)

Net asset of value, end of year

[...]

$

31.27

$

19.56

$

18.28

$

14.49

$

15.64

 

           

TOTAL RETURN

[...]

87.47

%

7.65

%

26.16

%

(3.40

)%

(12.51

)%

 

           

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:(c)

           

Net Assets, End of Year (in thousands)

[...]

$

29,246

$

3,645

$

4,400

$

3,657

$

4,340

Ratios of Expenses to average net assets:

           

Before expense reimbursement

[...]

1.35

%

1.54

%

1.71

%

1.65

%

1.42

%

After expense reimbursement

[...]

0.99

%

1.05

%

1.05

%

1.05

%

1.05

%

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

[...]

(0.41

)%

(0.60

)%

(0.53

)%

(0.51

)%

(0.62

)%

Portfolio Turnover Rate(d)

[...]

111

%

65

%

61

%

64

%

70

%

 

 

*

Effective as of close of business October 3, 2025, the Fund acquired all the assets and liabilities of the Emerald Insights Fund, a series of the Financial Investors Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”). The financial highlights for the periods prior to that date reflect the performance of the Predecessor Fund. Effective September 19, 2025, Class A shares, Class C shares and Investor Class shares of the Predecessor Fund were converted into Institutional Class shares of the Predecessor Fund.

 

 

**

 Effective [...], 2026, the Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31, 2026, [...]

 

(a)

Net investment income per share has been calculated based on average shares outstanding during the periods.

 

(b)

Realized and unrealized gains and losses per share in the caption are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net asset value per share for the periods, and may not reconcile with the aggregate gains and losses in the Statement of Operations due to share transactions for the periods.

 

(c)

Ratios do not include the income and expenses of the underlying funds in which the Fund invests.

 

(d)

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

 

40

 

 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust
3175 Oregon Pike
Leola, Pennsylvania 17540

 

ADMINISTRATOR AND
TRANSFER AGENT

 

U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201

 

CUSTODIAN

 

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

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

[  ]

 

UNDERWRITER

 

Quasar Distributors, LLC
190 Middle Street, Suite 301
Portland, Maine 04101

 

COUNSEL

 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

 

41

 

 

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

For more information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:

 

Annual/Semi-Annual Reports  

 

Additional information about the Fund’s investments is included in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report contains a concise summary of the relevant market conditions and investment strategies that materially affected the Fund’s performance during its most recently completed fiscal year. The Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders are available at the Fund’s website at [www.emeraldetfs.com] or by calling 1-800-617-0004.

 

Statement of Additional Information  

 

The Fund’s SAI, dated [ ], 2026, has been filed with the SEC. The SAI, which includes additional information about the Fund, may be obtained free of charge at the Fund’s website or by calling 1-800-617-0004. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and is legally considered a part of this Prospectus.

 

TO OBTAIN INFORMATION

 

The SAI is available, without charge, upon request along with the semi-annual and annual reports. To obtain a free copy of the SAI, semi-annual or annual reports or if you have questions about the Fund:

 

By Internet  

 

Go to [www.emeraldetfs.com].

 

By Telephone  

 

Call 1-800-617-0004 or your securities dealer.

 

From the SEC  

 

Information about the Fund (including the SAI) and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending an electronic request to publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

Investment Company Act File Number 811-05518

 

FM-Emer-26

 

42

 

 

 

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

 

Subject to Completion

Dated October 30, 2026

 

Emerald Special Situations ETF

(formerly known as the F/m Emerald Special Situations ETF)

 

(Ticker: NASDAQ – SPIT)

 

A series of The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

Dated [  ], 2026

 

The Emerald Special Situations ETF (the “Fund”) is a diversified series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”), an open-end management investment company organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988.

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

 

The Fund is an accounting successor of Emerald Insights Fund, a series of the Financial Investors Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”), as a result of the reorganization of the Predecessor Fund into the Fund following the close of business on October 3, 2025. The Fund has adopted the financial statements of the Predecessor Fund.

 

Information about the Fund is set forth in the prospectus dated [ ], 2026 (the “Prospectus”) and the Fund’s annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026 (“[Annual Report]”). To obtain a copy of the Prospectus and/or the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports, please call 1-800-617-0004. This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus but contains information in addition to and more detailed than that set forth in the Prospectus. It is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. This SAI is intended to provide you with additional information regarding the activities and operations of the Fund and the Company, and it should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the same meaning set forth in the Prospectus. The Fund’s Annual Report is a separate document and includes the Fund’s audited financial statements, which are deemed to be incorporated by reference into this SAI.

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

General Information

 1

Investment Policies and Practices

 1

Investment Restrictions

 17

Exchange Listing and Trading

 19

Portfolio Turnover

 20

Management of the Company

 21

Code of Ethics

 32

Principal Holders

 32

Investment Advisory Agreement

 32

Portfolio Managers

 34

Underwriter

 37

Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units

 38

Portfolio Holdings Information

 46

Determination of Net Asset Value

 46

Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes

 47

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

 49

Securities Lending

 51

Proxy Voting Procedures

 52

Payments to Financial Intermediaries

 52

Additional Information Concerning Company Shares

 53

Miscellaneous

 54

Financial Statements

 56

Appendix A

A-1

Appendix B

B-1

 

 

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

The Company is an open-end management investment company currently consisting of [ ] separate portfolios. The Company is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and was organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988. This SAI pertains to shares of the Emerald Special Situations ETF. Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for selecting the portfolio securities for investment by the Fund, subject to the general supervision of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company.

 

The Predecessor Fund reorganized its shares into the Fund (the “Reorganization”) following the close of business on October 3, 2025.

 

The Fund offers and issues shares at its net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (each a “Creation Unit”). The Fund also 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 Company 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. The shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”), and the Fund trades on the Exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the shares’ NAVs. The shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment. A Creation Unit of the Fund consists of at least 5,000 shares.

 

Shares of the Fund may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Company cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities as set forth in the Participant Agreement (as defined below). The Company may impose a transaction fee for each creation or redemption (the “Transaction Fee”). In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. The Fund may charge, either in lieu or in addition to the fixed creation or redemption Transaction Fee, a variable fee for creations and redemptions in order to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction, up to a maximum of 2.00% of the NAV per Creation Unit, inclusive of any Transaction Fees charged (if applicable).

 

The Fund is an actively-managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”).

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES

 

The Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described in the Prospectus. The sections below describe some of the different types of investments that may be made by the Fund as part of its principal and non-principal investment strategies. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.

 

1

 

 

 

 

With respect to the 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.

 

There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund may not necessarily invest in all of the instruments or use all of the investment techniques permitted by the Prospectus and this SAI, or invest in such instruments or engage in such techniques to the full extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and limitations.

 

Principal Investment Policies and Risks

 

American, European and Global Depositary Receipts. The Fund may invest in American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”). ADRs, as well as other “hybrid” forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution in the issuer’s home country. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends and interest and corporate actions. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities including increased market, illiquidity, currency, political, information and other risks, and even where traded in U.S. dollars are subject to currency risk if the underlying security is traded in a foreign currency. GDRs, EDRs, and other similar instruments may be issued by a U.S. or non-U.S. entity and may be traded in other currencies. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. EDRs are issued in bearer form and are designed for use in European securities markets.

 

Investments in the securities of foreign issuers may subject the Fund to investment risks that differ in some respects from those related to investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Such risks include future adverse political and economic developments, possible imposition of withholding taxes on income, possible seizure, nationalization or expropriation of foreign deposits, possible establishment of exchange controls or taxation at the source or greater fluctuation in value due to changes in exchange rates. Foreign issuers of securities often engage in business practices different from those of domestic issuers of similar securities, and there may be less information publicly available about foreign issuers. In addition, foreign issuers are, generally speaking, subject to less government supervision and regulation and different accounting treatment than are those in the United States.

 

Cyber Security Risk. The Fund and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, or lose operational capacity. Breaches in cyber security include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting

 

2

 

 

 

 

data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber-attacks. Cyber security breaches affecting the Fund, Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber security breaches may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value (“NAV”), cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such companies to lose value. While the Fund and its service providers have established information technology and data security programs and have in place business continuity plans and other systems designed to prevent losses and mitigate cyber security risk, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified or that cyber-attacks may be highly sophisticated. Furthermore, the Fund has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser.

 

Equity Securities. Equity securities represent ownership interests in a company and consist of common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock, and securities convertible into common stock. Investments in equity securities in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which the Fund invests will cause the NAV of the Fund to fluctuate. The Fund purchases equity securities traded in the U.S. on registered exchanges or the over-the-counter market. Equity securities are described in more detail below:

 

 

•

Common Stock. Common stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds and preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock.

 

 

•

Preferred Stock. Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has precedence over common stock in the payment of dividends. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock.

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

•

Warrants. Warrants are instruments that entitle the holder to buy an equity security at a specific price for a specific period of time. Changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The price of a warrant may be more volatile than the price of its underlying security, and a warrant may offer greater potential for capital appreciation as well as capital loss. Warrants do not entitle a holder to dividends or voting rights with respect to the underlying security and do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuing company. A warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date. These factors can make warrants more speculative than other types of investments.

 

 

•

Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks or other securities that may be converted or exchanged (by the holder or by the issuer) into shares of the underlying common stock (or cash or securities of equivalent value) at a stated exchange ratio. A convertible security may also be called for redemption or conversion by the issuer after a particular date and under certain circumstances (including a specified price) established upon issue. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption or conversion, the Fund could be required to tender it for redemption, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third party.

 

Convertible securities generally have less potential for gain or loss than common stocks. Convertible securities generally provide yields higher than the underlying common stocks, but generally lower than comparable non-convertible securities. Because of this higher yield, convertible securities generally sell at a price above their “conversion value,” which is the current market value of the stock to be received upon conversion. The difference between this conversion value and the price of convertible securities will vary over time depending on changes in the value of the underlying common stocks and interest rates. When the underlying common stocks decline in value, convertible securities will tend not to decline to the same extent because of the interest or dividend payments and the repayment of principal at maturity for certain types of convertible securities. However, securities that are convertible other than at the option of the holder generally do not limit the potential for loss to the same extent as securities convertible at the option of the holder. When the underlying common stocks rise in value, the value of convertible securities may also be expected to increase. At the same time, however, the difference between the market value of convertible securities and their conversion value will narrow, which means that the value of convertible securities will generally not increase to the same extent as the value of the underlying common stocks. Because convertible securities may also be interest-rate sensitive, their value may increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Convertible securities are also subject to credit risk, and are often lower-quality securities.

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

•

Micro, Small and Medium Capitalization Issuers. Investing in equity securities of micro, small and medium capitalization companies often involves greater risk than is customarily associated with investments in larger capitalization companies. This increased risk may be due to the greater business risks of smaller size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded in the over- the-counter market and even if listed on a national securities exchange may not be traded in volumes typical for that exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies are less likely to be liquid, may have limited market stability, and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies or the market averages in general.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”). The Fund may invest in open-end investment companies whose shares are listed for trading on a national securities exchange. ETF shares typically trade like shares of common stock and provide investment results that generally correspond to the price and yield performance of the component stocks of a widely recognized index. There can be no assurance, however, that this can be accomplished, as it may not be possible for an ETF to replicate the composition and relative weightings of the securities of its corresponding index. Additionally, some ETFs are actively-managed by an investment adviser and/or sub-advisers and do not seek to provide investment results that correspond to an index.

 

ETFs are subject to risks of an investment in a broadly based portfolio of common stocks, including the risk that the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of such investment. An actively-managed ETF may not perform as well as its investment adviser and/or sub-advisers expect, and/or the actively-managed ETF’s portfolio management practices might not work to achieve the desired result. Individual shares of an ETF are generally not redeemable at their NAV, but trade on an exchange during the day at prices that are normally close to, but not the same as, their NAV. There is no assurance that an active trading market will be maintained for the shares of an ETF or that market prices of the shares of an ETF will be close to their NAVs. The existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for an ETF’s shares could result in such shares trading at a significant premium or discount to their NAV. In addition, the purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to a mutual fund’s or ETF’s own expenses.

 

Investments in securities of ETFs beyond the limitations set forth in Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act are subject to certain terms and conditions described below. Section 12(d)(1)(A) states that a mutual fund may not acquire shares of other investment companies, such as ETFs, in excess of: 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the investment company; 5% of its total assets invested in the investment company; or more than 10% of the fund’s total assets were to be invested in the aggregate in all investment companies. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to a mutual fund’s own expenses. In October 2020, the SEC adopted certain regulatory changes and took other actions related to the ability of an investment company to invest in another investment company. The changes include, among other things, amendments to Rule 12d1-1, the rescission of Rule 12d1-2, and the adoption of Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 12d1-4”) which allows funds to invest

 

5

 

 

 

 

in other investment companies in excess of some of the limitations discussed above, subject to certain limitations and conditions. An acquiring fund relying on Rule 12d1-4 must enter into a fund of funds investment agreement with the acquired fund. Rule 12d1-4 outlines the requirements for fund of funds agreements and specifies certain reporting responsibilities of the acquiring fund’s adviser. The Fund expects to rely on Rule 12d1-4 to the extent the Adviser deems such reliance necessary or appropriate.

 

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 the Fund to buy and sell securities. These factors could result in a loss to the Fund by causing the Fund to be unable to dispose of an investment or to miss an attractive investment opportunity, or by causing Fund assets to be uninvested for some period of time. In addition, where all or portion of the Fund’s underlying securities trade in a foreign market that is closed when the market in which the Fund’s shares are listed is open for trading, there may be changes between the last quote of the underlying securities’ value in the closed foreign market and the value of such underlying securities during the Fund’s domestic trading day.

 

Illiquid Investments. Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 (“Rule 22e-4” or the “Liquidity Rule”) under the 1940 Act, the Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment as defined in Rule 22e-4 is an investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions within 7 calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. These investments may include restricted securities and repurchase agreements maturing in more than 7 days. Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and thus may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or pursuant to an exemption from registration. Subject to the adoption of guidelines by the Board, certain restricted securities that may be sold to institutional investors pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and non-exempt commercial paper may be determined to be liquid by the Adviser. Illiquid investments involve the risk that the investments will not be able to be sold at the time the Adviser desires or at prices approximating the value at which the Fund is carrying the investments. To the extent an investment held by the Fund is deemed to be an illiquid investment or a less liquid investment, the Fund will be exposed to greater liquidity risk.

 

The Fund has implemented a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to identify illiquid investments pursuant to Rule 22e-4. If the limitation on illiquid investments is exceeded, the condition will be reported to the Board and, when required by the Liquidity Rule, to the SEC.

 

On November 2, 2022, the SEC proposed amendments to Rule 22e-4. If adopted as proposed, the proposed amendments would result in changes to the Fund’s liquidity classification framework and could potentially increase the percentage of the Fund’s investments deemed to be illiquid. In addition, the Fund’s operations and investment strategies may be adversely impacted if the proposed amendments are adopted.

 

Investment Company Shares. The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions. These investment companies typically incur

 

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fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by the Fund. The Fund’s purchase of such investment company securities results in the layering of expenses, such that shareholders would indirectly bear a proportionate share of the operating expenses of such investment companies, including advisory fees, in addition to paying the Fund’s expenses. Unless an exception is available, Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act prohibits a fund from (i) acquiring more than 3% of the voting shares of any one investment company, (ii) investing more than 5% of its total assets in any one investment company, and (iii) investing more than 10% of its total assets in all investment companies combined. These limits will not apply to the investment of uninvested cash balances in shares of registered or unregistered money market funds whether affiliated or unaffiliated. The foregoing exemption, however, only applies to an unregistered money market fund that (i) limits its investments to those in which a money market fund may invest under Rule 2a-7 of the 1940 Act, and (ii) undertakes to comply with all the other provisions of Rule 2a-7.

 

For hedging or other purposes, the Fund may invest in investment companies that seek to track the composition and/or performance of specific indexes or portions of specific indexes. Certain of these investment companies, known as ETFs, are traded on a securities exchange. The market prices of index-based investments will fluctuate in accordance with changes in the underlying portfolio securities of the investment company and also due to supply and demand of the investment company’s shares on the exchange upon which the shares are traded. Index-based investments may not replicate or otherwise match the composition or performance of their specified index due to transaction costs, among other things.

 

Investments by the Fund in other investment companies, including ETFs, will be subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act. Pursuant to Rule 12d1-4 and procedures approved by the Board, the Fund may invest in other investment companies beyond the limits contained in the 1940 Act, subject to certain conditions imposed by Rule 12d1-4 including limits on control and voting of acquired funds’ shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements and limits on most three-tier fund structures.

 

Certain investment companies whose securities are purchased by the Fund may not be obligated to redeem such securities in an amount exceeding 1% of the investment company’s total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days. Therefore, such securities that exceed this amount may be illiquid.

 

Investing in Emerging Markets. Securities in emerging markets are less liquid and subject to greater price volatility, and have a smaller market capitalization, than the U.S. securities markets. In certain countries, there may be fewer publicly traded securities and the market may be dominated by a few issues or sectors. Issuers and securities markets in such countries are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements or as comprehensive government regulations as are issuers and securities markets in the U.S. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of emerging country issuers may not reflect their financial position or results of operations in the same manner as financial statements for U.S. issuers. Substantially less information may be publicly available about emerging market issuers than is available about issuers in the United States.

 

Emerging markets are typically marked by a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of

 

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ownership of such securities by a limited number of investors. Certain emerging markets are in the earliest stages of their development. Even the markets for relatively widely traded securities in emerging markets may not be able to absorb, without price disruptions, a significant increase in trading volume or trades of a size customarily undertaken by institutional investors in the securities markets of developed countries. The limited size of many of these markets can cause prices to be erratic for reasons apart from factors that affect the soundness and competitiveness of the securities issuers. For example, prices may be unduly influenced by traders who control large positions in these markets. Additionally, market making and arbitrage activities are generally less extensive in such markets, which may contribute to increased volatility and reduced liquidity of such markets. The limited liquidity of emerging country securities may also affect the Fund’s ability to value accurately its portfolio securities or to acquire or dispose of securities at the price and time it wishes to do so or in order to meet redemption requests.

 

Antiquated legal systems in certain emerging markets may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder in a U.S. corporation for acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder’s investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging markets. Similarly, the rights of investors in emerging market companies may be more limited than those of shareholders in U.S. corporations, the legal remedies for investors in emerging markets may be more limited than the remedies available in the U.S. and the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors may be limited.

 

Transaction costs, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups, in emerging markets may be higher than in the United States and other developed securities markets. In addition, existing laws and regulations are often inconsistently applied. As legal systems in emerging countries develop, foreign investors may be adversely affected by new or amended laws and regulations. In circumstances where adequate laws exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement of the law.

 

Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain emerging countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions may limit the Fund’s investment in certain emerging countries and may increase the expenses of the Fund. Certain emerging countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit investment by foreign persons to only a specified percentage of an issuer’s outstanding securities or a specific class of securities which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. In addition, the repatriation of both investment income and capital from emerging countries may be subject to restrictions which require governmental consents or prohibit repatriation entirely for a period of time. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operation of the Fund. The Fund may be required to establish special custodial or other arrangements before investing in certain emerging countries.

 

Emerging countries may be subject to a substantially greater degree of economic, political and social instability than is the case in the United States and most Western European countries. This instability may result from, among other things, the following: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision making, including changes or attempted changes in governments through

 

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extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection or conflict; and (vi) the absence of developed legal structures governing foreign private investments and private property. Such economic, political and social instability could disrupt the principal financial markets in which the Fund may invest and adversely affect the value of the Fund’s assets. The Fund’s investments can also be adversely affected by any increase in taxes or by political, economic or diplomatic developments.

 

The economies of emerging countries may differ unfavorably from the U.S. economy in growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources, self-sufficiency and balance of payments. Many emerging countries have experienced in the past, and continue to experience, high rates of inflation. In certain countries, inflation has at times accelerated rapidly to hyperinflationary levels, creating a negative interest rate environment and sharply eroding the value of outstanding financial assets in those countries. Other emerging countries, on the other hand, have recently experienced deflationary pressures and are in economic recessions. The economies of many emerging countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by protective trade barriers and the economic conditions of their trading partners. In addition, the economies of some emerging countries are vulnerable to weakness in world prices for their commodity exports. The Fund’s income and, in some cases, capital gains from foreign stocks and securities will be subject to applicable taxation in certain of the countries in which it invests, and treaties between the U.S. and such countries may not be available in some cases to reduce the otherwise applicable tax rates.

 

Non-U.S. Issuers Risk. The Fund may invest in securities of non-U.S. corporate issuers. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers have different risks from securities issued by U.S. issuers. These risks include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, political instability which could affect U.S. investments in non-U.S. countries, uncertainties of transnational litigation, and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital, including the possible seizure or nationalization of the securities issued by non-U.S. issuers held by the Fund. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to less governmental regulation than U.S. issuers. Moreover, individual non-U.S. economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment positions. Unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments in non-U.S. countries could affect the payment of a security’s principal and interest. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers may also be less liquid than, and more difficult to value than, securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, the value of these securities may fluctuate due to changes in the exchange rate of the issuer’s local currency against the U.S. dollar.

 

Real Estate Investment Trust Securities. The Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). A REIT is a pooled investment vehicle that purchases primarily income-producing real estate, real estate-related loans or other real estate-related interests. The pooled vehicle than issues shares whose value and investment performance are dependent upon the investment performance of the underlying real estate-related investments. Individual REITs may own a limited number of properties and may concentrate in a

 

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particular region or property type. A REIT is a corporation, or a business trust that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation, which meets the definitional requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct dividends paid, thereby effectively eliminating corporate level federal income tax and making the REIT a pass-through vehicle for federal income tax purposes. 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) or 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 distribute to shareholders annually a substantial portion of its otherwise taxable income.

 

Generally, REITs can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive their income primarily from rents and capital gains from appreciation realized through property sales. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive their income primarily from interest payments. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both equity and mortgage REITs. The values of securities issued by REITs are affected by tax and regulatory requirements and by perceptions of management skill. They also are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers or tenants, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free status under the Code or to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act. Unexpected high rates of default on mortgages held by a mortgage pool may adversely affect the value of a mortgage-backed security and could result in losses to a mortgage REIT. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages. To the extent that a mortgage REIT’s portfolio is exposed to lower-rated, unsecured or subordinated instruments, the risk of loss may increase, which may have a negative impact on the Fund.

 

REITs may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. REITs are sensitive to factors such as changes in real estate values, property taxes, interest rates, cash flow of underlying real estate assets, occupancy rates, government regulations affecting zoning, land use, and rents, and management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. Companies in the real estate industry may also be subject to liabilities under environmental and hazardous waste laws. REITS whose underlying assets include long-term healthcare properties, such as nursing, retirement, and assisted living homes, may be affected by federal regulations concerning the healthcare industry. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests in addition to the expenses of the Fund. The Fund is also subject to the risk that the REITs in which it invests will fail to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code and/or fail to qualify for an exemption from registration as an investment company under the 1940 Act. Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of the credit extended. A REIT’s return may be adversely affected when interest rates are high or rising.

 

Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically,

 

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small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500®.

 

Rights Offerings and Purchase Warrants. Rights offerings and purchase warrants are privileges issued by a corporation which enable the owner to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. Subscription rights normally have a short lifespan to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not executed prior to the right’s or warrant’s expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security.

 

Special Note Regarding Market Events. Periods of unusually high financial market volatility and restrictive credit conditions, at times limited to a particular sector or geographic area, have occurred in the past and may be expected to recur in the future. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted or have signaled protectionist trade measures, relaxation of the financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis, and/or reductions to corporate taxes. The scope of these policy changes is still developing, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations of change, which could increase volatility, particularly if a resulting policy runs counter to the market's expectations. The outcome of such changes cannot be foreseen at the present time. In addition, geopolitical and other risks, including events such as war, military conflict, acts of terrorism, social unrest, natural disasters, recessions, inflation, rapid interest rate changes, supply chain disruptions, sanctions, the spread of infectious illness or other public health threats could also significantly impact the Fund and its investments. As a result of increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by events impacting a country or region, regardless of whether the Fund invests in issuers located in or with significant exposure to such country or region.

 

Governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve, have in the past responded to major economic disruptions with changes to fiscal and monetary policy, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions, new monetary programs, and interest rates changes. Such policy changes may adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of dividend and interest paying securities.

 

In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in the Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or to accurately price its investments. Although multiple asset classes may be affected by a market disruption, the duration and effects may not be the same for all types of assets. To the extent the Fund may overweight its investments in certain countries, companies, industries or market sectors, such position will increase the Fund’s exposure to risk of loss from adverse developments affecting those countries, companies, industries or sectors. These conditions could result in the Fund’s inability to achieve its investment objectives, cause the postponement of reconstitution or rebalance dates for benchmark indices, adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which

 

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the Fund invests, negatively impact the Fund’s performance, and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

 

Additionally, U.S. and global markets recently have experienced increased volatility, including the failures of certain U.S. and non-U.S. banks, which could be harmful to the Fund and issuers in which they invest. Conditions in the banking sector are evolving, and the scope of any potential impacts to the Fund and issuers, both from market conditions and also potential legislative or regulatory responses, are uncertain. Continued market volatility and uncertainty and/or a downturn in market and economic and financial conditions, as a result of developments in the banking industry or otherwise (including as a result of delayed access to cash or credit facilities), could have an adverse impact on the Fund and issuers in which they invest.

 

Special Situation Companies. The Fund will seek to benefit from Special Situations, such as mergers, reorganizations, or other unusual events expected to affect a particular issuer. The term Special Situation shall be deemed to refer to a security of a company in which an unusual and possibly non-repetitive development is taking place which, in the opinion of the Adviser, may cause the security to attain a higher market value independently, to a degree, than the trend in the securities market in general.

 

The particular development (actual or prospective), which may qualify a security as a Special Situation, may be one of many different types. Such developments may include, among others, a technological improvement or important discovery or acquisition which, if the expectation for it materialized, would effect a substantial change in the company’s business; a reorganization; a recapitalization or other development involving a security exchange or conversion; a merger, liquidation or distribution of cash, securities or other assets; a breakup or workout of a holding company; litigation which, if resolved favorably, would improve the value of the company’s stock; a new or changed management; or material changes in management policies. A Special Situation may often involve a comparatively small company, which is not well known, and which has not been closely watched by investors generally, but it may also involve a large company. The fact, if it exists, that an increase in the company’s earnings, dividends or business is expected, or that a given security is considered to be undervalued, would not in itself be sufficient to qualify as a Special Situation. The Fund may invest in securities (even if not Special Situations) which, in the opinion of the Adviser, are appropriate investments for the Fund, including securities which the Adviser believes are undervalued by the market. There is a risk that the Special Situation might not occur or involve longer time frames than originally expected, which could have a negative impact on the price of the issuer’s securities and fail to produce gains or produce a loss for the Fund.

 

Non-Principal Investment Policies and Risks

 

Borrowing. The Fund may borrow money from a bank equal to 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes to meet redemptions or to pay dividends. Borrowing may exaggerate changes in the NAV of the Fund’s shares and in the return on the Fund’s portfolio. Although the principal of any borrowing will be fixed, the Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. The Fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities at a time when it would be disadvantageous to do so in order to make

 

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payments with respect to any borrowing. The Fund may be required to earmark or segregate liquid assets in an amount sufficient to meet its obligations in connection with such borrowings. In an interest rate arbitrage transaction, the Fund borrows money at one interest rate and lends the proceeds at another, higher interest rate. These transactions involve a number of risks, including the risks that the borrower will fail or otherwise become insolvent or that there will be a significant change in prevailing interest rates.

 

Forward Commitment and When-Issued Transactions. The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis (subject to its investment policies and restrictions). These transactions involve a commitment by the Fund to purchase or sell securities at a future date (ordinarily one or two months later). The price of the underlying securities (usually expressed in terms of yield) and the date when the securities will be delivered and paid for (the settlement date) are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. When-issued purchases and forward commitments are negotiated directly with the other party, and such commitments are not traded on exchanges.

 

When-issued purchases and forward commitments enable the Fund to lock in what is believed by its investment adviser to be an attractive price or yield on a particular security for a period of time, regardless of future changes in interest rates. For instance, in periods of rising interest rates and falling prices, the Fund might sell securities it owns on a forward commitment basis to limit its exposure to falling prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising prices, the Fund might sell securities it owns and purchase the same or a similar security on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, thereby obtaining the benefit of currently higher yields. When-issued securities or forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date.

 

The value of securities purchased on a when-issued or forward commitment basis and any subsequent fluctuations in their value are reflected in the computation of the Fund’s NAV starting on the date of the agreement to purchase the securities, and the Fund is subject to the rights and risks of ownership of the securities on that date. The Fund may not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until they are paid for and delivered on the settlement date. When the Fund makes a forward commitment to sell securities it owns, the proceeds to be received upon settlement are included in the Fund’s assets. Fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities are not reflected in the Fund’s NAV as long as the commitment to sell remains in effect. Settlement of when-issued purchases and forward commitment transactions generally takes place within two months after the date of the transaction, but the Fund may agree to a longer settlement period.

 

The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into. The Fund also may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. The Fund may realize a capital gain or loss in connection with these transactions, and its distributions from any net realized capital gains will be taxable to shareholders.

 

Equity Swaps. To the extent consistent with its investment objective and strategies, the Fund may enter into equity swap contracts to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of securities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. Equity

 

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swaps may be used by the Fund for hedging purposes, in anticipation of the purchase of securities, for liquidity management purposes, or to seek to increase total return. The counterparty to an equity swap contract will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker/dealer. Equity swap contracts may be structured in different ways. For example, a counterparty may agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap contract would have increased in value had it been invested in particular stocks (or an index of stocks), plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. In these cases, the Fund may agree to pay the counterparty the amount, if any, by which that notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in the stocks. Therefore, the return to the Fund on any equity swap contract should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount. In other cases, the counterparty and the Fund may each agree to pay the other the difference between the relative investment performances that would have been achieved if the notional amount of the equity swap contract had been invested in different stocks (or indices of stocks).

 

The Fund will enter into equity swaps only on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the 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 an equity swap contract or periodically during its term. Equity swaps do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to equity swaps is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to an equity swap defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that such Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.

 

The Fund will not enter into any swap transactions unless the unsecured commercial paper, senior debt or claims-paying ability of the other party is rated either A, or A-1 or better by S&P® Global Ratings Services (“S&P”), or Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”); or A or Prime-1 or better by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or has received a comparable rating from another organization that is recognized as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”). If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.

 

The use of equity swaps is a highly specialized activity, which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, the investment performance of the Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if this investment technique were not used.

 

Large Shareholder Purchase and Redemption Risk. The Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause the Fund to sell its securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large share purchases may adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. In addition, a large redemption could result in the

 

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Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio.

 

Money Market Securities. The Fund may invest its assets in money market instruments (the types of which are discussed below). Money market instruments include (i) short-term U.S. government securities, including custodial receipts evidencing separately traded interest and principal components of securities issued by the U.S. Treasury; (ii) commercial paper rated in the highest short-term rating category by a nationally recognized statistical ratings organization (“NRSRO”), such as S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) or Moody's Investors Service (“Moody's”), or determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality at the time of purchase; (iii) short-term bank obligations (certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances) of U.S. domestic banks, foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks, and commercial banks with assets of at least $1 billion as of the end of their most recent fiscal year; and (iv) repurchase agreements involving such securities. Each of these types of money market securities is discussed in more detail below. For a description of ratings, see Appendix A to this SAI.

 

The Fund may invest in obligations issued by banks and other savings institutions. Investments in bank obligations include obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks. Such investments in domestic branches of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks may involve risks that are different from investments in securities of domestic branches of U.S. banks. These risks may include future unfavorable political and economic developments, possible withholding taxes on interest income, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations, or other governmental restrictions which might affect the payment of principal or interest on the securities held by the Fund. Additionally, these institutions may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements and to different accounting, auditing, reporting and recordkeeping requirements than those applicable to domestic branches of U.S. banks. In addition, investments in bank loans may not be deemed to be securities and may not have the protections of the federal securities laws. Bank obligations include the following:

 

 

•

Bankers’ Acceptances. Bankers’ acceptances are bills of exchange or time drafts drawn on and accepted by a commercial bank. Corporations use bankers' acceptances to finance the shipment and storage of goods and to furnish dollar exchange. Maturities are generally six months or less.

 

 

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Certificates of Deposit. Certificates of deposit are interest-bearing instruments with a specific maturity. They are issued by banks and savings and loan institutions in exchange for the deposit of funds and normally can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity. Certificates of deposit with penalties for early withdrawal will be considered illiquid.

 

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•

Time Deposits. Time deposits are non-negotiable receipts issued by a bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. Like a certificate of deposit, it earns a specified rate of interest over a definite period of time; however, it cannot be traded in the secondary market. Time deposits with a withdrawal penalty or that mature in more than seven days are considered to be illiquid securities.

 

Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with financial institutions. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which the Fund acquires a fixed income security (generally a security issued by the U.S. government or an agency thereof, a banker's acceptance, or a certificate of deposit) from a commercial bank, broker, or dealer, and simultaneously agrees to resell such security to the seller at an agreed upon price and date (normally, the next business day). Because the security purchased constitutes collateral for the repurchase obligation, a repurchase agreement may be considered a loan that is collateralized by the security purchased. The acquisition of a repurchase agreement may be deemed to be an acquisition of the underlying securities as long as the obligation of the seller to repurchase the securities is collateralized fully. The Fund follows certain procedures designed to minimize the risks inherent in such agreements. These procedures include effecting repurchase transactions only with creditworthy financial institutions whose condition will be continually monitored by the Adviser. The repurchase agreements entered into by the Fund will provide that the underlying collateral at all times shall have a value at least equal to 102% of the resale price stated in the agreement and consist only of securities permissible under Section 101(47)(A)(i) of the Bankruptcy Code (the Adviser monitors compliance with this requirement). Under all repurchase agreements entered into by the Fund, the custodian or its agent must take possession of the underlying collateral. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, the Fund will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercising of the Fund’s right to liquidate such collateral could involve certain costs or delays and, to the extent that proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, the Fund could suffer a loss. It is the current policy of the Fund not to invest in repurchase agreements that do not mature within seven days if any such investment, together with any other illiquid assets held by the Fund, amounts to more than 15% of the Fund’s total assets. The investments of the Fund in repurchase agreements, at times, may be substantial when, in the view of the Adviser, liquidity or other considerations so warrant.

 

Restricted Securities. The Fund may purchase securities which are not registered under the 1933 Act but which may be sold to “qualified institutional buyers” in accordance with Rule 144A under the 1933 Act (“Restricted Securities”). These securities will not be considered illiquid so long as it is determined by the Adviser that an adequate trading market exists for the securities. This investment practice could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in an underlying investment company during any period that qualified institutional buyers become uninterested in purchasing restricted securities. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser may consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the unregistered nature of the security; (2) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (3) the number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (5) the nature of the security and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer).

 

16

 

 

 

 

The purchase price and subsequent valuation of Restricted Securities normally reflect a discount from the price at which such securities trade when they are not restricted, since the restriction makes them less liquid. The amount of the discount from the prevailing market price is expected to vary depending upon the type of security, the character of the issuer, the party who will bear the expenses of registering the Restricted Securities and prevailing supply and demand conditions.

 

As consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund may also invest in Section 4(2) commercial paper. Section 4(2) commercial paper is issued in reliance on an exemption from registration under Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act and is generally sold to institutional investors who purchase for investment. Any resale of such commercial paper must be in an exempt transaction, usually to an institutional investor through the issuer or investment dealers who make a market in such commercial paper. The Fund believes that Section 4(2) commercial paper is liquid to the extent it meets the criteria established by the Board. The Fund intends to treat such commercial paper as liquid and not subject to the investment limitations applicable to illiquid securities or restricted securities.

 

Securities Lending. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to financial institutions. Such loans would involve risks of delay in receiving additional collateral in the event the value of the collateral decreases below the value of the securities loaned or of delay in recovering the securities loaned or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. However, loans will be made only to borrowers which the Adviser deems to be of good standing and only when, in the Adviser’s judgment, the income to be earned from the loans justifies the attendant risks. The Fund may not make loans in excess of 331/3% of the value of its total assets. The Fund may pay a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral, or other fee, to an unaffiliated or, to the extent consistent with the 1940 Act or the rules and SEC interpretations thereunder, affiliated third party for acting as the Fund’s securities lending agent.

 

By lending its securities, the Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower that reflect the amount of any interest or any dividends payable on the loaned securities as well as by either investing cash collateral received from the borrower in short-term instruments or obtaining a fee from the borrower when U.S. government securities or letters of credit are used as collateral. The Fund does not have the right to vote loaned securities. The Fund may attempt to call loaned securities back to permit the exercise of voting rights if time and jurisdictional restrictions permit. There is no guarantee that all loans can be recalled.

 

Temporary Defensive Positions. In anticipation of or in response to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions (up to 100% of its assets) in cash, cash equivalents and all types of money market and short-term debt securities. If the Fund were to take a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective for a period of time.

 

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

 

The Company has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Fund. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to the Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. For the purposes of the 1940 Act, a “majority of

 

17

 

 

 

 

outstanding shares” means the vote of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the voting securities of the 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 the Fund.

Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the Fund may not:

 

 

1.

Borrow money or issue senior securities, except that the Fund may borrow from banks and enter into reverse repurchase agreements provided that there is at least 300% asset coverage for the borrowings of the Fund. The Fund may not mortgage, pledge or hypothecate any assets, except in connection with any such borrowing and then in amounts not in excess of one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing. However, the amount shall not be in excess of lesser of the dollar amounts borrowed or 331/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the time of such borrowing, provided that: (a) short sales and related borrowings of securities are not subject to this restriction; and (b) for the purposes of this restriction, collateral arrangements with respect to options, short sales, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin and collateral arrangements with respect to derivatives instruments are not deemed to be a pledge or other encumbrance of assets. Securities held in escrow or separate accounts in connection with the Fund’s investment practices are not considered to be borrowings or deemed to be pledged for purposes of this limitation;

 

 

2.

Act as an underwriter of securities within the meaning of the 1933 Act, except insofar as it might be deemed to be an underwriter upon disposition of certain portfolio securities acquired within the limitation on purchases of restricted securities;

 

 

3.

Purchase or sell real estate (including real estate limited partnership interests), provided that the Fund may invest: (a) in securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein; or (b) in real estate investment trusts;

 

 

4.

Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except as permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended, and as interpreted or modified by the regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time;

 

 

5.

Make loans, except through loans of portfolio securities and repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction the acquisition of bonds, debentures or other debt instruments or interests therein and investment in government obligations, loan participations and assignments, short-term commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances shall not be deemed to be the making of a loan; or

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

6.

Invest 25% or more of its total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry or group of related industries, provided that (a) there is no limitation with respect to (i) instruments issued or guaranteed by the United States, any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia or any of their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, and (ii) repurchase agreements secured by the instruments described in clause (i); (b) wholly-owned finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the parents; and (c) utilities will be divided according to their services, for example, gas, gas transmission, electric and gas, electric and telephone will each be considered a separate industry.

 

In addition to the fundamental investment limitations specified above, the Fund is subject to the following non-fundamental limitations, which may be changed without shareholder approval, in compliance with applicable law and regulatory policy. The Fund may not:

 

 

1.

Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management, but investments by the Fund in wholly-owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed the making of investments for the purpose of exercising control or management.

 

The Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies within the limits prescribed by the 1940 Act. As a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees. These expenses would be in addition to the advisory and other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations.

 

Securities held by the Fund generally may not be purchased from, sold or loaned to the Adviser or its affiliates or any of their directors, officers or employees, acting as principal, unless pursuant to a rule or exemptive order under the 1940 Act.

 

If a percentage restriction under one of the Fund’s investment policies or limitations or the use of assets is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentages resulting from changing values will not be considered a violation (except with respect to any restrictions that may apply to borrowings or senior securities issued by the Fund).

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

Shares are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Exchange.

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund will continue to meet the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund’s shares. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of the Fund from listing if, among other things (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the

 

19

 

 

 

 

commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the Fund’s shares; (ii) the Fund’s portfolio holdings are not made available to all market participants at the same time; (iii) the Fund has failed to file any filings required by the SEC or the Exchange is aware that the Fund is not in compliance with the conditions of any exemptive order or no-action relief granted by the SEC or its staff under the 1940 Act with respect to the Fund; (iv) the Exchange’s ongoing listing requirements are not continuously maintained; (v) any of the continuous listing representations for the issue of the Fund’s shares are not continuously met; or (vi) such other event shall occur or condition exists that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the Fund’s shares from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund. The Exchange will remove the Fund’s shares from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.

 

The Company reserves the right to adjust the price levels of its 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 Fund.

 

As in the case of other stocks traded on the Exchange, broker’s commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

 

Portfolio turnover measures the percentage of the Fund’s total portfolio market value that was purchased or sold during the period. The Fund’s turnover rate provides an indication of how transaction costs (which are not included in the Fund’s expenses) may affect the Fund’s performance. Also, funds with a high turnover may be more likely to distribute capital gains that may be taxable to shareholders.

 

The Fund’s and Predecessor Fund’s portfolio turnover rates for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026 and fiscal years ended April 30, 2026 and April 30, 2025 are stated below. Portfolio turnover rates could change significantly in response to turbulent market conditions.

 

Fiscal Period Ended

August 31, 2026*

Fiscal Year Ended

April 30, 2026

Fiscal Year Ended

April 30, 2025

[,,,]

111%

65%

 

*The Fund changed the fiscal year end to August 31, 2026. The amounts shown are for the fiscal period from May 1, 2026 to August 31, 2026.

 

20

 

 

 

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the oversight of the Board, subject to the laws of the State of Maryland and the Company’s Charter. The Directors are responsible for deciding matters of overall policy and overseeing the actions of the Company’s service providers. The officers of the Company conduct and supervise the Company’s daily business operations.

 

Directors who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) are referred to as “Independent Directors.” Directors who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company are referred to as “Interested Directors.” The Board is currently composed of five Independent Directors and two Interested Directors. The Board has selected Arnold M. Reichman, an Independent Director, to act as Chair. Mr. Reichman’s duties include presiding at meetings of the Board and interfacing with management to address significant issues that may arise between regularly scheduled Board and Committee meetings. In the performance of his duties, Mr. Reichman will consult with the other Independent Directors and the Company’s officers and legal counsel, as appropriate. The Chair may perform other functions as requested by the Board from time to time.

 

The Board meets as often as necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Currently, the Board conducts regular, in-person meetings at least four times a year, and holds special in-person or telephonic meetings as necessary to address specific issues that require attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Board also relies on professionals, such as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms and legal counsel, to assist the Directors in performing their oversight responsibilities.

 

The Board has established seven standing committees - Audit, Contract, Executive, Nominating and Governance, Product Development, Regulatory Oversight, and Valuation Committees. The Board may establish other committees, or nominate one or more Directors to examine particular issues related to the Board’s oversight responsibilities, from time to time. Each Committee meets periodically to perform its delegated oversight functions and reports its findings and recommendations to the Board. For more information on the Committees, see the section entitled “Standing Committees.”

 

The Board has also established an Advisory Board whose members are not “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who serve in a consultative capacity to the Board, providing non-binding advice to the Board regarding the oversight of the affairs of the Company (each, an “Advisory Board Member”). An Advisory Board Member participates in Board discussions and reviews Board materials relating to the Funds, but is not a Director, has no power to vote on any matter presented to the Board, and has no power to act on behalf of or otherwise bind the Board, the Directors, or any committee of the Board. The Board appointed Eugene Podsiadlo as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

The Board has determined that the Company’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to effectively perform its oversight responsibilities.

 

21

 

 

 

 

Directors, Advisory Board Member, and Executive Officers

 

The Directors, Advisory Board Member, and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth in this section.

 

Name,

Address, and

Year of Birth

Position(s)

Held with

Company

Term of Office

and Length

of  Time

Served(1)

Principal 

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund 

Complex

Overseen by Director*

Other 

Directorships

Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Gregory P. Chandler

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1966

Director

2012 to present

Since 2025 Financial Consultant; from 2020-2025, Chief Financial Officer, HC Parent Corp (life sciences consulting services).

[...]

FS Specialty Lending Corp (previously Energy and Power Fund) (registered investment company); Wilmington Funds (10 portfolios) (registered investment company).

Lisa A. Dolly

615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53202

Year of Birth: 1966

Director

October 2021 to present

Independent Director.

[...]

Allfunds Group PLC (United Kingdom wealthtech and fund distribution provider); Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (trade association for broker dealers, investment banks and asset managers); Hightower Advisors (wealth management firm); Cohen & Steers, Inc. (global investment manager).

Nicholas A. Giordano

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1943

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

[...]

None.

 

22

 

 

 

 

Name,

Address, and

Year of Birth

Position(s)

Held with

Company

Term of Office

and Length

of  Time

Served(1)

Principal 

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund 

Complex

Overseen by Director*

Other 

Directorships

Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

Arnold M. Reichman

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1948

Chair

 

Director

2005 to present

 

1991 to present

Retired.

[...]

None.

Martha A. Tirinnanzi

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Director

January 2024 to present

Since 2014, Instructor, The Institute for Financial Markets; from 2013-2023, President and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Standards, Inc. (consulting firm); from 2020-2022, Adjunct Professor of Finance and Accounting, The Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business.

[...]

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (“ICE”) (financial services company and operator of global exchanges and clearinghouses); ICE Mortgage Services, LLC (a subsidiary of ICE); ICE Mortgage Technology, Inc. (a subsidiary of ICE).

INTERESTED DIRECTORS2

Robert Sablowsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1938

Vice Chair

 

Director

2016 to present

 

1991 to present

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

[...]

None.

Brian T. Shea

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Director

2018 to present

Independent Director.

[...]

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company); Barclays PLC, Barclays Bank PLC and Barclays Execution Services Limited (financial services companies).

 

23

 

 

 

Name,

Address, and

Year of Birth

Position(s)

Held with

Company

Term of Office

and Length

of  Time

Served(1)

Principal 

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund 

Complex

Overseen by Director*

Other 

Directorships

Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

DISINTERESTED ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER3

Eugene Podsiadlo

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1957

Advisory Board Member

October 2025 to present

Since 2023, Senior Advisor and Limited Partner, AI Capital, LLC; since 2020, Senior Advisor and Industry Council Member, Cross Creek Advisors; from February-June 2023, Executive Vice President of Clearbrook, LLC; from 2020-2022, Registered Securities Principal and Representative, March Capital.

N/A

None.

OFFICERS

Steven Plump

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1959

President

August 2022 to present

From 2011 to 2021, Executive Vice President, PIMCO LLC.

N/A

N/A

Salvatore Faia, JD,

CPA, CFE

Vigilant Compliance, LLC

Gateway Corporate

Center, Suite 216

223 Wilmington West

Chester Pike 

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Year of Birth: 1962

Chief Compliance Officer

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company); since 2021, Chief Compliance Officer of The RBB Fund Trust; President of The RBB Fund Trust from 2021 to 2022; President of The RBB Fund, Inc. from 2009 to 2022.

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Chief Financial Officer

and

Secretary

 

Chief Operating Officer

2016 to present

 

August 2022 to present

Since 2022, Chief Operating Officer of The RBB Fund Trust; since 2021, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of The RBB Fund Trust.

N/A

N/A

Craig A. Urciuoli

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1974

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2021, Director of Marketing & Business Development of The RBB Fund Trust.

N/A

N/A

 

24

 

 

 

Name,

Address, and

Year of Birth

Position(s)

Held with

Company

Term of Office

and Length

of  Time

Served(1)

Principal 

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund 

Complex

Overseen by Director*

Other 

Directorships

Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

Thomas Reynolds

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

September 2024 to present

Since 2024, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of The RBB Fund Trust; from 2023 to 2024, Vice President of Virtus Investment Partners; from 2020 to 2023, CFO of Stone Harbor Investment Partners LP.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1982

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2020, Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Joshua Solin

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1988

Assistant Treasurer

January 2025 to present

Since 2023, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm); from 2021 to 2023, Officer, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services.

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1971

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

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

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Year of Birth: 1979

Assistant

Secretary

2017 to present

Since 2017, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

 

* Each Director oversees [...]  portfolios of the fund complex, consisting of the series in the Company ([...] portfolios) and The RBB Fund Trust ([...] portfolios).

 

1.

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

 

2.

Messrs. Sablowsky and Shea are considered “interested persons” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and are referred to as “Interested Directors.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as a senior officer of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer. Mr. Shea is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position on the Board of Barclays Bank plc, a multinational bank.

 

3.

A Disinterested Advisory Board Member is an Advisory Board Member that is not an “interested person” of the Company within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

 

25

 

 

 

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills  

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his or her qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Ms. Dolly has over three decades of experience in the financial services industry, and she has demonstrated her leadership and management abilities by serving in numerous senior executive-level positions. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing, banking, and investment services industry, including service on the boards of public companies, industry regulatory organizations and a university. Ms. Tirinnanzi has over 20 years of strategic, regulatory and operational management experience in the financial and mortgage industries, including service on the boards of a public company and real estate investment trust, and brings to the Board her expertise regarding derivatives markets and related businesses.

 

Standing Committees

 

The responsibilities of each Committee of the Board and its members are described below.

 

Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Audit Committee are Ms. Tirinnanzi and Messrs. Chandler and Giordano. The Audit Committee, among other things, reviews results of the annual audit and approves the firm(s) to serve as independent auditors. The Audit Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Contract Committee. The Board has a Contract Committee comprised of an Interested Director and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Contract Committee are Mses. Dolly and Tirinnanzi and Mr. Sablowsky. The Contract Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board regarding the approval and continuation of agreements and plans of the Company. The Contract Committee convened five times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

26

 

 

 

 

Executive Committee. The Board has an Executive Committee comprised of an Interested Director and three Independent Directors. The current members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano, Reichman and Sablowsky. The Executive Committee may generally carry on and manage the business of the Company when the Board is not in session. The Executive Committee did not meet during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has a Nominating and Governance Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano and Reichman. The Nominating and Governance Committee recommends to the Board all persons to be nominated as Directors of the Company. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Recommendations should be submitted to the Committee care of the Company’s Secretary. The Nominating and Governance Committee convened two times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Product Development Committee. The Board has a Product Development Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Product Development Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Reichman, Sablowsky, and Shea. The Product Development Committee oversees the process regarding the addition of new investment advisers and investment products to the Company. The Product Development Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Regulatory Oversight Committee. The Board has a Regulatory Oversight Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Regulatory Oversight Committee are Ms. Dolly and Messrs. Reichman, Sablowsky, and Shea. The Regulatory Oversight Committee monitors regulatory developments in the mutual fund industry and focuses on various regulatory aspects of the operation of the Company. The Regulatory Oversight Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Valuation Committee. The Board has a Valuation Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two officers of the Company. The members of the Valuation Committee are Messrs. Faia, Sablowsky, Shea and Shaw. The Valuation Committee is responsible for reviewing fair value determinations. The Valuation Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

27

 

 

 

Risk Oversight

 

The Board performs its risk oversight function for the Company through a combination of (1) direct oversight by the Board as a whole and Board committees and (2) indirect oversight through the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, Company officers and the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). The Company is subject to a number of risks, including but not limited to investment risk, compliance risk, operational risk, reputational risk, credit risk and counterparty risk. Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Company is the responsibility of the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk) that carry out the Company’s investment management and business affairs. Each of the investment advisers and the other service providers have their own independent interest in risk management and their policies and methods of risk management will depend on their functions and business models and may differ from the Company’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls.

 

The Board provides risk oversight by receiving and reviewing on a regular basis reports from the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers, receiving and approving compliance policies and procedures, periodic meetings with the Company’s portfolio managers to review investment policies, strategies and risks, and meeting regularly with the Company’s CCO to discuss compliance reports, findings and issues. The Board also relies on the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, with respect to the day-to-day activities of the Company, to create and maintain procedures and controls to minimize risk and the likelihood of adverse effects on the Company’s business and reputation.

 

Board oversight of risk management is also provided by various Board Committees. For example, the Audit Committee meets with the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms to ensure that the Company’s respective audit scopes include risk-based considerations as to the Company’s financial position and operations. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight. The Board’s oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Company’s investments or activities.

 

Director and Advisory Board Member Ownership of Shares of the Company

 

The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Director and Advisory Board Member in the Fund and in all of the portfolios of the Company and The RBB Fund Trust (together, “Fund Complex”) (which for each Director comprise all registered investment companies within the Company’s family of investment companies overseen by him or her), as of December 31, 2025, including amounts through the deferred compensation plan:

 

28

 

 

 

 

Name of Director

Dollar Range of Equity

Securities in the Fund

Aggregate Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in All
Registered Investment
Companies Overseen by
Director within the Family
of Investment Companies

Independent Directors

 

 

Gregory P. Chandler

None

Over $100,000

Lisa A. Dolly

None

$50,001-$100,000

Nicholas A. Giordano

None

$50,001-$100,000

Arnold M. Reichman

None

Over $100,000

Martha A. Tirinnanzi

None

Over $100,000

Interested Directors

 

 

Robert Sablowsky

None

Over $100,000

Brian T. Shea

None

$10,001-$50,000

DISINTERESTED ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER

 

 

Eugene Podsiadlo(1)

None

$10,001-$50,000

 

(1)

Mr. Podsiadlo is not a Director. He was appointed as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

As of December 31, 2025, the Independent Directors and their respective immediate family members (spouse or dependent children) did not own beneficially or “of record” any securities of the Company’s investment advisers or distributor, or of any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment advisers or distributor.

 

Directors’, Advisory Board Member’s, and Officers’ Compensation

 

Effective January 1, 2026, the Company and The RBB Fund Trust, based on an allocation formula, pay each Director and Advisory Board Member a retainer at the rate of $265,000 annually, $15,000 for each regular meeting of the Board attended in-person; $6,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $5,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $9,000 and $6,500, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $4,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each receives an additional fee of $50,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each receives an additional fee of $40,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee receives an additional fee of $25,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $125,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $50,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

 

From January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, the Company and The RBB Fund Trust, based on an allocation formula, paid each Director and Advisory Board Member a retainer at the rate of $225,000 annually, $15,000 for each regular meeting of the Board attended in-person; $6,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $5,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $9,000 and $6,500, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $4,000 for each special

 

29

 

 

 

 

committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each received an additional fee of $50,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each received an additional fee of $40,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee received an additional fee of $25,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $125,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $50,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

 

Directors are reimbursed for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board or any committee thereof. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC (“Vigilant”) serves as CCO of the Company. Vigilant is compensated for the services provided to the Company, and such compensation is determined by the Board. For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, Vigilant received $0 from the Fund. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Vigilant received $1,145,625 in aggregate from all other series of the Company and The RBB Fund Trust for its services. Employees of the Company serve as President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, Director of Marketing & Business Development, Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer and are compensated for services provided.

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, each of the following Directors, Advisory Board Member, and officers received compensation from the Fund Complex, in the following amounts:

 

Name of Director/Officer

Aggregated Compensation from the Fund

Pension or
Retirement

Benefits Accrued as
Part of Fund

Expenses

Estimated Annual
Benefits Upon Retirement

Total

Compensation

From Fund

Complex Paid to Directors or Officers

Independent Directors:

 

 

 

 

Gregory P. Chandler, Director

$0

N/A

N/A

$445,500

Lisa A. Dolly, Director

$0

N/A

N/A

$405,000

Nicholas A. Giordano, Director

$0

N/A

N/A

$419,500

Arnold M. Reichman, Director and Chair

$0

N/A

N/A

$526,500

Martha A. Tirinnanzi, Director

$0

N/A

N/A

$390,500

Interested Directors:

 

 

 

 

Robert Sablowsky, Director and Vice Chair

$0

N/A

N/A

$532,500

Brian T. Shea, Director

$0

N/A

N/A

$432,500

Disinterested Advisory Board Member

 

 

 

 

Eugene Podsiadlo(1)

$0

N/A

N/A

$347,000

Officers:

 

 

 

 

Steven Plump, President

$0

N/A

N/A

$504,750

James G. Shaw, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

$0

N/A

N/A

$606,000

Craig Urciuoli, Director of Marketing & Business Development

$0

N/A

N/A

$444,750

Thomas Reynolds, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

$0

N/A

N/A

$373,250

 

(1)

Mr. Podsiadlo began serving as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

30

 

 

 

Each compensated Director is entitled to participate in the Company’s deferred compensation plan (the “DC Plan”). Under the DC Plan, a compensated Director may elect to defer all or a portion of his or her compensation and have the deferred compensation treated as if it had been invested by the Company in shares of one or more of the portfolios of the Company. The amount paid to the Directors under the DC Plan will be determined based upon the performance of such investments.

 

Director Emeritus Program

 

The Board has created a position of Director Emeritus, whereby an incumbent Director who has attained at least the age of 75 and completed a minimum of fifteen years of service as a Director may, in the sole discretion of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Company (the “NGC”), be recommended to the full Board to serve as Director Emeritus.

 

A Director Emeritus that has been approved as such receives an annual fee in an amount equal to up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Director. Effective January 1, 2026, a Director Emeritus can receive an annual fee in an amount up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Director in effect at the time such Director Emeritus was first appointed Director Emeritus. Compensation will be determined annually by the NGC and the Board with respect to each Director Emeritus. In addition, a Director Emeritus will be reimbursed for certain expenses incurred in connection with their service, including expenses of travel and lodging incurred in attendance at Board/Committee meetings. A Director Emeritus will continue to receive relevant materials concerning the Funds and will be available to consult with the Directors at reasonable times as requested. However, a Director Emeritus does not have any voting rights at Board meetings and is not subject to election by shareholders of the Funds.

 

A Director Emeritus will be permitted to serve in such capacity from year to year at the pleasure of the NGC and the Board for up to three years. Effective February 2024, Julian Brodsky serves as a Director Emeritus of the Company. Effective January 2025, Robert Straniere serves as a Director Emeritus of the Company.

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Messrs. Brodsky and Straniere received compensation for their roles as a Director Emeritus in the following amounts:

 

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Director Emeritus

Aggregate Compensation from the Funds

Pension or Retirement Benefits
Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses

Estimated Annual
Benefits Upon
Retirement

Total Compensation From Fund Complex

Julian Brodsky

$0

N/A

N/A

$112,500

Robert Straniere

$0

N/A

N/A

$112,500

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

The Company and the Adviser have each adopted a code of ethics (“Code of Ethics”) pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, which governs personal securities trading by their respective personnel. Each Code of Ethics permits such individuals to purchase and sell securities, including securities that are purchased, sold, or held by the Fund, but only subject to certain conditions designed to ensure that purchases and sales by such individuals do not adversely affect the Fund’s investment activities.

 

PRINCIPAL HOLDERS

 

Any person owning, directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund is presumed to control the Fund. Principal holders are persons who own 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes. Investors owning shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. [As of [ ], 2026, the Company does not have information regarding the record or beneficial ownership of shares of the Fund held in the names of DTC participants, as DTC has not provided the Company with access to such information.]

 

[As of [ ], 2026, the Directors and officers of the Company as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund].

 

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

Investment Adviser and Advisory Agreement

 

Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust ("Emerald" or the "Adviser"), 3175 Oregon Pike, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540, serves as investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Company, on behalf of the Fund, and the Adviser (the "Advisory Agreement"). The Adviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerald Advisers, LLC, which commenced business operations in 1992. Emerald Advisers, LLC is owned by Emerald Asset Management PA, LLC a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerald Asset Management, Inc, an employee stock ownership trust and a control person of the Adviser.

 

Prior to December 31, 2026, F/m Investments LLC ("F/m") served as the Fund's investment adviser, with Emerald serving as the Fund's sub‑adviser pursuant to a sub‑advisory agreement with F/m. [F/m resigned as the Fund's investment adviser, effective December 31, 2026, in anticipation of an acquisition transaction that would terminate the investment advisory agreement with F/m (the "Prior Advisory Agreement") and the sub‑advisory agreement with Emerald.] [The Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, approved [an interim investment advisory agreement (the “Interim Advisory Agreement”) that became effective upon F/m’s

 

32

 

 

 

 

resignation and continued in effect until] a new investment advisory agreement between the Company, on behalf of the Fund and Emerald was approved by shareholders of the Fund at a special meeting of shareholders held on [date].] The Interim Advisory Agreement had the same advisory fee rate as the Prior Advisory Agreement. [Fees earned under the Interim Agreement were held in an interest‑bearing escrow account and paid to the Adviser upon shareholder approval of the Advisory Agreement.]

 

The Adviser provides investment advisory services to the Fund pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement. [The Advisory Agreement has an initial term ending August 16, 2027.] After the initial term, the Advisory Agreement may be continued in effect from year to year with the approval of (1) the Board or (2) a vote of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, provided that in either event the continuance must also be approved by a majority of the Independent Directors by vote cast in person  at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Advisory Agreement terminates automatically in the event of its assignment, as defined in the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder.

 

Subject to the supervision of the Board, the Adviser provides for the overall management of the Fund, including (i) the provision of a continuous investment program for the Fund, including investment research and management with respect to all securities, investments, cash and cash equivalents, (ii) the determination from time to time of the securities and other investments to be purchased, retained, or sold by the Fund, and (iii) the placement from time to time of orders for all purchases and sales of securities and other investments made for the Fund. The Adviser provides its services in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, restrictions and policies as stated in the Prospectus and in this SAI. The Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment, mistake of law, or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the performance of the Advisory Agreement, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Advisory Agreement.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, in consideration of the services provided by the Adviser, the Fund pays the Adviser a unitary management fee that is calculated and paid monthly at an annual rate of [0.89]% of the Fund's average daily net assets. From the unitary management fee, the Adviser pays most of the expenses of the Fund, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services. However, under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is not responsible for interest expenses, brokerage commissions and other trading expenses, taxes [, acquired fund fees and expenses, distribution (12b-1) fees, if any,] and other extraordinary costs such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business.

 

For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, and the fiscal years ended April 30, 2026, April 30, 2025, and April 30, 2024, the Fund and the Predecessor Fund, as applicable, paid the following advisory fees to F/m, including waivers and reimbursements for the past three fiscal years:

 

33

 

 

 

 

 

For Fiscal Period

August 31,

2026(1)

For Fiscal Year Ended

April 30, 2026

For Fiscal Year Ended
April 30, 2025

For Fiscal Year Ended
April 30, 2024

Gross Advisory Fees

[...]

$172,165

$169,750

$129,645

Waiver of Advisory Fees

[...]

($69,063)

($113,851)

($115,433)

Reimbursement of other Expenses

[...]

$0

$0

$0

Net Advisory Fees

[...]

$103,102

$55,899

$14,212

 

(1) The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31, 2026.

 

Former Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement

 

Under the terms of a former investment sub-advisory agreement among the Company, F/m, and Emerald (the "Sub-Advisory Agreement"), [which terminated effective December 31, 2026,] F/m paid Emerald, out of the advisory fee F/m received from the Fund, a fee at the annual rate of 0.58% of the Fund's average daily net assets. For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, and the fiscal years ended April 30, 2026, April 30, 2025, and April 30, 2024, F/m paid Emerald the following sub-advisory fees with respect to the Fund and the Predecessor Fund, as applicable:

 

For Fiscal

Period August 31, 2026(1)

For Fiscal Year

Ended April 30, 2026

For Fiscal Year

Ended April 30, 2025

For Fiscal Year

Ended April 30, 2024

[...]

$70,680

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

 

(1)The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31, 2026.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 

This section includes information about the Fund’s portfolio managers, including information about other accounts they manage, the dollar range of Fund shares they own and how they are compensated.

 

Description of Compensation. The Adviser’s portfolio manager compensation is structured to align the interests of portfolio managers with those of the shareholders whose assets they manage. It includes the components described below, each of which is determined with reference to a number of factors such as overall performance, market competition, and internal equity. Compensation is not directly tied to the value of assets held in client portfolios.

 

Base Salary: Portfolio managers receive base pay in the form of a fixed annual salary.

 

Bonus: A significant portion of portfolio manager compensation takes the form of a quarterly incentive bonus tied to performance based on quarterly performance reviews and the manager’s relative performance

 

34

 

 

 

 

for rolling quarter, year, and five-year periods. Bonus payments are determined by a combination of factors, including pre-tax investment performance calculated as the average of all investment mandates for which the portfolio manager has responsibility compared against such mandates’ respective benchmarks, non-qualitative items relating to the portfolio manager’s fulfillment of his or her obligations and duties to each investment mandate as determined by senior management, and control of expenses by the portfolio manager taking into account income and gains of the investment mandates for which the portfolio manager has responsibility. Finally, the overall performance of Emerald Asset Management PA, LLC, the parent company of the Adviser, is considered in determining any portfolio manager bonus. Additionally, the Adviser’s employees are eligible to participate in a company-wide discretionary bonus pool that is awarded by the compensation committee (which is comprised of members of the Adviser’s parent company board of directors). The amount of the bonus pool is calculated based on the parent company’s profitability. Also, portfolio managers are eligible to receive equity grant awards that include the payment of annual distributions.

 

Deferred Compensation Plans: Portfolio managers are eligible to participate in the Adviser’s 401(k) plan and vested employees participate in the Adviser’s parent company ESOP retirement plan.

 

Other Accounts. In addition to the Fund, each portfolio manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of certain other accounts, as listed below. The information below is provided as of August 31, 2026.

 

Portfolio Manager;

Total Accounts

Accounts With

Performance-Based Fees

Other Accounts

Number

Assets(million)

Number

Assets(million)

[David A. Volpe]

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

0

$0

0

$0

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

0

$0

0

$0

Other Accounts

[...]

[...]

0

$0

 

 

 

 

 

[Stephen L. Amsterdam]

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

0

$0

0

$0

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

0

$0

0

$0

Other Accounts

[...]

[...]

0

$0

 

Conflict of Interest. Certain conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the management of multiple portfolios. Potential conflicts include, for example, conflicts among investment strategies and conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities. The Adviser has adopted the following policies regarding the allocation and aggregation of securities transactions among client accounts:

 

35

 

 

 

 

Aggregation Policy: Aggregations of trades can produce meaningful cost savings to clients. The Adviser’s policy is constructed to meet the requirements of the SEC. Specifically, the Adviser’s policy is designed to address these issues:

 

1.

Duty of Disclosure: The Adviser will disclose fully to its clients the arrangements for aggregation of securities transactions.

 

2.

Duty to Act Only in the Clients’ Best Interests: The aggregation of client transactions will be done only after client consent, consistent with each such client’s best interests.

 

3.

Duty to Treat Each Client Fairly: Securities transactions will be done on a pro rata basis at the average share price, consistent with the specific conditions discussed below.

 

4.

Duty to Seek Best Execution: The Adviser recognizes its duty to aggregate and allocate securities transactions in a manner that ensures best execution. This is discussed more fully below.

 

Aggregation Procedures: The Adviser will endeavor to bunch trades for clients in order to effect best execution at the lowest cost (commissions and spread) and to avoid disparities in execution prices for accounts that are managed similarly. The following bunching and trade aggregation procedures are designed to treat all client accounts equally. All client accounts with like mandates will participate in bunched trades, average pricing and pro rata execution. The Adviser will allocate trades internally prior to any bunched trades based on the requirements of the various groups of accounts as determined by the firm’s portfolio managers (see “Block Trading” below).

 

The Adviser manages certain accounts pursuant to differing client mandates. With respect to certain accounts, the Adviser has full discretion with respect to investments and execution of portfolio transactions. For certain client accounts, specific brokerage firms have been designated, which prevents bunching trades with other accounts. These accounts would also prevent new or secondary issuance of stocks being equally divided across these types of accounts. Certain accounts may have directed investment policies and/or restrictions. These accounts may have different investment objectives and strategies, and therefore might invest in different individual stocks from other types of accounts and may have different sector allocation percentages, which would affect how the Adviser allocates aggregated trades for such accounts. Certain funds with daily cash flow differences (usually mutual funds) would have different trading activity dictated by internal cash flows (or withdrawals), the timing and tax consequences of which require that trades be made in different percentages for each share.

 

Because of these differences in policies and strategies of the various accounts the Adviser manages, the Adviser’s portfolio managers will aggregate the number of shares determined to be desired for each account type and maintain a dated and time-stamped record of this pre-trade allocation. Each account will then average price pro-rata to the shares actually executed. If a client uses a particular directed broker-dealer, the Adviser will execute these trades separately, which trades may be executed at prices different than the bunched trades due to number of share differences, use of DOT system, movement and volatility of stock

 

36

 

 

 

 

trading, or other relevant factors. While these differences may be noticeable on a trade-by-trade basis, they should balance out over time.

 

The intention of this policy is that the Adviser must make a trade allocation before the results of the actual trade have been determined. This policy will assure that the allocation cannot be affected by the results of the trade.

 

Block Trading: The Adviser also has established Block Trading Procedures to ensure that no advisory or sub-advisory client account or group of client accounts, neither public nor private, nor corporate nor individual, will receive preferential trading execution pursuant to federal and state regulations.

 

Securities Ownership. As of August 31, 2026, the portfolio managers owned securities of the Fund in the amount set forth in the table below.

 

Portfolio Manager(s)

Dollar Range of Ownership of Securities*

[David A. Volpe, CFA®]

[$500,001-$1,000,000]

[Stephen L. Amsterdam]

[$100,001-$500,000]

 

*

Dollar ranges are as follows: none; $1-$10,000; $10,001-$50,000; $50,001-$100,00; $100,001-$500,000; $500,001-$1,000,000; and over $1,000,000.

 

UNDERWRITER

 

The Company has entered into a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101, pursuant to which the Distributor acts as the Fund’s principal underwriter and distributes shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. Each Creation Unit is made up of at least 5,000 shares. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Company, will receive orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Company until accepted by the Company. The Distributor will deliver prospectuses and, upon request, Statements of Additional Information to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of orders placed with it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

 

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Creation of Creation Units” below) or DTC Participants.

 

37

 

 

 

 

The Distribution Agreement has an initial term of up to two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the Independent Directors. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Company, on behalf of the Fund, on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund’s shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors of the Company, or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment,” as defined in the 1940 Act.              

 

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

Purchase and Issuance of Creation Units

 

The Company issues and sells shares of the Fund only: (i) in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), at their NAV next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day, in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”); or (ii) pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Service (defined below). The NAV of the Fund’s shares is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The Fund will not issue fractional Creation Units. A Business Day is any day on which the Exchange is open for business.

 

FUND DEPOSIT. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) per each Creation Unit, plus the Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company 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. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for all or a portion of Deposit Cash, the 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 associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities (“Non-Standard Charges”) 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 the Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the Fund’s 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 market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component will be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the market 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

 

38

 

 

 

 

of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, if applicable, which will be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).

 

The Fund, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”), makes available on each Business Day, immediately 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 the Fund. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, in order to effect purchases of Creation Units of the 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 the Fund Deposit for the Fund changes from time to time as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected by the Adviser. The composition of the Deposit Securities will change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the securities constituting the Fund’s portfolio.

 

The Company reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount) to replace any Deposit Security, which will be added to the Deposit Cash, if applicable, and 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 (as defined below) 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”).

 

CASH PURCHASE METHOD. The Company may at its discretion permit full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units of the Fund. When full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for the 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 the 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. In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an “Authorized Participant” or “AP”) must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been

 

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accepted by U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Transfer Agent” or “Fund Services”) and the Company, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each AP 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 Company an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the Creation Transaction Fee (defined below) and any other applicable fees and taxes. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent the Adviser bears the expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Company in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover.

 

All orders to purchase shares directly from the Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units in the manner set forth in the Participant Agreement (the “Cut-Off Time”). 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 AP 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 the Fund in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an AP 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 APs may have international capabilities.

 

On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which the Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed on any day, the Fund will not accept orders on such day. Orders must be transmitted by an AP by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the AP Handbook. With respect to the Fund, the Distributor 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 AP should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor by the Cut-Off Time on the Business Day on which the order is placed. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an AP.

 

Fund Deposits must be delivered by an AP through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a subcustody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Company or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian will cause the subcustodian of such Fund to maintain an account into which the AP will 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 Company. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local subcustodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the AP in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the

 

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Fund or its agents by no later than the settlement 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 Company, whose determination will 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 so as 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 in a timely manner by the settlement date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund.

 

The order will 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 Cut-Off Time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited by 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, 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 by 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the settlement date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the AP will be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, AP Handbook and this SAI are properly followed.

 

ISSUANCE OF A CREATION UNIT. Except as provided herein, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Company of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Distributor and the Adviser will be notified of such delivery, and the Company will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor. However, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances. The AP will be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.

 

Creation Units may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Company 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 the 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 market value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which will be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. An additional amount of cash will be required to be deposited with the Company, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent

 

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necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Company in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Company to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. APs will be liable to the Company for the costs incurred by the Company 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 market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Company 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 Company and deposited into the Company. In addition, a Transaction Fee as set forth below under “Creation Transaction Fee” will be charged in all cases, unless otherwise advised by the Fund, and Non- Standard Charges may also apply. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the settlement date.

 

ACCEPTANCE OF ORDERS OF CREATION UNITS. The Company reserves the right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Distributor in respect of the Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; or (e) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, be unlawful.

 

CREATION TRANSACTION FEE. A purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units, and investors will be required to pay a Creation Transaction Fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The Fund may adjust the creation transaction fee from time to time based upon actual experience. In addition, the Fund may impose a Non-Standard Charge of up to 2% of the value of the creation transactions for cash creations, non- standard orders, or partial cash purchases for the Fund. The Fund may adjust the Non-Standard Charge from time to time based upon actual experience. Investors who use the services of an AP, broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services, which may include an amount for the Creation Transaction Fee and Non-Standard Charges. Investors are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Company. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent it bears the expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Company in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover. The standard Creation Transaction Fee for the Fund is $300.

 

RISKS OF PURCHASING CREATION UNITS. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the Fund. Because the Fund’s 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

 

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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 the 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. 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 a shareholder 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 the Fund’s 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)(C) of the Securities Act.

 

Redemption of Creation Units

 

Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF THE FUND, THE COMPANY 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 Company. 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 Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available immediately 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 the 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 combination thereof, as determined by the Company. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the 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 the 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 any fixed redemption transaction fee as set forth below and any Non-Standard Charges. If the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an AP by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Company’s discretion, an AP may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more Fund Securities.

 

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CASH REDEMPTION METHOD. Although the Company does not ordinarily permit full or partial cash redemptions of Creation Units of the Fund, when full or partial cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for the Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of full or partial cash redemptions, the AP will receive the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer. The Fund may incur costs such as brokerage costs or taxable gains or losses that the Fund might not have incurred if the redemption had been made in-kind. These costs may decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent that the costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP. Shareholders may be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise have been subject to and/or at an earlier date than if the Fund had effected redemptions wholly on an in-kind basis.

 

REDEMPTION TRANSACTION FEES. A redemption transaction fee may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units, and APs will be required to pay a Redemption Transaction Fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The redemption transaction fee is the same no matter how many Creation Units are being redeemed pursuant to any one redemption request. The Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time based upon actual experience. In addition, the Fund may impose a Non-Standard Charge of up to 2% of the value of a redemption transaction for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions for the Fund. Investors who use the services of an AP, broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services which may include an amount for the Redemption Transaction Fees and Non-Standard Charges. Investors are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Fund Securities to the account of the Company. The Non-Standard Charges are payable to the Fund as it incurs costs in connection with the redemption of Creation Units, the receipt of Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount and other transactions costs. The standard Redemption Transaction Fee for the Fund is $300.

 

PROCEDURES FOR REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS. Orders to redeem Creation Units must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an AP has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Company’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 Company is received by the Transfer Agent from the AP 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 will be rejected.

 

The AP must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Company, 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 AP which 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 AP. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an AP and transfer

 

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of the shares to the Company’s 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 APs.

 

In connection with taking delivery of shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or AP 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 three business days of the trade date.

 

ADDITIONAL REDEMPTION PROCEDURES. In connection with taking delivery of shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, the AP 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 three Business Days of the trade date. However, due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, the different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (that is the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold), and in certain other circumstances, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds may take longer than three Business Days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. If neither the redeeming Shareholder nor the AP acting on behalf of such redeeming Shareholder has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Company may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming shareholder will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.

 

If it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities, the Company may in its discretion 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 the 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 relevant Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Company’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). The Fund may also, in their sole discretion, 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 Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Company could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An AP or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular

 

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security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The AP may request the redeeming investor of the shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an AP 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 AP may be required by the Company to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status in order to receive Fund Securities.

 

Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on the relevant exchange(s) 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 of the Fund, or to purchase or sell shares of such Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of such 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 the 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 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.

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

 

The Fund discloses its full portfolio holdings, as of the close of business the prior day, each day before the opening of trading on the Exchange at [www.emeraldetfs.com].

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

In accordance with procedures adopted by the Board, the NAV per share of the Fund is calculated by determining the value of the net assets attributed to the Fund and dividing by the number of outstanding shares of the Fund. All securities are valued on each Business Day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE (normally, but not always, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) or such other time as the NYSE or National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System (“NASDAQ”) market may officially close. The term “Business Day” means any day the NYSE is open for trading, which is Monday through Friday except for holidays. The NYSE is generally closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day (observed), Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday (observed), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

The time at which transactions and shares are priced and the time by which orders must be received may be changed in case of an emergency or if regular trading on the NYSE is stopped at a time other than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The Company reserves the right to reprocess purchase, redemption and exchange transactions that were initially processed at a NAV other than the Fund’s official closing NAV (as the same may be subsequently adjusted), and to recover amounts from (or distribute amounts to) shareholders based on the official closing NAV. The Company reserves the right to advance the time by which purchase and

 

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redemption orders must be received for same business day credit as otherwise permitted by the SEC. In addition, the Fund may compute its NAV as of any time permitted pursuant to any exemption, order or statement of the SEC or its staff.

 

The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by the Fund and its Valuation Designee (defined below) in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 2a-5”), the Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable. Prices are generally determined using readily available market prices. Subject to the approval of the Board, the Fund may employ outside organizations, which may use a matrix or formula method that takes into consideration market indices, matrices, yield curves and other specific adjustments in determining the approximate market value of portfolio investments. This may result in the investments being valued at a price that differs from the price that would have been determined had the matrix or formula method not been used. All cash, receivables, and current payables are carried on the Fund’s books at their face value. Other assets, if any, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Valuation Designee under the direction of the Board.

 

The procedures used by any pricing service and its valuation results are reviewed by the officers of the Company under the general supervision of the Board.

 

The Fund may hold portfolio securities that are listed on foreign exchanges. These securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the value of these investments may change on days when you cannot purchase or sell Fund shares.

 

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

 

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES.” In addition, the following is only a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations that generally affect the Fund and their shareholders. No attempt is made to present a comprehensive explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors with specific reference to their own tax situations, including their state, local, and foreign tax liabilities.

 

It is the policy of the Company each fiscal year to distribute substantially all of the Fund’s net investment income (i.e., generally, the income that it earns from dividends and interest on its investments, and any short-term capital gains, net of Fund expenses) and net capital gains (i.e., the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses), if any, to its shareholders.

 

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Dividend Reinvestment Service

 

The Fund 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 Fund 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 in order 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 Fund at NAV. Distributions reinvested in additional shares of the Fund will nevertheless be taxable to beneficial owners acquiring such additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.

 

Taxes – General

 

The discussions of the federal tax consequences in the Prospectus and this SAI are based on the Code and the regulations issued under it, and court decisions and administrative interpretations, as in effect on the date of this SAI. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly alter the statements included herein, and any such changes or decisions may be retroactive. The Fund qualified during its last fiscal year and intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. As such, the Fund generally is exempt from federal income tax on its net investment income and realized capital gains that it distributes to shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company, the Fund must meet three important tests each year.

 

First, the Fund must derive with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies, or net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

Second, generally, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of such issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of (1) any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), (2) two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or (3) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

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Third, the Fund must distribute an amount equal to at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) before taking into account any deduction for dividends paid, and 90% of its tax-exempt income, if any, for the year.

 

The Fund intends to comply with these requirements. If the Fund were to fail to make sufficient distributions, it could be liable for corporate income tax and for excise tax in respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough, the Fund could be disqualified as a regulated investment company. If for any taxable year the Fund were not to qualify as a regulated investment company, all its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In that event, taxable shareholders would recognize dividend income on distributions to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, and corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

 

The Code imposes a nondeductible 4% excise tax on regulated investment companies that fail to distribute each year an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for this excise tax.

 

Loss Carryforwards

 

For federal income tax purposes, the Fund is generally permitted to carry forward a net capital loss in any year to offset its own capital gains, if any, during subsequent years. As of August 31, 2026, the Fund had [no short-term or long-term] capital loss carryforwards.

 

State and Local Taxes

 

Although the Fund expects to qualify as a regulated investment company and to be relieved of all or substantially all federal income taxes, depending upon the extent of its activities in states and localities in which its offices are maintained, in which its agents or independent contractors are located or in which it is otherwise deemed to be conducting business, the Fund may be subject to the tax laws of such states or localities.

 

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

 

Subject to policies established by the Board, the Adviser is responsible for the execution of portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage transactions for the Fund. In executing portfolio transactions, the Adviser seeks to obtain the best price and most favorable execution for the Fund, taking into account such factors as the price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of the order, difficulty of execution and operational facilities of the firm involved. While the Adviser generally seeks reasonably competitive commission rates, payment of the lowest commission or spread is not necessarily consistent with obtaining the best price and execution in particular transactions.

 

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Brokerage Transactions

 

Generally, equity securities, both listed and over-the-counter, are bought and sold through brokerage transactions for which commissions are payable. Purchases from underwriters will include the underwriting commission or concession, and purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include a dealer’s mark-up or reflect a dealer’s mark-down. Money market securities and other debt securities are usually bought and sold directly from the issuer or an underwriter or market maker for the securities. Generally, the Fund will not pay brokerage commissions for such purchases. When a debt security is bought from an underwriter, the purchase price will usually include an underwriting commission or concession. The purchase price for securities bought from dealers serving as market makers will similarly include the dealer’s mark up or reflect a dealer’s mark down. When the Fund executes transactions in the over-the-counter market, it will generally deal with primary market makers unless prices that are more favorable are otherwise obtainable.

 

In addition, the Adviser may place a combined order for two or more accounts they manage, including the Fund, engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security if, in its judgment, joint execution is in the best interest of each participant and will result in best price and execution. Transactions involving commingled orders are allocated in a manner deemed equitable to each account and the Fund. Although it is recognized that, in some cases, the joint execution of orders could adversely affect the price or volume of the security that a particular account or Fund may obtain, it is the opinion of the Adviser and the Board that the advantages of combined orders outweigh the possible disadvantages of separate transactions. Nonetheless, the Adviser believes that the ability of the Fund to participate in higher volume transactions will generally be beneficial to the Fund. The Fund and the Predecessor Fund, as applicable, paid aggregate brokerage commissions of $[...], $13,014, $25,735, and $19,188 for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, and fiscal years ended April 30, 2026, 2025, and 2024, respectively. The Fund is required to identify any securities of the Company’s regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or their parents held by the Fund as of the end of the most recent fiscal year. As of August 31, 2026, the Fund [did not own securities] of its regular broker-dealers or their parents.

 

Brokerage Selection

 

The Company does not expect to use one particular broker or dealer, and when one or more brokers is believed capable of providing the best combination of price and execution, the Adviser may select a broker based upon brokerage or research services provided to the Adviser. The Adviser may pay a higher commission than otherwise obtainable from other brokers in return for such services only if a good faith determination is made that the commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided.

 

Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act, permits an investment 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. In addition to agency transactions, the Adviser may receive brokerage and research services in connection with certain riskless

 

50

 

 

 

 

principal transactions, in accordance with applicable SEC guidance. Brokerage and research services include: (1) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; (2) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and the performance of accounts; and (3) effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance, settlement, and custody). In the case of research services, the Adviser believes that access to independent investment research is beneficial to their investment decision-making processes and, therefore, to the Fund.

 

To the extent research services may be a factor in selecting brokers, such services may be in written form or through direct contact with individuals and may include information as to particular companies and securities as well as market, economic, or institutional areas and information which assists in the valuation and pricing of investments. Examples of research-oriented services for which the Adviser might utilize Fund commissions include research reports and other information on the economy, industries, sectors, groups of securities, individual companies, statistical information, political developments, technical market action, pricing and appraisal services, credit analysis, risk measurement analysis, performance and other analysis. The Adviser may use research services furnished by brokers in servicing all client accounts and not all services may necessarily be used in connection with the account that paid commissions to the broker providing such services. Information so received by the Adviser will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Sub-Advisory Agreement. Any advisory or other fees paid to the Adviser are not reduced as a result of the receipt of research services.

 

In some cases, the Adviser may receive a service from a broker that has both a “research” and a “non-research” use. When this occurs, the Adviser makes a good faith allocation, under all the circumstances, between the research and non-research uses of the service. The percentage of the service that is used for research purposes may be paid for with client commissions, while the Adviser will use its own funds to pay for the percentage of the service that is used for non-research purposes. In making this good faith allocation, the Adviser faces a potential conflict of interest, but the Adviser believes that its allocation procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that it appropriately allocates the anticipated use of such services to their research and non-research uses.

 

SECURITIES LENDING

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. serves as securities lending agent for the Fund and in that role administers the Fund’s securities lending program pursuant to the terms of a Master Securities Lending Agreement entered into between the Fund and U.S. Bank, N.A.

 

As securities lending agent, U.S. Bank, N.A. is responsible for marketing to approved borrowers available securities from the Fund’s portfolio. U.S. Bank, N.A. is responsible for the administration and management of the Fund’s securities lending program, including the preparation and execution of a participant agreement with each borrower governing the terms and conditions of any securities loan, ensuring that securities loans are properly coordinated and documented with the Fund’s custodian, ensuring that loaned securities are daily valued and that the corresponding required cash collateral of at least 102% of the current market value

 

51

 

 

 

 

of the loaned securities is delivered by the borrower(s), using best efforts to obtain additional collateral on the next business day if the value of the collateral falls below the required amount, and arranging for the investment of cash collateral received from borrowers in accordance with the Fund’s investment guidelines.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. receives as compensation for its services a portion of the amount earned by the Fund for lending securities.

 

No securities lending information is provided since the Fund [had not engaged in securities lending] activities during the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026 and fiscal year ended April 30, 2026.

 

PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES

 

The Board has delegated the responsibility of voting proxies with respect to the portfolio securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by its general fiduciary duty to act prudently and in the interest of the Fund. The Adviser will consider factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments and the rights of shareholders in its determination on voting portfolio securities.

 

The Adviser will vote proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures, which are included in Appendix B to this SAI.

 

More Information

 

Each year, the Fund will make available the actual voting records relating to portfolio securities held by the Fund during the 12-month period ending June 30 without charge, upon request by calling 1-800-617-0004, or by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures is available by calling 1-800-617-0004 and will be sent within three business days of receipt of a request.             

 

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

The Adviser and/or its affiliates, at their discretion, may make payments from their own resources and not from Fund assets to affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), trust companies, registered investment advisers, financial planners, retirement plan administrators, insurance companies, and any other institution having a service, administration, or any similar arrangement with the Fund, their service providers or their respective affiliates, as incentives to help market and promote the Fund and/or in recognition of their distribution, marketing, administrative services, and/or processing support.

 

These additional payments may be made to financial intermediaries that sell Fund shares or provide services to the Fund, the Distributor or shareholders of the Fund through the financial intermediary’s retail distribution channel and/or fund supermarkets. Payments may also be made through the financial intermediary’s retirement, qualified tuition, fee-based advisory, wrap fee bank trust, or insurance (e.g.,

 

52

 

 

 

 

individual or group annuity) programs. These payments may include, but are not limited to, placing the Fund in a financial intermediary’s retail distribution channel or on a preferred or recommended fund list; providing business or shareholder financial planning assistance; educating financial intermediary personnel about the Fund; providing access to sales and management representatives of the financial intermediary; promoting sales of Fund shares; providing marketing and educational support; maintaining share balances and/or for sub-accounting, administrative or shareholder transaction processing services. A financial intermediary may perform the services itself or may arrange with a third party to perform the services.

 

The Adviser and/or its affiliates may also make payments from their own resources to financial intermediaries for costs associated with the purchase of products or services used in connection with sales and marketing, participation in and/or presentation at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs, client and investor entertainment and other sponsored events. The costs and expenses associated with these efforts may include travel, lodging, sponsorship at educational seminars and conferences, entertainment and meals to the extent permitted by law.

 

Revenue sharing payments may be negotiated based on a variety of factors, including the level of sales, the amount of Fund assets attributable to investments in the Fund by financial intermediaries’ customers, a flat fee or other measures as determined from time to time by the Adviser and/or its affiliates. A significant purpose of these payments is to increase the sales of Fund shares, which in turn may benefit the Adviser through increased fees as Fund assets grow.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES

 

The Company has authorized capital of 100 billion shares of common stock at a par value of $0.001 per share. Currently, [...] billion shares have been classified into [...] classes. However, the Company only has approximately [...] active share classes that have begun investment operations. Under the Company’s Charter, the Board has the power to classify and reclassify any unissued Shares of common stock from time to time.

 

Each share that represents an interest in the Fund has an equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to that Fund with each other share that represents an interest in that Fund, even where a share has a different class designation than another share representing an interest in that Fund. Shares of the Company do not have preemptive or conversion rights. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectus, shares of the Company will be fully paid and non-assessable.

 

The Company does not currently intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders except as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. The Company’s amended By-Laws provide that shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding shares of all classes of Common Stock of the Company have the right to call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more directors. To the extent required by law, the Company will assist in shareholder communication in such matters.

 

Holders of shares of each class of the Company will vote in the aggregate on all matters, except where otherwise required by law. Further, shareholders of the Company will vote in the aggregate and not by

 

53

 

 

 

 

portfolio except as otherwise required by law or when the Board determines that the matter to be voted upon affects only the interests of the shareholders of a particular portfolio or class of shares. Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 18f-2”) provides that any matter required to be submitted by the provisions of such Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Company shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each portfolio affected by the matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that a portfolio shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each portfolio in the matter are identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of the portfolio. Under Rule 18f-2 the approval of an investment advisory agreement or distribution agreement or any change in a fundamental investment objective or fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a portfolio only if approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such portfolio. However, the Rule 18f-2 also provides that the ratification of the selection of independent public accountants and the election of directors are not subject to the separate voting requirements and may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of an investment company voting without regard to a portfolio. Shareholders of the Company are entitled to one vote for each full share held (irrespective of class or portfolio) and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Voting rights are not cumulative and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate shares of common stock of the Company may elect all of the Directors.

 

Notwithstanding any provision of Maryland law requiring a greater vote of shares of the Company’s common stock (or of any class voting as a class) in connection with any corporate action, unless otherwise provided by law (for example by Rule 18f-2 discussed above), or by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, the Company may take or authorize such action upon the favorable vote of the holders of more than 50% of all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock voting without regard to class (or portfolio).

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Anti-Money Laundering Program

 

The Fund has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”). To ensure compliance with this law, the Fund’s Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures, and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that certain of its service providers have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity, and conducting a complete and thorough review of all new account applications. The Fund will not transact business with any person or legal entity and beneficial owner, if applicable, whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

54

 

 

 

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

[  ], located at [  ], is the independent registered public accounting firm of the Fund. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for conducting the annual audit of the Fund’s financial statements. The selection of the independent registered public accounting firm is approved annually by the Board.

 

Transfer Agent

 

Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent.

 

Custodian

 

U.S. Bank, N.A, 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, WI 53212, serves as custodian (the “Custodian”) of the Fund’s assets and is responsible for maintaining custody of the Fund’s cash and investments and retaining sub-custodians, including in connection with the custody of foreign securities. Cash held by the Custodian, the amount of which may at times be substantial, is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to the amount of available insurance coverage limits. The Custodian and Fund Services are affiliates.

 

Administrator

 

Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202, serves as the administrator (the “Administrator”) and provides various administrative and accounting services necessary for the operations of the Fund. Services provided by the Administrator include facilitating general Fund management; monitoring Fund compliance with federal and state regulations; supervising the maintenance of the Fund’s general ledger, the preparation of the Fund’s financial statements, the determination of NAV, and the payment of dividends and other distributions to shareholders; and preparing specified financial, tax, and other reports. Fund Services and the Custodian are affiliates.

 

ALPS Fund Services, Inc. served as the administrator to the Predecessor Fund. The administration, accounting and transfer agent fees paid by the Fund and the Predecessor Fund, as applicable, for the past three fiscal years are as follows:

 

 

For Fiscal Period Ended

August 31,

2026(1)

For Fiscal

Year Ended

April 30, 2026

For Fiscal

Year Ended
April 30, 2025

For Fiscal

Year Ended
April 30, 2024

Administration and Fund Accounting Fees

[...]

$14,864

$34,393

$29,224

Transfer Agent Fees

[...]

$17,837

$37,575

$41,650

 

55

 

 

 

 

(1) The Fund changed the fiscal year end to August 31, 2026. The amounts shown are for the fiscal period from May 1, 2026 to August 31, 2026.

 

Counsel

 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-6996, serves as counsel to the Company.

 

Registration Statement

 

This SAI and the Prospectus do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement the Company has filed with the SEC. The complete Registration Statement may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the fee prescribed by SEC rules and regulations. A text-only version of the Registration Statement is available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

[The audited financial statements for the Fund for the period ended August 31, 2026 and fiscal year ended April 30, 2026, including notes thereto and the report of [  ], the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in the Fund’s [Annual Report] to shareholders (File No. 811-23011), have been filed with the SEC and are deemed to be incorporated by reference into this SAI. No other parts of the Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein.]

 

56

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

RATINGS

 

Short-Term Credit Ratings

 

An S&P Global Ratings short-term issue credit rating is generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. 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 commitment 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.

 

A-1

 

 

 

 

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.

 

“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

 

Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial 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.

 

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

 

“P-1” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-2” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-3” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short-term” based on market convention.1 Typically, this means a time-frame 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” – Securities possess the highest short-term credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

1

A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity.

 

A-2

 

 

 

 

“F2” – Securities possess good short-term credit quality. This designation indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

 

“F3” – Securities possess fair short-term credit quality. This designation indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

“B” – Securities possess speculative short-term credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

“C” – Securities possess 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an issue of a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated.

 

The Morningstar DBRS® Ratings Limited (“Morningstar DBRS”) short-term obligation ratings provide Morningstar DBRS’ opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of shorter than one year. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the subcategories “(high)”, “(middle)”, and “(low)”.

 

The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for commercial paper and short-term debt:

 

“R-1 (high)” - Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is substantial. Overall strength is not as

 

A-3

 

 

 

 

favorable as higher rating categories. May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.

 

“R-2 (high)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be 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 or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.

 

“R-2 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the 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” – Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the 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” – Short-term debt rated “R-4” is considered to be of speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.

 

“R-5” – Short-term debt rated “R-5” is considered to be of 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” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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. 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 Issue Credit Ratings

 

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-4

 

 

 

 

“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

 

A-5

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) – 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 of financial obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more. Such ratings reflect both on the likelihood of 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.

 

A-6

 

 

 

 

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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:

 

“AAA” – Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit 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” – Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

“A” – Securities considered to be of high credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit 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” – Securities considered to be of good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of credit 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” – Securities considered to be speculative. “BB” ratings indicates an elevated vulnerability to credit 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 to be met.

 

“B” – Securities considered to be highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material credit risk is present

 

“CCC” – A “CCC” rating indicates that substantial credit risk is present.

 

“CC” – A “CC” rating indicates very high levels of credit risk.

 

“C” – A “C” rating indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

 

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned “RD” or “D” ratings but are instead rated in the “CCC” to “C” rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics.

 

A-7

 

 

 

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to “AAA” ratings and ratings below the “CCC” category.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issue of a rated issuer.

 

The Morningstar DBRS long-term credit ratings provide opinions on risk of default. Morningstar DBRS considers risk of default to be the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy the financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which a long-term obligation has been issued. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of one year or longer. All rating categories from AA to CCC contain subcategories “(high)” and “(low)”. The absence of either a “(high)” or “(low)” designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category. The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for long-term debt:

“AAA” – Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

 

“AA” – Long-term debt rated “AA” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “A” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.

 

“BB” – Long-term debt rated “BB” is of speculative, non-investment-grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.

 

“B” – Long-term debt rated “B” is of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.

 

“CCC”, “CC” and “C” – Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is of 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 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” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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

 

A-8

 

 

 

 

periods. 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 symbols are as follows:

 

“SP-1” – A municipal note rated “SP-1” exhibits a 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” – A municipal note rated “SP-2” exhibits a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

 

“SP-3” – A municipal note rated “SP-3” exhibits a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

 

“D” – This rating 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.

 

A-9

 

 

 

 

MIG Scale

 

“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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

For 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.

 

A-10

 

 

 

 

“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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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, 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).

 

Morningstar DBRS offers independent, transparent, and innovative credit analysis to the market. Credit ratings are forward-looking opinions about credit risk that reflect the creditworthiness of an issuer, rated entity, security and/or obligation based on Morningstar DBRS’ quantitative and qualitative analysis in accordance with applicable methodologies and criteria. They are meant to provide opinions on relative measures of risk and are not based on expectations of, or meant to predict, any specific default probability. Credit ratings are not statements of fact. Morningstar DBRS issues credit ratings using one or more categories, such as public, private, provisional, final(ized), solicited, or unsolicited. From time to time, credit ratings may also be subject to trends, placed under review, or discontinued. Morningstar DBRS credit ratings are determined by credit rating committees.

 

A-12

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX B

 

EMERALD ADVISERS, LLC
EMERALD MUTUAL FUND ADVISERS TRUST
EMERALD SEPARATE ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY

 

The voting policies set forth below apply to all proxies which Emerald Advisers, LLC. and subsidiaries are entitled to vote. It is Emerald’s policy to vote all such proxies. Corporate governance through the proxy process is solely concerned with the accountability and responsibility for the assets entrusted to corporations. The role of institutional investors in the governance process is the same as the responsibility due all other aspects of the fund’s management. First and foremost, the investor is a fiduciary and secondly, an owner. Fiduciaries and owners are responsible for their investments. These responsibilities include:

 

 

1)

selecting proper directors

 

2)

insuring that these directors have properly supervised management

 

3)

resolve issues of natural conflict between shareholders and managers

 

 

a.

Compensation

 

b.

Corporate Expansion

 

c.

Dividend Policy

 

d.

Free Cash Flow

 

e.

Various Restrictive Corporate Governance Issues, Control Issues, etc.

 

f.

Preserving Integrity

 

In voting proxies, Emerald will consider those factors which would affect the value of the investment and vote in the manner, which in its view, will best serve the economic interest of its clients. Consistent with this objective, Emerald will exercise its vote in a activist pro-shareholder manner in accordance with the following policies.

 

I.

BOARDS OF DIRECTORS

 

In theory, the board represents shareholders, in practice, all to often Board members are selected by management. Their allegiance is therefore owed to management in order to maintain their very favorable retainers and prestigious position. In some cases, corporations never had a nominating process, let alone criteria for the selection of Board members. Shareholders have begun to focus on the importance of the independence of the Board of Directors and the nominating process for electing these Board members.

 

B-1

 

 

 

 

Independence is an important criterium to adequately protect shareholders’ ongoing financial interest and to properly conduct a board member’s oversight process. Independence though, is only the first criteria for a Board. Boards need to be responsible fiduciaries in their oversight and decision making on behalf of the owners and corporations. Too many companies are really ownerless. Boards who have failed to perform their duties, or do not act in the best interests of the shareholders should be voted out. A clear message is sent when a no confidence vote is given to a set of directors or to a full Board.

 

A.

Election of Directors, a Board of Directors, or any number of Directors. In order to assure Boards are acting solely for the shareholders they represent, the following resolutions will provide a clear message to underperforming companies and Boards who have failed to fulfill duties assigned to them.

 

•Votes should be cast in favor of shareholder proposals asking that boards be comprised of a majority of outside directors.

 

•Votes should be cast in favor of shareholder proposals asking that board audit, compensation and nominating committees be comprised exclusively of outside directors.

 

•Votes should be cast against management proposals to re-elect the board if the board has a majority of inside directors.

 

•Votes should be withheld for directors who may have an inherent conflict of interest by virtue of receiving consulting fees from a corporation (affiliated outsiders).

 

•Votes should be withheld, on a case by case basis, for those directors of the compensation committees responsible for particularly egregious compensation plans.

 

•Votes should be withheld for directors who have failed to attend 75% of board or committee meetings in cases where management does not provide adequate explanation for the absences.

 

•Votes should be withheld for incumbent directors of poor performing companies; defining poor performing companies as those companies who have below average stock performance (vs. peer group/Wilshire 5000) and below average return on assets and operating margins.

 

B-2

 

 

 

 

•Votes should be cast in favor of proposals to create shareholder advisory committees. These committees will represent shareholders’ views, review management, and provide oversight of the board and their directors.

 

B.

Board Diversity: Emerald will generally support and votes should be cast in favor of proposals requiring diversity among a company’s Board of Directors. Using NASDAQ’s proposed rule 560(f)(2) as a guide, a diverse board should have two or more directors who self-identify as: (i) Female, (ii) an Underrepresented Minority, or (iii) LGBTQ+. Emerald will generally support and votes should be cast in favor of proposals seeking an explanation why a company does not meet this requirement.

 

•For purposes of this section I.B, the following terms shall have the following meanings: “Female” shall mean an individual who self-identifies her gender as a woman, without regard to the individual’s designated sex at birth. “Underrepresented Minority” shall mean an individual who self-identifies as one or more of the following: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian, Native American or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or two or more races or ethnicities. “LGBTQ+” shall mean an individual who self-identifies as any of the following: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or a member of the queer community.

     

C.

Selection of Accountants: Emerald will generally support a rotation of accountants to provide a truly independent audit. This rotation should generally occur every 4-5 years.

 

D.

Incentive Stock Plans. Emerald will generally vote against all excessive compensation and incentive stock plans which are not performance related.

E.

Corporate restructuring plans or company name changes, will generally be evaluated on a case by case basis.

 

F.

Annual Meeting Location. This topic normally is brought forward by minority shareholders, requesting management to hold the annual meeting somewhere other than where management desires. Resolution. Emerald normally votes with management, except in those cases where management seeks a location to avoid their shareholders.

 

B-3

 

 

 

G.

Preemptive Rights. This is usually a shareholder request enabling shareholders to participate first in any new offering of common stock. Resolution: We do not feel that preemptive rights would add value to shareholders, we would vote against such shareholder proposals.

 

H.

Mergers and/or Acquisitions. Each merger and/or acquisition has numerous ramifications for long term shareholder value. Resolution: After in-depth valuation Emerald will vote its shares on a case by case basis.

 

II.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ISSUES

 

These issues include those areas where voting with management may not be in the best interest of the institutional investor. All proposals should be examined on a case by case basis.

 

A.

Provisions Restricting Shareholder Rights. These provisions would hamper shareholders ability to vote on certain corporate actions, such as changes in the bylaws, greenmail, poison pills, recapitalization plans, golden parachutes, and on any item that would limit shareholders’ right to nominate, elect, or remove directors. These items can change the course of the corporation overnight and shareholders should have the right to vote on these critical issues. Resolution: Vote Against management proposals to implement such restrictions and vote For shareholder proposals to eliminate them.

 

B.

Anti-Shareholder Measures. These are measures designed to entrench management so as to make it more difficult to effect a change in control of the corporation. They are normally not in the best interests of shareholders since they do not allow for the most productive use of corporate assets.

 

 

1.

Classification of the Board of Directors:

 

A classified Board is one in which directors are not elected in the same year rather their terms of office are staggered. This eliminates the possibility of removing entrenched management at any one annual election of directors. Resolution: Vote Against proposals to classify the Board and support proposals (usually shareholder initiated) to implement annual election of the Board.

 

 

2.

Shareholder Rights Plans (Poison Pills):

 

Anti-acquisition proposals of this sort come in a variety of forms. In general, issuers confer contingent benefits of some kind on their common stockholders. The most frequently used benefit is the right to buy shares at discount prices in the event of defined changes in corporate control.

 

B-4

 

 

 

 

Resolution: Vote Against proposals to adopt Shareholder Rights Plans, and vote For Shareholder proposals eliminating such plans.

 

 

3.

Unequal Voting Rights:

 

A takeover defense, also known as superstock, which gives holders disproportionate voting rights. Emerald adheres to the One Share, One Vote philosophy, as all holders of common equity must be treated fairly and equally. Resolution: Vote Against proposals creating different classes of stock with unequal voting privileges.

 

 

4.

Supermajority Clauses:

 

These are implemented by management requiring that an overly large amount of shareholders (66-95% of shareholders rather than a simple majority) approve business combinations or mergers, or other measures affecting control. This is another way for management to make changes in control of the company more difficult. Resolution: Vote Against management proposals to implement supermajority clauses and support shareholder proposals to eliminate them.

 

 

5.

Fair Price Provisions:

 

These provisions allow management to set price requirements that a potential bidder would need to satisfy in order to consummate a merger. The pricing formulas normally used are so high that the provision makes any tender offer prohibitively expensive. Therefore, their existence can foreclose the possibility of tender offers and hence, the opportunity to secure premium prices for holdings. Resolution: Vote Against management proposals to implement fair price provisions and vote For shareholder proposals to eliminate them.

 

Caveat: Certain fair price provisions are legally complex and require careful analysis and advice before concluding whether or not their adoption would serve stockholder interest.

 

 

6.

Increases in authorized shares and/or creation of new classes of common and preferred stock:

 

 

a.

Increasing authorized shares.

 

Emerald will support management if they have a stated purpose for increasing the authorized number of common and preferred stock. Under normal circumstances, this would include stock splits, stock dividends, stock option plans, and for additional financing needs. However, in certain circumstances, it is apparent that management is proposing these increases as an anti-takeover

 

B-5

 

 

 

 

measure. When used in this manner, share increases could inhibit or discourage stock acquisitions by a potential buyer, thereby negatively affecting a fair price valuation for the company.

 

Resolution: On a case by case basis, vote Against management if they attempt to increase the amount of shares that they are authorized to issue if their intention is to use the excess shares to discourage a beneficial business combination. One way to determine if management intends to abuse its right to issue shares is if the amount of authorized shares requested is double the present amount of authorized shares.

 

 

b.

Creation of new classes of stock.

 

Managements have proposed authorizing shares of new classes of stock, usually preferreds, which the Board would be able to issue at their discretion. The Board would also be granted the discretion to determine the dividend rate, voting privileges, redemption provisions, conversion rights, etc. without approval of the shareholders. These “blank check” issues are designed specifically to inhibit a takeover, merger, or accountability to its shareholders.

 

Resolution: Emerald would vote AGAINST management in allowing the Board the discretion to issue any type of “blank check” stock without shareholder approval.

 

 

c.

Directors and Management Liability and Indemnification.

 

These proposals are a result of the increasing cost of insuring directors and top management against lawsuits. Generally, managements propose that the liability of directors and management be either eliminated or limited. Shareholders must have some recourse for losses that are caused by negligence on the part of directors and management. Therefore directors and management should be responsible for their fiduciary duty of care towards the company. The Duty of Care is defined as the obligation of directors and management to be diligent in considering a transaction or in taking or refusing to take a corporate action.

 

Resolution: On a case by case basis, Emerlad votes Against attempts by management to eliminate directors and management liability for their duty of care.

 

 

d.

Compensation Plans (Incentive Plans)

 

Management occasionally will propose to adopt an incentive plan which will become effective in the event of a takeover or merger. These plans are commonly known as “golden parachutes” or “tin parachutes” as they are specifically designed to grossly or unduly benefit a select few in management who would most likely lose their jobs in an acquisition. Shareholders should be allowed to vote on all plans of this type.

 

B-6

 

 

 

 

Resolution: On a case by case basis, vote Against attempts by management to adopt proposals that are specifically designed to grossly or unduly benefit members of executive management in the event of an acquisition.

 

 

e.

Greenmail

 

Emerald would not support management in the payment of greenmail.

 

Resolution: Emerald would vote FOR any shareholder resolution that would eliminate the possibility of the payment of greenmail.

 

 

f.

Cumulative Voting

 

Cumulative voting entitles stockholders to as many votes as equal the number of shares they own multiplied by the number of directors being elected. According to this set of rules, a shareholder can cast all votes towards a single director, or any two or more. This is a proposal usually made by a minority shareholder seeking to elect a director to the Board who sympathizes with a special interest. It also can be used by management that owns a large percentage of the company to ensure that their appointed directors are elected.

 

Resolution: Cumulative voting tends to serve special interests and not those of shareholders, therefore Emerald will vote Against any proposals establishing cumulative voting and For any proposal to eliminate it.

 

 

g.

Proposals Designed to Discourage Mergers & Acquisitions In Advance

 

These provisions direct Board members to weigh socioeconomic and legal as well as financial factors when evaluating takeover bids. This catchall apparently means that the perceived interests of customers, suppliers, managers, etc., would have to be considered along with those of the shareholder. These proposals may be worded: “amendments to instruct the Board to consider certain factors when evaluating an acquisition proposal”. Directors are elected primarily to promote and protect the shareholder interests. Directors should not allow other considerations to dilute or deviate from those interests.

 

Resolution: Emerald will vote Against proposals that would discourage the most productive use of corporate assets in advance.

 

 

h.

Confidential Voting

 

B-7

 

 

 

 

A company that does not have a ballot provision has the ability to see the proxy votes before the annual meeting. In this way, management is able to know before the final outcome how their proposals are being accepted. If a proposal is not going their way, management has the ability to call shareholders to attempt to convince them to change their votes. Elections should take place in normal democratic process which includes the secret ballot. Elections without the secret ballot can lead to coercion of shareholders, employees, and other corporate partners.

 

Resolution: Vote For proposals to establish secret ballot voting.

 

 

i.

Disclosure

 

Resolution: Emerald will vote Against proposals that would require any kind of unnecessary disclosure of business records. Emerald will vote For proposals that require disclosure of records concerning unfair labor practices or records dealing with the public safety.

 

 

j.

Sweeteners

 

Resolution: Emerald will vote Against proposals that include what are called “sweeteners” used to entice shareholders to vote for a proposal that includes other items that may not be in the shareholders best interest. For instance, including a stock split in the same proposal as a classified Board, or declaring an extraordinary dividend in the same proposal installing a shareholders rights plan (Poison Pill).

 

 

k.

Changing the State of Incorporation

 

If management sets forth a proposal to change the State of Incorporation, the reason for change is usually to take advantage of another state’s liberal corporation laws, especially regarding mergers, takeovers, and anti-shareholder measures. Many companies view the redomestication in another jurisdiction as an opportune time to put new anti-shareholder measures on the books or to purge their charter and bylaws of inconvenient shareholder rights, written consent, cumulative voting, etc.

 

Resolution: On a case-by-case basis, Emerald will vote Against proposals changing the State of Incorporation for the purpose of their anti-shareholder provisions and will support shareholder proposals calling for reincorporation into a jurisdiction more favorable to shareholder democracy.

 

 

l.

Equal Access to Proxy Statements

 

B-8

 

 

 

 

Emerald supports stockholders right to equal access to the proxy statement, in the same manner that management has access. Stockholders are the owners of a corporation and should not be bound by timing deadlines and other obstacles that presently shareholders must abide by in sponsoring proposals in a proxy statement. The Board should not have the ability to arbitrarily prevent a shareholder proposal from appearing in the proxy statement.

 

Resolution: Emerald will support any proposal calling for equal access to proxy statements.

 

 

m.

Abstention Votes

 

Emerald supports changes in the method of accounting for abstention votes. Abstention votes should not be considered as shares “represented” or “cast” at an annual meeting. Only those shares cast favoring or opposing a proposal should be included in the total votes cast to determine if a majority vote has been achieved. Votes cast abstaining should not be included in total votes cast.

 

Resolution: Emerald will support any proposal to change a company’s by-laws or articles of incorporation to reflect the proper accounting for abstention votes.

 

III.

Other Issues

 

On other major issues involving questions of community interest, moral and social concern, fiduciary trust and respect for the law such as:

 

 

A.

Human Rights

 

B.

Nuclear Issues

 

C.

Defense Issues

 

D.

Social Responsibility

 

 

 

 

Emerald, in general supports the position of management. Exceptions to this policy Include:

 

 

1.

South Africa

 

Emerald will actively encourage those corporations that have South African interests to adopt and adhere to the Statement of Principles for South Africa, formerly known as the Sullivan Principles, and to take further actions to promote responsible corporate activity.

 

 

2.

Northern Ireland

 

Emerald will actively encourage U.S. companies in Northern Ireland to adopt and adhere to the MacBride Principles, and to take further actions to promote responsible corporate activity.

 

IV.

Other Potential Conflicts of Interest

 

Emerald may manage a variety of corporate accounts that are publicly traded.

 

B-9

 

 

 

 

The information in this Prospectus 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 state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion

 

Dated October 30, 2026

 

PROSPECTUS

[ ], 2026

 

F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (CPAG)

 

A series of The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

900 19th Street, NW Suite 203
Washington, DC 20006

 

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

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Summary Section

1

F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (CPAG)

1

Additional Information about the Fund

12

Management of the Fund

28

How to Buy and Sell Shares

30

Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes

32

Distribution

36

Additional Considerations

37

Financial Highlights

39

For More Information

43

 

No securities dealer, sales representative, or any other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations, other than those contained in this Prospectus or in approved sales literature in connection with the offer contained herein, and if given or made, such other information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (the “Fund”) or The RBB Fund, Inc. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby in any jurisdiction or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer.

 

 

 

SUMMARY SECTION – F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (CPAG)

 

Investment Objective  

 

The investment objective of the F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (the “F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Fund” or the “Fund”) is to generate total return through exposure to U.S. investment-grade aggregate bonds, while minimizing dividend and/or distribution payments.

 

Fees and Expenses  

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.

 

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

Management Fees

0.25%

Distribution (12b-1) Fees

None

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(1)

[  ]%

Other Expenses

None

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

[  ]%

 

(1)

“Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” (“AFFE”) are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies. Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s Financial Highlights because the Financial Highlights include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, and exclude AFFE.

 

Example

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate 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 hold or redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that: (1) your investment has a 5% return each year, and (2) the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

$[  ]

$[  ]

$[  ]

$[  ]

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund and the underlying funds in which the Fund invests pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when they buy and sell securities (or “turn over” their portfolios). A higher portfolio turnover rate for the Fund or underlying funds may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in the Fund or underlying funds incurring increased expenses and/or higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Portfolio turnover rate may vary from year-to-year or within a year. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, the portfolio turnover rate of the Fund was [ ]% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

1

 

 

 

Principal Investment Strategies  

 

The F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that seeks to generate total return, through exposure to U.S. investment-grade aggregate bonds, while minimizing dividend and/or distribution payments. The Fund is a “fund of funds,” meaning that rather than directly investing in U.S. investment-grade aggregate bonds, the Fund primarily invests its assets in the shares of affiliated and unaffiliated underlying funds that are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, more specifically, ETFs (each an “Underlying Fund” and together, the “Underlying Funds”) rather than in securities of individual companies.

 

Under normal market conditions, F/m Investments LLC (the “Adviser”) seeks to achieve the Fund’s objective by investing at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in Underlying Funds that primarily invest in U.S. dollar denominated investment-grade bonds. For purposes of this policy, “investment-grade bonds” includes fixed rate, non-convertible, taxable, investment grade (must be Baa3/BBB- or higher using the middle rating of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., S&P Global Ratings, and Fitch Ratings Inc.) government bonds, investment grade corporate bonds, investment-grade mortgage pass-through securities, investment-grade commercial mortgage-backed securities and other investment-grade asset-backed securities that are publicly for sale in the United States.

 

The Adviser seeks to manage the Fund’s portfolio such that the Fund minimizes any dividend or other income distributions to shareholders each year. The strategy has been designed for investors seeking to achieve tax-managed exposure to U.S. investment-grade aggregate bonds. Underlying Fund dividends are paid to shareholders of record on the record date, and the Adviser seeks to manage the Fund’s portfolio such that it does not hold Underlying Fund shares on any dividend record date. Accordingly, the Fund may temporarily rotate into and out of Underlying Funds at the discretion of the Adviser to avoid receiving a dividend distribution, or for other reasons. To achieve such a rotation, the Fund typically will effect in-kind creation and redemption transactions, which the Adviser does not expect to have tax implications beyond those ordinarily associated with in-kind transactions.

 

The Fund may also invest in cash and cash equivalents and/or money market instruments for cash management purposes.

 

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in amounts not exceeding one-third of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed).

 

The Fund may also seek to increase its income by lending securities. These loans will be secured by collateral (consisting of cash, U.S. government securities, or irrevocable letters of credit) maintained in an amount equal to at least 100% of the market value, determined daily, of the loaned securities. Cash collateral received by the Fund in connection with its lending of portfolio securities will be invested in short-term investments, including money market funds.

 

In order to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may assume a temporary defensive position that is inconsistent with its investment objective and principal investment strategy and invest without limit in cash and prime quality cash equivalents such as prime commercial paper and other money market instruments, although it may only do so for up to 90 days. A defensive position, taken at the wrong time, may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s performance. The Fund may be unable to achieve its investment objective during the employment of a temporary defensive measure.

 

The Fund has elected and intends to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

Principal Investment Risks  

 

The value of the F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Fund’s investments may decrease, which will cause the value of the Fund’s Shares to decrease. As a result, you may lose money on your investment in the Fund, and there can be

 

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no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. Different risks may be more significant at various times depending on market conditions or other factors.

 

 

•

Active Management Risk. The Fund is actively managed using proprietary investment strategies and processes. There can be no guarantee that these strategies and processes will be successful or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

 

•

Affiliated Fund Risk. Affiliated fund risk is the risk that the Adviser may select investments for the Fund based on its own financial interests or other business considerations rather than the Fund’s interests. The Adviser may be subject to potential conflicts of interest in selecting the Underlying Funds because affiliated Underlying Funds pay an advisory fee to the Adviser based on their assets, the fees paid to the Adviser by some affiliated Underlying Funds may be higher than other Underlying Funds or the Underlying Funds may be in need of assets to enhance their appeal to other investors, liquidity and trading and/or to enable them to carry out their investment strategies. However, the Adviser is a fiduciary to the Fund and is legally obligated to act in the Fund’s best interest when selecting Underlying Funds.

 

 

•

Artificial Intelligence Risk. Advancements in technology may also adversely impact markets and the overall performance of the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and increased regulation of artificial intelligence. As the use of technology grows, liquidity and market movements may be affected. As artificial intelligence is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund.

 

 

•

Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to financial markets generally, a particular financial market, another index, or other asset classes.

 

 

•

Call Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by an Underlying Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity, and the Underlying Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in securities with lower yields, which would result in a decline in the Fund’s performance, or in securities with greater risks or with other less favorable features.

 

 

•

Cash or Cash Equivalents Risk. At any time, the Fund may have significant investments in cash or cash equivalents. When a substantial portion of a portfolio is held in cash or cash equivalents, there is the risk that the value of the cash account, including interest, will not keep pace with inflation, thus reducing purchasing power over time. Additionally, in rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objectives.

 

 

•

Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in a particular issue, issuer or issuers, country, market segment, industries, project types, or asset class.

 

 

•

Counterparty Risk. The Underlying Funds may engage in transactions in securities and financial instruments that involve counterparties. Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty (the other party to a transaction or an agreement or the party with whom the Underlying Fund executes transactions) to a transaction with the Underlying Fund may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments, or otherwise honor its obligations.

 

 

•

Credit Risk. The value of your investment in the Fund may change in response to changes in the credit ratings of the Fund’s portfolio securities, including with respect to Underlying Funds. Generally, investment risk and price volatility increase as a security’s credit rating declines. The financial condition of an issuer of a fixed income security held by the Fund or an Underlying Fund may cause it to default or become unable to pay interest or principal due on the security. The value of any underlying collateral, the creditworthiness of the borrower and the priority of the lien are each of great importance. The Adviser cannot guarantee the adequacy of the protection of the Fund’s interests, including the validity or enforceability of the loan and the maintenance of the anticipated priority and perfection of the applicable security interests. Furthermore, the Adviser cannot assure that claims may not be asserted that might interfere with enforcement of the rights of the holder(s) of the relevant debt.

 

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Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to the Fund’s assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent the Fund’s investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging Shares or receiving distributions. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning could exacerbate these risks. While the Fund and the Adviser have established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. Further, the Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of the Fund’s service providers, market makers, or issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyberattacks or other cyber-failures.

 

 

•

Duration Risk. Duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio to interest rate changes. Duration risk is the risk that longer- duration debt securities will be more volatile and thus more likely to decline in price, and to a greater extent, in a rising interest rate environment than shorter-duration debt securities.

 

 

•

ETF Risk. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks:

 

 

•

Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant (“AP”) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are institutional investors and may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, there may be significantly diminished trading in Fund Shares, Fund Shares may trade at a material discount to net asset value (“NAV”), and Fund Shares may possibly face delisting: (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. These events, among others, may lead to Fund Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than the NAV when you buy Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those Shares in the secondary market. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold. In periods of market volatility, APs, market makers and/or liquidity providers may be less willing to transact in Fund Shares.

 

 

•

Secondary Market Trading Risk. Although Shares are intended to be listed on a national securities exchange, 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 an active or liquid trading market for them will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted. During periods of market stress, 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.

 

4

 

 

 

 

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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. Shares trade on a stock exchange at prices at, above, or below the Fund’s most recent NAV. The Fund’s NAV is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The trading price of the Shares fluctuates continuously throughout trading hours on the exchange, based on both the relative market supply of, and demand for, the Shares and the underlying value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. As a result, the trading prices of the Shares may deviate from the Fund’s NAV. 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.

 

 

•

Fixed-Income Market Risk. The market value of a fixed-income security may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. The fixed-income securities market can be susceptible to increases in volatility and decreases in liquidity. Liquidity can decline unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. Increases in volatility and decreases in liquidity may be caused by a rise in interest rates (or the expectation of a rise in interest rates). An unexpected increase in Fund redemption requests, including requests from shareholders who may own a significant percentage of the Fund’s Shares, which may be triggered by market turmoil or an increase in interest rates, could cause the Fund to sell its holdings at a loss or at undesirable prices and adversely affect the Fund’s Share price and increase the Fund’s liquidity risk, expenses and/or taxable distributions.

 

 

•

Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer, willingness of broker-dealers and other market participants to make markets in the applicable securities, and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). Lower rated fixed-income securities have greater volatility because there is less certainty that principal and interest payments will be made as scheduled. There is a risk that a lack of liquidity or other adverse credit market conditions may hamper the Fund’s ability to sell the debt securities in which it invests.

 

 

•

High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may incur relatively high portfolio turnover. The active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs, which could reduce the Fund’s return.

 

 

•

Fund of Funds Risk. Because it invests primarily in other funds, including ETFs, the Fund’s investment performance largely depends on the investment performance of the selected Underlying Funds. The Fund is indirectly exposed to all of the risks of an investment in an Underlying Fund. In addition, at times, certain of the segments of the market represented by an Underlying Fund in which the Fund invests may be out of favor and underperform other segments. The Fund will also bear the proportionate share of the fees and expenses of an Underlying Fund in which it invests, which can result in higher expenses.

 

 

•

Income Risk. The Fund’s income may decline if interest rates fall. This decline in income can occur because the Fund may subsequently invest in lower yielding bonds as bonds in its portfolio mature, are near maturity or are called, or the Fund otherwise needs to purchase additional bonds.

 

 

•

Inflation Risk. Under certain market conditions, the Fund may invest in an Underlying Fund that is subject to inflation risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets may decline.

 

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Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk of losses attributable to changes in interest rates. In general, if prevailing interest rates rise, the values of debt instruments tend to fall, and if interest rates fall, the values of debt instruments tend to rise. Changes in the value of a debt instrument held by an Underlying Fund usually will not affect the amount of income the Fund receives from it but will generally affect the value of your investment in the Fund. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of an Underlying Fund’s investments in debt instruments. In general, the longer the maturity or duration of a debt instrument, the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The Fund is subject to the risk that the income generated by an Underlying Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation. Actions by governments and central banking authorities can result in increases or decreases in interest rates, which may negatively affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund and have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance and NAV. Rising interest rates may prompt redemptions from the Fund, which may force the Fund to sell investments at a time when it is not advantageous to do so, which could result in losses. During periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns or pay dividends to Fund shareholders. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. Changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, may have unpredictable effects on markets, result in heightened market volatility and detract from the Fund’s performance to the extent the Fund is exposed to such interest rates. Additionally, under certain market conditions in which interest rates are low and the market prices for portfolio securities have increased, the Fund may have a very low or even negative yield. A low or negative yield would cause the Fund to lose money in certain conditions and over certain time periods. An increase in interest rates will generally cause the value of securities held by Underlying Funds to decline, may lead to heightened volatility in the fixed-income markets and may adversely affect the liquidity of certain fixed-income investments, including those held by Underlying Funds. The historically low-interest rate environment in recent years heightens the risks associated with rising interest rates. Additionally, as a result of increasing interest rates, reserves held by banks and other financial institutions in bonds and other debt securities could face a significant decline in value relative to deposits and liabilities, which coupled with general economic headwinds resulting from a changing interest rate environment, creates liquidity pressures at such institutions. As a result, certain sectors of the credit markets could experience significant declines in liquidity, and it is possible that the Fund will not be able to manage this risk effectively.

 

 

•

Issuer-Specific Risk. The value of an individual security or particular type of security may be more volatile than the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of the market as a whole.

 

 

•

Liquidity Risk. Certain securities held by the Fund may be difficult (or impossible) to sell at the time and at the price the Adviser would like. As a result, the Fund may have to hold these securities longer than it would like and may forego other investment opportunities. There is the possibility that the Fund may lose money or be prevented from realizing capital gains if it cannot sell a security at a particular time and price.

 

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Market Risk. Economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, which increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one country or region will adversely impact markets or issuers in other countries or regions. The value of the Fund and/or an Underlying Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by adverse changes in overall economic or market conditions, such as the level of economic activity and productivity, unemployment and labor force participation rates, inflation or deflation (and expectations for inflation or deflation), interest rates, demand and supply for particular products or resources including labor, and debt levels and credit ratings, among other factors. Such adverse conditions may contribute to an overall economic contraction across entire economies or markets, which may negatively impact the profitability of issuers operating in those economies or markets. The Fund and/or an Underlying Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. The Fund and/or an Underlying Fund’s NAV and market price may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors including economic, political, or financial events, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics), or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time.

 

 

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Market Price Risk. Fund Shares are listed for trading on an exchange and are bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The market prices of Shares will fluctuate, in some cases materially, in response to changes in the NAV and supply and demand for Shares. As a result, the trading prices of Shares may deviate significantly from the NAV during periods of market volatility. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below or at their NAV. Given the fact that Shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units (defined below), the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of Shares should not be sustained in the long-term. If market makers exit the business or are unable to continue making markets in Fund Shares, Shares may trade at a discount to NAV like closed-end fund shares and may even face delisting (that is, investors would no longer be able to trade Shares in the secondary market). Further, while the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that Shares normally will trade close to the value of the Fund’s holdings, disruptions to creations and redemptions, including disruptions at market makers, APs or market participants, or during periods of significant market volatility, may result in market prices that differ significantly from the value of the Fund’s holdings. Although market makers will generally take advantage of differences between the NAV and the market price of Fund Shares through arbitrage opportunities, there is no guarantee that they will do so. In addition, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid-ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods, which could cause a material decline in the Fund’s NAV. The Fund’s investment results are measured based upon the daily NAV of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling Shares in the secondary market may not experience investment results consistent with those experienced by those APs creating and redeeming Shares directly with the Fund.

 

 

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Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund Shares (including through a trading halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund Shares. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s Shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund Shares.

 

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Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in Underlying Funds that invest in mortgage- and asset-backed securities, which are subject to call (prepayment) risk, reinvestment risk and extension risk. In addition, these securities are susceptible to an unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool, which may adversely affect their value. The risk of such defaults depends on the quality of the mortgages underlying such security, the credit quality of its issuer or guarantor, and the nature and structure of its credit support. For example, the risk of default generally is higher in the case of mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with lower capacity to make timely mortgage payments.

 

 

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Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties, or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.

 

 

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Premium/Discount Risk. The market price of the Fund’s Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the exchange. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade below, at, or above their NAV because the Shares trade on the exchange at market prices and not at NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Shares will be closely related, but not identical, to the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that Shares can only be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their NAV), the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of Shares should not be sustained. During stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the market for the Fund’s underlying holdings, which could in turn lead to differences between the market price of the Fund’s Shares and their NAV and the bid/ask spread on the Fund’s Shares may widen.

 

 

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Prepayment and Extension Risk. When interest rates fall, issuers of high interest debt obligations may pay off the debts earlier than expected (prepayment risk), and the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower yields. When interest rates rise, issuers of lower interest debt obligations may pay off the debts later than expected (extension risk), thus keeping the Fund’s assets tied up in lower interest debt obligations. Ultimately, any unexpected behavior in interest rates could increase the volatility of the Fund’s Share price and yield and could hurt Fund performance. Prepayments could also create capital gains tax liability in some instances.

 

 

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Pricing Risk. If market conditions make it difficult to value some investments, the Fund may value these investments using more subjective methods, such as fair value pricing. In such cases, the value determined for an investment could be different from the value realized upon such investment’s sale. As a result, you could pay more than the market value when buying Fund Shares or receive less than the market value when selling Fund Shares.

 

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Rating Agencies Risk. Ratings are not an absolute standard of quality, but rather general indicators that reflect only the view of the originating rating agencies from which an explanation of the significance of such ratings may be obtained. There is no assurance that a particular rating will continue for any given period of time or that any such rating will not be revised downward or withdrawn entirely if, in the judgment of the agency establishing the rating, circumstances so warrant. A downward revision or withdrawal of such ratings, or either of them, may have an effect on the liquidity or market price of the securities in which an Underlying Fund invests.

 

 

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Reinvestment Risk. Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Fund’s portfolio will decline if and when the Fund reinvests the proceeds from the disposition of its portfolio securities at market interest rates that are below the portfolio’s current earnings rate. A decline in income could negatively affect the market price of the Shares.

 

 

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Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk. Reverse repurchase agreements are a form of secured borrowing and subject the Fund to the risks associated with leverage, including exposure to potential gains and losses in excess of the amount invested, resulting in an increase in the speculative character of the Fund’s outstanding Shares. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the investment return earned by the Fund (from the investment of the proceeds) will be less than the interest expense of the transaction, that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund will decline below the price the Fund is obligated to pay to repurchase the securities, and that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all.

 

 

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Risk of Investing in the U.S. Certain changes in the U.S. economy, such as when the U.S. economy weakens or when its financial markets decline, may have an adverse effect on the securities to which the Fund has exposure.

 

 

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Sector Risk. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.

 

 

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Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may engage in securities lending (i.e., lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers). Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund may lose money because the borrower of the loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. 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. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. The Fund could also experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund.

 

 

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Tax Risk. Because the Fund is expected to invest in the Underlying Funds, distributions of short-term capital gains by an Underlying Fund will be recognized as ordinary income by the Fund and would not be offset by the Fund’s capital loss carryforwards, if any. Capital loss carryforwards of an Underlying Fund, if any, will not be available to offset net capital gains of the Fund. Further, the Fund’s realized losses on sales of shares of an Underlying Fund may be indefinitely or permanently deferred as “wash sales” to the extent it reacquires shares of the same Underlying Fund within the 61-day period beginning 30 days prior to the disposition date.

 

 

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Underlying Funds Risk. The Fund’s investment in shares of Underlying Funds subjects it to the risks of owning the securities of the Underlying Fund, as well as the same structural risks faced by an investor purchasing shares of the Underlying Fund, including authorized participant concentration risk, market maker risk, premium/discount risk and trading issues risk. As a shareholder in another ETF, the Fund bears its proportionate share of the ETF’s expenses, subjecting Fund shareholders to duplicative expenses. Since the Fund invests in the Underlying Funds, the Fund’s investment performance and risks are likely to be directly related to those of the Underlying Funds. The Fund’s NAV will change with changes in the value of the Underlying Funds and other assets that the Fund holds. The shares of an Underlying Fund may trade at a premium or discount to the Underlying Fund’s NAV. Investors in the Fund will indirectly bear the expenses charged by the Underlying Funds, and an investment in the Fund may entail more expenses than a direct investment in the Underlying Funds.

 

 

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U.S. Government Obligations Risk. While U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government, such securities are nonetheless subject to credit risk (i.e., the risk that the U.S. Government may be, or be perceived to be, unable or unwilling to honor its financial obligations, such as making payments). Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities and U.S. Government-sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.

 

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Valuation Risk. The prices provided by the Fund’s pricing services or independent dealers or the fair value determinations made by the valuation committee of the Adviser may be different from the prices used by other funds or from the prices at which securities are actually bought and sold. The prices of certain securities provided by pricing services may be subject to frequent and significant change, and will vary depending on the information that is available.

 

 

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When-Issued Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in Underlying Funds that purchase securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis. The purchase price of such securities is typically fixed at the time of the commitment, with delivery and payment taking place in the future. At the time of delivery of the securities, the value may be more or less than the purchase or sale price. Purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis may give rise to investment leverage, and may result in increased volatility of the Underlying Fund’s NAV. Default by, or bankruptcy of, a counterparty to a when-issued transaction would expose the Underlying Fund to possible losses because of an adverse market action, expenses or delays in connection with the purchase or sale of the pools specified in such transaction. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) Rules impose mandatory margin requirements for certain types of when-issued or forward commitment transactions, with limited exceptions. Such transactions require mandatory collateralization, which may increase the cost of such transactions and impose added operational complexity.

 

Performance Information: Performance information for the Fund is not included because the Fund did not have a full calendar year of performance prior to the date of this Prospectus. Performance information will be included once the Fund has at least one calendar year of performance. Updated performance information will be available on the Fund’s website at www.fminvest.com.

 

Management

 

 

Investment Adviser

 

F/m Investments LLC serves as the investment adviser.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

Team Member

Primary Titles

Start Date with
F/m Compoundr U.S.
Aggregate Fund

Peter Baden

Managing Director, Director of Fixed Income Strategy

Inception

Marcin Zdunek

Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets & Portfolio Manager

Inception

Kevin Conrath

Vice President, Portfolio Manager

Inception

 

10

 

 

 

 

Purchase and Sale of F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Fund Shares

 

Shares are intended to be listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, a national securities exchange (the “Exchange”), and investors can only buy and sell Shares through brokers or dealers 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 (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Information on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads, is available on the Fund’s website at www.fminvest.com. The median bid-ask spread for the Fund’s most recent fiscal year was [  ]%.

 

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 closely approximating the holdings of the Fund (the “Deposit Securities”) and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.

 

Tax Information  

 

Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is made through 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 Fund’s 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.

 

11

 

 

 

Additional Information about the Fund

 

Investment Objective  

 

The investment objective of the Fund is to generate total return, through exposure to U.S. investment-grade aggregate bonds, while minimizing dividend and/or distribution payments. The Fund’s investment objective has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.

 

Portfolio Composition  

 

The following information is in addition to, and should be read along with, the description of the Fund’s principal investment strategy in the section title “Principal Investment Strategies” above. The Fund has a policy to invest, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in Underlying Funds that primarily invest in U.S. dollar denominated investment-grade bonds. For purposes of this policy, “investment-grade bonds” includes fixed rate, non-convertible, taxable, investment grade (must be Baa3/BBB- or higher using the middle rating of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., S&P Global Ratings, and Fitch Ratings Inc.) government bonds, investment grade corporate bonds, mortgage pass-through securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities that are publicly for sale in the United States (the “80% Policy”).

 

The Fund’s 80% Policy is non-fundamental and can be changed by the Board upon 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders. The Fund must comply with its 80% Policy at the time the Fund invests its assets. Accordingly, when the Fund no longer meets the 80% requirement as a result of circumstances beyond its control, such as changes in the value of portfolio holdings, the Fund would not have to sell its holdings, but any new investments it makes would need to be consistent with its 80% Policy.

 

Additional Information About the Principal Investment Strategy  

 

The Adviser seeks to manage the Fund’s portfolio such that the Fund minimizes any dividend or other income distributions to shareholders each year. The strategy has been designed for investors seeking to achieve tax-managed exposure to U.S. investment-grade aggregate bonds. Underlying Fund dividends are paid to shareholders of record on the record date, and the Adviser seeks to manage the Fund’s portfolio such that it does not hold Underlying Fund shares on any dividend record date. Accordingly, the Fund may temporarily rotate into and out of Underlying Funds at the discretion of the Adviser to avoid receiving a dividend distribution, or for other reasons. To achieve such a rotation, the Fund typically will effect in-kind creation and redemption transactions, which the Adviser does not expect to have tax implications beyond those ordinarily associated with in-kind transactions. There is no guarantee that a Fund will be able to completely avoid paying dividends and distributions.

 

The Adviser buys and sells securities based on the Adviser’s judgments about a security’s fundamentals, technical factors, remaining maturity, valuation, and contribution to the overall portfolio of each Fund. The Funds invest primarily in Underlying Funds that invest in U.S. investment-grade aggregate bonds.

 

An investor should understand that by investing indirectly in an Underlying Fund through the Fund, an investor bears not only his or her proportionate share of certain expenses of the Fund (such as operating costs), but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the Underlying Fund(s). However, an investor who chooses to invest directly in an Underlying Fund would not receive the asset allocation and rebalancing services of the Adviser.

 

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Additional Principal Risk Information  

 

The value of the Fund’s investments may decrease, which will cause the value of the Fund’s Shares to decrease. As a result, you may lose money on your investment in the Fund, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. An investment in the Fund is subject to one or more of the principal risks discussed below. Unless otherwise noted, each risk described below is a principal risk of investing in the Fund.

 

 

•

Active Management Risk. The Fund is actively managed. Active management permits the Advisor to use reasonable discretion on how to invest the assets of the Fund in a manner that helps the Advisor achieve the Fund’s strategies. The Advisor’s security selection and/or strategy execution could cause the Fund to underperform relevant securities markets or other funds with a similar investment objectives. All else being equal, actively managed funds can have higher fees and expenses than passively managed funds.

 

 

•

Affiliated Fund Risk. When the Adviser invests the Fund’s assets in an Underlying Fund that is also managed by the Adviser, the risk presented is that, due to its own financial interest or other business considerations, the Adviser may have had an incentive to make that investment in lieu of investments by the Fund directly in portfolio securities, or in lieu of investment in Underlying Funds sponsored or managed by others. This conflict of interest may be amplified when an affiliated Underlying Fund has low assets.

 

 

•

Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in an Underlying Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to assets that represent other countries or geographic units, industries, markets, market segments, or asset classes. Various types of securities, other assets and indices may experience cycles of outperformance and underperformance in comparison to financial markets generally. This divergence may be due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, inflation, interest rates, productivity, global demand for local products or resources, and regulation and government controls. This may cause the Underlying Funds, and therefore, the Fund, to underperform other investment vehicles that invest in different asset classes.

 

 

•

Call Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by an Underlying Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity, and the Underlying Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in securities with lower yields, which would result in a decline in the Fund’s performance, or in securities with greater risks or with other less favorable features.

 

 

•

Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in a particular issue, issuer or issuers, country, market segment, or asset class.

 

 

•

Counterparty Risk. The Underlying Funds may engage in transactions in securities and financial instruments that involve counterparties. Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty (the other party to a transaction or an agreement or the party with whom an Underlying Fund executes transactions) to a transaction with such Underlying Fund may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments, or otherwise honor its obligations.

 

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Credit Risk. In connection with the Fund’s or an Underlying Fund’s investments in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund may change in response to the credit ratings of the Fund’s or an Underlying Fund’s portfolio securities. The degree of risk for a particular security may be reflected in its credit rating. Generally, investment risk and price volatility increase as a security’s credit rating declines. The financial condition of an issuer of a fixed income security held by the Fund may cause it to default or become unable to pay interest or principal due on the security. The value of any underlying collateral, the creditworthiness of the borrower and the priority of the lien are each of great importance. The Adviser cannot guarantee the adequacy of the protection of the Fund’s interests, including the validity or enforceability of the loan and the maintenance of the anticipated priority and perfection of the applicable security interests. Furthermore, the Adviser cannot assure that claims may not be asserted that might interfere with enforcement of the rights of the holder(s) of the relevant debt. The Fund or an Underlying Fund cannot collect interest and principal payments on a fixed income security if the issuer defaults. Investments in fixed income securities that are issued by U.S. Government sponsored entities such as the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Association, and the Federal Home Loan Banks involve credit risk as they are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.

 

 

•

Cyber Security Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund and Underlying Funds are susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyberattacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security failures or breaches by the Adviser, an Underlying Fund’s adviser and the Fund’s or Underlying Fund’s other service providers (including, but not limited to, the Fund’s or Underlying Funds’ accountant, custodian, transfer agent and administrator), and the issuers of securities in which the Fund or Underlying Fund invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with any of the Fund’s or Underlying Funds’ ability to calculate their respective NAV, impediments to trading, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning could exacerbate these risks or result in cyber security incidents that implicate personal data. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, the Underlying Funds and issuers in which the Fund invests. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

 

 

•

Debt Securities Risk. Investments in debt securities subject the holder to the credit risk of the issuer. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or other obligor of a security will not be able or willing to make payments of interest and principal when due. Generally, the value of debt securities will change inversely with changes in 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. During periods of falling interest rates, the income received by the Fund or its Underlying Funds may decline. If the principal on a debt security is prepaid before expected, the prepayments of principal may have to be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. Debt securities generally do not trade on a securities exchange making them generally less liquid and more difficult to value than common stock.

 

14

 

 

 

 

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Duration Risk. Duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio to interest rate changes. Duration risk is the risk that longer-duration debt securities are more volatile and thus more likely to decline in price, and to a greater extent, than shorter-duration debt securities, in a rising interest-rate environment. “Effective duration” attempts to measure the expected percentage change in the value of a bond or portfolio resulting from a change in prevailing interest rates. The change in the value of a bond or portfolio can be approximated by multiplying its duration by a change in interest rates. For example, if a bond has an effective duration of three years, a 1% increase in general interest rates would be expected to cause the bond’s value to decline about 3% while a 1% decrease in general interest rates would be expected to cause the bond’s value to increase 3%. The duration of a debt security may be equal to or shorter than the full maturity of a debt security.

 

 

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Equity Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in Underlying Funds that hold equity securities. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company’s activities and financial condition and in overall market conditions. Economic, political, and financial conditions, or industry or economic trends or developments, may for varying periods of time cause volatility, illiquidity, or other potentially adverse effects in the markets. The Underlying Funds’ investments in equity securities expose them to sudden and unpredictable drops in value and the potential for extended periods of lackluster performance.

 

 

•

ETF Risk. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, the Fund is exposed to the following risks:

 

 

•

Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant (“AP”) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund may have 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. To the extent either of the following events occur, there may be significantly diminished trading in Shares, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV, and Shares may possibly face delisting: (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. These events, among others, may lead to the Fund’s Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than the NAV when you buy Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those Shares in the secondary market. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold. In periods of market volatility, APs, market makers and/or liquidity providers may be less willing to transact in Fund Shares.

 

 

•

Cash Transactions Risk. Unlike certain ETFs, the Fund may effect its creations and redemptions partially or wholly for cash rather than on an in-kind basis. Because of this, the Fund may incur costs such as brokerage costs or be unable to realize certain tax benefits associated with in-kind transfers of portfolio securities that may be realized by other ETFs. These costs may decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent that the costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP. Shareholders may be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise have been subject to and/or at an earlier date than if the Fund had effected redemptions wholly on an in-kind basis. The Fund’s use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause the Fund’s Shares to trade in the market at wider bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.

 

15

 

 

 

 

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Secondary Market Trading Risk. Fund Shares are intended to be listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, (the “Exchange”). Although the Fund’s Shares are intended to be 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 Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in the Fund’s 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. 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 the Fund’s Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than the Fund’s Shares. In addition, during periods of market stress, 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.

 

 

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Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV Risk. As with all ETFs, Shares of the Fund may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Shares trade on a stock exchange at prices at, above, or below the Fund’s most recent NAV. The Fund’s NAV is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The trading price of the Shares fluctuates continuously throughout trading hours on the exchange, based on both the relative market supply of, and demand for, the Shares and the underlying value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. As a result, the trading prices of the Shares may deviate from the Fund’s NAV. 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 or periods of steep market declines. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.

 

16

 

 

 

 

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Fixed-Income Market Risk. The market value of a fixed-income security may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. The fixed-income securities market can be susceptible to increases in volatility and decreases in liquidity. Liquidity can decline unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. Increases in volatility and decreases in liquidity may be caused by a rise in interest rates (or the expectation of a rise in interest rates). During periods of reduced market liquidity, the Fund or Underlying Funds may not be able to readily sell fixed-income securities at prices at or near their perceived value. If an Underlying Fund needed to sell large blocks of fixed-income securities to meet shareholder redemption requests or to raise cash, those sales could further reduce the prices of such securities. An unexpected increase in an Underlying Fund’s redemption requests, including requests from shareholders who may own a significant percentage of an Underlying Fund’s Shares, which may be triggered by market turmoil or an increase in interest rates, could cause an Underlying Fund to sell its holdings at a loss or at undesirable prices and adversely affect the Fund’s share price and increase that Underlying Fund’s liquidity risk, fund expenses and/or taxable distributions. Economic and other market developments can adversely affect fixed-income securities markets. Regulations and business practices, for example, have led some financial intermediaries to curtail their capacity to engage in trading (i.e., “market making”) activities for certain fixed-income securities, which could have the potential to decrease liquidity and increase volatility in the fixed-income securities markets. Policy and legislative changes worldwide are affecting many aspects of financial regulation. The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time. In addition, each Underlying Fund may be subject to risks associated with investments in senior non-preferred bonds (sometimes referred to as “bail-in bonds”), which are debt securities issued by financial institutions that can be converted into equity securities if such conversion is mandated by a financial institution’s regulatory authority due to the financial institution facing the possibility of bankruptcy. The mandatory conversion of a bail-in bond into an equity security may result in a reduction in value of the security and, if an Underlying Fund holds such security when the conversion occurs, the Underlying Fund’s, and therefore, the Fund’s, performance may be negatively impacted.

 

 

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Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer, willingness of broker-dealers and other market participants to make markets in the applicable securities, and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). Lower rated fixed-income securities have greater volatility because there is less certainty that principal and interest payments will be made as scheduled. There is a risk that a lack of liquidity or other adverse credit market conditions may hamper the Fund’s ability to sell the debt securities in which it invests.

 

 

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Fund of Funds Risk. Because it invests primarily in other funds, including ETFs, the Fund’s investment performance largely depends on the investment performance of the selected Underlying Funds. The Fund is indirectly exposed to all of the risks of an investment in an Underlying Fund. In addition, at times, certain of the segments of the market represented by an Underlying Fund in which the Fund invests may be out of favor and underperform other segments. The Fund will also bear the proportionate share of the fees and expenses of an Underlying Fund in which it invests, which can result in higher expenses.

 

17

 

 

 

 

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High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may incur high portfolio turnover. The active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs, which could reduce the Fund’s return.

 

 

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Income Risk. Under certain market conditions, the Fund may invest in Underlying Fund(s) that are subject to income risk. The Fund’s income may decline if interest rates fall. This decline in income can occur because an Underlying Fund may subsequently invest in lower yielding bonds as bonds in its portfolio mature, are near maturity or are called, or the Fund and/or Underlying Fund otherwise needs to purchase additional bonds.

 

 

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Inflation Risk. Under certain market conditions, the Fund may invest in an Underlying Fund that is subject to inflation risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets may decline.

 

 

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Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk of losses attributable to changes in interest rates. In general, if prevailing interest rates rise, the values of debt instruments tend to fall, and if interest rates fall, the values of debt instruments tend to rise. Changes in the value of a debt instrument held by an Underlying Fund usually will not affect the amount of income the Fund receives from it but will generally affect the value of your investment in the Fund. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of an Underlying Fund’s investments in debt instruments. In general, the longer the maturity or duration of a debt instrument, the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The Fund is subject to the risk that the income generated by an Underlying Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation. Actions by governments and central banking authorities can result in increases or decreases in interest rates, which may negatively affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund and have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance and NAV. Rising interest rates may prompt redemptions from the Fund, which may force the Fund to sell investments at a time when it is not advantageous to do so, which could result in losses. During periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns or pay dividends to Fund shareholders. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. Changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, may have unpredictable effects on markets, result in heightened market volatility and detract from the Fund’s performance to the extent the Fund is exposed to such interest rates. Additionally, under certain market conditions in which interest rates are low and the market prices for portfolio securities have increased, the Fund may have a very low or even negative yield. A low or negative yield would cause the Fund to lose money in certain conditions and over certain time periods. An increase in interest rates will generally cause the value of securities held by Underlying Funds to decline, may lead to heightened volatility in the fixed-income markets and may adversely affect the liquidity of certain fixed-income investments, including those held by Underlying Funds. The historically low-interest rate environment in recent years heightens the risks associated with rising interest rates.

 

18

 

 

 

 

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Investments in Underlying Funds Risk. The Fund’s investment in shares of Underlying Funds subjects it to the risks of owning the securities underlying the ETF, as well as the same structural risks faced by an investor purchasing shares of such Underlying Fund, including authorized participant concentration risk, market maker risk, premium/discount risk and trading issues risk. As a shareholder in another ETF, the Fund bears its proportionate share of the ETF’s expenses, subjecting Fund shareholders to duplicative expenses. Since the Fund invests in the Underlying Funds, the Fund’s investment performance and risks are likely to be directly related to those of its Underlying Funds. The Fund’s NAV will change with changes in the value of its Underlying Funds and other assets that the Fund holds. The shares of an Underlying Fund may trade at a premium or discount to the Underlying Fund’s NAV. Investors in the Fund will indirectly bear the expenses charged by the Underlying Funds, and an investment in the Fund may entail more expenses than a direct investment in an Underlying Fund.

 

 

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Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform differently from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.

 

 

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Leverage Risk. Borrowing transactions, reverse repurchase agreements, certain derivatives transactions, securities lending transactions and other investment transactions such as when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward commitment transactions may create investment leverage. If the Fund engages in transactions that have a leveraging effect on the Fund’s investment portfolio, the value of the Fund will be potentially more volatile and all other risks will tend to be compounded. This is because leverage generally creates investment risk with respect to a larger base of assets than the Fund would otherwise have and so magnifies the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s underlying assets. The use of leverage is considered to be a speculative investment practice and may result in losses to the Fund. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy repayment, interest payment, or margin obligations or to meet asset coverage requirements.

 

 

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Liquidity Risk. Certain securities held by the Fund may be difficult (or impossible) to sell at the time and at the price the Adviser would like. As a result, the Fund may have to hold these securities longer than it would like and may forego other investment opportunities. There is the possibility that the Fund may lose money or be prevented from realizing capital gains if it cannot sell a security at a particular time and price.

 

 

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Market Risk. The trading prices of securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors including economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics) or other disruptive events (whether real, expected or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. The Fund’s and/or the Underlying Funds’ NAVs and market prices are based upon the market’s perception of value and are not necessarily an objective measure of an investment’s value. There is no assurance that the Fund will realize its investment objective, and an investment in the Fund is not, by itself, a complete or balanced investment program. You could lose money on your investment in the Fund, or the Fund could underperform other investments.

 

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Periods of unusually high financial market volatility and restrictive credit conditions, at times limited to a particular sector or geographic area, have occurred in the past and may be expected to recur in the future. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted or have signaled protectionist trade measures, relaxation of the financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis, and/or reductions to corporate taxes. The scope of these policy changes is still developing, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations of change, which could increase volatility, particularly if a resulting policy runs counter to the market’s expectations. The outcome of such changes cannot be foreseen at the present time. In addition, geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks, war, natural disasters, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may add to instability in the world economy and markets generally. As a result of increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s and/or the Underlying Funds’ investments may be negatively affected by events impacting a country or region, regardless of whether the Fund or the Underlying Funds invest in issuers located in or with significant exposure to such country or region.

 

 

 

The infectious respiratory illness caused by a novel strain of coronavirus (known as COVID-19) has caused volatility, severe market dislocations and liquidity constraints in many markets and may adversely affect the Fund’s investments and operations. The outbreak was first detected in December 2019 and subsequently spread globally. The transmission of COVID-19 and efforts to contain its spread have resulted in international and domestic travel restrictions and disruptions, closed international borders, enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, quarantines, event and service cancellations or interruptions, disruptions to business operations (including staff reductions), supply chains and consumer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty that has negatively affected the economic environment. These disruptions have led to instability in the marketplace, including stock and credit market losses and overall volatility. The impact of COVID-19, and other infectious illness outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics that may arise in the future, could adversely affect the economies of many nations or the entire global economy, the financial performance of individual issuers, borrowers and sectors and the health of the markets generally in potentially significant and unforeseen ways. Health crises caused by the recent outbreak may heighten other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in a country or region. In the event of a pandemic or an outbreak, there can be no assurance that the Fund and its service providers will be able to maintain normal business operations for an extended period of time or will not lose the services of key personnel on a temporary or long-term basis due to illness or other reasons. Although vaccines for COVID-19 are available, the full impacts of a pandemic or disease outbreaks are unknown and the pace of recovery may vary from market to market, resulting in a high degree of uncertainty for potentially extended periods of time.

 

 

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Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for the Shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s portfolio holdings, which may cause a variance in the market price of Shares and their underlying NAV. In addition, an exchange or market may issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt the Fund’s creation/redemption process, potentially affect the price at which Shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in the Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments at all. In these 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. Any of these factors may lead to the Shares trading at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV.

 

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Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in Underlying Funds that invest in mortgage- and asset-backed securities, which are subject to call (prepayment) risk, reinvestment risk and extension risk. In addition, these securities are susceptible to an unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool, which may adversely affect their value. The risk of such defaults depends on the quality of the mortgages underlying such security, the credit quality of its issuer or guarantor, and the nature and structure of its credit support. For example, the risk of default generally is higher in the case of mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with lower capacity to make timely mortgage payments.

 

 

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Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties, or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.

 

 

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Premium/Discount Risk. The market price of the Fund’s Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the exchange. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade below, at, or above their NAV because the Shares trade on the exchange at market prices and not at NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Shares will be closely related, but not identical, to the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that Shares can only be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their NAV), the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of Shares should not be sustained. During stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the market for the Fund’s underlying holdings, which could in turn lead to differences between the market price of the Fund’s Shares and the net asset value and the bid/ask spread on the Fund’s Shares may widen.

 

 

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Prepayment and Extension Risk. When interest rates fall, issuers of high interest debt obligations may pay off the debts earlier than expected (prepayment risk), and the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower yields. When interest rates rise, issuers of lower interest debt obligations may pay off the debts later than expected (extension risk), thus keeping the Fund’s assets tied up in lower interest debt obligations. Ultimately, any unexpected behavior in interest rates could increase the volatility of the Fund’s Share price and yield and could hurt Fund performance. Prepayments could also create capital gains tax liability in some instances.

 

 

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Pricing Risk. If market conditions make it difficult to value some investments, the Fund may value these investments using more subjective methods, such as fair value pricing. In such cases, the value determined for an investment could be different from the value realized upon such investment’s sale. As a result, you could pay more than the market value when buying Fund Shares or receive less than the market value when selling Fund Shares.

 

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Rating Agencies Risk. Ratings are not an absolute standard of quality, but rather general indicators that reflect only the view of the originating rating agencies from which an explanation of the significance of such ratings may be obtained. There is no assurance that a particular rating will continue for any given period of time or that any such rating will not be revised downward or withdrawn entirely if, in the judgment of the agency establishing the rating, circumstances so warrant. A downward revision or withdrawal of such ratings, or either of them, may have an effect on the liquidity or market price of the securities in which the Fund or Underlying Funds invest.

 

 

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Reinvestment Risk. Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Funds’ portfolios will decline if and when the Fund reinvests the proceeds from the disposition of portfolio securities at market interest rates that are below the portfolio’s current earnings rate. A decline in income could negatively affect the market price of the Fund’s Shares.

 

 

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Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund subject to an agreement to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price (including interest). The Fund may enter these transactions when the Adviser expects the return to be earned from the investment of the transaction proceeds to be greater than the interest expense of the transaction. Reverse repurchase agreements may also be entered into as a temporary measure for emergency purposes or to meet redemption requests.

 

 

 

Reverse repurchase agreements are a form of secured borrowing and subject the Fund to the risks associated with leverage, including exposure to potential gains and losses in excess of the amount invested, resulting in an increase in the speculative character of the Fund’s outstanding Shares. If the securities held by the Fund decline in value while these transactions are outstanding, the NAV of the Fund’s outstanding Shares will decline in value by proportionately more than the decline in value of the securities. In addition, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the investment return earned by the Fund (from the investment of the proceeds) will be less than the interest expense of the transaction, that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund will decline below the price the Fund is obligated to pay to repurchase the securities, and that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all.

 

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When the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it is subject to the risk that the buyer under the agreement may file for bankruptcy, become insolvent or otherwise default on its obligations to the Fund. In the event of a default by the counterparty, there may be delays, costs and risks of loss involved in the Fund’s exercising its rights under the agreement, or those rights may be limited by other contractual agreements or obligations or by applicable law. Such an insolvency may result in a loss equal to the amount by which the value of the securities or other assets sold by the Fund exceeds the repurchase price payable by the Fund; if the value of the purchased securities or other assets increases during such a delay, that loss may also be increased. The Fund could lose money if it is unable to recover the securities or if the value of investments made by the Fund using the proceeds of the transaction is less than the value of securities. When the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it must identify on its books cash or liquid assets that have a value equal to or greater than the repurchase price.

 

 

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Risk of Investing in the U.S. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations, inflation and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the U.S. are changing many aspects of financial, commercial, public health, environmental, and other regulation and may have a significant effect on U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. Governmental agencies project that the U.S. will continue to maintain elevated public debt levels for the foreseeable future. Although elevated debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, elevated public debt service costs may constrain future economic growth. Circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of interest or principal on U.S. government debt, such as reaching the legislative “debt ceiling.” Such non-payment would result in substantial negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial system. If U.S. relations with certain countries deteriorate, it could adversely affect U.S. issuers, as well as non-U.S. issuers that rely on the U.S. for trade. The U.S. has also experienced increased internal unrest and discord. If these trends were to continue, it may have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which any of the Funds invest.

 

 

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Sector Concentration Risk. To the extent the Fund invest more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.

 

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Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. Portfolio securities loans are secured continuously by collateral maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The value of the securities loaned by the Fund will not exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. Lending the Fund’s portfolio securities involves the risk of delay in receiving additional collateral if the value of the securities goes up while they are on loan. The Fund may lose money from securities lending if, for example, it is delayed in or prevented from selling the collateral or from recovering the securities loaned or if it incurs losses on the reinvestment of cash collateral.

 

 

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Tax Risk. Because the Fund is expected to invest in the Underlying Funds, distributions of short-term capital gains by an Underlying Fund will be recognized as ordinary income by the Fund and would not be offset by the Fund’s capital loss carryforwards, if any. Capital loss carryforwards of an Underlying Fund, if any, will not be available to offset net capital gains of the Fund. Further, the Fund’s realized losses on sales of shares of an Underlying Fund may be indefinitely or permanently deferred as “wash sales” to the extent it reacquires shares of the same Underlying Fund within the 61-day period beginning 30 days prior to the disposition date.

 

 

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Underlying Funds Risk. Investing in Underlying Funds may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to a Fund’s own expenses. The risk of owning an Underlying Fund generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying investments the Underlying Fund holds. Each Fund may incur brokerage fees in connection with its purchase of Underlying Fund shares. When a Fund invests in an Underlying Fund, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities comprising the Underlying Fund or index on which the Underlying Fund is based and the value of the Fund’s investments will fluctuate in response to the performance and risks of the underlying investments or index. In addition to the brokerage costs associated with the Underlying Fund’s purchase and sale of the underlying securities, Underlying Funds incur fees that are separate from those of a Fund. As a result, a Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the operating expenses of the Underlying Funds, in addition to Fund expenses. The 1940 Act and the related rules and regulations adopted thereunder impose conditions on investment companies that invest in other investment companies. Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act prohibits a fund from (i) acquiring more than 3% of the voting shares of any one investment company, (ii) investing more than 5% of its total assets in any one investment company, and (iii) investing more than 10% of its total assets in all investment companies combined. Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act permits registered investment companies to acquire securities of another investment company in excess of these amounts subject to certain conditions, including limits on control and voting of acquired funds’ shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements, and limits on most three-tier fund structures.

 

 

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U.S. Government Obligations Risk. While U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government, such securities are nonetheless subject to credit risk (i.e., the risk that the U.S. Government may be, or be perceived to be, unable or unwilling to honor its financial obligations, such as making payments). Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities and U.S. Government-sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. U.S. Treasury obligations may differ from other securities in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics and may provide relatively lower returns than those of other securities. Similar to other issuers, changes to the financial condition or credit rating of the U.S. government may cause the value of the Fund’s U.S. Treasury obligations to decline.

 

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U.S. Treasury and Agency Market Risk. The U.S. Treasury and agency market can be volatile, and the value of instruments correlated with these markets may fluctuate dramatically from day to day. U.S. Treasury and agency obligations may provide relatively lower returns than those of other securities. Similar to other debt instruments, U.S. Treasury and agency obligations are subject to debt instrument risk and interest rate risk. In addition, changes to the financial condition or credit rating of the U.S. Government may cause the value of U.S. Treasury and agency obligations to decline. U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. government and are generally considered to have negligible credit risk. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities and U.S. government-sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

 

 

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Valuation Risk. The prices provided by the Fund’s pricing services or independent dealers or the fair value determinations made by the valuation committee of the Adviser may be different from the prices used by other funds or from the prices at which securities are actually bought and sold. The prices of certain securities provided by pricing services may be subject to frequent and significant change, and will vary depending on the information that is available.

 

 

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When-Issued Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in Underlying Funds that purchase securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis. The purchase price of such securities is typically fixed at the time of the commitment, with delivery and payment taking place in the future. At the time of delivery of the securities, the value may be more or less than the purchase or sale price. Purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis may give rise to investment leverage, and may result in increased volatility of an Underlying Fund’s NAV. Default by, or bankruptcy of, a counterparty to a when-issued transaction would expose an Underlying Fund to possible losses because of an adverse market action, expenses or delays in connection with the purchase or sale of the pools specified in such transaction. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) Rules impose mandatory margin requirements for certain types of when-issued or forward commitment transactions, with limited exceptions. Such transactions require mandatory collateralization, which may increase the cost of such transactions and impose added operational complexity.

 

Additional Information About Non-Principal Risks of the Fund. This section provides additional information regarding certain non-principal risks of investing in the Fund. The risks listed below could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance and trading prices.

 

 

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Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk. Investors buying or selling Shares of the Fund 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 the Fund’s Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy the Fund’s Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell the Fund’s 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 the Fund’s Shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s Shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling the Fund’s Shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of the Fund’s Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in the Fund’s Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

 

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Large Shareholder and Large-Scale Redemption Risk. Certain shareholders, including an Authorized Participant, a third-party investor, the Fund’s Adviser or an affiliate of the Fund’s Adviser, a market maker, or another entity, may from time to time own or manage a substantial amount of Fund Shares or may invest in the Fund and hold their investment for a limited period of time. These shareholders may also pledge or loan Fund Shares (to secure financing or otherwise), which may result in the Shares becoming concentrated in another party. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder or large group of shareholders would not redeem their investment or that the size of the Fund would be maintained. Redemptions of a large number of Fund Shares by these shareholders may adversely affect the Fund’s liquidity and net assets. To the extent the Fund permits redemptions in cash, these redemptions may force the Fund to sell portfolio securities when it might not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV, have a material effect on the market price of the Shares and increase the Fund’s brokerage costs and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income and/or gains and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders earlier than it otherwise would have. In addition, under certain circumstances, non-redeeming shareholders may be treated as receiving a disproportionately large taxable distribution during or with respect to such tax year. The Fund also may be required to sell its more liquid Fund investments to meet a large redemption, in which case the Fund’s remaining assets may be less liquid, more volatile, and more difficult to price. To the extent these large shareholders transact in Shares on the secondary market, such transactions may account for a large percentage of the trading volume for the Shares of the Fund and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of Fund Shares. In addition, large purchases of Fund Shares may adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would, diluting its investment returns.

 

 

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Legal and Regulatory Change Risk. The regulatory environment for investment companies is evolving, and changes in regulation may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments and the Fund’s ability to pursue its trading strategy. In addition, the securities markets are subject to comprehensive statutes and regulations. The SEC and other regulators and self-regulatory organizations and exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of market emergencies. The effect of any future regulatory change on the Fund could be substantial and adverse.

 

 

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RIC Compliance Risk. The Fund has elected to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a RIC under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. To continue to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a RIC, the Fund must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify for the special federal income tax treatment afforded to RICs, all of the Fund’s taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (without any deduction for distributions to its shareholders) and its income available for distribution will be reduced. Under certain circumstances, the Fund could cure a failure to qualify as a RIC, but in order to do so, the Fund could incur significant Fund-level taxes and could be forced to dispose of certain assets.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings  

 

The Fund’s entire portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Fund is open for business through the Fund’s website at www.fminvest.com and may be made available through financial reporting and news services or any other medium, including publicly available internet websites. Additional information regarding the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

 

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Management of the Fund

 

The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”), of which the Fund is a series, is responsible for supervising the operations and affairs of the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the daily management and administration of the Fund’s operations.

 

Investment Adviser  

 

The investment adviser for the Fund is F/m Investments LLC (the “Adviser”). The Adviser is located at 900 19th Street, NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20006. The Adviser is a majority owned subsidiary of F/m Managers Group, LP, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of 1251 Capital, Inc., a financial services holding company. Three officers of the Company own an indirect, minority interest in the Adviser. The Adviser recently announced that it had entered into an agreement to be purchased and become a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., with the purchase expected to close in 2027, subject to customary closing conditions.

 

Subject to the overall supervision of the Board, the Adviser manages the overall investment operations of the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies and formulates a continuing investment strategy for the Fund pursuant to the terms of an investment advisory agreement between the Company and the Adviser (the “Advisory Agreement”). Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Fund pays the Adviser a unitary management fee that is computed and paid monthly at an annual rate of the Fund’s average daily net assets during the month. The Adviser was effectively paid an annualized management fee of [ %] of the Fund’s average daily net assets for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026. From the unitary management fee, the Adviser pays most of the expenses of the Fund, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services. However, under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is not responsible for interest expenses, brokerage commissions and other trading expenses, taxes and other extraordinary costs such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business.

 

A discussion regarding the Board’s approval of the Fund’s Advisory Agreement and the factors the Board considered with respect to its approval is available in the Fund’s [annual report to shareholders for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026].

 

The Adviser’s Investment Management Team  

 

Peter Baden, Kevin Conrath, and Marcin Zdunek serve as the portfolio managers of the Fund, as described in the Fund’s summary section, and are jointly responsible for the portfolio management decisions for the Fund.

 

Peter Baden

 

Mr. Baden is the Managing Director and Director of Fixed Income Strategy for the Adviser. Mr. Baden has over 25 years of investment management experience, encompassing portfolio management, mergers and acquisitions, financial institutions, and credit analysis. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2020, Mr. Baden joined a predecessor firm in 2005 to launch the firm’s effort to build customized fixed income portfolios for high net-worth clients. Prior to joining the predecessor firm, Mr. Baden worked on the mergers and acquisitions team at Star Banc (now US Bancorp) acquiring and integrating multiple banks and savings and loan associations. In the trust department of Star Banc, he managed the REIT allocation for a mutual fund and analyzed US and

 

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international bank, insurance, and financial companies, as well as municipalities. Previously, at Pacholder Associates, Mr. Baden managed money market assets in multiple portfolios, and designed and developed proprietary portfolio systems and models for distressed companies, collateralized bond obligations, and legal settlement pools. Mr. Baden has extensive experience with resolution and liquidation for distressed portfolios including experience with the Resolution Trust Corporation.

 

Kevin Conrath

 

Mr. Conrath is a Vice President and Portfolio Manager within the Adviser’s Fixed Income team. He focuses on multi-sector credit, including both structured credit and corporate credit investments. Mr. Conrath started his career at Ziegler Capital Management, where he held roles as a Quantitative Analyst supporting the firm’s Equity and Fixed Income efforts and later as a Fixed Income Portfolio Manager. He has investment experience since 2012, graduated with a bachelor’s degree from St. Norbert College, holds a Financial Risk Manager designation and is a member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals.

 

Marcin Zdunek

 

Mr. Zdunek is the Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets & Portfolio Manager for the Adviser. He joined the Adviser in November 2020 when his prior firm, First Western Capital Management (“First Western”), was acquired. Prior to joining First Western in 2007, Mr. Zdunek was a Supervisor in Fixed Income and Equity Trading at AIG Global Investment Group. Mr. Zdunek’s prior positions included Senior Fixed Income Trade Support Specialist at Alliance Capital Management and a Fixed Income Associate/Supervisor at Morgan Stanley.

 

The SAI provides additional information about the compensation of each Portfolio Manager, other accounts managed by them, and their ownership of Shares of the Fund.

 

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How to Buy and Sell Shares

 

The Fund issues and redeems its Shares at NAV only in Creation Units. Only APs may acquire Shares directly from the Fund, and only APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV. APs must be (i) a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation, a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC participant (as discussed below). In addition, each AP 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. Once created, Shares trade in the secondary market in quantities less than a Creation Unit.

 

Investors can only buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares are intended to be listed for trading in the secondary market on The Nasdaq Stock Exchange, LLC (the “Exchange”) and can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded securities.

 

When buying or selling the Fund’s 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 (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares.

 

Investors owning the Fund’s Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for the Fund’s 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 the Fund’s Shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have the Fund’s Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of the Fund’s Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of the Fund’s 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.

 

Share Trading Prices on the Exchange  

 

Trading prices of the Fund’s Shares on the Exchange may differ from the Fund’s daily NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of Shares. To provide additional information regarding the indicative value of the Fund’s Shares, the Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates information every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association, or other widely disseminated means, including an updated “intraday indicative value” (“IIV”) for the Fund’s Shares as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Fund is neither involved in nor responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIVs and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIVs. If the calculation of the IIV is based on the basket of Deposit Securities, such IIV may not represent the best possible valuation of the Fund’s portfolio because the basket of Deposit Securities does not necessarily reflect

 

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the precise composition of the current portfolio of the Fund at a particular point in time. The IIV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the Fund’s NAV because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed only once a day, typically at the end of the business day. The IIV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the Deposit Securities.

 

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares  

 

The Fund imposes no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of the Fund’s Shares. In determining not to approve a written, established policy, the Board evaluated the risks of market timing activities by any of the Fund’s shareholders. Purchases and redemptions by APs, who are the only parties that may purchase or redeem the Fund’s Shares directly with the Fund, are an essential part of the ETF process and help keep Share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, the Fund accommodates frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, the Board has also determined that frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains or losses. To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions, the Fund employs fair value pricing and impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effecting trades. In addition, the Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order at any time.

 

Determination of Net Asset Value  

 

The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, each day the NYSE is open for business. The NAV for the Fund is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by its Shares outstanding.

 

In calculating its NAV, the 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. If such information is not available for a security held by the Fund or is determined to be unreliable, the security will be valued at fair value estimates by the Fund’s Valuation Designee (defined below), under guidelines established by the Board.

 

Fair Value Pricing  

 

The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by the Fund and its Valuation Designee in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by the Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

 

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Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes

 

Dividends and Distributions  

 

The Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to its shareholders. The Fund expects to declare and pay distributions, if any, annually, however it may declare and pay distributions more or less frequently. Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, will be distributed by the Fund annually.

 

Dividend Reinvestment Service  

 

Brokers may make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available to their customers who own the Fund’s Shares. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and capital gains will automatically be reinvested in additional whole Shares of the Fund purchased on the secondary market. Without this service, investors would receive their distributions in cash. In order to achieve the maximum total return on their investments, investors are encouraged to use the dividend reinvestment service. To determine whether the dividend reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker. Brokers may require the Fund’s shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables.

 

For taxable investors, distributions of the Fund’s taxable income or gain are taxable whether reinvested in Shares or received in cash.

 

Taxes  

 

The Fund intends to elect to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a RIC under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code.

 

As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Shares of the Fund will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information about certain U.S. tax considerations relevant under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. Such tax information does not represent a detailed description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you in light of your particular circumstances, including if you are subject to special tax treatment. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are “United States persons” (within the meaning of the Code) holding Shares as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes (generally, for investment). You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund’s Shares.

 

Unless your investment in the Fund’s Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when: (i) the Fund makes distributions; (ii) you sell your Shares listed on the Exchange; and (iii) you purchase or redeem Creation Units.

 

Taxes on Distributions  

 

The Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains income. For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary

 

32

 

 

 

income or qualified dividend income (as discussed below). Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Shares of the Fund. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by the 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. 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 of the Fund.

 

Distributions reported by the 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 by both the Fund and the shareholder. “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 the 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. The amount of the Fund’s distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities, if any.

 

Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from the Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, provided holding period and other requirements are met by both the Fund and the shareholder. The amount of the dividends qualifying for this deduction may, however, be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities, if any.

 

If the Fund were to retain any net capital gain, the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to shareholders who, if subject to U.S. federal income tax on long-term capital gains, (i) will be required to include in income as long-term capital gain, their proportionate share of such undistributed amount, and (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate share of the U.S. federal income tax paid by the Fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. If such an event occurs, the tax basis of Shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, generally be increased by the difference between the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder’s gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder.

 

The Fund may make distributions that are treated as a return of capital. Such distributions are generally not taxable but will reduce the basis of your Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the basis of your Shares, however, the excess will be treated as gain from a sale of the Shares.

 

Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the character of any distributions received from the Fund.

 

U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (including capital gains distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares of the Fund). 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.

 

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 the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the Shares’ NAV when you purchased your Shares of the Fund). Income from U.S. treasury securities is generally exempt from state and local taxes. Distributions paid from any interest income and from any short-term or long-term capital gains will be taxable whether you reinvest those distributions or receive them in

 

33

 

 

 

cash. Distributions paid from the Fund’s net long-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held your Shares.

 

You may wish to avoid investing in the Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable to you even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment. This adverse tax result is known as “buying into a dividend.”

 

Taxes When Shares are Sold

 

For federal income tax purposes, any gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares of a regulated investment company generally is treated as a capital gain or loss. However, due to the nature of the Fund’s investment strategy, the IRS could assert that gain recognized on a sale of Shares should be characterized as ordinary income.

 

If capital gain or loss is recognized on the sale of Shares, such gain is long-term capital gain or loss if those Shares have been held for more than 12 months and short-term capital gain or loss if those Shares have been held for 12 months 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 or undistributed capital gains deemed paid with respect to such Shares of the Fund. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent Shares of the Fund are acquired (or the shareholder enters into a contract or option to acquire Shares of the Fund), including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the sale of Shares. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an increase to the basis of the Shares acquired.

 

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans  

 

The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on and sales of Shares of the Fund held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless it borrowed to acquire the Shares.

 

U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign Shareholders  

 

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 or returns of capital) paid to you by the Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. The 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. For these purposes, interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends generally represent distributions of interest or short-term capital gains that would not have been subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the source if received directly by a foreign shareholder, and that satisfy certain other requirements.

 

Properly reported distributions by the Fund that are received by foreign shareholders are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax when they (a) are paid by the Fund in respect of the Fund’s “qualified net interest income” (i.e., the Fund’s U.S. source interest income, subject to certain exceptions, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income), or (b) are paid by the Fund in connection with the Fund’s “qualified short-term gains” (generally, the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital gains over the Fund’s long-term capital losses for such

 

34

 

 

 

tax year). However, depending on the circumstances, the Fund may report all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible distributions as derived from such qualified net interest income or from such qualified short-term gains, and a portion of such distributions (e.g., distributions attributable to interest from non-U.S. sources or any foreign currency gains) would be ineligible for this potential exemption from withholding.

 

If the Fund were to retain any net capital gain and designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to shareholders, foreign shareholders would be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to claim refunds of their portion of the tax paid by the Fund on deemed capital gain distributions.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on the sale of Fund Shares, except that a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a calendar year will be taxable on such gains and on Capital Gain Dividends from the Fund.

 

However, if a foreign investor conducts a trade or business in the United States and the investment in the Fund is effectively connected with that trade or business, then the foreign investor’s income from the Fund will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax at graduated rates in a manner similar to the income of a U.S. citizen or resident.

 

The Fund is generally required to withhold 30% on certain payments to shareholders that are foreign entities and that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.

 

The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described herein. All foreign investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences in their country of residence of an investment in the Fund.

 

Backup Withholding  

 

The Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns Shares of the Fund) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption 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 he, she or it is not subject to such backup withholding. A foreign investor can generally avoid such backup withholding by certifying his or her foreign status under penalties of perjury. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

 

Taxes on Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units  

 

An AP 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 market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the sum of the AP’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Any gain or loss realized by an AP upon a creation of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the AP holds the securities exchanged therefor as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally

 

35

 

 

 

be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held by the AP for more than 12 months, and otherwise will be short-term capital gain or loss.

 

The Company on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for a purchase of Creation Units if the AP (or a group of APs) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Company also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to an AP (or group of APs) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund, the AP (or group of APs) may not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.

 

An AP who redeems Creation Units will ordinarily recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units and the AP’s basis in the Creation Units. Any gain or loss realized by an AP upon a redemption of Creation Units would ordinarily be treated as capital gain or loss if the AP holds the Shares comprising the Creation Units as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units would ordinarily generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares comprising the Creation Units have been held by the AP for more than 12 months, and otherwise will generally be short-term capital gain or loss. Any capital loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable AP of long-term capital gains with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the AP as undistributed capital gains). However, any loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units will be disallowed to the extent Shares of the Fund are acquired (or the AP enters into a contract or option to acquire Shares of the Fund), including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the redemption. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an increase to the basis of the Shares acquired. Additionally, due to the nature of the Fund’s investment strategy, the IRS could assert that gain recognized on a sale of Shares should be characterized as ordinary income.

 

The 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. The Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the 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, which would generally not give rise to a taxable gain or loss for the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.

 

Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.

 

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You also may be subject to state and local tax on the Fund’s distributions and sales of Shares of the Fund. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares of the Fund under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES” in the SAI.

 

Distribution

 

The Distributor, Quasar Distributors, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group), is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the

 

36

 

 

 

policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101.

 

Additional Considerations

 

Payments to Financial Intermediaries  

 

The Adviser and its affiliates, out of their own resources and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may pay intermediaries, including affiliates of the Adviser, for the sale of Fund Shares and related services, including participation in activities that are designed to make intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products. Payments are generally made to intermediaries that provide shareholder servicing, marketing and related sales support, educational training or support, or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. Payments may also be made to intermediaries for making Shares of the Fund available to their customers generally and in investment programs. The Adviser and its affiliates may also reimburse expenses or make payments from their own resources to intermediaries in consideration of services or other activities the Adviser believes may facilitate investment in the Fund.

 

The possibility of receiving, or the receipt of, the payments described above may provide intermediaries or their salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Shares of the Fund, and other funds whose affiliates make similar compensation available, over other investments that do not make such payments. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to the Fund and other ETFs.

 

Premium/Discount Information  

 

Information regarding how often the Fund’s Shares traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV is available, free of charge, on the Fund’s website at www.fminvest.com.

 

Continuous Offering  

 

The method by which Creation Units are purchased and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

 

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

 

37

 

 

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available with respect to such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker dealer-firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with Fund Shares that are part of an over-allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(a) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares of the Fund are reminded that under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Fund’s Prospectus is available on the SEC’s electronic filing system. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 of the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

 

Additional Information  

 

The Fund enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including, among others, the Fund’s Adviser, who provides services to the Fund. Shareholders are not parties to, nor intended (or “third party”) beneficiaries of, those contractual arrangements.

 

The Prospectus and the SAI provide information concerning the Fund that you should consider in determining whether to purchase Shares of the Fund. The Fund may make changes to this information from time to time. Neither this Prospectus nor the SAI is intended to give rise to any contract rights or other rights in any shareholder, other than any rights conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.

 

NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUND’S SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.

 

38

 

 

 

Financial Highlights

 

The table below sets forth certain financial information for the period indicated for the F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Fund. Total returns in the table represent the rate an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from the Fund’s financial statements and has been audited by [  ], the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. This information should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s financial statements, which, together with the report of the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, are included in the Fund’s [Annual Report], which is available upon request.

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS  

 

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

 
F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF   YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2026   PERIOD
ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2025(a)
 
PER SHARE DATA:            
Net asset value, beginning of period $ [ ]   $ 100.00  
INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:            
Net investment loss(b)(c)   [ ]     (0.02 )
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments(d)   [ ]     0.46  
Total from investment operations   [ ]     0.44  
Net asset value, end of period $ [ ]   $ 100.44  
TOTAL RETURN(e)   [ ] %   0.44 %
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:            
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) $ [ ]   $ 3,515  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets(f)(g)   [ ] %   0.39 %
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets(f)   [ ] %   (0.39 )%
Portfolio turnover rate(e)(h)   [ ] %   0 %

 

(a)

Inception date of the Fund was August 11, 2025.

(b)

Net Investment income per share has been calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.

(c)

Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying exchange traded funds in which the Fund invests. The ratio does not include net investment income of the exchange traded funds in which the Fund invests.

(d)

Realized and unrealized gains and losses per share in the caption are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net asset value per share for the period, and may not reconcile with the aggregate gains and losses in the Statement of Operations due to share transactions for the period.

(e)

Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(f)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

(g)

These ratios exclude the impact of expenses of the underlying exchange traded funds as represented in the Schedule of Investments. Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the underlying exchange traded funds in which the Fund invests.

(h)

Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

 

39

 

 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

F/m Investments LLC
900 19th Street NW, Suite 203
Washington, DC 20006

 

ADMINISTRATOR AND
TRANSFER AGENT

 

U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201-0701

 

CUSTODIAN

 

U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North River Center Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

[  ]

UNDERWRITER

 

Quasar Distributors, LLC

190 Middle Street, Suite 301

Portland, Maine 04101

 

COUNSEL

 

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

 

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41

 

 

 

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42

 

 

 

For More Information

 

For more information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:

 

Annual/Semiannual Reports  

 

Additional information about the Fund’s investments is included in the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports to shareholders. The annual report contains a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its most recently completed fiscal year. The Fund’s annual reports and semi-annual reports to shareholders are available at the Fund’s website at www.fminvest.com or by calling 1-800-617-0004.

 

Statement of Additional Information  

 

The SAI dated [ ], 2026, provides more details about the Fund and its policies. The current SAI is on file with the SEC and is incorporated by reference into (and is legally a part of) this Prospectus.

 

OBTAIN INFORMATION

 

The SAI is available, without charge, upon request along with the semiannual and annual reports (when available). To obtain a free copy of the SAI, semiannual or annual reports or if you have questions about the Fund:

 

By Internet  

 

Go to www.fminvest.com.

 

By Telephone  

 

Call 1-800-617-0004 or your securities dealer.

 

From the SEC  

 

Information about the Fund (including the SAI) and other information about the Fund is available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending an electronic request to publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

Investment Company Act File Number 811-05518

 

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The information in this Statement of Additional Information 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 state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion

 

Dated October 30, 2026

 

F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (CPAG)

 

A series of The RBB Fund, Inc.

900 19th Street NW, Suite 203

Washington, DC 20006

 

Statement of Additional Information
Dated [ ], 2026

 

The F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (the “Fund”) is a diversified series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”), an open-end management investment company organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988.

 

F/m Investments LLC serves as the investment adviser (the “Adviser”) to the Fund.

 

Information about the Fund is set forth in the prospectus dated [ ], 2026 (the “Prospectus”), and provides the basic information you should know before investing. To obtain a copy of the Prospectus and/or the Fund’s [Annual and Semi-Annual Reports], please call 1-800-617-0004. The financial statements and notes contained in the [Annual Report on Form N-CSR for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026] are incorporated by reference into this SAI. No other part of the annual report is incorporated by reference herein.

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus but contains information in addition to and more detailed than that set forth in the Prospectus. It is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. This SAI is intended to provide you with additional information regarding the activities and operations of the Fund and the Company, and it should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus.

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Fund History

1

Investment Policies and Practices

1

Investment Restrictions

10

Exchange Listing and Trading

11

Management of the Company

12

Code of Ethics

22

Principal Holders

22

Investment Advisory Agreement

22

Portfolio Managers

25

Underwriter

23

Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units

25

Portfolio Holdings Information

31

Determination of Net Asset Value

33

Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes

34

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

36

Securities Lending

37

Proxy Voting Procedures

37

Payments To Financial Intermediaries

37

Additional Information Concerning Company Shares

38

General Information

39

Financial Statements

40

Appendix A

A-1

Appendix B

B-1

 

 

 

FUND HISTORY

 

The Company is an open-end management investment company currently consisting of [  ] separate portfolios. The Company is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and was organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988. This SAI pertains to shares of the F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF. F/m Investments LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

 

The investment objective of the Fund is to generate total return through exposure to U.S. investment-grade aggregate bonds, while minimizing dividend and/or distribution payments.

 

The Fund offers and issues shares at its net asset value (“NAV”) per share (“Shares”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each a “Creation Unit”). The Fund also 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 Company 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. The Shares of the Fund are intended to be listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”) and trade on the Exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the Fund’s NAV. The Shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment. Creation Units generally consist of 10,000 Shares, though this may change from time to time.

 

Shares of the Fund may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Company cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities as set forth in the Participant Agreement (as defined below). The Company may impose a transaction fee for each creation or redemption (the “Transaction Fee”). In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. The Fund may charge, either in lieu or in addition to the fixed creation or redemption Transaction Fee, a variable fee for creations and redemptions in order to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction, up to a maximum of 2.00% of the NAV per Creation Unit, inclusive of any Transaction Fees charged (if applicable).

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES

 

The Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described in the Prospectus. The sections below describe some of the different types of investments that may be made by the Fund as part of its non-principal investment strategy. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.

 

With respect to the 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.

 

During unusual economic or market conditions, or for temporary defensive or liquidity purposes, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in money market instruments that would not ordinarily be consistent with the Fund’s objective.

 

There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund may not necessarily invest in all of the instruments or use all of the investment techniques permitted by the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI, or invest in such instruments or engage in such techniques to the full extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and limitations.

 

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Principal Investment Policies and Risks

 

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments

 

The Fund may invest in cash, cash equivalents, and a variety of short-term instruments in such proportions as warranted by prevailing market conditions and the Fund’s principal investment strategies. The Fund may temporarily invest without limit in such instruments for liquidity purposes, or in an attempt to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such periods, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.

 

Short-term instruments include obligations of the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities (see “U.S. Government Securities” below) and, without limitation, the following:

 

(1) Certificates of Deposit. The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or savings and loan association. Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return, and are normally negotiable. If such certificates of deposit are non-negotiable, they will be considered illiquid investments and be subject to the Fund’s 15% restriction on investments in illiquid investments. Pursuant to the certificate of deposit, the issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Under current FDIC regulations, the maximum insurance payable as to any one certificate of deposit is $250,000; therefore, certificates of deposit purchased by the Fund may not be fully insured.

 

(2) Bankers’ Acceptances. The Fund may invest in bankers’ acceptances, which are short-term credit instruments used to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of interest for a specific maturity.

 

(3) Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements which involve purchases of debt securities. In such an action, at the time the Fund purchases the security, it simultaneously agrees to resell and redeliver the security to the seller, who also simultaneously agrees to buy back the security at a fixed price and time. This assures a predetermined yield for the Fund during its holding period since the resale price is always greater than the purchase price and reflects an agreed-upon market rate. Such actions afford an opportunity for the Fund to invest temporarily available cash. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to certain obligations. For the Fund, collateral may consist of any fixed income security which is an eligible investment for the Fund entering into the repurchase agreement. The Fund’s custodian will hold the securities underlying any repurchase agreement, or the securities will be part of the Federal Reserve/Treasury Book Entry System. The market value of the collateral underlying the repurchase agreement will be determined on each business day. If at any time the market value of the collateral falls below the repurchase price under the repurchase agreement (including any accrued interest), the Fund will promptly receive additional collateral (so the total collateral is an amount at least equal to the repurchase price plus accrued interest). Repurchase agreements may be considered loans to the seller, collateralized by the underlying securities. The risk to the Fund is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon sum on the repurchase date; in the event of default, the repurchase agreement provides that the Fund are entitled to sell the underlying collateral. If the value of the collateral declines after the agreement is entered into, however, and if the seller defaults under a repurchase agreement when the value of the underlying collateral is less than the repurchase price, the Fund could incur a loss of both principal and interest. The portfolio managers monitor the value of the collateral at the time the action is entered into and at all times during the term of the repurchase agreement. The portfolio managers do so in an effort to determine that the value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price to be paid to the Fund. If the seller were to be subject to a federal bankruptcy proceeding, the ability of the Fund to liquidate the collateral could be delayed or impaired because of certain provisions of the bankruptcy laws.

 

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(4) Bank Time Deposits. The Fund may invest in bank time deposits, which are monies kept on deposit with banks or savings and loan associations for a stated period of time at a fixed rate of interest. There may be penalties for the early withdrawal of such time deposits, in which case the yields of these investments will be reduced.

 

(5) Eurodollar and Yankee Instruments. The Fund may invest in Eurodollar certificates of deposit issued by foreign branches of U.S. or foreign banks; Eurodollar time deposits, which are U.S. dollar-denominated deposits in foreign branches of U.S. or foreign banks; and Yankee certificates of deposit, which are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by U.S. branches of foreign banks and held in the United States. In each instance, the Fund may only invest in bank instruments issued by an institution which has capital, surplus and undivided profits of more than $100 million or the deposits of which are insured by the Bank Insurance Fund or the Savings Association Insurance Fund.

 

(6) Money Market Funds and Short-Term Debt Funds. The Fund may invest in money market funds. The Fund will bear its proportionate share of the money market fund’s fees and expenses (see “Other Investment Companies” below). The Fund may hold securities of other mutual funds that invest primarily in debt obligations with remaining maturities of 13 months or less.

 

(7) Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which are transactions in which the Fund sells a security and simultaneously agrees to repurchase that security from the seller at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon future date, normally, one to seven days later. The securities subject to the reverse repurchase agreement will be marked-to-market daily.

 

Reverse repurchase agreements must be continuously collateralized and the collateral must have market value at least equal to the value of the Fund’s loaned securities, plus accrued interest. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained in lieu of sale by the Fund may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold but is obliged to repurchase. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities. During that time, the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement effectively may be restricted. Finally, it is possible that 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.

 

Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act provides for the regulation of a registered investment company’s use of derivatives and related instruments. Rule 18f-4 prescribes specific value-at-risk leverage limits for certain derivatives users and requires certain derivatives users to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program (including the appointment of a derivatives risk manager and the implementation of certain testing requirements), and prescribes reporting requirements in respect of derivatives. Subject to certain conditions, if a fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user,” as defined in Rule 18f-4, it is not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, including certain tender option bonds, Rule 18f-4 permits a fund to enter into such transactions if a fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under Rule 18f-4. The Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with Rule 18f-4. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

 

The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate

 

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controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of a counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract.

 

Illiquid Investments

 

Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act (the “Liquidity Rule”), the Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment as defined in Rule 22e-4 is an investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions within 7 calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. These investments may include restricted securities and repurchase agreements maturing in more than 7 days. Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and thus may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or pursuant to an exemption from registration. Subject to the adoption of guidelines by the Board of Directors of the Company (“Board”), certain restricted securities that may be sold to institutional investors pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and non-exempt commercial paper may be determined to be liquid by the Adviser. Illiquid investments involve the risk that the investments will not be able to be sold at the time the Adviser desires or at prices approximating the value at which the Fund is carrying the investments. To the extent an investment held by the Fund is deemed to be an illiquid investment or a less liquid investment, the Fund will be exposed to a greater liquidity risk.

 

The Company has implemented a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to identify illiquid investments pursuant to Rule 22e-4. If the limitation on illiquid investments is exceeded, the condition will be reported to the Board and, when required by the Liquidity Rule, to the SEC.

 

Inflation-Protected Securities

 

The Fund may invest in inflation-protected securities. Inflation-protected securities are fixed income securities designed to provide protection against the negative effects 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 inflation accruals as part of a semiannual coupon.

 

Inflation-protected securities issued by the U.S. Treasury (also known as “TIPS”) have maturities of varying durations. 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 the Fund purchased an inflation-protected 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 was 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 year’s 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 U.S. Treasury inflation-protected securities 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-protected bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate. Other inflation-protected securities that accrue inflation into their principal value 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-protected securities 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

 

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increase in value of inflation-protected securities. 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-protected securities.

 

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-protected 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 protected securities 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. If the market perceives that the adjustment mechanism of an inflation-protected security does not accurately adjust for inflation, the value of the security could be adversely affected.

 

While inflation-protected securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. The calculation of the inflation index ratio for inflation-protected securities issued by the U.S. Treasury incorporates an approximate three-month lag, which may have an effect on the trading price of the securities, particularly during periods of significant, rapid changes in the inflation index. To the extent that inflation has increased during the three months prior to an interest payment, that interest payment will not be protected from the inflation increase. Further, to the extent that inflation has increased during the final three months of a security’s maturity, the final value of the security will not be protected against that increase, which will negatively impact the value of the security. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in inflation-protected securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond’s inflation measure.

 

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-protected security will be considered taxable income to the Fund, even though the Fund does not receive its principal until maturity.

 

Lending Portfolio Securities

 

The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and financial institutions in an amount not exceeding 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets. These loans will be secured by collateral (consisting of cash, U.S. Government Securities, or irrevocable letters of credit) maintained in an amount equal to at least 100% of the market value, determined daily, of the loaned securities. The Fund may, subject to certain notice requirements, at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned. The Fund will be entitled to payments equal to the interest and dividends on the loaned securities and may receive a premium for lending the securities. The advantage of such loans is that the Fund continues to receive the income on the loaned securities while earning interest on the cash amounts deposited as collateral, which will be invested in short-term investments.

 

A loan may be terminated by the borrower on one business day’s notice, or by the Company on two business days’ notice. If the borrower fails to deliver the loaned securities within four days after receipt of notice, the Company may use the collateral to replace the securities while holding the borrower liable for any excess of replacement cost exceeding the collateral. As with any extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery and, in some cases, even loss of rights in the collateral, should the borrower of the securities fail financially. In addition, securities lending involves a form of leverage, and the Fund may incur a loss if securities purchased with the collateral from securities loans decline in value or if the income earned does not cover the Fund’s transaction costs. However, loans of securities will be made only to companies the Board deems to be creditworthy (such creditworthiness will be monitored on an ongoing basis) and when the income that can be earned from such loans justifies the attendant risks. Upon termination of the loan, the borrower is required to return the securities. Any gain or loss in the market price during the loan period would inure to the Fund.

 

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When voting or consent rights that accompany loaned securities pass to the borrower, the Company will follow the policy of calling the loaned securities, to be delivered within one day after notice, to permit the exercise of such rights if the matters involved would have a material effect on the investment in such loaned securities. The Fund will pay reasonable finder’s, administrative, and custodial fees in connection with loans of securities.

 

LIBOR Transition Risk

 

Many financial instruments were historically tied to the London Interbank Offered Rate, or “LIBOR,” to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies, or investment value. As of June 30, 2023, almost all settings of LIBOR have ceased to be published. Certain widely used U.S. dollar LIBORs were published on a temporary, synthetic and non- representative basis through at least September 30, 2024. In some instances, regulators have restricted new use of LIBORs prior to the date when synthetic LIBORs will cease to be published. SOFR, which has been used increasingly on a voluntary basis in new instruments and transactions, is a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities in the repurchase agreement market.

 

On December 16, 2022, the Federal Reserve Board adopted regulations implementing the Adjustable Interest Rate Act, which provides a statutory fallback mechanism to replace LIBOR, by identifying benchmark rates based on SOFR that will replace LIBOR in certain financial contracts after June 30, 2023. These regulations apply only to contracts governed by U.S. law, among other limitations. The regulations include provisions that (i) provide a safe harbor for selection or use of a replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board; (ii) clarify who may choose the replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board; and (iii) ensure that contracts adopting a replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board will not be interrupted or terminated following the replacement of LIBOR.

 

Uncertainty related to the liquidity impact of the change in rates, and how to appropriately adjust these rates at the time of transition, poses risks for the Fund. The transition away from LIBOR could have a significant impact on the financial markets in general and may also present heightened risk to market participants, including public companies, investment advisers, investment companies, and broker-dealers. The risks associated with this discontinuation and transition will be exacerbated if the work necessary to effect an orderly transition to an alternative reference rate is not completed in a timely manner. For example, current information technology systems may be unable to accommodate new instruments and rates with features that differ from LIBOR. Accordingly, it is difficult to predict the full impact of the transition away from LIBOR on the Fund until new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new instruments and contracts are commercially accepted and market practices become settled.

 

Other Investment Companies

 

The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts, and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) registered under the 1940 Act that invest primarily in Fund eligible investments. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund’s investment in such securities is generally limited to 3% of the total voting stock of any one investment company; 5% of the Fund’s total assets with respect to any one investment company; and 10% of the Fund’s total assets in the aggregate. The Fund’s investments in other investment companies may include money market mutual funds. Investments in money market funds are not subject to the percentage limitations set forth above.

 

The SEC has adopted revisions to the rules permitting funds to invest in other investment companies in excess of the limits described above. While Rule 12d1-4 permits more types of fund of fund arrangements without reliance on an exemptive order or no-action letters, it imposes new conditions, including limits on control and voting of acquired funds' shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements, and limits on

 

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most three-tier fund structures. Rule 12d1-4 went into effect on January 19, 2021. The rescission of the applicable exemptive orders and the withdrawal of the applicable no-action letters was effective on January 19, 2022.

 

ETFs in which the Fund may invest are a type of index fund bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF trades like common stock and represents a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. ETFs can give exposure to all or a portion of the U.S. market, a foreign market, a region, a commodity, a currency, or to any other index that an ETF tracks. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile and ETFs have management fees that increase their costs. An ETF may fail to accurately track the returns of the market segment or index that it is designed to track, and the price of an ETF’s shares may fluctuate. In addition, because they, unlike traditional mutual funds, are traded on an exchange, ETFs are subject to the following risks: (i) the performance of the ETF may not replicate the performance of the underlying index that it is designed to track; (ii) the market price of the ETF’s shares may trade at a premium or discount to the ETF’s NAV; (iii) an active trading market for an ETF may not develop or be maintained; and (iv) there is no assurance that the requirements of the exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the ETF will continue to be met or remain unchanged. Trading in an ETF may be halted if the trading in one or more of the ETF’s underlying securities is halted, which could result in the ETF being more volatile. In the event substantial market or other disruptions affecting ETFs should occur in the future, the liquidity and value of the Fund’s Shares could also be substantially and adversely affected.

 

If the Fund invests in other investment companies, Fund shareholders will bear not only their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses, but also, indirectly, the similar expenses of the underlying investment companies. Shareholders would also be exposed to the risks associated not only with the Fund, but also with the portfolio investments of the underlying investment companies. Shares of certain closed-end funds may at times be acquired at market prices representing premiums to their NAVs. Shares acquired at a premium to their NAV may be more likely to subsequently decline in price, resulting in a loss to the Fund and its shareholders.

 

U.S. Government Securities

 

The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest, which are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. government agency securities include securities issued by (a) the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, and the Government National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; (b) the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, whose securities are supported by the right of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (c) the Federal National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and (d) the Student Loan Marketing Association, whose securities are supported only by its credit. While the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it always will do so since it is not so obligated by law. The U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities, and consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate.

 

U.S. Treasury obligations include separately traded interest and principal component parts of such obligations, known as Separately Traded Registered Interest and Principal Securities (“STRIPS”), which are transferable through the Federal book-entry system. STRIPS are sold as zero-coupon securities, which means that they are sold at a substantial discount and redeemed at face value at their maturity date without interim cash payments of interest or principal. This discount is accreted over the life of the security, and such accretion will constitute the income earned on the security for both accounting and tax purposes. Because of these features, such securities may be subject to greater interest rate volatility than interest paying U.S. Treasury obligations.

 

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Additionally, from time to time, uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the U.S. government to increase the statutory debt ceiling could impact the creditworthiness of the United States and could impact the liquidity of the U.S. Government securities markets and ultimately the Fund.

 

When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions

 

The Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis. When such a transaction is negotiated, the purchase price is fixed at the time the purchase commitment is entered, but delivery of and payment for the securities take place at a later date. The Fund will not accrue income with respect to securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis prior to their stated delivery date.

 

The purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis exposes the Fund to risk because the securities may decrease in value prior to delivery. In addition, the Fund’s purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis while remaining substantially fully invested could increase the amount of the Fund’s total assets that are subject to market risk, resulting in increased sensitivity of NAV to changes in market prices. A seller’s failure to deliver securities to the Fund could prevent the Fund from realizing a price or yield considered to be advantageous.

 

When the Fund agrees to purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, the Fund will segregate cash or liquid securities in an amount sufficient to meet the Fund’s purchase commitments. It may be expected that the Fund’s net assets will fluctuate to a greater degree when it sets aside securities to cover such purchase commitments than when it sets aside cash. In addition, because the Fund will set aside cash or liquid securities to satisfy its purchase commitments, its liquidity and the ability of the Adviser to manage it might be affected in the event its commitments to purchase when-issued or delayed delivery securities ever became significant. Under normal market conditions, however, the Fund’s commitments to purchase when-issued or delayed delivery securities will not exceed 25% of the value of its total assets.

 

Zero-Coupon and Step Coupon Securities

 

The Fund may invest in zero-coupon and step coupon securities. Zero-coupon securities pay no cash income to their holders until they mature. When held to maturity, their entire return comes from the difference between their purchase price and their maturity value. Step coupon securities are debt securities that may not pay interest for a specified period of time and then, after the initial period, may pay interest at a series of different rates. Both zero-coupon and step coupon securities are issued at substantial discounts from their value at maturity. Because interest on these securities is not paid on a current basis, the values of securities of this type are subject to greater fluctuations than are the value of securities that distribute income regularly and may be more speculative than such securities. Accordingly, the values of these securities may be highly volatile as interest rates rise or fall. In addition, while such securities generate income for purposes of generally accepted accounting standards, they do not generate cash flow and thus could cause the Fund to be forced to liquidate securities at an inopportune time in order to distribute cash, as required by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

Temporary Investments

 

During periods of adverse market or economic conditions, the Fund may temporarily invest all or a substantial portion of its assets in high-quality, fixed-income securities, money market instruments, and shares of money market mutual funds, or it may hold cash. At such times, the Fund would not be pursuing its stated investment objective with its usual investment strategies. The Fund may also hold these investments for liquidity purposes. Fixed-income securities will be deemed to be of high quality if they are rated “A” or better by Standard & Poors or Moody’s or, if unrated, are determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. Money market instruments are high-quality, short-term fixed-income obligations (which generally have remaining maturities of one year or less) and may include U.S. Government Securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and banker’s acceptances issued by

 

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domestic branches of U.S. banks that are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and repurchase agreements for U.S. Government Securities. In lieu of purchasing money market instruments, the Fund may purchase shares of money market mutual funds that invest primarily in U.S. Government Securities and repurchase agreements involving those securities, subject to certain limitations imposed by the 1940 Act. The Fund, as an investor in a money market fund, will indirectly bear that fund’s fees and expenses, which will be in addition to the fees and expenses of the Fund. Repurchase agreements involve certain risks not associated with direct investments in debt securities.

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

Portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the time they have been held when investment considerations warrant such action. A higher portfolio turnover rate would result in higher brokerage costs to the Fund and could also result in the realization of larger amounts of capital gains, including short-term capital gains. Capital gains are generally taxable when distributed to shareholders, and distributions of short-term capital gains are generally taxable at ordinary income tax rates. For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund was [ ]%.

 

Pandemic Risk

 

Disease outbreaks that affect local economies or the global economy may materially and adversely impact the Fund and/or the Adviser’s business. For example, uncertainties regarding the novel Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) outbreak resulted in serious economic disruptions across the globe. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the worldwide economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial health of individual companies and the market in general in significant and unforeseen ways. On May 5, 2023, the World Health Organization declared the end of the global emergency status for COVID-19. The United States subsequently ended the federal COVID-19 public health emergency declaration effective May 11, 2023. Although vaccines for COVID-19 are widely available, it is unknown how long certain circumstances 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 the Fund’s performance.

 

Cyber Security Risk

 

The Fund and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, or lose operational capacity. Breaches in cyber security 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 cyber-attacks. Cyber security breaches affecting the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber security breaches may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such companies to lose value. While the Fund and its service providers have established IT and data security programs and have in place business continuity plans and other systems designed to prevent losses and mitigate cyber security risk, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified or that cyber-attacks may be highly sophisticated. Furthermore, the Fund has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund and the Adviser.

 

9

 

 

 

RIC Compliance Risk

 

The Fund has elected to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. To continue to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a RIC, the Fund must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify for the special federal income tax treatment afforded to RICs, all of the Fund’s taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (without any deduction for distributions to its shareholders) and its income available for distribution will be reduced. Under certain circumstances, the Fund could cure a failure to qualify as a RIC, but in order to do so, the Fund could incur significant Fund-level taxes and could be forced to dispose of certain assets.

 

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

 

Fundamental Policies

 

The Company has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Fund. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to the Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of the 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 the 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 the Fund.

 

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not concentrate its investments (i.e., hold more than 25% of its total assets) in any industry or group of related industries, except that the Fund (1) will concentrate its investments in shares of affiliated and unaffiliated underlying funds that are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, more specifically, underlying ETFs (together, the “Underlying Funds”), and (2) may not concentrate its investments (i.e., hold more than 25% of its total assets) in any industry or group of related industries, except that the Fund may concentrate to approximately the same extent as its Underlying Funds in any industry or group of industries. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities, and tax-exempt securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry. For the purposes of this restriction, industry classifications are determined for the Fund in accordance with the industry or sub-industry classifications established by the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). The Fund may use other classification titles, standards and systems from time to time, as it determines to be in the best interests of shareholders. These classifications are not fundamental policies of the Fund. The Fund may invest in underlying funds or ETFs that may concentrate their assets in one or more industries. The Fund will consider the investments of the underlying funds and ETFs in which it invests in determining compliance with this fundamental restriction.

 

Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the Fund may not:

 

 

1

Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

 

2

Make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

 

3

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 or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.

 

10

 

 

 

 

4

Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except as permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended, and as interpreted or modified by the regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time.

 

 

5

Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

 

6

With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of an issuer (other than (i) securities issued by other investment companies, (ii) securities issued by the U.S. government, its agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, or (iii) repurchase agreements fully collateralized by U.S. government securities) if (a) such purchase would, at the time, cause more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets taken at market value to be invested in the securities of such issuer; or (b) such purchase would, at the time, result in more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer being held by the Fund.

 

Non-Fundamental Policies

 

In addition to the foregoing fundamental investment policies, the Fund is also subject to the following non-fundamental restrictions and policies, which may be changed by the Board of Directors. The Fund may not:

 

 

1

Acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments.

 

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 limitations with respect to the borrowing of money and illiquid investments will be observed continuously. If the percentage of the Fund’s net assets invested in illiquid investments exceeds 15% due to market activity or changes in the Fund’s portfolio, the Fund will take appropriate measures to reduce its holdings of illiquid investments as soon as reasonably practicable, in a manner consistent with prudent management and the interests of the Fund.

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

Shares of the F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Exchange.

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund will meet or 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 of the Fund under any of the following circumstances: (i) if any of the requirements set forth in the Exchange rules are not continuously maintained; (ii) if the Exchange files separate proposals under Section 19(b) of the 1940 Act and any of the statements regarding (a) the description of the Fund; (b) limitations on the Fund’s portfolio holdings or reference assets; (c) dissemination and availability of the intraday indicative values; or (d) the applicability of the Exchange listing rules specified in such proposals are not continuously maintained; (iii) if, following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of Shares of the Fund; (iv) if the intraday indicative value is no longer disseminated at least every 15 seconds during the Exchange’s regular market session and the interruption to the dissemination persists past the trading day in which it occurred; or (v) 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 from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.

 

The Company reserves the right to adjust the price levels of its 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 Fund.

 

11

 

 

 

As in the case of other stocks traded on the Exchange, broker’s commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

 

To provide additional information regarding the indicative value of Shares, the Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates information every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association, or other widely disseminated means, an updated “intraday indicative value” (“IIV”) for the Fund as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Company is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIVs and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIVs.

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the oversight of the Board, subject to the laws of the State of Maryland and the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as supplemented and amended (the “Charter”). The Directors are responsible for deciding matters of overall policy and overseeing the actions of the Company’s service providers. The officers of the Company conduct and supervise the Company’s daily business operations.

 

Directors who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) are referred to as “Independent Directors.” Directors who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company are referred to as “Interested Directors.” The Board is currently composed of five Independent Directors and two Interested Directors. The Board has selected Arnold M. Reichman, an Independent Director, to act as Chair. Mr. Reichman’s duties include presiding at meetings of the Board and interfacing with management to address significant issues that may arise between regularly scheduled Board and Committee meetings. In the performance of his duties, Mr. Reichman will consult with the other Independent Directors and the Company’s officers and legal counsel, as appropriate. The Chair may perform other functions as requested by the Board from time to time.

 

The Board meets as often as necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Currently, the Board conducts regular, in-person meetings at least four times a year, and holds special in-person or telephonic meetings as necessary to address specific issues that require attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Board also relies on professionals, such as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms and legal counsel, to assist the Directors in performing their oversight responsibilities.

 

The Board has established seven standing committees — Audit, Contract, Executive, Nominating and Governance, Product Development, Regulatory Oversight, and Valuation Committees (each a “Committee” and together, the “Committees”). The Board may establish other committees, or nominate one or more Directors to examine particular issues related to the Board’s oversight responsibilities, from time to time. Each Committee meets periodically to perform its delegated oversight functions and reports its findings and recommendations to the Board. For more information on the Committees, see the section entitled “Standing Committees.”

 

The Board has also established an Advisory Board whose members are not “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who serve in a consultative capacity to the Board, providing non-binding advice to the Board regarding the oversight of the affairs of the Company (each, an “Advisory Board Member”). An Advisory Board Member participates in Board discussions and reviews Board materials relating to the Fund, but is not a Director, has no power to vote on any matter presented to the Board, and has no power to act on behalf of or otherwise bind the Board, the Directors or any committee of the Board. The Board appointed Eugene Podsiadlo as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

The Board has determined that the Company’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to effectively perform its oversight responsibilities.

 

12

 

 

 

Directors, Advisory Board Members and Executive Officers

 

The Directors, Advisory Board Members, and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth in this section.

 

Name,
Address, and
Year of Birth

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and Length
of
Time Served(1)

Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past 5
Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Gregory P. Chandler 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1966

Director

2012 to present

Since 2025 Financial Consultant; from 2020-2025, Chief Financial Officer, HC Parent Corp (life sciences consulting services).

[...]

FS Specialty Lending Corp (previously Energy and Power Fund) (registered investment company); Wilmington Funds (10 portfolios) (registered investment company).

Lisa A. Dolly

615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53202

Year of Birth: 1966

Director

October 2021 to present

Independent Director.

[...]

Allfunds Group PLC (United Kingdom wealthtech and fund distribution provider); Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (trade association for broker dealers, investment banks and asset managers); Hightower Advisors (wealth management firm); Cohen & Steers, Inc. (global investment manager).

Nicholas A. Giordano 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1943

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

[...]

None.

Arnold M. Reichman

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1948

Chair Director

2005 to present 1991 to present

Retired.

[...]

None.

 

13

 

 

 

Name,
Address, and
Year of Birth

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and Length
of
Time Served(1)

Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past 5
Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

Martha A. Tirinnanzi 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Director

January 2024 to present

Since 2014, Instructor, The Institute for Financial Markets; from 2013-2023, President and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Standards, Inc. (consulting firm); from 2020-2022, Adjunct Professor of Finance and Accounting, The Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business.

[...]

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (“ICE”) (financial services company and operator of global exchanges and clearinghouses); ICE Mortgage Services, LLC (a subsidiary of ICE); ICE Mortgage Technology, Inc. (a subsidiary of ICE).

INTERESTED DIRECTORS(2)

Robert Sablowsky 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1938

Vice Chair Director

2016 to present 1991 to present

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

[...]

None.

Brian T. Shea 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Director

2018 to present

Independent Director.

[...]

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company); Barclays PLC, Barclays Bank PLC and Barclays Execution Services Limited (financial services companies).

DISINTERESTED ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS(3)

Eugene Podsiadlo 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1957

Advisory Board Member

October 2025 to present

Since 2023, Senior Advisor and Limited Partner, AI Capital, LLC; since 2020, Senior Advisor and Industry Council Member, Cross Creek Advisors; from February-June 2023, Executive Vice President of Clearbrook, LLC; from 2020-2022, Registered Securities Principal and Representative, March Capital.

N/A

None.

 

14

 

 

 

Name,
Address, and
Year of Birth

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and Length
of
Time Served(1)

Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past 5
Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

OFFICERS

Steven Plump 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1959

President

August 2022 to present

From 2011 to 2021, Executive Vice President, PIMCO LLC.

N/A

N/A

Salvatore Faia, JD, CPA, CFE Vigilant Compliance, LLC Gateway Corporate Center, Suite 216 223 Wilmington West Chester Pike Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Year of Birth: 1962

Chief Compliance Officer

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company); since 2021, Chief Compliance Officer of The RBB Fund Trust; President of The RBB Fund Trust from 2021 to 2022; President of The RBB Fund, Inc. from 2009 to 2022.

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Chief Financial Officer and Secretary Chief Operating Officer

2016 to present August 2022 to present

Since 2022, Chief Operating Officer of The RBB Fund Trust; since 2021, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of The RBB Fund Trust.

N/A

N/A

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

Year of Birth: 1974

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2021, Director of Marketing & Business Development of The RBB Fund Trust.

N/A

N/A

Thomas Reynolds 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

September 2024 to present

Since 2024, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of The RBB Fund Trust; from 2023 to 2024, Vice President of Virtus Investment Partners; from 2020 to 2023, CFO of Stone Harbor Investment Partners LP.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1982

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2020, Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Joshua Solin 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1988

Assistant Treasurer

January 2025 to present

Since 2023, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm); from 2021 to 2023, Officer, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services.

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1971

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

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

N/A

N/A

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

Year of Birth: 1979

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Since 2017, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

 

15

 

 

 

 

*

Each Director oversees [  ] portfolios of the fund complex, consisting of the series in the Company ([  ] portfolios) and The RBB Fund Trust ([  ] portfolios).

 

1.

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

 

2.

Messrs. Sablowsky and Shea are considered “interested persons” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and are referred to as “Interested Directors.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as a senior officer of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer. Mr. Shea is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position on the Board of Barclays Bank plc, a multinational bank.

 

3.

A Disinterested Advisory Board Member is an Advisory Board Member that is not an “interested person” of the Company within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his or her qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Ms. Dolly has over three decades of experience in the financial services industry, and she has demonstrated her leadership and management abilities by serving in numerous senior executive-level positions. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations

 

16

 

 

 

and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing, banking, and investment services industry, including service on the boards of public companies, industry regulatory organizations and a university. Ms. Tirinnanzi has over 20 years of strategic, regulatory and operational management experience in the financial and mortgage industries, including service on the boards of a public company and real estate investment trust, and brings to the Board her expertise regarding derivatives markets and related businesses.

 

Standing Committees

 

The responsibilities of each Committee of the Board and its members are described below.

 

Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Audit Committee are Ms. Tirinnanzi and Messrs. Chandler and Giordano. The Audit Committee, among other things, reviews results of the annual audit and approves the firm(s) to serve as independent auditors. The Audit Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Contract Committee. The Board has a Contract Committee comprised of an Interested Director and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Contract Committee are Mses. Dolly and Tirinnanzi and Mr. Sablowsky. The Contract Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board regarding the approval and continuation of agreements and plans of the Company. The Contract Committee convened five times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Executive Committee. The Board has an Executive Committee comprised of an Interested Director and three Independent Directors. The current members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano, Reichman and Sablowsky. The Executive Committee may generally carry on and manage the business of the Company when the Board is not in session. The Executive Committee did not meet during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has a Nominating and Governance Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano and Reichman. The Nominating and Governance Committee recommends to the Board all persons to be nominated as Directors of the Company. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Recommendations should be submitted to the Committee care of the Company’s Secretary. The Nominating and Governance Committee convened two times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Product Development Committee. The Board has a Product Development Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Product Development Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Reichman, Sablowsky, and Shea. The Product Development Committee oversees the process regarding the addition of new investment advisers and investment products to the Company. The Product Development Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Regulatory Oversight Committee. The Board has a Regulatory Oversight Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Regulatory Oversight Committee are Ms. Dolly and Messrs. Reichman, Sablowsky, and Shea. The Regulatory Oversight Committee monitors regulatory developments in the mutual fund industry and focuses on various regulatory aspects of the operation of the Company. The Regulatory Oversight Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

17

 

 

 

Valuation Committee. The Board has a Valuation Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two officers of the Company. The members of the Valuation Committee are Messrs. Faia, Sablowsky, Shea and Shaw. The Valuation Committee is responsible for reviewing fair value determinations. The Valuation Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Risk Oversight

 

The Board performs its risk oversight function for the Company through a combination of (1) direct oversight by the Board as a whole and Board committees and (2) indirect oversight through the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, Company officers and the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). The Company is subject to a number of risks, including but not limited to investment risk, compliance risk, operational risk, reputational risk, credit risk and counterparty risk. Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Company is the responsibility of the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk) that carry out the Company’s investment management and business affairs. Each of the investment advisers and the other service providers have their own independent interest in risk management and their policies and methods of risk management will depend on their functions and business models and may differ from the Company’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls.

 

The Board provides risk oversight by receiving and reviewing on a regular basis reports from the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers, receiving and approving compliance policies and procedures, periodic meetings with the Company’s portfolio managers to review investment policies, strategies and risks, and meeting regularly with the Company’s CCO to discuss compliance reports, findings and issues. The Board also relies on the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, with respect to the day-to-day activities of the Company, to create and maintain procedures and controls to minimize risk and the likelihood of adverse effects on the Company’s business and reputation.

 

Board oversight of risk management is also provided by various Board Committees. For example, the Audit Committee meets with the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms to ensure that the Company’s respective audit scopes include risk-based considerations as to the Company’s financial position and operations. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight. The Board’s oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Company’s investments or activities.

 

Director and Advisory Board Member Ownership of Shares of the Company

 

The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Director and Advisory Board Member in the Funds and in all of the portfolios of the Company and The RBB Fund Trust (together, the "Fund Complex") (which for each Director comprise all registered investment companies within the Company’s

 

18

 

 

 

family of investment companies overseen by him or her), as of December 31, 2025, including amounts through the deferred compensation plan:

 

Name of Director

Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in the Fund

Aggregate Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in All
Registered Investment Companies
Overseen by Director within the
Family of Investment Companies

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

 

 

Gregory P. Chandler

None

Over $100,000

Lisa A. Dolly

None

$50,001-$100,000

Nicholas A. Giordano

None

$50,001-$100,000

Arnold M. Reichman

None

Over $100,000

Martha A. Tirinnanzi

None

Over $100,000

INTERESTED DIRECTORS

 

 

Robert Sablowsky

None

Over $100,000

Brian T. Shea

None

$10,001-$50,000

DISINTERESTED ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

 

Eugene Podsiadlo(1)

None

$10,001-$50,000

 

(1)

Mr. Podsiadlo is not a Director. He was appointed as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

As of December 31, 2025, the Independent Directors and their respective immediate family members (spouse or dependent children) did not own beneficially or of record any securities of the Company’s investment advisers or distributor, or of any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment advisers or distributor.

 

Directors’, Advisory Board Members' and Officers’ Compensation

 

Effective January 1, 2026, the Fund Complex, based on an allocation formula, pays each Director and Advisory Board Member a retainer at the rate of $265,000 annually, $15,000 for each regular meeting of the Board attended in-person; $6,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $5,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $9,000 and $6,500, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $4,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each receives an additional fee of $50,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each receives an additional fee of $40,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee receives an additional fee of $25,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $125,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $50,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

 

From January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, the Fund Complex, based on an allocation formula, paid each Director and Advisory Board Member a retainer at the rate of $225,000 annually, $15,000 for each regular meeting of the Board attended in-person; $6,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person;

 

19

 

 

 

$5,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $9,000 and $6,500, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $4,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each received an additional fee of $50,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each received an additional fee of $40,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee received an additional fee of $25,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $125,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $50,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

 

Directors are reimbursed for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board or any committee thereof. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as CCO of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company, and such compensation is determined by the Board. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Vigilant Compliance, LLC received $0 from the Fund and $1,145,625 in aggregate from all series of the Fund Complex for its services. Employees of the Company serve as President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, Director of Marketing & Business Development, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary, and are compensated for services provided. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, each of the following members of the Board and the President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, Director of Marketing & Business Development, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary received compensation from the Company and The RBB Fund Trust, in the following amounts:

 

Name of Director/Officer

Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund

Pension or Retirement
Benefits Accrued as
Part of Fund
Expenses

Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement

Total
Compensation
From Fund
Complex Paid to
Directors or
Officers

Independent Directors:

 

 

 

 

Gregory P. Chandler, Director

$0

N/A

N/A

$445,500

Lisa A. Dolly, Director

$0

N/A

N/A

$405,000

Nicholas A. Giordano, Director

$0

N/A

N/A

$419,500

Arnold M. Reichman, Director and Chair

$0

N/A

N/A

$526,500

Martha A. Tirinnanzi, Director

$0

N/A

N/A

$390,500

Interested Directors:

 

 

 

 

Robert Sablowsky, Director and Vice Chair

$0

N/A

N/A

$532,500

Brian T. Shea, Director

$0

N/A

N/A

$432,500

Disinterested Advisory Board Members

 

 

Eugene Podsiadlo(1)

$0

N/A

N/A

$347,000

Officers:

 

 

 

 

Steven Plump, President

$0

N/A

N/A

$504,750

James G. Shaw, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

$0

N/A

N/A

$606,000

Craig Urciuoli, Director of Marketing & Business Development

$0

N/A

N/A

$444,750

Thomas Reynolds, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

$0

N/A

N/A

$373,250

 

20

 

 

 

(1)

Mr. Podsiadlo began serving as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

Each compensated Director is entitled to participate in the Company’s deferred compensation plan (the “DC Plan”). Under the DC Plan, a compensated Director may elect to defer all or a portion of his or her compensation and have the deferred compensation treated as if it had been invested by the Company in shares of one or more of the portfolios of the Company. The amount paid to the Directors under the DC Plan will be determined based upon the performance of such investments.

 

Director Emeritus Program

 

The Board has created a position of Director Emeritus, whereby an incumbent Director who has attained at least the age of 75 and completed a minimum of fifteen years of service as a Director may, in the sole discretion of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Company (the “NGC”), be recommended to the full Board to serve as Director Emeritus.

 

A Director Emeritus that has been approved as such receives an annual fee in an amount equal to up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Director. Effective January 1, 2026, a Director Emeritus can receive an annual fee in an amount up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Director in effect at the time such Director Emeritus was first appointed Director Emeritus. Compensation will be determined annually by the NGC and the Board with respect to each Director Emeritus. In addition, a Director Emeritus will be reimbursed for certain expenses incurred in connection with their service, including expenses of travel and lodging incurred in attendance at Board/Committee meetings. A Director Emeritus will continue to receive relevant materials concerning the Fund and will be available to consult with the Directors at reasonable times as requested. However, a Director Emeritus does not have any voting rights at Board meetings and is not subject to election by shareholders of the Fund.

 

A Director Emeritus will be permitted to serve in such capacity from year to year at the pleasure of the NGC and the Board for up to three years. Effective February 2024, Julian Brodsky serves as a Director Emeritus of the Company. Effective January 2025, Robert Straniere serves as a Director Emeritus of the Company.

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Messrs. Brodsky and Straniere received compensation for their roles as a Director Emeritus in the following amounts:

 

Director Emeritus

Aggregate
Compensation from
the Fund

Pension or Retirement
Benefits Accrued as Part of
Fund Expenses

Total Compensation
From Fund Complex

Julian Brodsky

$0

N/A

$112,500

Robert Straniere

$0

N/A

$112,500

 

21

 

 

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

The Company, the Adviser, and Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), have each adopted a code of ethics (“Code of Ethics”) pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, which governs personal securities trading by their respective personnel. Each Code of Ethics permits such individuals to purchase and sell securities, including securities that are purchased, sold, or held by the Fund, but only subject to certain conditions designed to ensure that purchases and sales by such individuals do not adversely affect the Fund’s investment activities.

 

PRINCIPAL HOLDERS

 

Any person owning, directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund is presumed to control the Fund. Principal holders are persons who own 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. As of [ ], 2026, the Company does not have information regarding the record or beneficial ownership of shares of the Fund held in the names of DTC participants, as DTC has not provided the Company with access to such information.

 

As of [ ], 2026, the Directors and officers of the Company as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

 

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

Investment Advisory Agreement

 

The Adviser is a Delaware limited liability company with offices at 900 19th Street NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20006. The Adviser is a majority owned subsidiary of F/m Managers Group, LP (“FMG”), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of 1251 Capital, Inc., which is a financial services holding company. Three officers of the Company own an indirect, minority interest in the Adviser. The Adviser recently announced that it had entered into an agreement to be purchased and become a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., with the purchase expected to close in 2027, subject to customary closing conditions.

 

The Adviser provides investment advisory services to the Fund pursuant to the terms of an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) between the Company and the Adviser. After the initial term, the Advisory Agreement may be continued in effect from year to year with the approval of (1) the Board or (2) vote of a majority (as defined by the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, provided that in either event the continuance must also be approved by a majority of the Independent Directors by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Advisory Agreement terminates automatically in the event of its assignment, as defined in the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder.

 

The Adviser manages the Fund’s investments in accordance with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Board. The Adviser provides such additional administrative services as the Company may require beyond those furnished by the Administrator and furnishes, at its own expense, such office space, facilities, equipment, clerical help, and other personnel and services as may reasonably be necessary in connection with the operations of the Company.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, in consideration of the services provided by the Adviser, the Fund pays the Adviser a unitary management fee that is computed and paid monthly at an annual rate of the Fund’s average daily net assets during the month. From the unitary management fee, the Adviser pays most of the expenses of the Fund, including transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services. However, under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is not responsible for interest expenses, brokerage commissions and other trading expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes and other extraordinary costs such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business. The Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment, mistake of law, or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the performance of the Advisory Agreement,

 

22

 

 

 

except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Advisory Agreement.

 

The Adviser receives an advisory fee from the Fund at an annual rate of the Fund’s average daily net assets as indicated in the following table.

 

Fund

Contractual Advisory Fee

F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF

0.25%

 

For the fiscal year ending August 31, 2026, the Fund paid the following advisory fees, including waivers and reimbursements, to the Adviser :

 

Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2026

Advisory Fees (before waivers
and reimbursements)

Waivers

Reimbursements

F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond

$[  ]

$[  ]

$[  ]

 

For the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, the Fund paid the following advisory fees, including waivers and reimbursements, to the Adviser:

 

Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2025

Advisory Fees (before waivers
and reimbursements)

Waivers

Reimbursements

F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond

$380

$0

$0

 

(1)

The Funds commenced operations on August 11, 2025.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 

Kevin Conrath, Marcin Zdunek, and Peter Baden are the portfolio managers responsible for investment-related services provided to the Fund. The following table provides information regarding accounts managed by each portfolio manager as of August 31, 2026.

 

Portfolio Manager;
Other Accounts

Total Accounts

Accounts With
Performance-Based Fees

 

Number

Assets

Number

Assets

Kevin Conrath

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

[ ]

$[  ] million

0

0

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

0

$0

0

0

Other Accounts

[  ]

[  ]

0

0

Marcin Zdunek

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

[ ]

$[  ] million

0

0

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

0

$0

0

0

Other Accounts

[  ]

[  ]

0

0

 

23

 

 

 

Peter Baden

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

[ ]

$[  ] million

0

0

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

0

$0

0

0

Other Accounts

[  ]

[  ]

0

0

 

Portfolio Manager Compensation

 

The compensation structure for the portfolio managers is based upon a fixed salary as well as a discretionary bonus determined by the management of the Adviser. Salaries are determined by management and are based upon an individual’s position and overall value to the firm. Bonuses are also determined by management and are based upon an individual’s overall contribution to the success of the firm and the profitability of the firm. Salaries and bonuses are not based upon criteria such as performance of the Fund or the value of assets included in the Fund’s portfolio.

 

Material Conflicts of Interest

 

The portfolio managers’ management of other accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with their management of the Fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other. The other accounts may have the same investment objective as the Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the identical investment objectives, whereby a portfolio manager could favor one account over another. Another potential conflict could include the portfolio managers’ knowledge about the size, timing and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby a portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Fund. However, the Adviser has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities and other investments among all accounts it manages are fairly and equitably allocated. In accordance with the Adviser’s trade rotation policy, there will be cases where the Fund will trade after other accounts.

 

Ownership of Fund Shares by the Portfolio Managers

 

Securities ownership. As of August 31, 2026, each portfolio manager that retained decision making authority over the Fund’s management beneficially owned the following dollar range of shares for the following Fund:

 

Fund/Portfolio Manager

Dollar Range of Beneficial
Ownership in the Fund as of
8/31/26

 

F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF

 

Peter Baden

$1 - $10,000

Marcin Zdunek

None

Kevin Conrath

None

 

UNDERWRITER

 

The Company has entered into a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101, pursuant to which the Distributor acts as the Fund’s principal underwriter and distributes Shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. Each Creation Unit is made up of at least 10,000 Shares. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

24

 

 

 

Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Company, will receive orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Company until accepted by the Company. The Distributor will deliver prospectuses and, upon request, Statements of Additional Information to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of orders placed with it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

 

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Creation of Creation Units” below) or DTC participants (as defined below).

 

The Distribution Agreement has an initial term of up to two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Directors or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the Independent Directors. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Company, on behalf of the Fund, on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund’s shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board of Directors, including a majority of the Independent Directors, or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment,” as defined in the 1940 Act.

 

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

Purchase and Issuance of Creation Units

 

The Company issues and sells Shares of the Fund only: (i) in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), at their NAV next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day, in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”); or (ii) pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Service (defined below). The NAV of the Fund’s Shares is calculated each Business Day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The Fund will not issue fractional Creation Units. A Business Day is any day on which the NYSE is open for business.

 

FUND DEPOSIT. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) per each Creation Unit, constituting a substantial replication of the Fund and a Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company 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. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for all or a portion of Deposit Cash, the 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 associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities (“Non-Standard Charges”) 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 the Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the 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 market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component will be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the market 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.

 

25

 

 

 

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 will be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).

 

The Fund, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC"), makes available on each Business Day, immediately 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 the Fund. The Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, in order to effect purchases of Creation Units of the 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 the Fund Deposit for the Fund changes as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser with a view to the investment objective of the Fund.

 

The Company reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount) to replace any Deposit Security, which will be added to the Deposit Cash, if applicable, and 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 (as defined below) 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”).

 

CASH PURCHASE METHOD. The Company may at its discretion permit full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units of the Fund in instances permitted by the exemptive relief the Adviser is relying on in offering the Fund. When full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for the 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 the 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. In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an “Authorized Participant” or “AP”) must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Transfer Agent” or “Fund Services”) and the Company, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each AP 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 Company an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the Creation Transaction Fee (defined below) and any other applicable fees and taxes. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent the Adviser bears the expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Company in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover.

 

All orders to purchase Shares directly from the Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units in the manner set forth and by the time(s) designated in the Participant Agreement (the “Cut-Off Time”). The date on which an

 

26

 

 

 

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 AP 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 the Fund in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an AP 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 APs may have international capabilities.

 

On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which the Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed on any day, the Fund will not accept orders on such day. Orders must be transmitted by an AP by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the AP Handbook. With respect to the Fund, the Distributor 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 AP should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor by the Cut-Off Time on the Business Day on which the order is placed. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an AP.

 

Fund Deposits must be delivered by an AP through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a subcustody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Company or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian will cause the subcustodian of the Fund to maintain an account into which the AP will 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 Company. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local subcustodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the AP in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the Fund or its agents by no later than the Settlement 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 Company, whose determination will 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 so as 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 in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund.

 

The order will 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 Cut-Off Time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited by 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, 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 by 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the AP will be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, AP Handbook and this SAI are properly followed.

 

ISSUANCE OF A CREATION UNIT. Except as provided herein, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Company of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the

 

27

 

 

 

payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Distributor and the Adviser will be notified of such delivery, and the Company will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor. However, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances. The AP will be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.

 

Creation Units may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Company 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 the 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 market value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which will be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. An additional amount of cash will be required to be deposited with the Company, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Company in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Company to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. APs will be liable to the Company for the costs incurred by the Company 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 market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Company 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 Company and deposited into the Company. In addition, a Transaction Fee as set forth below under “Creation Transaction Fee” will be charged in all cases, unless otherwise advised by the Fund, and Non-Standard Charges may also apply. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.

 

ACCEPTANCE OF ORDERS OF CREATION UNITS. The Company reserves the right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Distributor in respect of the Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; or (e) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, be unlawful.

 

CREATION TRANSACTION FEE. A purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units, and investors will be required to pay a Creation Transaction Fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The Fund may adjust the creation transaction fee from time to time based upon actual experience. In addition, the Fund may impose a Non-Standard Charge of up to 2% of the value of the creation transactions for cash creations, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases for the Fund. The Fund may adjust the Non-Standard Charge from time to time based upon actual experience. Investors who use the services of an AP, broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services, which may include an amount for the Creation Transaction Fee and Non-Standard Charges. Investors are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Company. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent the Adviser bears the

 

28

 

 

 

expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Company in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover. The standard Creation Transaction Fee for the Fund is $300.

 

RISKS OF PURCHASING CREATION UNITS. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the Fund. Because the Fund’s 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 the 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. 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 a shareholder 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 the Fund’s 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)(C) of the Securities Act.

 

Redemption of Creation Units

 

Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF THE FUND, THE COMPANY 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 Company. 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 Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available immediately 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 the 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 combination thereof, as determined by the Company. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the 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 the 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 any fixed redemption transaction fee as set forth below and any Non-Standard Charges. If the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an AP by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Company’s discretion, an AP 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 METHOD. Although the Company does not ordinarily permit full or partial cash redemptions of Creation Units of the Fund, when full or partial cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for the Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the

 

29

 

 

 

case of full or partial cash redemptions, the AP will receive the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer. The Fund may incur costs such as brokerage costs or taxable gains or losses that the Fund might not have incurred if the redemption had been made in-kind. These costs may decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent that the costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP. Shareholders may be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise have been subject to and/or at an earlier date than if the Fund had effected redemptions wholly on an in-kind basis.

 

REDEMPTION TRANSACTION FEES. A redemption transaction fee may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units, and APs will be required to pay a Redemption Transaction Fee regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed in the transaction. The redemption transaction fee is the same no matter how many Creation Units are being redeemed pursuant to any one redemption request. The Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time based upon actual experience. In addition, the Fund may impose a Non-Standard Charge of up to 2% of the value of a redemption transaction for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions for the Fund. Investors who use the services of an AP, broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services which may include an amount for the Redemption Transaction Fees and Non-Standard Charges. Investors are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Fund Securities to the account of the Company. The Non-Standard Charges are payable to the Fund as it incurs costs in connection with the redemption of Creation Units, the receipt of Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount and other transactions costs. The standard Redemption Transaction Fee for the Fund is $300.

 

PROCEDURES FOR REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS. Orders to redeem Creation Units must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an AP has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Company’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 Company is received by the Transfer Agent from the AP 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 will be rejected.

 

The AP must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Company, 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 AP which 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 AP. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an AP and transfer of the shares to the Company’s 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 APs.

 

In connection with taking delivery of shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or AP 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 the Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within three business days of the trade date.

 

ADDITIONAL REDEMPTION PROCEDURES. In connection with taking delivery of shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, the AP 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

 

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traded, to which account the Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within three Business Days of the trade date. However, due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, the different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (that is the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold), and in certain other circumstances, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds may take longer than three Business Days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. If neither the redeeming Shareholder nor the AP acting on behalf of such redeeming Shareholder has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Company may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming shareholder will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.

 

If it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities, the Company may in its discretion 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 the 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 Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Company’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). The Fund may also, in its sole discretion, 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 Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Company could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An AP 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 AP may request the redeeming investor of the shares to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an AP 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 AP may be required by the Company to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status in order to receive Fund Securities.

 

Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on the relevant exchange(s) on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or to purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

 

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the 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 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.

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

 

The Company has adopted, on behalf of the Fund, a policy relating to the selective disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings by the Adviser, Board, officers, or third party service providers, in accordance with regulations that seek to ensure that disclosure of information about portfolio holdings is in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders. The policies relating to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings are designed to allow disclosure of portfolio

 

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holdings information where necessary to the Fund’s operation without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. It is the policy of the Company that disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings to a select person or persons prior to the release of such holdings to the public (“selective disclosure”) is prohibited, unless there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure.

 

The Company discloses portfolio holdings information as required in regulatory filings and shareholder reports, discloses portfolio holdings information as required by federal and state securities laws and may disclose portfolio holdings information in response to requests by governmental authorities. As required by the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Company will disclose the Fund’s portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR, Form N-CEN, and Form N-PORT, or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require.

 

The Fund’s entire portfolio holdings will be publicly disseminated each business day and may be available through financial reporting and news services including publicly available internet websites.

 

The Company may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings that is not publicly available to its third-party service providers, which include U.S. Bank, N.A., the custodian; Fund Services, the administrator, accounting agent and transfer agent; [  ], the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm; Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, legal counsel; FilePoint, the financial printer; the Fund’s proxy voting service(s); and the Company’s liquidity classification agent. These service providers are required to keep such information confidential, and are prohibited from trading based on the information or otherwise using the information except as necessary in providing services to the Fund. Such holdings are released on conditions of confidentiality, which include appropriate trading prohibitions. “Conditions of confidentiality” include confidentiality terms included in written agreements, implied by the nature of the relationship (e.g. attorney-client relationship), or required by fiduciary or regulatory principles (e.g., custody services provided by financial institutions). Portfolio holdings may also be provided earlier to shareholders and their agents who receive redemptions in kind that reflect a pro rata allocation of all securities held in the Fund’s portfolio.

 

Portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to (i) certain independent reporting agencies recognized by the SEC as acceptable agencies for the reporting of industry statistical information and, (ii) financial consultants to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients, in each case in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws and the Company’s and Adviser’s fiduciary duties to Fund shareholders. Disclosures to financial consultants are also subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions. The foregoing disclosures are made pursuant to the Company’s policy on selective disclosure of portfolio holdings. The Board or a committee thereof may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

 

The Adviser reserves the right to refuse to fulfill any request for portfolio holdings information from a shareholder or non-shareholder if it believes that providing such information will be contrary to the best interests of the Fund.

 

The Board provides ongoing oversight of the Company’s policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Board receives from the CCO as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Board receives an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any violation of the policy set forth above as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such violation must be reported by the Adviser, director, officer or third-party service provider to the Company’s CCO, who will determine whether the violation should be reported immediately to the Board or at its next quarterly Board meeting.

 

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DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the sections in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES.”

 

NAV is determined as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) each day the NYSE is open, except that no computation need be made on a day on which no orders to purchase or redeem Shares have been received. The NYSE currently observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Presidents Day (third Monday in February), Good Friday (Friday before Easter), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day (first Monday in September), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November), and Christmas Day.

 

NAV per Share is computed by dividing the value of the Fund’s net assets (i.e., the value of its assets less its liabilities) by the total number of the Fund’s Shares outstanding. In computing NAV, securities are valued at market value as of the applicable NAV determination time. The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by the Fund and its Valuation Designee (defined below) in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable. Securities, other than stock options, listed on the NYSE or other exchanges are valued on the basis of the last reported sale price on the exchange on which they are primarily traded. However, if the last sale price on the NYSE is different from the last sale price on any other exchange, the NYSE price will be used. If there are no sales on that day, then the securities are valued at the bid price on the NYSE or other primary exchange for that day. Securities traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market are valued on the basis of the last sales price as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (“NASDAQ”). If there are no sales on that day, then the securities are valued at the mean between the closing bid and asked prices as reported by NASDAQ. Stock options and stock index options traded on national securities exchanges or on NASDAQ are valued at the mean between the latest bid and asked prices for such options. Debt securities that mature in less than 60 days are valued at amortized cost (unless the Valuation Designee determines that this method does not represent fair value), if their original maturity was 60 days or less or by amortizing the value as of the 61st day before maturity, if their original term to maturity exceeded 60 days. A pricing service may be used to determine the fair value of securities held by the Fund. Any such service might value the investments based on methods that include consideration of yields or prices of securities of comparable quality, coupon, maturity, and type; indications as to values from dealers; and general market conditions. The service may also employ electronic data-processing techniques, a matrix system, or both to determine valuation. The Board will review and monitor the methods such services use to assure itself that securities are valued at their fair values.

 

The values of securities held by the Fund and other assets used in computing NAV are determined as of the time at which trading in such securities is completed each day. That time, in the case of foreign securities, generally occurs at various times before the close of the NYSE. Trading in securities listed on foreign securities exchanges will be valued at the last sale or, if no sales are reported, at the bid price as of the close of the exchange, subject to possible adjustment as described in the Prospectus. Foreign currency exchange rates are also generally determined before the close of the NYSE. On occasion, the values of such securities and exchange rates may be affected by events occurring between the time as of which determinations of such values or exchange rates are made and the close of the NYSE. When such events materially affect the value of securities held by the Fund or its liabilities, such securities and liabilities will be valued at fair value by the Adviser, as the Fund’s Valuation Designee, in accordance with procedures adopted in good faith by the Board. The values of any assets and liabilities initially expressed in foreign currencies will be converted to U.S. dollars based on exchange rates supplied by a quotation service.

 

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DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

 

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES.” In addition, the following is only a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations that generally affect the Fund and its shareholders. No attempt is made to present a comprehensive explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors with specific reference to their own tax situations, including their state, local, and foreign tax liabilities.

 

It is the policy of the Company each fiscal year to distribute substantially all of the Fund’s net investment income (i.e., generally, the income that it earns from dividends and interest on its investments, and any short-term capital gains, net of Fund expenses) and net capital gains (i.e., the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses), if any, to its shareholders.

 

Dividend Reinvestment Service

 

The Fund 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 Fund 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 in order 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 Fund at NAV. Distributions reinvested in additional Shares of the Fund will nevertheless be taxable to beneficial owners acquiring such additional Shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.

 

Taxes – General

 

The discussions of the federal tax consequences in the Prospectus and this SAI are based on the Code and the regulations issued under it, and court decisions and administrative interpretations, as in effect on the date of the Prospectus and this SAI, respectively. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly alter the statements included herein, and any such changes or decisions may be retroactive. The Fund has elected to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. As such, the Fund generally will be exempt from federal income tax on its net investment income and realized capital gains that it distributes to shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company, the Fund must meet three important tests each year.

 

First, the Fund must derive with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies, or net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

Second, generally, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of such issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies) of (1) any one issuer, (2)

 

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two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or (3) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

Third, the Fund must distribute an amount equal to at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) before taking into account any deduction for dividends paid, and 90% of its tax-exempt income, if any, for the year.

 

The Fund intends to comply with these requirements. If the Fund were to fail to make sufficient distributions, it could be liable for corporate income tax (which may include interest or penalties) and for excise tax (as discussed below) in respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough and the Fund does not satisfy the 90% distribution requirement described above, the Fund could be disqualified as a regulated investment company. If for any taxable year the Fund were not to qualify as a regulated investment company, all its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In that event, taxable shareholders would recognize dividend income on distributions (including distributions of capital gains) to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, and corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

 

The Code imposes a nondeductible 4% excise tax on regulated investment companies that fail to distribute each year an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for this excise tax.

 

The Fund’s hedging and derivatives transactions are subject to special and complex U.S. federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (ii) convert lower-taxed long-term capital gain into higher-taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income, (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur, (vi) adversely alter the intended characterization of certain complex financial transactions and (vii) produce income that will not be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the 90% gross income test described above. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders and the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions.

 

The Fund’s investment in non-U.S. securities may be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes. In that case, the Fund’s yield on those securities would be decreased. Shareholders will generally not be entitled to claim a credit or deduction with respect to any non-U.S. taxes paid by the Fund.

 

Loss Carryforwards

 

For federal income tax purposes, the Fund is generally permitted to carry forward a net capital loss in any year to offset its own capital gains, if any, during subsequent years.

 

State and Local Taxes

 

Although the Fund expects to qualify as a regulated investment company and to be relieved of all or substantially all federal income taxes, depending upon the extent of its activities in states and localities in which its offices are maintained, in which its agents or independent contractors are located or in which it is otherwise deemed to be conducting business, the Fund may be subject to the tax laws of such states or localities.

 

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PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

 

Subject to the general supervision of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund, the selection of brokers and dealers to effect the transactions, and the negotiation of brokerage commissions, if any. Purchases and sales of securities on a stock exchange are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. In the OTC market, securities are generally traded on a “net” basis, with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price, which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. Certain money market instruments may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no commission or discounts are paid.

 

The Adviser may serve as an investment adviser to other clients, including private investment companies, and the Adviser may in the future act as an investment adviser to other registered investment companies. It is the practice of the Adviser to cause purchase and sale transactions to be allocated among the Fund and others whose assets are managed by the Adviser in such manner as it deems equitable. In making such allocations, the main factors considered are the respective investment objectives, the relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, the availability of cash for investment, the size of investment commitments generally held, and the opinions of the persons responsible for managing the Fund and the other client accounts. This procedure may, under certain circumstances, have an adverse effect on the Fund.

 

The policy of the Fund regarding purchases and sales of securities 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 Fund’s policy is to pay commissions that are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. The Adviser believes that a requirement always to seek the lowest commission cost could impede effective management and preclude the Adviser from obtaining high-quality brokerage and research services. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Adviser relies on its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage and research services received from the broker effecting the transaction.

 

In seeking to implement the Fund’s policies, the Adviser, through a brokerage or an outsourced trading desk, conducts trades on behalf of the Fund and effects transactions with brokers and dealers that it believes provide the most favorable prices and are capable of providing efficient executions. The Adviser may place portfolio transactions with a broker or dealer that furnishes research and other services to the Adviser and may pay higher commissions to brokers in recognition of research provided (or direct the payment of commissions to such brokers). Such services may include, but are not limited to, any one or more of the following: (1) information as to the availability of securities for purchase or sale, (2) statistical or factual information or opinions pertaining to investments, (3) wire services, (4) and appraisals or evaluations of portfolio securities. The information and services received by the Adviser from brokers and dealers may be of benefit in the management of accounts of other clients and may not in all cases benefit the Company directly. While such services are useful and important in supplementing its own research and facilities, the Adviser believes the value of such services is not determinable and does not significantly reduce its expenses.

 

During the fiscal period from the Fund’s commencement of operations on August 11, 2025 to August 31, 2025, the Fund paid brokerage fees in the amount of $380. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, the Fund paid brokerage fees in the amount of $[ ].

 

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SECURITIES LENDING

 

[Securities Finance Trust Company (otherwise known as and referred to herein as “eSecLending”) serves as securities lending agent for the Fund and in that role administers the Fund’s securities lending program pursuant to the terms of a Securities Lending Agency Agreement entered into between the Fund and eSecLending.

 

As securities lending agent, eSecLending is responsible for marketing to approved borrowers available securities from the Fund’s portfolio. eSecLending is responsible for the administration and management of the Fund’s securities lending program, including the preparation and execution of a participant agreement with each borrower governing the terms and conditions of any securities loan, ensuring that securities loans are properly coordinated and documented with the Fund’s custodian, ensuring that loaned securities are daily valued and that the corresponding required cash collateral of at least 102% of the current market value of the loaned securities is delivered by the borrower(s), using best efforts to obtain additional collateral on the next business day if the value of the collateral falls below the required amount, and arranging for the investment of cash collateral received from borrowers in accordance with the Fund’s investment guidelines.

 

eSecLending receives as compensation for its services a portion of the amount earned by the Fund for lending securities.]

 

The Fund [did not] engage in securities lending activities as of the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026.

 

PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES

 

The Board has delegated the responsibility of voting proxies with respect to the portfolio securities purchased and/or held by the Fund (“portfolio proxies”) to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight.

 

Policies of the Adviser

 

The Adviser’s proxy voting policy establishes minimum standards for the exercise of proxy voting authority by the Adviser. The Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures are set forth in Appendix B.

 

The Fund may invest its assets in debt securities, which generally do not issue proxies. However, the Fund may also invest in other types of securities that may issue proxies.

 

More Information

 

The Company is required to disclose annually the Fund’s complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX. The Fund’s proxy voting record for the most recent 12-month period ended June 30th is available upon request by calling 1-800-617-0004. The Fund’s Form N-PX is also available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

The Adviser and/or its affiliates, at their discretion, may make payments from their own resources and not from Fund assets to affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), trust companies, registered investment advisers, financial planners, retirement plan administrators, insurance companies, and any other institution having a service, administration, or any similar arrangement with the Fund, its service providers or their respective affiliates, as incentives to help market and promote the Fund and/or in recognition of its distribution, marketing, administrative services, and/or processing support.

 

These additional payments may be made to financial intermediaries that sell Fund Shares or provide services to the Fund, the Distributor or shareholders of the Fund through the financial intermediary’s retail distribution channel

 

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and/or fund supermarkets. Payments may also be made through the financial intermediary’s retirement, qualified tuition, fee-based advisory, wrap fee bank trust, or insurance (e.g., individual or group annuity) programs. These payments may include, but are not limited to, placing the Fund in a financial intermediary’s retail distribution channel or on a preferred or recommended fund list; providing business or shareholder financial planning assistance; educating financial intermediary personnel about the Fund; providing access to sales and management representatives of the financial intermediary; promoting sales of Fund Shares; providing marketing and educational support; maintaining Share balances and/or for sub-accounting, administrative or shareholder transaction processing services. A financial intermediary may perform the services itself or may arrange with a third party to perform the services.

 

The Adviser and/or its affiliates may also make payments from their own resources to financial intermediaries for costs associated with the purchase of products or services used in connection with sales and marketing, participation in and/or presentation at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs, client and investor entertainment and other sponsored events. The costs and expenses associated with these efforts may include travel, lodging, sponsorship at educational seminars and conferences, entertainment and meals to the extent permitted by law.

 

Revenue sharing payments may be negotiated based on a variety of factors, including the level of sales, the amount of Fund assets attributable to investments in the Fund by financial intermediaries’ customers, a flat fee or other measures as determined from time to time by the Adviser and/or its affiliates. A significant purpose of these payments is to increase the sales of Fund Shares, which in turn may benefit the Adviser through increased fees as Fund assets grow.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES

 

The Company has authorized capital of 100 billion shares of common stock at a par value of $0.001 per share. Currently, [  ] billion shares have been classified into [  ] classes. However, the Company only has approximately [  ] active share classes that have begun investment operations. Under the Company’s Charter, the Board has the power to classify and reclassify any unissued Shares of common stock from time to time.

 

Each share that represents an interest in the Fund has an equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to the Fund with each other share that represents an interest in the Fund, even where a share has a different class designation than another share representing an interest in the Fund. Shares of the Company do not have preemptive or conversion rights. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectus, shares of the Company will be fully paid and non-assessable.

 

The Company does not currently intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders except as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. The Company’s amended By-Laws provide that shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding shares of all classes of Common Stock of the Company have the right to call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more directors. To the extent required by law, the Company will assist in shareholder communication in such matters.

 

Holders of shares of each class of the Company will vote in the aggregate on all matters, except where otherwise required by law. Further, shareholders of the Company will vote in the aggregate and not by portfolio except as otherwise required by law or when the Board determines that the matter to be voted upon affects only the interests of the shareholders of a particular portfolio or class of shares. Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted by the provisions of such Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Company shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each portfolio affected by the matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that a portfolio shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each portfolio in the matter are identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of the portfolio. Under Rule 18f-2 the approval of an investment advisory agreement or

 

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distribution agreement or any change in a fundamental investment objective or fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a portfolio only if approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such portfolio. However, Rule 18f-2 also provides that the ratification of the selection of independent public accountants and the election of directors are not subject to the separate voting requirements and may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of an investment company voting without regard to a portfolio. Shareholders of the Company are entitled to one vote for each full share held (irrespective of class or portfolio) and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Voting rights are not cumulative and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate shares of common stock of the Company may elect all of the Directors.

 

Notwithstanding any provision of Maryland law requiring a greater vote of shares of the Company’s common stock (or of any class voting as a class) in connection with any corporate action, unless otherwise provided by law (for example by Rule 18f-2 discussed above), or by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, the Company may take or authorize such action upon the favorable vote of the holders of more than 50% of all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock voting without regard to class (or portfolio).

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Anti-Money Laundering Program

 

The Fund has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”). To ensure compliance with this law, the Fund’s Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures, and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that certain of its service providers have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity, and conducting a complete and thorough review of all new account applications. The Fund will not transact business with any person or legal entity and beneficial owner, if applicable, whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

[  ], located at [  ], serves as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Fund. Its services include auditing the Fund’s financial statements.

 

Transfer Agent

 

Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent.

 

Custodian

 

U.S. Bank, N.A, 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, WI 53212, serves as custodian (the “Custodian”) of the Fund’s assets and is responsible for maintaining custody of the Fund’s cash and investments and retaining sub-custodians, including in connection with the custody of foreign securities. Cash held by the Custodian, the amount of which may at times be substantial, is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to the amount of available insurance coverage limits. The Custodian and Fund Services are affiliates.

 

39

 

 

 

Administrator

 

Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202, serves as the administrator (the “Administrator”) and provides various administrative and accounting services necessary for the operations of the Fund. Services provided by the Administrator include facilitating general Fund management; monitoring Fund compliance with federal and state regulations; supervising the maintenance of the Fund’s general ledger, the preparation of the Fund’s financial statements, the determination of NAV, and the payment of dividends and other distributions to shareholders; and preparing specified financial, tax, and other reports. The Custodian and the Administrator are affiliates.

 

During the fiscal period ended August 31, 2025, the Fund paid $0 in administration and accounting fees to Fund Services. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, the Fund paid $[ ] in administration and accounting fees to Fund Services.

 

Counsel

 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-6996, serves as counsel to the Company.

 

Registration Statement

 

This SAI and the Prospectus do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement the Company has filed with the SEC. The complete Registration Statement may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the fee prescribed by SEC rules and regulations. A text-only version of the Registration Statement is available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF annual report to Shareholders on Form N-CSR for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026 (the “Annual Report”) are incorporated by reference into this SAI. No other parts of the annual report are incorporated by reference herein. The financial statements included in the annual report have been audited by the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm [ ] whose report thereon also appears in the Annual Report and is incorporated by reference into this SAI. Such financial statements have been incorporated herein in reliance upon such reports given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing. Copies of the annual report may be obtained at no charge by telephoning the Transfer Agent at the telephone number appearing on the front page of this SAI.

 

40

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS

 

Short-Term Credit Ratings

 

An S&P Global Ratings short-term issue credit rating is generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. 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 commitment 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.

 

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.

 

“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

 

Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial 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.

 

A-1

 

 

 

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

 

“P-1” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-2” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-3” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short-term” based on market convention.1 Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:

 

“F1” – Securities possess the highest short-term credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

“F2” – Securities possess good short-term credit quality. This designation indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

 

“F3” – Securities possess fair short-term credit quality. This designation indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

“B” – Securities possess speculative short-term credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

“C” – Securities possess high short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.

 

1

A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity.

 

“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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an issue of a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated.

 

The Morningstar® DBRS Ratings Limited (“Morningstar DBRS”) short-term obligation ratings provide Morningstar DBRS’s opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a

 

A-2

 

 

 

timely manner. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of shorter than one year. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the subcategories “(high)”, “(middle)”, and “(low)”.

 

The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for commercial paper and short-term debt:

 

“R-1 (high)” - Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be 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 or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.

 

“R-2 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the 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” – Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the 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” – Short-term debt rated “R-4” is considered to be of speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.

 

“R-5” – Short-term debt rated “R-5” is considered to be of 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” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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. Morningstar DBRS may also use “SD” (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a “distressed exchange”.

 

A-3

 

 

 

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings

 

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

 

A-4

 

 

 

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.

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) – 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 of financial obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more. Such ratings reflect both on the likelihood of 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to unrated obligations, obligation and/or program.

 

A-5

 

 

 

The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:

 

“AAA” – Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit 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” – Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

“A” – Securities considered to be of high credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit 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” – Securities considered to be of good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of credit 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” – Securities considered to be speculative. “BB” ratings indicates an elevated vulnerability to credit 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 to be met.

 

“B” – Securities considered to be highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material credit risk is present

 

“CCC” – A “CCC” rating indicates that substantial credit risk is present.

 

“CC” – A “CC” rating indicates very high levels of credit risk.

 

“C” – A “C” rating indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

 

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned “RD” or “D” ratings but are instead rated in the “CCC” to “C” rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. Fitch believes that this approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the “AAA” obligation rating category, or to corporate finance obligation ratings in the categories below “CCC”.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issue of a rated issuer.

 

The Morningstar DBRS long-term obligation ratings provide Morningstar DBRS’s opinion on the risk that investors may not be repaid in accordance with the terms under which the long-term obligation was issued. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of one year or longer. All rating categories from AA to CCC contain subcategories “(high)” and “(low)”. The absence of either a “(high)” or “(low)” designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category. The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for long-term debt:

 

“AAA” – Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

 

A-6

 

 

 

 

“AA” – Long-term debt rated “AA” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “A” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.

 

“BB” – Long-term debt rated “BB” is of speculative, non-investment grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.

 

“B” – Long-term debt rated “B” is of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.

 

“CCC”, “CC” and “C” – Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is of 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 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” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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. 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 symbols are as follows:

 

“SP-1” – A municipal note rated “SP-1” exhibits a 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” – A municipal note rated “SP-2” exhibits a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

 

A-7

 

 

 

“SP-3” – A municipal note rated “SP-3” exhibits a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

 

“D” – This rating 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 Scale

 

“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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.

 

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.

 

A-8

 

 

 

“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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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, 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).

 

Morningstar DBRS offers independent, transparent, and innovative credit analysis to the market. Credit ratings are forward-looking opinions about credit risk that reflect the creditworthiness of an issuer, rated entity, security and/or obligation based on Morningstar DBRS’s quantitative and qualitative analysis in accordance with applicable methodologies and criteria. They are meant to provide opinions on relative measures of risk and are not based on expectations of, or meant to predict, any specific default probability. Credit ratings are not statements of fact. Morningstar DBRS issues credit ratings using one or more categories, such as public, private, provisional, final(ized), solicited, or unsolicited. From time to time, credit ratings may also be subject to trends, placed under review, or discontinued. Morningstar DBRS credit ratings are determined by credit rating committees.

 

A-9

 

 

 

APPENDIX B

 

F/m Investments LLC (“FMI” or the “Adviser”) may vote proxies for certain advisory clients if that responsibility is specifically accepted by FMI in the advisory agreement between FMI and the client. Regardless, a client always has the right to vote their own proxies. A client can exercise this right by instructing FMI in writing to not vote proxies in the client’s account. In addition, where FMI has proxy voting authority but a client desires to direct FMI on how to vote a particular proxy, clients should contact FMI at the address below.

 

If the client agreement is entered into by a trustee or other fiduciary on behalf of an employee retirement income plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”), including a person meeting the definition of “fiduciary” under ERISA, the trustee or other fiduciary generally retains the right and obligation to vote proxies. In such cases, the Adviser is generally precluded from voting proxies for the plan.

 

The Adviser’s proxy voting procedures provide that it votes proxies in its clients’ interests, and that if it identifies a material conflict of interest between itself and the client, it will vote based upon the recommendation of an independent third party. In certain circumstances, in accordance with an investment advisory contract, or other written directive, or if the Adviser has determined that it is in the client’s best interest, it may refrain from voting proxies.

 

Upon written request, a client will be provided with FMI’s proxy voting policies and procedures. Clients may also request, in writing, copies of records regarding how FMI voted their securities. Written requests must be addressed to Chief Compliance Officer, 900 19th Street NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20006.

 

B-1

 

 

 

 

The information in this Prospectus 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 state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion

Dated October 30, 2026

 

PROSPECTUS
[ ], 2026

 

F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF
(Nasdaq: ZMUN)

 

A series of The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

900 19th Street NW, Suite 203
Washington, DC 20006

 

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

 

There is no assurance that the F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF will achieve its investment objective, and investment in the Fund could lose money, including loss of principal. No investment in the Fund is intended to be a complete investment program.

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

SUMMARY SECTION – F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF (ZMUN)

 1

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND

 15

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 30

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

 32

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

 34

DISTRIBUTION

 40

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

 40

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 43

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 46

 

No securities dealer, sales representative, or any other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations, other than those contained in this Prospectus or in approved sales literature in connection with the offer contained herein, and if given or made, such other information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF or The RBB Fund, Inc. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby in any jurisdiction or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer.

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY SECTION – F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF (ZMUN)

 

Investment Objective

 

The investment objective of the F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF (the “F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Muni Fund” or the “Fund”) is to seek to provide federally tax-exempt income with limited rate sensitivity.

 

Fees and Expenses

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Muni 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.

 

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

 

 

Management Fees

0.30%

Distribution (12b-1) Fees

None

Other Expenses

[ ]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

[ ]%

 

Example

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Muni 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 hold or redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that: (1) your investment has a 5% return each year, and (2) the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

[...]

[...]

[...]

[...]

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Muni Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These

 

1

 

 

 

 

costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the period from the Fund's commencement of operations on September 29, 2025, to the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, the portfolio turnover rate of the Fund was [...]% of the average value of its portfolio.  The portfolio turnover rate is not annualized.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

The Fund is an actively managed short duration municipal bond exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that is designed to provide federally tax-exempt income with limited interest rate sensitivity. The Fund invests in a subset of U.S. municipal tax-exempt investment grade bond market to target bonds that are either at or near a call date, with higher coupons.

 

Under normal market conditions, F/m Investments LLC (the “Adviser”) seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objective by investing at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in U.S. municipal investment grade bonds that are exempt from federal and certain state taxes, and which are currently callable or callable within the next three (3) months. The Fund is “non-diversified,” which means it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a single asset class than a “diversified” fund.

 

The Fund may also seek to increase its income by lending securities. These loans will be secured by collateral (consisting of cash, U.S. government securities, or irrevocable letters of credit) maintained in an amount equal to at least 100% of the market value, determined daily, of the loaned securities. Cash collateral received by the Fund in connection with its lending of portfolio securities will be invested in short-term investments, including money market funds.

 

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in amounts not exceeding one-third of the Fund’s total assets.

 

The Fund may invest in securities of other affiliated and unaffiliated ETFs registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), that invest primarily in Fund-eligible investments (collectively, the “Underlying Funds”), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions.

 

The Fund has elected and intends to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

Principal Investment Risks

 

The value of the F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Muni Fund’s investments may decrease, which will cause the value of the Fund’s Shares to decrease. As a result, you may lose money on your investment in the Fund, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of

 

2

 

 

 

 

the order in which it appears. Different risks may be more significant at various times depending on market conditions or other factors.

 

 

•

Active Management Risk. The Fund is actively managed using proprietary investment strategies and processes. There can be no guarantee that these strategies and processes will be successful or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

 

•

Affiliated Fund Risk. Affiliated fund risk is the risk that the Adviser may select investments for the Fund based on its own financial interests or other business considerations rather than the Fund’s interests. The Adviser may be subject to potential conflicts of interest in selecting the Underlying Funds because the Underlying Funds pay an advisory fee to the Adviser based on their assets, the fees paid to the Adviser by some affiliated Underlying Funds may be higher than other Underlying Funds or the Underlying Funds may be in need of assets to enhance their appeal to other investors, liquidity and trading and/or to enable them to carry out their investment strategies. However, the Adviser is a fiduciary to the Fund and is legally obligated to act in the Fund’s best interest when selecting Underlying Funds.

 

 

•

Asset Class Risk. Securities and other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general financial markets, a particular financial market, or other asset classes.

 

 

•

Call Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by the Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity, and the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in securities with lower yields, which would result in a decline in the Fund’s income, or in securities with greater risks or with other less favorable features.

 

 

•

Cash or Cash Equivalents Risk. At any time, the Fund may have significant investments in cash or cash equivalents. When a substantial portion of a portfolio is held in cash or cash equivalents, there is the risk that the value of the cash account, including interest, will not keep pace with inflation, thus reducing purchasing power over time. Additionally, in rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objectives.

 

 

•

Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in a particular issue, issuer or issuers, country, market segment, or asset class.

 

 

•

Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty to a financial instrument held by the Fund or by a special purpose or structured vehicle invested in the Fund may become insolvent or otherwise fail to perform its obligations, and the Fund may obtain no or limited recovery of its investment, and any recovery may be significantly delayed. Because the Fund may enter into transactions with a limited number of counterparties, this increases the Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk. Further, there is a risk that no suitable counterparties will be willing to enter into, or continue to enter into, transactions with the Fund,  and as a result, the Fund may not be able to achieve its leveraged investment objective or rebalance properly, which may result in significant losses to the Fund, or the Fund may decide to change its leveraged investment objective.

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

•

Credit Risk. The value of your investment in the Fund may change in response to changes in the credit ratings of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Generally, investment risk and price volatility increase as a security’s credit rating declines. The Fund’s performance could be hurt if an issuer of a debt security suffers an adverse change in financial condition that results in a payment default, security downgrade or inability to meet a financial obligation. Credit risk is greater for lower-rated securities. Because the issuers of junk bonds may be in uncertain financial health, the prices of their debt securities could be more vulnerable to bad economic news, or even the expectation of bad news, than investment-grade debt securities. Credit ratings may not be an accurate assessment of credit risk.

 

 

•

Cyber Security Risk. Cyber security risk is the risk of an unauthorized breach and access to the Fund’s assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or the risk of an incident occurring that causes the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, distributor and other service providers and financial intermediaries to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality or prevent the Fund’s investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging Shares or receiving distributions. While the Fund and the Adviser have established business continuity plans and risk management systems seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. Further, the Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems of the Fund’s service providers, market makers, or issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. The Fund and the Adviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the Adviser. Successful cyber-attacks or other cyber-failures or events affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact and cause financial losses to the Fund or its shareholders. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cyber security risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cyberattacks or other cyber-failures.

 

 

•

Duration Risk. Duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio to interest rate changes. Duration risk is the risk that longer-duration debt securities will be more volatile and thus more likely to decline in price, and to a greater extent, in a rising interest rate environment than shorter-duration debt securities. As interest rates rise, the value of a bond will fall in direct proportion to its duration and conversely, as interest rates fall, the value of a bond will increase in direct proportion to its duration. Therefore, the longer a bond’s duration (measured in years), the more sensitive its price will be to interest rate changes.

 

 

•

ETF Risk. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks:

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

•

Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant (“AP”) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are institutional investors and may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, there may be significantly diminished trading in Fund Shares, Fund Shares may trade at a material discount to net asset value (“NAV”), and Fund Shares may possibly face delisting: (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. These events, among others, may lead to Fund Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than the NAV when you buy Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those Shares in the secondary market. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold. In periods of market volatility, APs, market makers and/or liquidity providers may be less willing to transact in Fund Shares.

 

 

•

Secondary Market Trading Risk. Although Shares are intended to be listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, a national securities exchange (the “Exchange”), and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active or liquid trading market for them will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted. During periods of market stress, 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.

 

 

•

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. Shares trade on a stock exchange at prices at, above, or below the Fund’s most recent NAV. The Fund’s NAV is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The trading price of the Shares fluctuates continuously throughout trading hours on the Exchange, based on both the relative market supply of, and demand for, the Shares and the underlying value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. As a result, the trading prices of the Shares may deviate from the Fund’s NAV. 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

•

Fixed-Income Market Risk. The market value of a fixed-income security may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. The fixed-income securities market can be susceptible to increases in volatility and decreases in liquidity. Liquidity can decline unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. Increases in volatility and decreases in liquidity may be caused by a rise in interest rates (or the expectation of a rise in interest rates). An unexpected increase in Fund redemption requests, including requests from shareholders who may own a significant percentage of the Fund’s Shares, which may be triggered by market turmoil or an increase in interest rates, could cause the Fund to sell its holdings at a loss or at undesirable prices and adversely affect the Fund’s Share price and increase the Fund’s liquidity risk, Fund expenses and/or taxable distributions. In addition, the Fund may be subject to risks associated with investments in senior non-preferred bonds (sometimes referred to as a “bail-in bonds”), which are debt securities issued by financial institutions that can be converted into equity securities if such conversion is mandated by a financial institution’s regulatory authority due to the financial institution facing the possibility of bankruptcy. The mandatory conversion of a bail-in bond into an equity security may result in a reduction in value of the security and, if the Fund holds such security when the conversion occurs, the Fund’s performance may be negatively impacted.

 

 

•

Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer, willingness of broker-dealers and other market participants to make markets in the applicable securities, and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). Lower rated fixed-income securities have greater volatility because there is less certainty that principal and interest payments will be made as scheduled. There is a risk that a lack of liquidity or other adverse credit market conditions may hamper the Fund’s ability to sell the debt securities in which it invests.

 

 

•

High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may incur relatively high portfolio turnover. The active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs, which could reduce the Fund’s return.

 

 

•

Income Risk. The Fund’s income may decline if interest rates fall. This decline in income can occur because the Fund may subsequently invest in lower yielding bonds as bonds in its portfolio mature, are near maturity or are called, or the Fund otherwise needs to purchase additional bonds.

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

•

Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the real value of certain assets or real income from investments (the value of such assets or income after accounting for inflation) will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. Inflation, and investors’ expectation of future inflation, can impact the current value of the Fund’s portfolio, resulting in lower asset values and losses to shareholders. This risk may be elevated compared to historical market conditions because of recent monetary policy measures and the current interest rate environment.

 

 

•

Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk of losses attributable to changes in interest rates. In general, if prevailing interest rates rise, the values of debt instruments tend to fall, and if interest rates fall, the values of debt instruments tend to rise. Changes in the value of a debt instrument usually will not affect the amount of income the Fund receives from it but will generally affect the value of your investment in the Fund. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments in debt instruments. In general, the longer the maturity or duration of a debt instrument, the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The Fund is subject to the risk that the income generated by its investments may not keep pace with inflation. Actions by governments and central banking authorities can result in increases or decreases in interest rates, which may negatively affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund and have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance and NAV. Rising interest rates may prompt redemptions from the Fund, which may force the Fund to sell investments at a time when it is not advantageous to do so, which could result in losses. During periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns or pay dividends to Fund shareholders. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. Changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, may have unpredictable effects on markets, result in heightened market volatility and detract from the Fund’s performance to the extent the Fund is exposed to such interest rates. Additionally, under certain market conditions in which interest rates are low and the market prices for portfolio securities have increased, the Fund may have a very low or even negative yield. A low or negative yield would cause the Fund to lose money in certain conditions and over certain time periods. An increase in interest rates will generally cause the value of securities held by the Fund to decline, may lead to heightened volatility in the fixed-income markets and may adversely affect the liquidity of certain fixed-income investments, including those held by the Fund.

 

 

•

Issuer-Specific Risk. The value of an individual security or particular type of security may be more volatile than the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of the market as a whole.

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

•

Leverage Risk. Borrowing transactions, reverse repurchase agreements, securities lending transactions, and other investment transactions such as when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward commitment transactions may create investment leverage. If the Fund engages in transactions that have a leveraging effect on the Fund’s investment portfolio, the value of the Fund will be potentially more volatile, and all other risks will tend to be compounded. This is because leverage generally creates investment risk with respect to a larger base of assets than the Fund would otherwise have and so magnifies the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s underlying assets. The use of leverage is considered to be a speculative investment practice and may result in losses to the Fund.

 

 

•

Liquidity Risk. Certain securities held by the Fund may be difficult (or impossible) to sell at the time and at the price the Adviser would like. As a result, the Fund may have to hold these securities longer than it would like and may forego other investment opportunities. There is the possibility that the Fund may lose money or be prevented from realizing capital gains if it cannot sell a security at a particular time and price.

 

 

•

Market Risk. Economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, which increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one country or region will adversely impact markets or issuers in other countries or regions. The value of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by adverse changes in overall economic or market conditions, such as the level of economic activity and productivity, unemployment and labor force participation rates, inflation or deflation (and expectations for inflation or deflation), interest rates, demand and supply for particular products or resources including labor, and debt levels and credit ratings, among other factors. The adverse market conditions may contribute to an overall economic contraction across entire economies or markets, which may negatively impact the profitability of issuers operating in those economies or markets. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. The Fund’s NAV and market price may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors, including economic, political, or financial events, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics), or other disruptive events (whether real, expected, or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time.

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

•

Market Price Risk. Fund Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and are bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The market prices of Shares will fluctuate, in some cases materially, in response to changes in the NAV and supply and demand for Shares. As a result, the trading prices of Shares may deviate significantly from the NAV during periods of market volatility. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below or at their NAV. Given the fact that Shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units (defined below), the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of Shares should not be sustained in the long-term. If market makers exit the business or are unable to continue making markets in Fund Shares, Shares may trade at a discount to NAV like closed-end fund shares and may even face delisting (that is, investors would no longer be able to trade Shares in the secondary market). Further, while the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that Shares normally will trade close to the value of the Fund’s holdings, disruptions to creations and redemptions, including disruptions at market makers, APs or market participants, or during periods of significant market volatility, may result in market prices that differ significantly from the value of the Fund’s holdings. Although market makers will generally take advantage of differences between the NAV and the market price of Fund Shares through arbitrage opportunities, there is no guarantee that they will do so. In addition, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid-ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods, which could cause a material decline in the Fund’s NAV. The Fund’s investment results are measured based upon the daily NAV of the Fund. Investors purchasing and selling Shares in the secondary market may not experience investment results consistent with those experienced by those APs creating and redeeming Shares directly with the Fund. 

 

 

•

Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund Shares (including through a trading halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund Shares. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s Shares trading in the secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund Shares.

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

•

Municipal Securities Risk. Municipal securities can be significantly affected by political or economic changes, including changes made in the law after issuance of the securities, as well as uncertainties in the municipal market related to taxation, legislative changes or the rights of municipal security holders, including in connection with an issuer insolvency. Municipal securities backed by current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific assets can be negatively affected by the inability to collect revenues from such projects or assets. Certain municipal securities are issued by entities with limited taxing authority such as school districts, or are dependent on revenue from a particular sector or industry, such as the utilities sector, infrastructure sector, or transportation industry.

 

 

•

Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is a non-diversified investment company, which means it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a single asset class than a diversified investment company. This may make the value of the Fund’s Shares more susceptible to certain risks than shares of a diversified investment company. As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may have a greater potential to realize losses upon the occurrence of adverse events affecting a particular issuer.

 

 

•

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties, or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.

 

 

•

Premium/Discount Risk. The market price of the Fund’s Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the Exchange. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade below, at, or above their NAV because the Shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Shares will be closely related, but not identical, to the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that Shares can only be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their NAV), the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of Shares should not be sustained. During stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the market for the Fund’s underlying holdings, which could in turn lead to differences between the market price of the Fund’s Shares and their NAV and the bid/ask spread on the Fund’s Shares may widen.

 

 

•

Pricing Risk. If market conditions make it difficult to value some investments, the Fund may value these investments using more subjective methods, such as fair value pricing. In such cases, the value determined for an investment could be different from the value realized upon such investment’s sale. As a result, you could pay more than the market value when buying Fund Shares or receive less than the market value when selling Fund Shares.

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

•

Rating Agencies Risk. Ratings are not an absolute standard of quality, but rather general indicators that reflect only the view of the originating rating agencies from which an explanation of the significance of such ratings may be obtained. There is no assurance that a particular rating will continue for any given period of time or that any such rating will not be revised downward or withdrawn entirely if, in the judgment of the agency establishing the rating, circumstances so warrant. A downward revision or withdrawal of such ratings, or either of them, may have an effect on the liquidity or market price of the securities in which the Fund invests.

 

 

•

Reinvestment Risk. Reinvestment risk is the risk that the Fund’s portfolio will decline if and when the Fund reinvests the proceeds from the disposition of its portfolio securities at market interest rates that are below the portfolio’s current earnings rate. A decline in income could negatively affect the market price of the Shares.

 

 

•

Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk. Reverse repurchase agreements are a form of secured borrowing and subject the Fund to the risks associated with leverage, including exposure to potential gains and losses in excess of the amount invested, resulting in an increase in the speculative character of the Fund’s outstanding Shares. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the investment return earned by the Fund (from the investment of the proceeds) will be less than the interest expense of the transaction, that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund will decline below the price the Fund is obligated to pay to repurchase the securities, and that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all.

 

 

•

Risk of Investing in the U.S. Certain changes in the U.S. economy, such as when the U.S. economy weakens or when its financial markets decline, may have an adverse effect on the securities to which the Fund has exposure.

 

 

•

Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may engage in securities lending (i.e., lend portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers). Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund may lose money because the borrower of the loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. 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. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. The Fund could also experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund.

 

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Tax Risk. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s income will be exempt from U.S. federal income taxes and/or the federal AMT. Events occurring after the date of issuance of a municipal bond or after the Fund’s acquisition of a municipal bond may result in a determination that interest on that bond is includable in gross income for federal income tax purposes retroactively to its date of issuance. Such a determination may cause a portion of prior distributions by the Fund to its shareholders to be taxable to those shareholders in the year of receipt. Federal or state changes in income or alternative minimum tax rates or in the tax treatment of municipal bonds may make municipal bonds less attractive as investments and cause them to decline in value.

 

 

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Treasury Obligations Risk. While U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the "full faith and credit" of the U.S. Government, such securities are nonetheless subject to credit risk (i.e., the risk that the U.S. Government may be, or be perceived to be, unable or unwilling to honor its financial obligations). U.S. Treasury obligations may provide relatively lower returns than those of other securities. Changes to the financial condition or credit rating of the U.S. Government may cause the value of the Fund's U.S. Treasury obligations to decline.

 

 

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Underlying Fund Risk. The Underlying Funds in which the Fund invests are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. Each of the Underlying Funds is subject to its own specific risks, but the Adviser expects the principal investment risks of such Underlying Funds will be similar to the risks of investing in the Fund.

 

 

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Valuation Risk. The prices provided by the Fund’s pricing services or independent dealers or the fair value determinations made by the valuation committee of the Adviser may be different from the prices used by other funds or from the prices at which securities are actually bought and sold. The prices of certain securities provided by pricing services may be subject to frequent and significant change, and will vary depending on the information that is available.

 

 

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When-Issued Securities Risk. The Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis. The purchase price of such securities is typically fixed at the time of the commitment, with delivery and payment taking place in the future. At the time of delivery of the securities, the value may be more or less than the purchase or sale price. Purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis may give rise to investment leverage, and may result in increased volatility of the Fund’s NAV. Default by, or bankruptcy of, a counterparty to a when-issued transaction would expose the Fund to possible losses because of an adverse market action, expenses or delays in connection with the purchase or sale of the pools specified in such transaction. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) Rules impose mandatory margin requirements for certain types of when-issued or forward commitment transactions, with limited exceptions. Such transactions require mandatory collateralization, which may increase the cost of such transactions and impose added operational complexity.

 

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Performance Information: Performance information for the Fund is not included because the Fund did not have a full calendar year of performance prior to the date of this Prospectus. Performance information will be included once the Fund has at least one calendar year of performance. Updated performance information will be available on the Fund’s website at www.fminvest.com.

 

Management

 

Investment Adviser

 

F/m Investments LLC serves as the investment adviser.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

Team Member

Primary Titles

Start Date with F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Muni Fund

Justin Hennessy

SVP, Director of Portfolio Strategy, Senior Portfolio Manager

Inception

Christina Mika

VP, Assistant Portfolio Manager

Inception

Peter Baden

MD, Director of Fixed Income Strategy

Inception

 

Purchase and Sale of F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Muni Fund Shares

 

Shares are intended to be listed on the Exchange, and investors can only buy and sell Shares through brokers or dealers 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 (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Information on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads, is available on the Fund’s website at www.fminvest.com.

 

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 closely approximating the holdings of the Fund (the “Deposit Securities”) and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.

 

Tax Information

 

Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is made through an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other

 

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tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts. Owners of such tax-advantaged accounts should consult with their tax advisor regarding the appropriateness of an investment in the Fund through such accounts.

 

Financial Intermediary Compensation

 

If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Fund’s 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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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND

 

Investment Objective

 

The investment objective of the Fund is to seek to provide federally tax-exempt income with limited rate sensitivity. The Fund’s investment objective has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.

 

Portfolio Composition

 

The Fund has a policy to invest, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in U.S. municipal investment grade bonds that are exempt from federal and certain state taxes, and which are currently callable or callable within the next three (3) months (the “80% Policy”).

 

The Fund’s 80% Policy is fundamental and cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. The Fund must comply with its 80% Policy at the time the Fund invests its assets. Accordingly, when the Fund no longer meets the 80% Policy requirement as a result of circumstances beyond its control, such as changes in the value of portfolio holdings, the Fund would not have to sell its holdings, but any new investments it makes would need to be consistent with its 80% Policy.

 

Additional Principal Investment Strategy Information

 

The Fund is an actively managed short duration municipal bond exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that is designed to provide federally tax-exempt income with limited interest rate sensitivity. The Fund invests in a subset of U.S. municipal tax-exempt investment grade bond market to target bonds that are either at or near a call date, with higher coupons.

 

Under normal market conditions, F/m Investments LLC (the “Adviser”) seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objective by investing at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in U.S. municipal investment grade bonds that are exempt from federal and certain state taxes, and which are currently callable or callable within the next three (3) months. The Fund is “non-diversified,” which means it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a single asset class than a “diversified” fund.

 

In addition, the Fund may invest in cash and cash equivalents, or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds. The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in amounts not exceeding one-third of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed). The Fund may invest in securities of other affiliated and unaffiliated ETFs registered under the 1940 Act, that invest primarily in Fund eligible investments (collectively, “Underlying Funds”) to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions. The Fund may also seek to increase its income by lending securities. These loans will be secured by collateral (consisting of cash, U.S. government securities, or irrevocable letters of credit) maintained in an amount equal to at least 100% of the market value, determined

 

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daily, of the loaned securities. Cash collateral received by the Fund in connection with its lending of portfolio securities will be invested in short-term investments, including money market funds.

 

During unusual economic or market conditions, or for temporary defensive or liquidity purposes, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in money market instruments that would not ordinarily be consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. If the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable for a time to achieve its investment objective.

 

Additional Principal Risk Information

 

The value of the Fund’s investments may decrease, which will cause the value of the Fund’s Shares to decrease. As a result, you may lose money on your investment in the Fund, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. An investment in the Fund is subject to one or more of the principal risks discussed below. Unless otherwise noted, each risk described below is a principal risk of investing in the Fund.

 

 

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Active Management Risk. The Fund is actively managed. Active management permits the Advisor to use reasonable discretion on how to invest the assets of the Fund in a manner that helps the Advisor achieve the Fund’s strategies. The Advisor’s security selection and/or strategy execution could cause the Fund to underperform relevant securities markets or other funds with a similar investment objectives. All else being equal, actively managed funds can have higher fees and expenses than passively managed funds.

 

 

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Affiliated Fund Risk. When the Adviser invests the Fund’s assets in an Underlying Fund that is also managed by the Adviser, the risk presented is that, due to its own financial interest or other business considerations, the Adviser may have had an incentive to make that investment in lieu of investments by the Fund directly in portfolio securities, or in lieu of investment in Underlying Funds sponsored or managed by others. This conflict of interest may be amplified when an Underlying Fund has low assets.

 

 

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Asset Class Risk. The securities and other assets in the Fund’s Portfolio may underperform in comparison to other assets that represent other countries or geographic units, industries, markets, market segments, or asset classes. Various types of securities, other assets and indices may experience cycles of outperformance and underperformance in comparison to financial markets generally. This divergence may be due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, inflation, interest rates, productivity, global demand for local products or resources, and regulation and government controls. This may cause the Fund to underperform other investment vehicles that invest in different asset classes.

 

 

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Call Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by an Underlying Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity, and the Underlying Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in securities with lower yields, which would result in a decline in the Fund’s performance, or in securities with greater risks or with other less favorable features.

 

 

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Cash or Cash Equivalents Risk. At any time, the Fund may have significant investments in cash or cash equivalents. When a substantial portion of a portfolio is held in cash or cash equivalents, there is the risk that the value of the cash account, including interest, will not keep pace with inflation, thus reducing purchasing power over time. Additionally, in rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objectives.

 

 

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Concentration Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse events that affect the Fund’s investments more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in a particular issue, issuer or issuers, country, market segment, or asset class.

 

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Credit Risk. In connection with the Fund’s or an Underlying Fund’s investments in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund may change in response to the credit ratings of the Fund’s or an Underlying Fund’s portfolio securities. The degree of risk for a particular security may be reflected in its credit rating. Generally, investment risk and price volatility increase as a security’s credit rating declines. The financial condition of an issuer of a fixed income security held by the Fund may cause it to default or become unable to pay interest or principal due on the security. The Fund or Underlying Fund cannot collect interest and principal payments on a fixed income security if the issuer defaults. Investments in fixed income securities that are issued by U.S. Government sponsored entities such as the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Association, and the Federal Home Loan Banks involve credit risk as they are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.

 

 

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Cyber Security Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund and Underlying Funds are susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyberattacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security failures or breaches by the Adviser, an Underlying Fund’s adviser and the Fund’s or Underlying Fund’s other service providers (including, but not limited to, any of the Fund’s or Underlying Funds’ accountant, custodian, transfer agent and administrator), and the issuers of securities in which the Fund or Underlying Fund invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with any of the Fund’s or Underlying Funds’ ability to calculate their respective NAV, impediments to trading, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, the Underlying Funds and issuers in which the Fund invests. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

 

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Duration Risk. Duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio to interest rate changes. Duration risk is the risk that longer-duration debt securities are more volatile and thus more likely to decline in price, and to a greater extent, than shorter-duration debt securities, in a rising interest-rate environment. As interest rates rise, the value of a bond will fall in direct proportion to its duration and conversely, as interest rates fall, the value of a bond will increase in direct proportion to its duration. Therefore, the longer a bond’s duration (measured in years), the more sensitive its price will be to interest rate changes. “Effective duration” attempts to measure the expected percentage change in the value of a bond or portfolio resulting from a change in prevailing interest rates. The change in the value of a bond or portfolio can be approximated by multiplying its duration by a change in interest rates. For example, if a bond has an effective duration of three years, a 1% increase in general interest rates would be expected to cause the bond’s value to decline about 3% while a 1% decrease in general interest rates would be expected to cause the bond’s value to increase 3%. The duration of a debt security may be equal to or shorter than the full maturity of a debt security.

 

 

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ETF Risk. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, the Fund is exposed to the following risks:

 

 

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Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. Only an AP may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund may have 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. To the extent either of the following events occur, there may be significantly diminished trading in Shares, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV, and Fund Shares may possibly face delisting: (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. These events, among others, may lead to the Fund’s Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than the NAV when you buy Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those Shares in the secondary market. A diminished market for an ETF’s shares substantially increases the risk that a shareholder may pay considerably more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the ETF shares bought or sold. In periods of market volatility, APs, market makers and/or liquidity providers may be less willing to transact in Fund Shares.

 

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Cash Transactions Risk. Unlike certain ETFs, the Fund may effect its creations and redemptions partially or wholly for cash rather than on an in-kind basis. Because of this, the Fund may incur costs such as brokerage costs or be unable to realize certain tax benefits associated with in-kind transfers of portfolio securities that may be realized by other ETFs. These costs may decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent that the costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP. Shareholders may be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise have been subject to and/or at an earlier date than if the Fund had effected redemptions wholly on an in-kind basis. The Fund’s use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause the Fund’s Shares to trade in the market at wider bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.

 

 

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Secondary Market Trading Risk. Shares of the Fund are intended to be listed on the Exchange. Although the Fund’s Shares are intended to be 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 Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in the Fund’s 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. 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 the Fund’s Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than the Fund’s Shares. In addition, during periods of market stress, 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). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines. 

 

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Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV Risk. As with all ETFs, Shares of the Fund 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 or periods of steep market declines. 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. To the extent the Fund invests in Underlying Funds, which are also ETFs, the Fund will be further exposed to ETF risks.

 

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Fixed-Income Market Risk. The market value of a fixed-income security may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. The fixed-income securities market can be susceptible to increases in volatility and decreases in liquidity. Liquidity can decline unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. Increases in volatility and decreases in liquidity may be caused by a rise in interest rates (or the expectation of a rise in interest rates). During periods of reduced market liquidity, the Fund may not be able to readily sell fixed-income securities at prices at or near their perceived value. If the Fund needed to sell large blocks of fixed-income securities to meet shareholder redemption requests or to raise cash, those sales could further reduce the prices of such securities. An unexpected increase in the Fund’s redemption requests, including requests from shareholders who may own a significant percentage of the Fund’s Shares, which may be triggered by market turmoil or an increase in interest rates, could cause the Fund to sell its holdings at a loss or at undesirable prices and adversely affect the Fund’s Share price and increase the Fund’s liquidity risk, fund expenses and/or taxable distributions. Economic and other market developments can adversely affect fixed-income securities markets. Regulations and business practices, for example, have led some financial intermediaries to curtail their capacity to engage in trading (i.e., “market making”) activities for certain fixed-income securities, which could have the potential to decrease liquidity and increase volatility in the fixed-income securities markets. Policy and legislative changes worldwide are affecting many aspects of financial regulation. The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time. In addition, the Fund may be subject to risks associated with investments in senior non-preferred bonds (sometimes referred to as a “bail-in bonds”), which are debt securities issued by financial institutions that can be converted into equity securities if such conversion is mandated by a financial institution’s regulatory authority due to the financial institution facing the possibility of bankruptcy. The mandatory conversion of a bail-in bond into an equity security may result in a reduction in value of the security and, if the Fund holds such security when the conversion occurs, the Fund’s performance may be negatively impacted.

 

 

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Fixed Income Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer, willingness of broker-dealers and other market participants to make markets in the applicable securities, and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). Lower rated fixed-income securities have greater volatility because there is less certainty that the principal and interest payments will be made as scheduled. There is a risk that a lack of liquidity or other adverse credit market conditions may hamper the Fund’s ability to sell the debt securities in which it invests.

 

 

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High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may incur high portfolio turnover. The active and frequent trading of the Fund’s portfolio securities may result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, which could reduce the Fund’s return.

 

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Income Risk. The Fund’s income may decline if interest rates fall. This decline in income can occur because the Fund may subsequently invest in lower-yielding bonds as bonds in its portfolio mature, are near maturity or are called, or the Fund otherwise needs to purchase additional bonds.

 

 

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Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the real value of certain assets or real income from investments (the value of such assets or income after accounting for inflation) will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. Inflation, and investors’ expectation of future inflation, can impact the current value of the Fund’s portfolio, resulting in lower asset values and losses to shareholders. This risk may be elevated compared to historical market conditions because of recent monetary policy measures and the current interest rate environment.

 

 

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Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk of losses attributable to changes in interest rates. In general, if prevailing interest rates rise, the values of debt instruments tend to fall, and if interest rates fall, the values of debt instruments tend to rise. Changes in the value of a debt instrument usually will not affect the amount of income the Fund receives from it but will generally affect the value of your investment in the Fund. Changes in interest rates may also affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments in debt instruments. In general, the longer the maturity or duration of a debt instrument, the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The Fund is subject to the risk that the income generated by its investments may not keep pace with inflation. Actions by governments and central banking authorities can result in increases or decreases in interest rates, which may negatively affect the value of debt instruments held by the Fund, resulting in a negative impact on the Fund’s performance and NAV. Any interest rate increases could cause the value of the Fund’s investments in debt instruments to decrease. Rising interest rates may prompt redemptions from the Fund, which may force the Fund to sell investments at a time when it is not advantageous to do so, which could result in losses. During periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns or pay dividends to Fund shareholders. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. Changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, may have unpredictable effects on markets, result in heightened market volatility and detract from the Fund’s performance to the extent the Fund is exposed to such interest rates. Additionally, under certain market conditions in which interest rates are low and the market prices for portfolio securities have increased, the Fund may have a very low or even negative yield. A low or negative yield would cause the Fund to lose money in certain conditions and over certain time periods. An increase in interest rates will generally cause the value of securities held by the Fund to decline, may lead to heightened volatility in the fixed-income markets and may adversely affect the liquidity of certain fixed-income investments, including those held by the Fund.

 

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Issuer Risk. The performance of the Fund depends on the performance of individual securities or other assets to which the Fund has exposure. The value of securities or other assets may decline, or perform different from the market as a whole, due to changes in the financial condition or credit rating of the issuer or counterparty.

 

 

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Leverage Risk. Borrowing transactions, reverse repurchase agreements, securities lending transactions and other investment transactions such as when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward commitment transactions may create investment leverage. If the Fund engages in transactions that have a leveraging effect on the Fund’s investment portfolio, the value of the Fund will be potentially more volatile and all other risks will tend to be compounded. This is because leverage generally creates investment risk with respect to a larger base of assets than the Fund would otherwise have and so magnifies the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s underlying assets. The use of leverage is considered to be a speculative investment practice and may result in losses to the Fund. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy repayment, interest payment, or margin obligations or to meet asset coverage requirements.

 

 

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Liquidity Risk. Certain securities held by the Fund may be difficult (or impossible) to sell at the time and at the price the Adviser would like. As a result, the Fund may have to hold these securities longer than it would like and may forego other investment opportunities. There is the possibility that the Fund may lose money or be prevented from realizing capital gains if it cannot sell a security at a particular time and price.

 

 

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Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk as an actively managed investment portfolio. The Adviser’s investment approach may fail to produce the intended results. This could cause the Fund to lose value or its investment results to lag relevant benchmarks or other funds with similar objectives. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the Adviser in connection with managing the Fund and may also adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment goal.

 

 

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Market Risk. The trading prices of securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors, including economic, political, financial, public health crises (such as epidemics or pandemics), or other disruptive events (whether real, expected, or perceived) in the U.S. and global markets. The Fund’s NAVs and market prices are based upon the market’s perception of value and are not necessarily an objective measure of an investment’s value. There is no assurance that the Fund will realize its investment objective, and an investment in the Fund is not, by itself, a complete or balanced investment program. You could lose money on your investment in the Fund, or the Fund could underperform other investments.

 

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 Periods of unusually high financial market volatility and restrictive credit conditions, at times limited to a particular sector or geographic area, have occurred in the past and may be expected to recur in the future. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted or have signaled protectionist trade measures, relaxation of the financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis, and/or reductions to corporate taxes. The scope of these policy changes is still developing, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations of change, which could increase volatility, particularly if a resulting policy runs counter to the market’s expectations. The outcome of such changes cannot be foreseen at the present time. In addition, geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health risks, war, natural disasters, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may add to instability in the world economy and markets generally. As a result of increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by events impacting a country or region, regardless of whether the Fund invests in issuers located in or with significant exposure to such country or region.

 

 The outbreak of COVID-19 and its variants resulted in closing international borders, enhanced health screenings, healthcare service preparation and delivery, quarantines, cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, as well as general public concern and uncertainty. This outbreak negatively affected the worldwide economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial health of individual companies and the market in general in significant and unforeseen ways. On May 5, 2023, the World Health Organization declared the end of the global emergency status for COVID-19. The United States subsequently ended the federal COVID-19 public health emergency declaration effective May 11, 2023. Although vaccines for COVID-19 are widely available, it is unknown how long certain circumstances 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. Recently, various countries have seen significant internal conflicts and in some cases, civil wars may have had an adverse impact on the securities markets of the countries concerned. In addition, the occurrence of new disturbances due to acts of war or terrorism or other political developments cannot be excluded. Nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes, government regulation, political, regulatory or social instability or uncertainty or diplomatic developments, including the imposition of sanctions or other similar measures, could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.

 

 Recent examples of the above include conflict, loss of life, and disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict in Europe and in the Middle East. The extent, duration and impact of these conflicts, related sanctions and retaliatory actions are difficult to ascertain, but could be significant and have severe adverse effects on the region, including significant adverse effects on the regional or global economies and the markets for certain securities and commodities. These impacts could negatively affect the Fund’s investments in securities and instruments that are economically tied to the applicable region and include (but are not limited to) declines in value and reductions in liquidity. In addition, to the extent new sanctions are imposed or previously relaxed sanctions are reimposed (including with respect to countries undergoing transformation), complying with such restrictions may prevent the Fund from

 

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 pursuing certain investments, cause delays or other impediments with respect to consummating such investments or divestments, require divestment or freezing of investments on unfavorable terms, render divestment of underperforming investments impracticable, negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective, prevent the Fund from receiving payments otherwise due it, increase diligence and other similar costs to the Fund, render valuation of affected investments challenging, or require the Fund to consummate an investment on terms that are less advantageous than would be the case absent such restrictions. Any of these outcomes could adversely affect the Fund’s performance with respect to such investments, and thus the Fund’s performance as a whole.

 

 

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Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for the Shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s portfolio holdings, which may cause a variance in the market price of Shares and their underlying NAV. In addition, an exchange or market may issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt the Fund’s creation/redemption process, potentially affect the price at which Shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in the Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments at all. In these 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. Any of these factors may lead to the Shares trading at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV.

 

 

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Municipal Securities Risk. Municipal securities can be significantly affected by political or economic changes, including changes made in the law after issuance of the securities, as well as uncertainties in the municipal market related to taxation, legislative changes or the rights of municipal security holders, including in connection with an issuer insolvency. Municipal securities backed by current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific assets can be negatively affected by the inability to collect revenues from such projects or assets. Certain municipal securities are issued by entities with limited taxing authority such as school districts, or are dependent on revenue from a particular sector or industry, such as the utilities sector, infrastructure sector, or transportation industry.

 

 

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Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is a non-diversified investment company, which means it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a single asset class than a diversified investment company. This may make the value of the Fund’s Shares more susceptible to certain risks than shares of a diversified investment company. As a non-diversified fund, the Fund may have a greater potential to realize losses upon the occurrence of adverse events affecting a particular issuer.

 

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New Fund Risk. The Fund is a newly organized, non-diversified management investment company with a limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record on which to base their investment decision. In addition, there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to, or maintain, an economically viable size, in which case the Board of the Company may determine to liquidate the Fund. Like other new funds, large inflows and outflows may impact any of the Fund’s market exposure for limited periods of time. This impact may be positive or negative, depending on the direction of market movement during the period affected. If the Fund fails to attract a large amount of assets, shareholders of the Fund may incur higher expenses as the Fund’s fixed costs would be allocated over a smaller number of shareholders.

 

 

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Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties, or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes or technology or systems failures. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address significant operational risks.

 

 

•

Premium/Discount Risk. The market price of Fund Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the Exchange. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade below, at, or above their NAV because the Shares trade on the Exchange at market prices and not at NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Shares will be closely related, but not identical, to the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of a Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. However, given that Shares can only be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their NAV), the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of Shares should not be sustained. During stressed market conditions, the market for Fund Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the market for such Fund’s underlying holdings, which could in turn lead to differences between the market price of Fund Shares and the net asset value and the bid/ask spread on Fund Shares may widen.

 

 

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Pricing Risk. If market conditions make it difficult to value some investments, the Fund may value these investments using more subjective methods, such as fair value pricing. In such cases, the value determined for an investment could be different from the value realized upon such investment’s sale. As a result, you could pay more than the market value when buying Fund Shares or receive less than the market value when selling Fund Shares.

 

 

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Rating Agencies Risk. Ratings are not an absolute standard of quality, but rather general indicators that reflect only the view of the originating rating agencies from which an explanation of the significance of such ratings may be obtained. There is no assurance that a particular rating will continue for any given period of time or that any such rating will not be revised downward or withdrawn entirely if, in the judgment of the agency establishing the rating, circumstances so warrant. A downward revision or withdrawal of such ratings, or either of them, may have an effect on the liquidity or market price of the securities in which the Fund or Underlying Funds invest.

 

 

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Reinvestment Risk. Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Fund’s portfolios will decline if and when the Fund reinvests the proceeds from the disposition of portfolio securities at market interest rates that are below the portfolio’s current earnings rate. A decline in income could negatively affect the market price of the Fund’s Shares.

 

 

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Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund subject to an agreement to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price (including interest). The Fund may enter these transactions when the Adviser expects the return to be earned from the investment of the transaction proceeds to be greater than the interest expense of the transaction. Reverse repurchase agreements may also be entered into as a temporary measure for emergency purposes or to meet redemption requests.

 

 Reverse repurchase agreements are a form of secured borrowing and subject the Fund to the risks associated with leverage, including exposure to potential gains and losses in excess of the amount

 

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 invested, resulting in an increase in the speculative character of the Fund’s outstanding Shares. If the securities held by the Fund decline in value while these transactions are outstanding, the NAV of the Fund’s outstanding Shares will decline in value by proportionately more than the decline in value of the securities. In addition, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the investment return earned by the Fund (from the investment of the proceeds) will be less than the interest expense of the transaction, that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund will decline below the price the Fund is obligated to pay to repurchase the securities, and that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all.

 

 When the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it is subject to the risk that the buyer under the agreement may file for bankruptcy, become insolvent or otherwise default on its obligations to the Fund. In the event of a default by the counterparty, there may be delays, costs and risks of loss involved in the Fund’s exercising its rights under the agreement, or those rights may be limited by other contractual agreements or obligations or by applicable law. Such an insolvency may result in a loss equal to the amount by which the value of the securities or other assets sold by the Fund exceeds the repurchase price payable by the Fund; if the value of the purchased securities or other assets increases during such a delay, that loss may also be increased. The Fund could lose money if it is unable to recover the securities or if the value of investments made by the Fund using the proceeds of the transaction is less than the value of securities. When the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it must identify on its books cash or liquid assets that have a value equal to or greater than the repurchase price.

 

 

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Risk of Investing in the U.S. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations, inflation and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the U.S. are changing many aspects of financial, commercial, public health, environmental, and other regulation and may have a significant effect on U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. Governmental agencies project that the U.S. will continue to maintain elevated public debt levels for the foreseeable future. Although elevated debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, elevated public debt service costs may constrain future economic growth. Circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of interest or principal on U.S. government debt, such as reaching the legislative “debt ceiling.” Such non-payment would result in substantial negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial system. If U.S. relations with certain countries deteriorate, it could adversely affect U.S. issuers, as well as non-U.S. issuers that rely on the U.S. for trade. The U.S. has also experienced increased internal unrest and discord. If these trends were to continue, it may have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which the Fund invests.

 

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Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. Portfolio securities loans are secured continuously by collateral maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The value of the securities loaned by the Fund will not exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund. Lending the Fund’s portfolio securities involves the risk of delay in receiving additional collateral if the value of the securities goes up while they are on loan. The Fund may lose money from securities lending if, for example, it is delayed in or prevented from selling the collateral or from recovering the securities loaned or if it incurs losses on the reinvestment of cash collateral.

 

 

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Tax Risk. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s income will be exempt from U.S. federal income taxes and/or the federal AMT. Events occurring after the date of issuance of a municipal bond or after the Fund’s acquisition of a municipal bond may result in a determination that interest on that bond is includable in gross income for federal income tax purposes retroactively to its date of issuance. Such a determination may cause a portion of prior distributions by the Fund to its shareholders to be taxable to those shareholders in the year of receipt. Federal or state changes in income or alternative minimum tax rates or in the tax treatment of municipal bonds may make municipal bonds less attractive as investments and cause them to decline in value.

 

 

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U.S. Treasury Obligations Risk. While U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government, such securities are nonetheless subject to credit risk (i.e., the risk that the U.S. Government may be, or be perceived to be, unable or unwilling to honor its financial obligations, such as making payments). Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities and U.S. Government-sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. U.S. Treasury obligations may differ from other securities in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics and may provide relatively lower returns than those of other securities. Similar to other issuers, changes to the financial condition or credit rating of the U.S. government may cause the value of the Fund’s U.S. Treasury obligations to decline.

 

 

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Valuation Risk. The prices provided by the Fund’s pricing services or independent dealers or the fair value determinations made by the valuation committee of the Adviser may be different from the prices used by other funds or from the prices at which securities are actually bought and sold. The prices of certain securities provided by pricing services may be subject to frequent and significant change, and will vary depending on the information that is available.

 

Additional Information About Non-Principal Risks of the Fund.

 

This section provides additional information regarding certain non-principal risks of investing in the Fund. The risks listed below could have a negative impact on any of the Fund’s performance and trading prices.

 

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•

Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk. Investors buying or selling Shares of the Fund 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 the Fund’s Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy the Fund’s Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell the Fund’s 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 the Fund’s Shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s Shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling the Fund’s Shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of the Fund’s Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in the Fund’s Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

 

 

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Large Shareholder and Large-Scale Redemption Risk. Certain shareholders, including an Authorized Participant, a third-party investor, the Fund’s Adviser or an affiliate of the Fund’s Adviser, a market maker, or another entity, may from time to time own or manage a substantial amount of Fund Shares or may invest in the Fund and hold their investment for a limited period of time. These shareholders may also pledge or loan Fund Shares (to secure financing or otherwise), which may result in the Shares becoming concentrated in another party. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder or large group of shareholders would not redeem their investment or that the size of the Fund would be maintained. Redemptions of a large number of Fund Shares by these shareholders may adversely affect the Fund’s liquidity and net assets. To the extent the Fund permits redemptions in cash, these redemptions may force the Fund to sell portfolio securities when it might not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV, have a material effect on the market price of the Shares and increase the Fund’s brokerage costs and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income and/or gains and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders earlier than it otherwise would have. In addition, under certain circumstances, non-redeeming shareholders may be treated as receiving a disproportionately large taxable distribution during or with respect to such tax year. The Fund also may be required to sell its more liquid Fund investments to meet a large redemption, in which case the Fund’s remaining assets may be less liquid, more volatile, and more difficult to price. To the extent these large shareholders transact in Shares on the secondary market, such transactions may account for a large percentage of the trading volume for the Shares of the Fund and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of Fund Shares. In addition, large purchases of Fund Shares may adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would, diluting its investment returns.

 

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Legal and Regulatory Change Risk. The regulatory environment for investment companies is evolving, and changes in regulation may adversely affect the value of any of the Fund’s investments and the Fund’s ability to pursue its trading strategy. In addition, the securities markets are subject to comprehensive statutes and regulations. The SEC and other regulators and self-regulatory organizations and exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of market emergencies. The effect of any future regulatory change on the Fund could be substantial and adverse.

 

 

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RIC Compliance Risk. The Fund has elected to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a RIC under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. To continue to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a RIC, the Fund must meet certain source-of- income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify for the special federal income tax treatment afforded to RICs, all of the Fund’s taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (without any deduction for distributions to its shareholders) and its income available for distribution will be reduced. In that case, shareholders would receive taxable dividends without regard to the tax-exempt nature of the Fund’s underlying investments. Under certain circumstances, the Fund could cure a failure to qualify as a RIC, but in order to do so, the Fund could incur significant Fund-level taxes and could be forced to dispose of certain assets.

 

 

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Temporary Investments. The Fund may depart from its principal investment strategy in response to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions by taking a temporary defensive position (up to 100% of its assets) in all types of money market and short-term debt securities. If the Fund were to take a temporary defensive position, it may be unable for a time to achieve its investment objective.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

 

The Fund’s entire portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Fund is open for business through the Fund’s website at www.fminvest.com and may be made available through financial reporting and news services or any other medium, including publicly available internet websites. Additional information regarding the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

The Board of the Company, of which the Fund is a series, is responsible for supervising the operations and affairs of the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the daily management and administration of the Fund’s operations.

 

Investment Adviser

 

The investment adviser for the Fund is F/m Investments LLC (the “Adviser”). The Adviser is located at 900 19th Street NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20006. Three officers of the Company own an indirect,

 

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minority interest in the Adviser. The Adviser is a majority owned subsidiary of F/m Managers Group, LP, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of 1251 Capital, Inc., which is a financial services holding company. The Adviser recently announced that it had entered into an agreement to be purchased and become a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., with the purchase expected to close in 2027, subject to customary closing conditions.

 

Subject to the overall supervision of the Board, the Adviser manages the overall investment operations of the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies and formulates a continuing investment strategy for the Fund pursuant to the terms of investment advisory agreement between the Company and the Adviser (the “Advisory Agreement”). Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Fund pays the Adviser a unitary management fee that is computed and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.30% of the Fund’s average daily net assets during the month. From the unitary management fee, the Adviser pays most of the expenses of the Fund, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services. However, under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is not responsible for interest expenses, brokerage commissions, and other trading expenses, taxes and other extraordinary costs such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business. The Adviser was effectively paid an annualized management fee of [  %] of the Fund’s average daily net assets for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026.

 

A discussion regarding the Board’s approval of the Fund’s Advisory Agreement and the factors the Board considered with respect to its approval is available in the Fund’s [annual report to shareholders for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026].

 

The Adviser’s Investment Management Team

 

The Fund’s portfolio managers are jointly responsible for the portfolio management decisions for the Fund.

 

Justin Hennessy

 

Mr. Hennessy is the Senior Vice President, Director of Portfolio Strategy and Senior Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, focused on tax-exempt municipal bond strategies. Mr. Hennessy joined Genoa Asset Management, LLC (“Genoa”), a formerly affiliated entity of the Adviser, in 2011 and led its customized municipal bond portfolios. Mr. Hennessy has over 30 years of investment management experience, encompassing investment advisory firms, insurance companies, mutual funds and bank trust departments. Prior to joining Genoa and its predecessor firm, Mr. Hennessy was head of portfolio management for a registered investment adviser and managing director at a brokerage firm focusing on municipal bond portfolios. Previously, Mr. Hennessy was Managing Director at Ambac Indemnity Corporation (“Ambac”), where he founded the firm’s investment group. At Ambac, Mr. Hennessy was responsible for the firm’s $4 billion investment portfolio, asset/liability matching, strategy and research, and board reporting for the portfolio. He also served as Senior Vice President at CIGNA, responsible for a $2.3 billion property and casualty insurance portfolio and the company’s municipal bond mutual funds. Mr. Hennessy began his career as an investment officer with the Old Colony Trust Department in Boston.

 

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Peter Baden

 

Mr. Baden is the Managing Director and Director of Fixed Income Strategy for the Adviser. Mr. Baden has over 25 years of investment management experience, encompassing portfolio management, mergers and acquisitions, financial institutions, and credit analysis. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2020, Mr. Baden joined a predecessor firm in 2005 to launch the firm’s effort to build customized fixed income portfolios for high net-worth clients. Prior to joining the predecessor firm, Mr. Baden worked on the mergers and acquisitions team at Star Banc (now US Bancorp) acquiring and integrating multiple banks and savings and loan associations. In the trust department of Star Banc, he managed the REIT allocation for a mutual fund and analyzed US and international bank, insurance, and financial companies, as well as municipalities. Previously, at Pacholder Associates, Mr. Baden managed money market assets in multiple portfolios, and designed and developed proprietary portfolio systems and models for distressed companies, collateralized bond obligations, and legal settlement pools. Mr. Baden has extensive experience with resolution and liquidation for distressed portfolios including experience with the Resolution Trust Corporation.

 

Christina Mika

 

Ms. Mika is a Vice President and Assistant Portfolio Manager of the Adviser. Prior to her current role, Ms. Mika was a Senior Equity Trader at Ziegler Capital Management, LLC (“ZCM”), a former affiliated entity of the Adviser. Prior to ZCM, she served as a Derivative Analyst with UBS Global Asset Management and as an Energy Trader for a subsidiary of Nisource Inc, a Fortune 500 company. Ms. Mika began her career as a Senior Fixed Income Trader at ABN Amro (formerly Chicago Capital Management).

 

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

 

The Fund issues and redeems its Shares at NAV only in Creation Units. Only APs may acquire Shares directly from the Fund, and only APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV. APs must be (i) a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation, a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC participant (as discussed below). In addition, each AP 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. Once created, Shares trade in the secondary market in quantities less than a Creation Unit.

 

Investors can only buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares are intended to be 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 the Fund’s 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

 

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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 (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares.

 

Investors owning the Fund’s Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for the Fund’s 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 the Fund’s Shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have the Fund’s Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of the Fund’s Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of the Fund’s 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.

 

Share Trading Prices on the Exchange

 

Trading prices of the Fund’s Shares on the Exchange may differ from the Fund’s daily NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of Shares. To provide additional information regarding the indicative value of the Fund’s Shares, the Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates information every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association, or other widely disseminated means, including an updated “intraday indicative value” (“IIV”) for the Fund’s Shares as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Fund is neither involved in nor responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIVs and make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIVs. If the calculation of the IIV is based on the basket of Deposit Securities, such IIV may not represent the best possible valuation of the Fund’s portfolios because the basket of Deposit Securities does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of the Fund at a particular point in time. The IIV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the Fund’s NAV because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed only once a day, typically at the end of the business day. The IIV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the Deposit Securities.

 

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares

 

The Fund imposes no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of the Fund’s Shares. In determining not to approve a written, established policy, the Board evaluated the risks of market timing activities by any of the Fund’s shareholders. Purchases and redemptions by APs, who are the only parties that may purchase or redeem the Fund’s Shares directly with the Fund, are an essential part of the ETF

 

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process and help keep Share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, the Fund accommodates frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, the Board has also determined that frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains or losses. To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions, the Fund employs fair value pricing and impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effecting trades. In addition, the Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order at any time.

 

Determination of Net Asset Value

 

The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), generally at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, each day the NYSE is open for business. The NAV for the Fund is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by its Shares outstanding.

 

In calculating its NAV, the 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. If such information is not available for a security held by the Fund or is determined to be unreliable, the security will be valued at fair value estimates by the Fund’s Valuation Designee (defined below), under guidelines established by the Board.

 

Fair Value Pricing

 

If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be fair valued by the Adviser, as the Fund’s Valuation Designee (the “Valuation Designee”), in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board and under the Board’s ultimate supervision. The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by the Fund and its Valuation Designee in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by the Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

 

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

 

Dividends and Distributions

 

The Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to its shareholders. The Fund expects to declare and pay distributions, if any, monthly, however it may declare and pay distributions more or less frequently. Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, will be distributed by the Fund at least annually.

 

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Dividend Reinvestment Service

 

Brokers may make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available to their customers who own the Fund’s Shares. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and capital gains will automatically be reinvested in additional whole Shares of the Fund purchased on the secondary market. Without this service, investors would receive their distributions in cash. In order to achieve the maximum total return on their investments, investors are encouraged to use the dividend reinvestment service. To determine whether the dividend reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker. Brokers may require the Fund’s shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables.

 

Taxes

 

The Fund intends to elect to be, and to qualify each year for treatment as, a RIC under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code.

 

As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in the Fund Shares will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information about certain U.S. tax considerations relevant under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. Such tax information does not represent a detailed description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you in light of your particular circumstances, including if you are subject to special tax treatment. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are “United States persons” (within the meaning of the Code) holding Shares as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes (generally, for investment). You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund’s Shares.

 

Unless your investment in the Fund’s Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when: (i) the Fund makes distributions; (ii) you sell your Shares listed on the Exchange; and (iii) you purchase or redeem Creation Units.

 

Taxes on Distributions

 

Dividends paid by the Fund that are properly reported as tax-exempt interest dividends will not be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax. The Fund intends to invest its assets in a manner such that dividend distributions to its shareholders generally will be exempt from U.S. federal income taxation. Dividends paid by the Fund will be exempt from U.S. federal income tax (though not necessarily exempt from state and local taxation) to the extent of the Fund’s tax-exempt interest income as long as 50% or more of the value of the Fund’s assets at the end of each quarter is invested in state, municipal and other bonds whose interest is excluded from gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes and as long as the Fund properly reports such dividends as tax-exempt interest dividends. If the Fund invests in certain “private activity bonds,” a

 

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portion of the exempt-interest dividends paid by them will be an item of tax preference to shareholders subject to the alternative minimum tax

 

Exempt interest dividends from interest earned on the municipal securities of a state or its political subdivisions may be exempt from income tax in that state. However, income from the municipal securities of one state generally will not qualify for tax-free treatment in other states.

 

The Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains income, if any. For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income (including short-term capital gain) other than net tax-exempt income are generally taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Shares of the Fund. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”), if any, will be taxable as long-term capital gains, which for non-corporate shareholders are subject to tax at reduced rates. Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional Shares of the Fund.

 

If the Fund were to retain any net capital gain, the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to shareholders who, if subject to U.S. federal income tax on long-term capital gains, (i) will be required to include in income as long-term capital gain, their proportionate share of such undistributed amount, and (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate share of the U.S. federal income tax paid by the Fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. If such an event occurs, the tax basis of Shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, generally be increased by the difference between the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder’s gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder.

 

The Fund may make distributions that are treated as a return of capital. Such distributions are generally not taxable but will reduce the basis of your Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the basis of your Shares, however, the excess will be treated as gain from a sale of the Shares.

 

Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the character of any distributions received from the Fund.

 

U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (including any taxable interest, dividends, and capital gains distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares of the Fund). 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.

 

36

 

 

 

 

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 the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the Shares’ NAV when you purchased your Shares of the Fund). Income from U.S. treasury securities are generally exempt from state and local taxes. Tax-exempt interest income is not included in net investment income for purposes of the federal net investment tax. Distributions paid from any interest income that is not tax-exempt and from any short-term or long-term capital gains will be taxable whether you reinvest those distributions or receive them in cash. Distributions paid from the Fund’s net long-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held your Shares.

 

You may wish to avoid investing in the Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable to you even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment. This adverse tax result is known as “buying into a dividend.”

 

Taxes When Shares are Sold on the Exchange

 

For federal income tax purposes, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Shares of the Fund generally is treated as capital gain or loss and as a long-term capital gain or loss if those Shares have been held for more than 12 months and as a short-term capital gain or loss if those Shares have been held for 12 months 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 or undistributed capital gains deemed paid with respect to such Shares of the Fund. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent Shares of the Fund are acquired (or the shareholder enters into a contract or option to acquire Shares of the Fund), including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the sale of Shares. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an increase to the basis of the Shares acquired.

 

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans

 

The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on and sales of Shares of the Fund held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless it borrowed to acquire the Shares.

 

U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign Shareholders

 

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 or returns of capital) paid to you by the Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. The 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

 

37

 

 

 

 

other requirements are met. For these purposes, interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends generally represent distributions of interest or short-term capital gains that would not have been subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the source if received directly by a foreign shareholder, and that satisfy certain other requirements.

 

Properly reported distributions by the Fund that are received by foreign shareholders are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax when they (a) are paid by the Fund in respect of the Fund’s “qualified net interest income” (i.e., the Fund’s U.S. source interest income, subject to certain exceptions, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income), or (b) are paid by the Fund in connection with the Fund’s “qualified short-term gains” (generally, the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital gains over the Fund’s long-term capital losses for such tax year). However, depending on the circumstances, the Fund may report all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible distributions as derived from such qualified net interest income or from such qualified short-term gains, and a portion of such distributions (e.g., distributions attributable to interest from non-U.S. sources or any foreign currency gains) would be ineligible for this potential exemption from withholding.

 

If the Fund were to retain any net capital gain and designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to shareholders, foreign shareholders would be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to claim refunds of their portion of the tax paid by the Fund on deemed capital gain distributions.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on the sale of Fund’s Shares, except that a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a calendar year will be taxable on such gains and on capital gain dividends from the Fund.

 

However, if a foreign investor conducts a trade or business in the United States and the investment in the Fund is effectively connected with that trade or business, then the foreign investor’s income from the Fund will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax at graduated rates in a manner similar to the income of a U.S. citizen or resident.

 

The Fund is generally required to withhold 30% on certain payments to shareholders that are foreign entities and that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.

 

The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described herein. All foreign investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences in their country of residence of an investment in the Fund.

 

Backup Withholding

 

The Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns Shares of the Fund) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable

 

38

 

 

 

 

distributions and sale or redemption 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 he, she or it is not subject to such backup withholding. A foreign investor can generally avoid such backup withholding by certifying his or her foreign status under penalties of perjury. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

 

Taxes on Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units

 

An AP 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 market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the sum of the AP’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Any gain or loss realized by an AP upon a creation of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the AP holds the securities exchanged therefor as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held by the AP for more than 12 months, and otherwise will be short-term capital gain or loss.

 

The Company on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for a purchase of Creation Units if the AP (or a group of APs) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Company also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to an AP (or group of APs) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund, the AP (or group of APs) may not recognize gain or loss upon the Exchange of securities for Creation Units.

 

An AP who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units and the AP’s basis in the Creation Units. Any gain or loss realized by an AP upon a redemption of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the AP holds the Shares comprising the Creation Units as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares comprising the Creation Units have been held by the AP for more than 12 months, and otherwise will generally be short- term capital gain or loss. Any capital loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable AP of long-term capital gains with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the AP as undistributed capital gains). However, any loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units will be disallowed to the extent Shares of the Fund are acquired (or the AP enters into a contract or option to acquire Shares of the Fund), including through reinvestment of dividends,

 

39

 

 

 

 

within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the redemption. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an increase to the basis of the Shares acquired.

 

The 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. The Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the 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, which would generally not give rise to a taxable gain or loss for the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.

 

Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.

 

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You also may be subject to state and local tax on the Fund’s distributions and sales of Shares of the Fund. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares of the Fund under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES” in the SAI.

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

The Distributor, Quasar Distributors, LLC, is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101.             

 

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

 

Payments to Financial Intermediaries

 

The Adviser and its affiliates, out of their own resources and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may pay intermediaries, including affiliates of the Adviser, for the sale of Fund Shares and related services, including participation in activities that are designed to make intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products. Payments are generally made to intermediaries that provide shareholder servicing, marketing and related sales support, educational training or support, or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. Payments may also be made to intermediaries for making Shares of the Fund available to their customers generally and in investment programs. The Adviser and its affiliates may also reimburse expenses or make payments from their own resources to intermediaries in consideration of services or other activities the Adviser believes may facilitate investment in the Fund.

 

40

 

 

 

 

The possibility of receiving, or the receipt of, the payments described above may provide intermediaries or their salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Shares of the Fund, and other funds whose affiliates make similar compensation available, over other investments that do not make such payments. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to the Fund and other ETFs.

 

Premium/Discount Information

 

Information regarding how often the Fund’s Shares traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV is presented, free of charge, on the Fund’s website at www.fminvest.com.

 

Continuous Offering

 

The method by which Creation Units are purchased and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the Prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

 

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

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available with respect to such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker dealer-firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with Fund Shares that are part of an over-allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(a) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares of the Fund are reminded that under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed

 

41

 

 

 

 

to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Fund’s Prospectus is available on the SEC’s electronic filing system. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 of the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

 

Additional Information

 

The Fund enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including, among others, the Fund’s Adviser, who provides services to the Fund. Shareholders are not parties to, nor intended (or “third party”) beneficiaries of, those contractual arrangements.

 

The Prospectus and the SAI provide information concerning the Fund that you should consider in determining whether to purchase Shares of the Fund. The Fund may make changes to this information from time to time. Neither this Prospectus nor the SAI is intended to give rise to any contract rights or other rights in any shareholder, other than any rights conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.

 

NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUND’S SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.

 

42

 

 

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

The table below sets forth certain financial information for the period indicated. Total return in the table represent the rate an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from the Fund's financial statements and has been audited by [  ], the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm. This information should be read in conjunction with the Fund's financial statements, which, together with the report of the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, are included in the Fund's [Annual Report], which is available upon request.

 

43

 

 

 

 

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

F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF

PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 2026(a)

 

PER SHARE DATA:

 

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

[...]

 

INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

 

 

Net investment income(b)

[...]

 

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on  investments(c)

[...]

 

Total from investment operations

[...]

 

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

 

 

Net investment income

[...]

 

Total distributions

[...]

 

ETF transaction fees per share

[...]

 

Net asset value, end of period

[...]

 

Total Return(d)(e)

[...]

 

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:

 

 

Net assets, end of period (in thousands)

[...]

 

Ratio of expenses to average net assets(f)

[...]

 

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

[...]

 

Portfolio turnover rate(d)(g)

[...]

 

 

(a) Inception date of the Fund was September 29, 2025.  

(b) Net Investment income per share has been calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.

(c) Realized and unrealized gains and losses per share in the caption are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net asset value per share for the periods, and may not reconcile with the aggregate gains and losses in the Statement of Operations due to share transactions for the periods.

(d) Not annualized periods less than one year.  

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

(f) Annualized periods less than one year.

(g) Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

 

44

 

 

 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

F/m Investments LLC
900 19th Street NW, Suite 203
Washington, DC 20006

 

ADMINISTRATOR AND
TRANSFER AGENT

 

U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

CUSTODIAN

 

U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North River Center Drive, Suite
302 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212

 

INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

[  ]

 

UNDERWRITER

 

Quasar Distributors, LLC
190 Middle Street, Suite 301
Portland, Maine 04101

 

COUNSEL

 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-6996

 

45

 

 

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

For more information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:

 

Annual/Semiannual Reports

 

Additional information about the Fund’s investments is included in the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports to shareholders. The annual report contains a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its most recently completed fiscal year. The annual reports and semi-annual reports to the Fund’s shareholders are available at www.fminvest.com or by calling 1-800-617-0004.

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

The SAI dated [ ], 2026, provides more details about the Fund and its policies. The current SAI is on file with the SEC and is incorporated by reference into (and is legally a part of) this Prospectus.

 

TO OBTAIN INFORMATION

 

The SAI is available, without charge, upon request along with the semiannual and annual reports. To obtain a free copy of the SAI, semiannual or annual reports or if you have questions about the Fund:

 

By Internet

 

Go to www.fminvest.com.

 

By Telephone

 

Call 1-800-617-0004 or your securities dealer.

 

From the SEC

 

Information about the Fund (including the SAI) and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending an electronic request to publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

Investment Company Act File Number 811-05518

 

46

 

 

 

 

The information in this Statement of Additional Information 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 state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion

Dated October 30, 2026

 

F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF
(Nasdaq: ZMUN)

 

A series of The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

900 19th Street NW, Suite 203
Washington, DC 20006

 

Statement of Additional Information
[ ], 2026

 

The F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF (the “Fund”) is a non-diversified series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”), an open-end management investment company organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988.

 

F/m Investments LLC serves as the investment adviser (the “Adviser”) to the Fund.

 

Information about the Fund is set forth in the prospectus dated [ ], 2026 (the “Prospectus”) and provides the basic information you should know before investing. To obtain a copy of the Prospectus and/or the Fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports, please call 1-800-617-0004. The financial statements and notes contained in the [annual report on Form N-CSR for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026] are incorporated by reference into this SAI. No other part of the annual report is incorporated by reference herein.

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus but contains information in addition to and more detailed than that set forth in the Prospectus. It is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. This SAI is intended to provide you with additional information regarding the activities and operations of the Fund and the Company, and it should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus. 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

FUND HISTORY

 1

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES

 1

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

 12

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 14

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

 15

CODE OF ETHICS

 24

PRINCIPAL HOLDERS

 25

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 25

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 26

UNDERWRITER

 27

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 28

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

 36

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 37

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

 39

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

 41

SECURITIES LENDING

 43

PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES

 43

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 44

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES

 44

GENERAL INFORMATION

 46

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 47

APPENDIX A

A-1

APPENDIX B

B-1

 

 

 

FUND HISTORY

 

The Company is an open-end management investment company currently consisting of [...] separate portfolios. The Company is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and was organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988. This SAI pertains to shares of the F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF (the “F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Muni Fund” or the “Fund”). Prior to September 26, 2025, the Fund was known as the F/m Short Duration High Coupon Tax-Free Municipal ETF, and prior to October 3, 2025, the Fund was known as the F/m Callable Tax-Free Municipal ETF.  F/m Investments LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

 

The investment objective of the Fund is to seek to provide federally tax-exempt income with limited rate sensitivity. The Fund offers and issues shares (“Shares”) at its net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each a “Creation Unit”). The Fund also 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 Company 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. The Shares of the Fund are intended to be listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, a national securities exchange (the “Exchange”), and trade on the Exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the Fund’s NAV. The Shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment. Creation Units generally consist of 10,000 Shares, though this may change from time to time.

 

Shares of the Fund may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Company cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities as set forth in the Participant Agreement (as defined below). The Company may impose a transaction fee for each creation or redemption (the “Transaction Fee”). In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. The Fund may charge, either in lieu or in addition to the fixed creation or redemption Transaction Fee, a variable fee for creations and redemptions in order to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction, up to a maximum of 2.00% of the NAV per Creation Unit, inclusive of any Transaction Fees charged (if applicable).

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES

 

The Fund’s investment objectives and principal investment strategies are described in the Prospectus. The sections below describe additional information regarding some of the different types of investments that may be made by the Fund as part of its investment strategies. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.

 

1

 

 

 

With respect to the 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.

 

During unusual economic or market conditions, or for temporary defensive or liquidity purposes, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in money market instruments that would not ordinarily be consistent with the Fund’s objective.

 

There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund may not necessarily invest in all of the instruments or use all of the investment techniques permitted by the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI, or invest in such instruments or engage in such techniques to the full extent permitted by the Fund’s investment policies and limitations.

 

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments

 

The Fund may invest in cash, cash equivalents, and a variety of short-term instruments in such proportions as warranted by prevailing market conditions and the Fund’s principal investment strategies. The Fund may temporarily invest without limit in such instruments for liquidity purposes, or in an attempt to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such periods, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.

 

Short-term instruments include obligations of the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities (see “U.S. Government Securities” below) and, without limitation, the following:

 

(1) Certificates of Deposit. The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or savings and loan association. Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return, and are normally negotiable. If such certificates of deposit are non-negotiable, they will be considered illiquid investments and be subject to the Fund’s 15% restriction on investments in illiquid investments. Pursuant to the certificate of deposit, the issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Under current FDIC regulations, the maximum insurance payable as to any one certificate of deposit is $250,000; therefore, certificates of deposit purchased by the Fund may not be fully insured.

 

(2) Bankers’ Acceptances. The Fund may invest in bankers’ acceptances, which are short-term credit instruments used to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of interest for a specific maturity.

 

(3) Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements which involve purchases of debt securities. In such an action, at the time the Fund purchases the security, it simultaneously agrees to

 

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resell and redeliver the security to the seller, who also simultaneously agrees to buy back the security at a fixed price and time. This assures a predetermined yield for the Fund during its holding period since the resale price is always greater than the purchase price and reflects an agreed-upon market rate. Such actions afford an opportunity for the Fund to invest temporarily available cash. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to certain obligations. For the Fund, collateral may consist of any fixed income security which is an eligible investment for the Fund entering into the repurchase agreement. The Fund’s custodian will hold the securities underlying any repurchase agreement, or the securities will be part of the Federal Reserve/Treasury Book Entry System. The market value of the collateral underlying the repurchase agreement will be determined on each business day. If at any time the market value of the collateral falls below the repurchase price under the repurchase agreement (including any accrued interest), the Fund will promptly receive additional collateral (so the total collateral is an amount at least equal to the repurchase price plus accrued interest). Repurchase agreements may be considered loans to the seller, collateralized by the underlying securities. The risk to the Fund is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon sum on the repurchase date; in the event of default, the repurchase agreement provides that the Fund are entitled to sell the underlying collateral. If the value of the collateral declines after the agreement is entered into, however, and if the seller defaults under a repurchase agreement when the value of the underlying collateral is less than the repurchase price, the Fund could incur a loss of both principal and interest. The portfolio managers monitor the value of the collateral at the time the action is entered into and at all times during the term of the repurchase agreement. The portfolio managers do so in an effort to determine that the value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price to be paid to the Fund. If the seller were to be subject to a federal bankruptcy proceeding, the ability of the Fund to liquidate the collateral could be delayed or impaired because of certain provisions of the bankruptcy laws.

 

(4) Bank Time Deposits. The Fund may invest in bank time deposits, which are monies kept on deposit with banks or savings and loan associations for a stated period of time at a fixed rate of interest. There may be penalties for the early withdrawal of such time deposits, in which case the yields of these investments will be reduced.

 

(5) Eurodollar and Yankee Instruments. The Fund may invest in Eurodollar certificates of deposit issued by foreign branches of U.S. or foreign banks; Eurodollar time deposits, which are U.S. dollar-denominated deposits in foreign branches of U.S. or foreign banks; and Yankee certificates of deposit, which are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by U.S. branches of foreign banks and held in the United States. In each instance, the Fund may only invest in bank instruments issued by an institution which has capital, surplus and undivided profits of more than $100 million or the deposits of which are insured by the Bank Insurance Fund or the Savings Association Insurance Fund.

 

(6) Money Market Funds and Short-Term Debt Funds. The Fund may invest in money market funds. The Fund will bear their proportionate share of the money market fund’s fees and expenses (see “Other Investment Companies” below). The Fund may hold securities of other mutual funds that invest primarily in debt obligations with remaining maturities of 13 months or less.

 

3

 

 

 

(7) Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which are transactions in which the Fund sells a security and simultaneously agrees to repurchase that security from the seller at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon future date, normally, one to seven days later. The securities subject to the reverse repurchase agreement will be marked-to-market daily.

 

Reverse repurchase agreements must be continuously collateralized and the collateral must have market value at least equal to the value of the Fund’s loaned securities, plus accrued interest. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained in lieu of sale by the Fund may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold but is obliged to repurchase. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities. During that time, the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement effectively may be restricted. Finally, it is possible that 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.

 

Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act provides for the regulation of a registered investment company’s use of derivatives and related instruments. Rule 18f-4 prescribes specific value-at-risk leverage limits for certain derivatives users and requires certain derivatives users to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program (including the appointment of a derivatives risk manager and the implementation of certain testing requirements), and prescribes reporting requirements in respect of derivatives. Subject to certain conditions, if the Fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user,” as defined in Rule 18f-4, it is not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, including certain tender option bonds, Rule 18f-4 permits the Fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under Rule 18f-4. The Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with Rule 18f-4. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

 

The use of derivatives is also subject to operational and legal risks. Operational risks generally refer to risks related to potential operational issues, including documentation issues, settlement issues, system failures, inadequate controls, and human error. Legal risks generally refer to risks of loss resulting from insufficient documentation, insufficient capacity or authority of a counterparty, or legality or enforceability of a contract.

 

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Cyber Security Risk

 

The Fund and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, or lose operational capacity. Breaches in cyber security 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 cyber-attacks. Cyber security breaches affecting the Fund, the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber security breaches may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAVs, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such companies to lose value. While the Fund and its service providers have established IT and data security programs and have in place business continuity plans and other systems designed to prevent losses and mitigate cyber security risk, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified or that cyber-attacks may be highly sophisticated. Furthermore, the Fund has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cyber security incidents affecting third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund and the Adviser.

 

Illiquid Investments 

 

Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act (the “Liquidity Rule”), the Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment as defined in Rule 22e-4 is an investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions within 7 calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. These investments may include restricted securities and repurchase agreements maturing in more than 7 days. Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and thus may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or pursuant to an exemption from registration. Subject to the adoption of guidelines by the Board of Directors (“Board”) of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”), certain restricted securities that may be sold to institutional investors pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and non-exempt commercial paper may be determined to be liquid by the Adviser. Illiquid investments involve the risk that the investments will not be able to be sold at the time the Adviser desires or at prices approximating the value at which the Fund is carrying the investments. To the extent an investment held by the Fund is deemed to be an illiquid investment or a less liquid investment, the Fund will be exposed to a greater liquidity risk.

 

The Company has implemented a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to identify illiquid investments pursuant to Rule 22e-4. If the limitation on illiquid investments is exceeded, the condition will be reported to the Board and, when required by the Liquidity Rule, to the SEC.

 

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Inflation-Protected Securities

 

The Fund may invest in inflation-protected securities. Inflation-protected securities are fixed income securities designed to provide protection against the negative effects 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 inflation accruals as part of a semiannual coupon.

 

Inflation-protected securities issued by the U.S. Treasury (also known as “TIPS”) have maturities of varying durations. 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 the Fund purchased an inflation-protected 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 was 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 U.S. Treasury inflation-protected securities 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-protected bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate. Other inflation-protected securities that accrue inflation into their principal value 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-protected securities 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-protected securities. 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-protected securities.

 

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-protected 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-protected securities 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. If the market perceives that the adjustment mechanism of an

 

6

 

 

 

inflation-protected security does not accurately adjust for inflation, the value of the security could be adversely affected.

 

While inflation-protected securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. The calculation of the inflation index ratio for inflation-protected securities issued by the U.S. Treasury incorporates an approximate three-month lag, which may have an effect on the trading price of the securities, particularly during periods of significant, rapid changes in the inflation index. To the extent that inflation has increased during the three months prior to an interest payment, that interest payment will not be protected from the inflation increase. Further, to the extent that inflation has increased during the final three months of a security’s maturity, the final value of the security will not be protected against that increase, which will negatively impact the value of the security. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in inflation-protected securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond’s inflation measure.

 

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-protected security will be considered taxable income to the Fund, even though the Fund does not receive its principal until maturity.

 

Lending Portfolio Securities

 

The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and financial institutions in an amount not exceeding 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets. These loans will be secured by collateral (consisting of cash, U.S. Government Securities, or irrevocable letters of credit) maintained in an amount equal to at least 100% of the market value, determined daily, of the loaned securities. The Fund may, subject to certain notice requirements, at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned. The Fund will be entitled to payments equal to the interest and dividends on the loaned securities and may receive a premium for lending the securities. The advantage of such loans is that the Fund continues to receive the income on the loaned securities while earning interest on the cash amounts deposited as collateral, which will be invested in short-term investments.

 

A loan may be terminated by the borrower on one business day’s notice, or by the Company on two business days’ notice. If the borrower fails to deliver the loaned securities within four days after receipt of notice, the Company may use the collateral to replace the securities while holding the borrower liable for any excess of replacement cost exceeding the collateral. As with any extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery and, in some cases, even loss of rights in the collateral, should the borrower of the securities fail financially. In addition, securities lending involves a form of leverage, and the Fund may incur a loss if securities purchased with the collateral from securities loans decline in value or if the income earned does not cover the Fund’s transaction costs. However, loans of securities will be made only to companies the Board deems to be creditworthy (such creditworthiness will be monitored on an ongoing basis) and when the income that can be earned from such loans justifies the attendant risks. Upon termination of the loan, the borrower is required to return the securities. Any gain or loss in the market price during the loan period would inure to the Fund.

 

7

 

 

 

When voting or consent rights that accompany loaned securities pass to the borrower, the Company will follow the policy of calling the loaned securities, to be delivered within one day after notice, to permit the exercise of such rights if the matters involved would have a material effect on the investment in such loaned securities. The Fund will pay reasonable finder’s, administrative, and custodial fees in connection with loans of securities.

 

Other Investment Companies

 

The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts, and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) registered under the 1940 Act that invest primarily in Fund eligible investments. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund’s investment in such securities is generally limited to 3% of the total voting stock of any one investment company; 5% of the Fund’s total assets with respect to any one investment company; and 10% of the Fund’s total assets in the aggregate. The Fund’s investments in other investment companies may include money market mutual funds. Investments in money market funds are not subject to the percentage limitations set forth above.

 

The SEC has adopted revisions to the rules permitting funds to invest in other investment companies in excess of the limits described above. While Rule 12d1-4 permits more types of fund of fund arrangements without reliance on an exemptive order or no-action letters, it imposes new conditions, including limits on control and voting of acquired funds' shares, evaluations and findings by investment advisers, fund investment agreements, and limits on most three-tier fund structures.

 

ETFs in which the Fund may invest are a type of index fund bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF trades like common stock and represents a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. ETFs can give exposure to all or a portion of the U.S. market, a foreign market, a region, a commodity, a currency, or to any other index that an ETF tracks. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile and ETFs have management fees that increase their costs. An ETF may fail to accurately track the returns of the market segment or index that it is designed to track, and the price of an ETF’s shares may fluctuate. In addition, because they, unlike traditional mutual funds, are traded on an exchange, ETFs are subject to the following risks: (i) the performance of the ETF may not replicate the performance of the underlying index that it is designed to track; (ii) the market price of the ETF’s shares may trade at a premium or discount to the ETF’s NAV; (iii) an active trading market for an ETF may not develop or be maintained; and (iv) there is no assurance that the requirements of the exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the ETF will continue to be met or remain unchanged. Trading in an ETF may be halted if the trading in one or more of the ETF’s underlying securities is halted, which could result in the ETF being more volatile. In the event substantial market or other disruptions affecting ETFs should occur in the future, the liquidity and value of the Fund’s Shares could also be substantially and adversely affected.

 

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If the Fund invests in other investment companies, Fund shareholders will bear not only their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses, but also, indirectly, the similar expenses of the underlying investment companies. Shareholders would also be exposed to the risks associated not only with the Fund, but also with the portfolio investments of the underlying investment companies. Shares of certain closed-end funds may at times be acquired at market prices representing premiums to their NAVs. Shares acquired at a premium to their NAV may be more likely to subsequently decline in price, resulting in a loss to the Fund and its shareholders.

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

Portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the time they have been held when investment considerations warrant such action. A higher portfolio turnover rate would result in higher brokerage costs to the Fund and could also result in the realization of larger amounts of capital gains, including short-term capital gains. Capital gains are generally taxable when distributed to shareholders, and distributions of short-term capital gains are generally taxable at ordinary income tax rates. For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, the non-annualized portfolio turnover rate for the Fund can be found below.

 

 

For the Fiscal Period Ended

August 31, 2026

F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF(1)

[...]

 

(1) The Fund commenced operations as of September 29, 2025.

 

RIC Compliance Risk

 

The Fund has elected to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. To continue to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a RIC, the Fund must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify for the special federal income tax treatment afforded to RICs, all of the Fund’s taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (without any deduction for distributions to its shareholders) and its income available for distribution will be reduced. Under certain circumstances, the Fund could cure a failure to qualify as a RIC, but in order to do so, the Fund could incur significant Fund-level taxes and could be forced to dispose of certain assets.

 

SOFR Risk

 

The Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) is intended to be a broad measure of the cost of borrowing funds overnight in transactions that are collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities. SOFR is calculated based on transaction-level repo data collected from various sources. For each trading day, SOFR is calculated as a volume-weighted median rate derived from such data. SOFR is calculated and published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (“FRBNY”). If data from a given source required by the FRBNY to calculate SOFR is unavailable for any day, then the most recently available data for that segment will be used, with

 

9

 

 

 

certain adjustments. If errors are discovered in the transaction data or the calculations underlying SOFR after its initial publication on a given day, SOFR may be republished at a later time that day. Rate revisions will be effected only on the day of initial publication and will be republished only if the change in the rate exceeds one basis point.

 

Because SOFR is a financing rate based on overnight secured funding transactions, it differs fundamentally from London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). As a result of benchmark reforms, publication of all LIBOR settings ceased as of June 30, 2023 and all synthetic U.S. dollar LIBOR settings were discontinued at the end of September 2024. LIBOR was intended to be an unsecured rate that represents interbank funding costs for different short-term maturities or tenors. It was a forward-looking rate reflecting expectations regarding interest rates for the applicable tenor. Thus, LIBOR was intended to be sensitive, in certain respects, to bank credit risk and to term interest rate risk. In contrast, SOFR is a secured overnight rate reflecting the credit of U.S. Treasury securities as collateral. Thus, it is largely insensitive to credit-risk considerations and to short-term interest rate risks. SOFR is a transaction-based rate, and it has been more volatile than other benchmark or market rates, such as three-month LIBOR, during certain periods. For these reasons, among others, there is no assurance that SOFR, or rates derived from SOFR, will perform in the same or similar way as LIBOR would have performed at any time, and there is no assurance that SOFR-based rates will be a suitable substitute for LIBOR. SOFR has a limited history, having been first published in April 2018. The future performance of SOFR, and SOFR-based reference rates, cannot be predicted based on SOFR’s history or otherwise. Levels of SOFR in the future may bear little or no relation to historical levels of SOFR, LIBOR or other rates.

 

Temporary Investments

 

During periods of adverse market or economic conditions, the Fund may temporarily invest all or a substantial portion of its assets in high-quality, fixed-income securities, money market instruments, and shares of money market mutual funds, or it may hold cash. At such times, the Fund would not be pursuing its stated investment objective with its usual investment strategies. The Fund may also hold these investments for liquidity purposes. Fixed-income securities will be deemed to be of high quality if they are rated “A” or better by S&P or Moody’s or, if unrated, are determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. Money market instruments are high-quality, short-term fixed-income obligations (which generally have remaining maturities of one year or less) and may include U.S. Government Securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and banker’s acceptances issued by domestic branches of U.S. banks that are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and repurchase agreements for U.S. Government Securities. In lieu of purchasing money market instruments, the Fund may purchase shares of money market mutual funds that invest primarily in U.S. Government Securities and repurchase agreements involving those securities, subject to certain limitations imposed by the 1940 Act. The Fund, as an investor in a money market fund, will indirectly bear that fund’s fees and expenses, which will be in addition to the fees and expenses of the Fund. Repurchase agreements involve certain risks not associated with direct investments in debt securities.

 

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U.S. Government Securities

 

The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest, which are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. government agency securities include securities issued by (a) the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, and the Government National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; (b) the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, whose securities are supported by the right of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury;(c) the Federal National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and (d) the Student Loan Marketing Association, whose securities are supported only by its credit. While the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it always will do so since it is not so obligated by law. The U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities, and consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate.

 

U.S. Treasury obligations include separately traded interest and principal component parts of such obligations, known as Separately Traded Registered Interest and Principal Securities (“STRIPS”), which are transferable through the Federal book-entry system. STRIPS are sold as zero-coupon securities, which means that they are sold at a substantial discount and redeemed at face value at their maturity date without interim cash payments of interest or principal. This discount is accreted over the life of the security, and such accretion will constitute the income earned on the security for both accounting and tax purposes. Because of these features, such securities may be subject to greater interest rate volatility than interest paying U.S. Treasury obligations.

 

Additionally, from time to time, uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the U.S. government to increase the statutory debt ceiling could impact the creditworthiness of the United States and could impact the liquidity of the U.S. Government securities markets and ultimately the Fund.

 

When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions

 

The Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis. When such a transaction is negotiated, the purchase price is fixed at the time the purchase commitment is entered, but delivery of and payment for the securities take place at a later date. The Fund will not accrue income with respect to securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis prior to their stated delivery date.

 

The purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis exposes the Fund to risk because the securities may decrease in value prior to delivery. In addition, the Fund’s purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis while remaining substantially fully invested could increase the amount of the Fund’s total assets that are subject to market risk, resulting in increased sensitivity of NAV to changes in market prices. A seller’s failure to deliver securities to the Fund could prevent the Fund from realizing a price or yield considered to be advantageous.

 

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When the Fund agrees to purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, the Fund will segregate cash or liquid securities in an amount sufficient to meet the Fund’s purchase commitments. It may be expected that the Fund’s net assets will fluctuate to a greater degree when it sets aside securities to cover such purchase commitments than when it sets aside cash. In addition, because the Fund will set aside cash or liquid securities to satisfy its purchase commitments, its liquidity and the ability of the Adviser to manage it might be affected in the event its commitments to purchase when-issued or delayed delivery securities ever became significant. Under normal market conditions, however, the Fund’s commitments to purchase when-issued or delayed delivery securities will not exceed 25% of the value of its total assets.

 

Zero-Coupon and Step Coupon Securities

 

The Fund may invest in zero-coupon and step coupon securities. Zero-coupon securities pay no cash income to their holders until they mature. When held to maturity, their entire return comes from the difference between their purchase price and their maturity value. Step coupon securities are debt securities that may not pay interest for a specified period of time and then, after the initial period, may pay interest at a series of different rates. Both zero-coupon and step coupon securities are issued at substantial discounts from their value at maturity. Because interest on these securities is not paid on a current basis, the values of securities of this type are subject to greater fluctuations than are the value of securities that distribute income regularly and may be more speculative than such securities. Accordingly, the values of these securities may be highly volatile as interest rates rise or fall. In addition, while such securities generate income for purposes of generally accepted accounting standards, they do not generate cash flow and thus could cause the Fund to be forced to liquidate securities at an inopportune time in order to distribute cash, as required by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

 

Fundamental Policies

 

The Company has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Fund. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to the Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of the 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 the 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 the Fund.

 

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not concentrate its investments (i.e., hold more than 25% of its total assets) in any industry or group of related industries.*

 

*For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. Government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities, and tax-exempt securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.

 

Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the Fund may not:

 

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1.

Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

 

2.

Make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

 

3.

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 or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.

 

 

4.

Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except as permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended, and as interpreted or modified by the regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time.

 

 

5.

Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

 

6.

With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of an issuer (other than (i) securities issued by other investment companies, (ii) securities issued by the U.S. government, its agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, or (iii) repurchase agreements fully collateralized by U.S. government securities) if (a) such purchase would, at the time, cause more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets taken at market value to be invested in the securities of such issuer; or (b) such purchase would, at the time, result in more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer being held by the Fund.

 

In addition, except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the Fund will, under normal circumstances, (i) invest at least 80% of the value of the Fund’s asset in investments the income from which is exempt, as applicable, from federal income tax or from both federal and state income tax; or (ii) invest its assets so that at least 80% of the income that is distributed will be exempt, as applicable, from federal income tax, or from both federal and state income tax.

 

For the purposes of this restriction, industry classifications are determined for the Fund in accordance with the industry or sub-industry classifications established by the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). The Fund may use other classification titles, standards and systems from time-to-time, as it determines to be in the best interests of shareholders. These classifications are not a fundamental policy of the Funds.

 

Non-fundamental Policies

 

In addition to the foregoing fundamental investment policies, the Fund is also subject to the following non-fundamental restrictions and policies, which may be changed by the Board of Directors. The Fund may not:

 

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•

Acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments.

 

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 limitations with respect to the borrowing of money and illiquid investments will be observed continuously. If the percentage of the Fund’s net assets invested in illiquid investments exceeds 15% due to market activity or changes in the Fund’s portfolio, the Fund will take appropriate measures to reduce its holdings of illiquid investments as soon as reasonably practicable, in a manner consistent with prudent management and the interests of the Fund.

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

Shares are intended to be listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Exchange.

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund will meet or 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 of the Fund under any of the following circumstances: (i) if any of the requirements set forth in the Exchange rules are not continuously maintained; (ii) if the Exchange files separate proposals under Section 19(b) of the 1940 Act and any of the statements regarding (a) the description of the Fund; (b) limitations on the Fund’s portfolio holdings or reference assets; (c) dissemination and availability of the intraday indicative values; or (d) the applicability of the Exchange listing rules specified in such proposals are not continuously maintained; (iii) if, following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of Shares of the Fund; (iv) if the intraday indicative value is no longer disseminated at least every 15 seconds during the Exchange’s regular market session and the interruption to the dissemination persists past the trading day in which it occurred; or (v) 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 from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.

 

The Company reserves the right to adjust the price levels of its 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 Fund.

 

As in the case of other stocks traded on the Exchange, broker’s commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

 

To provide additional information regarding the indicative value of Shares, the Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates information every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association, or other widely disseminated means, an updated “intraday indicative value” (“IIV”) for the Fund as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Company is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIVs and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIVs.

 

14

 

 

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the oversight of the Board, subject to the laws of the State of Maryland and the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as supplemented and amended (the “Charter”). The Directors are responsible for deciding matters of overall policy and overseeing the actions of the Company’s service providers. The officers of the Company conduct and supervise the Company’s daily business operations.

 

Directors who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) are referred to as “Independent Directors.” Directors who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company are referred to as “Interested Directors.” The Board is currently composed of five Independent Directors and two Interested Directors. The Board has selected Arnold M. Reichman, an Independent Director, to act as Chair. Mr. Reichman’s duties include presiding at meetings of the Board and interfacing with management to address significant issues that may arise between regularly scheduled Board and Committee meetings. In the performance of his duties, Mr. Reichman will consult with the other Independent Directors and the Company’s officers and legal counsel, as appropriate. The Chair may perform other functions as requested by the Board from time to time.

 

The Board meets as often as necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Currently, the Board conducts regular, in-person meetings at least four times a year, and holds special in-person or telephonic meetings as necessary to address specific issues that require attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Board also relies on professionals, such as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms and legal counsel, to assist the Directors in performing their oversight responsibilities.

 

The Board has established seven standing committees — Audit, Contract, Executive, Nominating and Governance, Product Development, Regulatory Oversight, and Valuation Committees (each a “Committee” and together, the “Committees”). The Board may establish other committees, or nominate one or more Directors to examine particular issues related to the Board’s oversight responsibilities, from time to time. Each Committee meets periodically to perform its delegated oversight functions and reports its findings and recommendations to the Board. For more information on the Committees, see the section entitled “Standing Committees.”

 

The Board has also established an Advisory Board whose members are not “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who serve in a consultative capacity to the Board, providing non-binding advice to the Board regarding the oversight of the affairs of the Company (each, an “Advisory Board Member”). An Advisory Board Member participates in Board discussions and reviews Board materials relating to the Funds, but is not a Director, has no power to vote on any matter presented to the Board, and has no power to act on behalf of or otherwise bind the Board, the Directors or any committee of the Board. The Board appointed Eugene Podsiadlo as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

The Board has determined that the Company’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to effectively perform its oversight responsibilities.

 

15

 

 

Directors, Advisory Board Members and Executive Officers

 

The Directors, Advisory Board Members and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth in this section.

 

Name,

Address, and

Year of Birth

Position(s)

Held with

Company

Term of Office

and Length

of

Time Served(1)

Principal 

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by Director*

Other 

Directorships

Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Gregory P. Chandler

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1966

Director

2012 to present

Since 2025 Financial Consultant; from 2020-2025, Chief Financial Officer, HC Parent Corp (life sciences consulting services).

[...]

FS Specialty Lending Corp (previously Energy and Power Fund) (registered investment company); Wilmington Funds (10 portfolios) (registered investment company).

Lisa A. Dolly

615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53202

Year of Birth: 1966

Director

October 2021 to present

Independent Director.

[...]

Allfunds Group PLC (United Kingdom wealthtech and fund distribution provider); Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (trade association for broker dealers, investment banks and asset managers); Hightower Advisors (wealth management firm); Cohen & Steers, Inc. (global investment manager).

Nicholas A. Giordano

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1943

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

[...]

None.

Arnold M. Reichman

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1948

Chair

 

Director

2005 to present

 

1991 to present

Retired.

[...]

None.

Martha A. Tirinnanzi

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Director

January 2024 to present

Since 2014, Instructor, The Institute for Financial Markets; from 2013-2023, President and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Standards, Inc. (consulting firm); from 2020-2022, Adjunct Professor of Finance and Accounting, The Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business.

[...]

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (“ICE”) (financial services company and operator of global exchanges and clearinghouses); ICE Mortgage Services, LLC (a subsidiary of ICE); ICE Mortgage Technology, Inc. (a subsidiary of ICE).

INTERESTED DIRECTORS(2)

Robert Sablowsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1938

Vice Chair

 

Director

2016 to present

 

1991 to present

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

[...]

None.

 

16

 

 

 

Name,

Address, and

Year of Birth

Position(s)

Held with

Company

Term of Office

and Length

of

Time Served(1)

Principal 

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by Director*

Other 

Directorships

Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

Brian T. Shea

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Director

2018 to present

Independent Director.

[...]

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company); Barclays PLC, Barclays Bank PLC and Barclays Execution Services Limited (financial services companies).

DISINTERESTED ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS(3)

Eugene Podsiadlo

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1957

Advisory Board Member

October 2025 to present

Since 2023, Senior Advisor and Limited Partner, AI Capital, LLC; since 2020, Senior Advisor and Industry Council Member, Cross Creek Advisors; from February-June 2023, Executive Vice President of Clearbrook, LLC; from 2020-2022, Registered

Securities Principal and Representative, March Capital.

N/A

None.

OFFICERS

Steven Plump

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1959

President

August 2022 to present

From 2011 to 2021, Executive Vice President, PIMCO LLC.

N/A

N/A

Salvatore Faia, JD,

CPA, CFE

Vigilant Compliance, LLC

Gateway Corporate

Center, Suite 216

223 Wilmington West

Chester Pike 

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Year of Birth: 1962

Chief Compliance Officer

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company); since 2021, Chief Compliance Officer of The RBB Fund Trust; President of The RBB Fund Trust from 2021 to 2022; President of The RBB Fund, Inc. from 2009 to 2022.

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Chief Financial Officer

and

Secretary

 

Chief Operating Officer

2016 to present

 

August 2022 to present

Since 2022, Chief Operating Officer of The RBB Fund Trust; since 2021, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of The RBB Fund Trust.

N/A

N/A

Craig A. Urciuoli

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1974

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2021, Director of Marketing & Business Development of The RBB Fund Trust.

N/A

N/A

 

17

 

 

Name,

Address, and

Year of Birth

Position(s)

Held with

Company

Term of Office

and Length

of

Time Served(1)

Principal 

Occupation(s)

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by Director*

Other 

Directorships

Held by Director During the Past 5 Years

Thomas Reynolds

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1960

Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

September 2024  to present

Since 2024, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of The RBB Fund Trust; from 2023 to 2024, Vice President of Virtus Investment Partners; from 2020 to 2023, CFO of Stone Harbor Investment Partners LP.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1982

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2020, Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Joshua Solin

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1988

Assistant Treasurer

January 2025 to present

Since 2023, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (fund administrative services firm); from 2021 to 2023, Officer, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services.

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Year of Birth: 1971

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

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

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Year of Birth: 1979

Assistant

Secretary

2017 to present

Since 2017, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

 

* Each Director oversees [...]  portfolios of the fund complex, consisting of the series in the Company ([...] portfolios) and The RBB Fund Trust ([...] portfolios).

 

1.

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

 

2.

Messrs. Sablowsky and Shea are considered “interested persons” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and are referred to as “Interested Directors.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as a senior officer of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer. Mr. Shea is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position on the Board of Barclays Bank plc, a multinational bank.

 

3.

A Disinterested Advisory Board Member is an Advisory Board Member that is not an “interested person” of the Company within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his or her qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management

 

18

 

 

 

abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Ms. Dolly has over three decades of experience in the financial services industry, and she has demonstrated her leadership and management abilities by serving in numerous senior executive-level positions. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing, banking, and investment services industry, including service on the boards of public companies, industry regulatory organizations and a university. Ms. Tirinnanzi has over 20 years of strategic, regulatory and operational management experience in the financial and mortgage industries, including service on the boards of a public company and real estate investment trust, and brings to the Board her expertise regarding derivatives markets and related businesses.

 

Standing Committees

 

The responsibilities of each Committee of the Board and its members are described below.

 

Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Audit Committee are Ms. Tirinnanzi and Messrs. Chandler and Giordano. The Audit Committee, among other things, reviews results of the annual audit and approves the firm(s) to serve as independent auditors. The Audit Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Contract Committee. The Board has a Contract Committee comprised of an Interested Director and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Contract Committee are Mses. Dolly and Tirinnanzi and Mr. Sablowsky. The Contract Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board regarding the approval and continuation of agreements and plans of the Company. The Contract Committee convened five times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Executive Committee. The Board has an Executive Committee comprised of an Interested Director and three Independent Directors. The current members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano, Reichman and Sablowsky. The Executive Committee may generally carry on and manage the business of the Company when the Board is not in session. The Executive Committee did not meet during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has a Nominating and Governance Committee comprised of three Independent Directors. The current members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Giordano and Reichman. The Nominating and Governance Committee recommends to the Board all persons to be nominated as Directors of the Company. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Recommendations should be submitted to the Committee care of the Company’s Secretary. The Nominating and Governance Committee convened two times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

19

 

 

 

Product Development Committee. The Board has a Product Development Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Product Development Committee are Messrs. Chandler, Reichman, Sablowsky, and Shea. The Product Development Committee oversees the process regarding the addition of new investment advisers and investment products to the Company. The Product Development Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Regulatory Oversight Committee. The Board has a Regulatory Oversight Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two Independent Directors. The current members of the Regulatory Oversight Committee are Ms. Dolly and Messrs. Reichman, Sablowsky, and Shea. The Regulatory Oversight Committee monitors regulatory developments in the mutual fund industry and focuses on various regulatory aspects of the operation of the Company. The Regulatory Oversight Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Valuation Committee. The Board has a Valuation Committee comprised of the Interested Directors and two officers of the Company. The members of the Valuation Committee are Messrs. Faia, Sablowsky, Shea and Shaw. The Valuation Committee is responsible for reviewing fair value determinations. The Valuation Committee convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026.

 

Risk Oversight

 

The Board performs its risk oversight function for the Company through a combination of (1) direct oversight by the Board as a whole and Board committees and (2) indirect oversight through the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, Company officers and the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). The Company is subject to a number of risks, including but not limited to investment risk, compliance risk, operational risk, reputational risk, credit risk and counterparty risk. Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Company is the responsibility of the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk) that carry out the Company’s investment management and business affairs. Each of the investment advisers and the other service providers have their own independent interest in risk management and their policies and methods of risk management will depend on their functions and business models and may differ from the Company’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls.

 

The Board provides risk oversight by receiving and reviewing on a regular basis reports from the Company’s investment advisers or other service providers, receiving and approving compliance policies and procedures, periodic meetings with the Company’s portfolio managers to review investment policies, strategies and risks, and meeting regularly with the Company’s CCO to discuss compliance reports, findings and issues. The Board also relies on the Company’s investment advisers and other service providers, with respect to the day-to-day activities of the Company, to create and maintain procedures and controls to minimize risk and the likelihood of adverse effects on the Company’s business and reputation.

 

Board oversight of risk management is also provided by various Board Committees. For example, the Audit Committee meets with the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms to ensure that the Company’s respective audit scopes include risk-based considerations as to the Company’s financial position and operations. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it

 

20

 

 

 

conducts risk oversight. The Board’s oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Company’s investments or activities.

 

Director Ownership of Shares of the Company

 

The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Director in the Fund and in all of the portfolios of the Company and The RBB Fund Trust (together, “Fund Complex”) (which for each Director comprise all registered investment companies within the Company’s family of investment companies overseen by him or her), as of December 31, 2025, including the amounts through the deferred compensation plan.

 

Name of Director

Dollar Range of

Equity Securities in the Fund*

Aggregate Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in All

Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Director within the
Family of Investment Companies

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

 

Gregory P. Chandler

None

Over $100,000

Lisa A. Dolly

None

$50,001-$100,000

Nicholas A. Giordano

None

$50,001-$100,000

Arnold M. Reichman

None

Over $100,000

Martha A. Tirinnanzi

None

Over $100,000

INTERESTED DIRECTORS

 

Robert Sablowsky

None

Over $100,000

Brian T. Shea

None

$10,001-$50,000

DISINTERESTED ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Eugene Podsiadlo(1)

None

$10,001-$50,000

 

*The Fund commenced operations on September 29, 2025.
(1)Mr. Podsiadlo is not a Director. He was appointed as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

Directors’ and Officers’ Compensation

 

Effective January 1, 2026, the Fund Complex, based on an allocation formula, pays each Director and Advisory Board Member a retainer at the rate of $265,000 annually, $15,000 for each regular meeting of

 

21

 

 

 

the Board attended in-person; $6,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $5,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $9,000 and $6,500, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $4,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each receives an additional fee of $50,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each receives an additional fee of $40,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee receives an additional fee of $25,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $125,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board receives an additional fee of $50,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

 

From January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, the Fund Complex, based on an allocation formula, paid each Director and Advisory Board Member a retainer at the rate of $225,000 annually, $15,000 for each regular meeting of the Board attended in-person; $6,000 for each Regulatory Oversight Committee meeting attended in-person; $5,000 for each other committee (excluding the Regulatory Oversight Committee) meeting attended in-person; $9,000 and $6,500, respectively, for each special in-person or telephonic Board meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $4,000 for each special committee meeting that lasts longer than 30 minutes; $3,000 for each special Board or committee meeting that lasts less than 30 minutes. The Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee each received an additional fee of $50,000 for their services. The Chair of the Contract Committee and the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee each received an additional fee of $40,000 per year for their services. The Vice Chair of the Regulatory Oversight Committee received an additional fee of $25,000 for his services. The Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $125,000 per year for his services in this capacity and the Vice Chair of the Board received an additional fee of $50,000 per year for his services in this capacity.

 

Directors are reimbursed for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board or any committee thereof. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as CCO of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company, and such compensation is determined by the Board. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Vigilant Compliance, LLC received $0 from the Fund and $1,145,625 in aggregate from all series of the Company and The RBB Fund Trust for its services. Employees of the Company serve as President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, and Director of Marketing & Business Development and are compensated for services provided. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, each of the following members of the Board and the President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, and Director of Marketing & Business Development received compensation from the Fund and the Fund Complex, in the following amounts:

 

22

 

 

 

Name of Director/Officer

Aggregate

Compensation

from the
Fund*

Pension or Retirement

Benefits Accrued as Part of
Funds Expenses

Estimated Annual Benefits
Upon Retirement

Total

Compensation

From Fund

Complex

Paid to

Directors or

Officers

Independent Directors:

 

 

 

 

Gregory P. Chandler, Director

None

N/A

N/A

$445,500

Lisa A. Dolly, Director

None

N/A

N/A

$405,000

Nicholas A. Giordano, Director

None

N/A

N/A

$419,500

Arnold M. Reichman, Director and Chair

None

N/A

N/A

$526,500

Martha A. Tirinnanzi, Director

None

N/A

N/A

$390,500

Interested Directors:

 

 

 

 

Robert Sablowsky, Director and Vice Chair

None

N/A

N/A

$532,500

Brian T. Shea, Director

None

N/A

N/A

$432,500

Disinterested Advisory Board Members

 

 

 

 

Eugene Podsiadlo(1)

None

N/A

N/A

$347,000

Officers:

 

 

 

 

Steven Plump, President

None

N/A

N/A

$504,750

James G. Shaw, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary

None

N/A

N/A

$606,000

Craig Urciuoli, Director of Marketing & Business Development

None

N/A

N/A

$444,750

Thomas Reynolds, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

None

N/A

N/A

$373,250

 

*The Fund commenced operations on September 30, 2025.
(1)Mr. Podsiadlo began serving as an Advisory Board Member effective October 1, 2025.

 

Each compensated Director is entitled to participate in the Company’s deferred compensation plan (the “DC Plan”). Under the DC Plan, a compensated Director may elect to defer all or a portion of his or her compensation and have the deferred compensation treated as if it had been invested by the Company in shares of one or more of the portfolios of the Company. The amount paid to the Directors under the DC Plan will be determined based upon the performance of such investments.

 

Director Emeritus Program

 

The Board has created a position of Director Emeritus, whereby an incumbent Director who has attained at least the age of 75 and completed a minimum of fifteen years of service as a Director may, in the sole

 

23

 

 

 

discretion of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Company (the “NGC”), be recommended to the full Board to serve as Director Emeritus.

 

A Director Emeritus that has been approved as such receives an annual fee in an amount equal to up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Director. Effective January 1, 2026, a Director Emeritus can receive an annual fee in an amount up to 50% of the annual base compensation paid to a Director in effect at the time such Director Emeritus was first appointed Director Emeritus. Compensation will be determined annually by the NGC and the Board with respect to each Director Emeritus. In addition, a Director Emeritus will be reimbursed for certain expenses incurred in connection with their service, including expenses of travel and lodging incurred in attendance at Board/Committee meetings. A Director Emeritus will continue to receive relevant materials concerning the Funds and will be available to consult with the Directors at reasonable times as requested. However, a Director Emeritus does not have any voting rights at Board meetings and is not subject to election by shareholders of the Funds.

 

A Director Emeritus will be permitted to serve in such capacity from year to year at the pleasure of the NGC and the Board for up to three years. Effective February 2024, Julian Brodsky serves as a Director Emeritus of the Company. Effective January 2025, Robert Straniere serves as a Director Emeritus of the Company.

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2026, Messrs. Brodsky and Straniere received compensation for their roles as a Director Emeritus in the following amounts:

 

 

Aggregate Compensation from the Fund(1)

Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses

Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement

Total Compensation From Fund Complex

Julian Brodsky

$0

 

N/A

$112,500

Robert Straniere

$0

 

N/A

$112,500

 

(1)The Fund commenced operations on September 29, 2025.

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

The Company, the Adviser, and Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), have each adopted a code of ethics (“Code of Ethics”) pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, which governs personal securities trading by their respective personnel. Each Code of Ethics permits such individuals to purchase and sell securities, including securities that are purchased, sold, or held by the Fund, but only subject to certain conditions designed to ensure that purchases and sales by such individuals do not adversely affect the Fund’s investment activities.

 

24

 

 

PRINCIPAL HOLDERS

 

Any person owning, directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund is presumed to control the Fund. Principal holders are persons who own 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes. Investors owning shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. As of [[ ], 2026, the Company does not have information regarding the record or beneficial ownership of shares of the Fund held in the names of DTC participants, as DTC has not provided the Company with access to such information.

 

As of [ ], 2026, Directors and Officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

 

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

Investment Advisory Agreement

 

The Adviser is a Delaware limited liability company with offices at 900 19th Street NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20006. Three officers of the Company own an indirect, minority interest in the Adviser. The Adviser is a majority owned subsidiary F/m Managers Group, LP, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of 1251 Capital, Inc., which is a financial services holding company. The Adviser recently announced that it had entered into an agreement to be purchased and become a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., with the purchase expected to close in 2027, subject to customary closing conditions.

 

The Adviser provides investment advisory services to the Fund pursuant to the terms of an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) between the Company and the Adviser. After the initial term, the Advisory Agreement may be continued in effect from year to year with the approval of (1) the Board or (2) vote of a majority (as defined by the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, provided that in either event the continuance must also be approved by a majority of the Independent Directors by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Advisory Agreement terminates automatically in the event of its assignment, as defined in the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder.

 

The Adviser manages the Fund’s investments in accordance with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Board. The Adviser provides such additional administrative services as the Company may require beyond those furnished by the Administrator and furnishes, at its own expense, such office space, facilities, equipment, clerical help, and other personnel and services as may reasonably be necessary in connection with the operations of the Company.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, in consideration of the services provided by the Adviser, the Fund pays the Adviser a unitary management fee that is computed and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.30% of the Fund’s average daily net assets during the month. From the unitary management fee, the Adviser pays most of the expenses of the Fund, including transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services. However, under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is not responsible for interest expenses, brokerage commissions and other trading expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses,

 

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taxes and other extraordinary costs such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business. The Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment, mistake of law, or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the performance of the Advisory Agreement, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Advisory Agreement.

 

For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, the Fund paid the Adviser $[  ] in advisory fees.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 

Justin Hennessy, Peter Baden, and Christina Mika are the portfolio managers responsible for investment-related services provided to the Fund. The following table provides information regarding accounts managed by each portfolio manager as of August 31, 2026.

 

Portfolio Managers

Total Accounts

Accounts With
Performance-Based Fees

 

Number

Assets

Number

Assets

Justin Hennessy

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

[...]

$[...]

0

$0

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

0

0

0

$0

Other Accounts

[...]

$[...]

0

$0

Peter Baden

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

[...]

$[...]

0

$0

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

0

$0

0

$0

Other Accounts

[...]

$[...]

0

$0

Christina Mika 

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

[...]

$[...]

0

$0

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

0

$0

0

$0

Other Accounts

[...]

$[...]

0

$0

 

Portfolio Manager Compensation

 

The compensation structure for the portfolio managers is based upon a fixed salary as well as a discretionary bonus determined by the management of the Adviser. Salaries are determined by management and are based upon an individual’s position and overall value to the firm. Bonuses are also determined by management and are based upon an individual’s overall contribution to the success of the firm and the profitability of the firm. Salaries and bonuses are not based upon criteria such as performance of the Fund or the value of assets included in the Fund’s portfolio.

 

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Material Conflicts of Interest

 

The portfolio managers’ management of other accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with their management of the Fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other. The other accounts may have the same investment objective as the Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the identical investment objectives, whereby a portfolio manager could favor one account over another. Another potential conflict could include the portfolio managers’ knowledge about the size, timing and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby a portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Fund. However, the Adviser has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities and other investments among all accounts it manages are fairly and equitably allocated. In accordance with the Adviser’s trade rotation policy, there will be cases where the Fund will trade after other accounts.

 

Ownership of Fund Shares by the Portfolio Managers

 

[The portfolio managers did not own any Shares of the Fund as of August 31, 2026.]

 

UNDERWRITER

 

The Company has entered into a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101, pursuant to which the Distributor acts as the Fund’s principal underwriter and distributes Shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. Each Creation Unit is made up of at least 10,000 Shares. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Company, will receive orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Company until accepted by the Company. The Distributor will deliver prospectuses and, upon request, Statements of Additional Information to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of orders placed with it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

 

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Creation of Creation Units” below) or DTC participants (as defined below). The Distribution Agreement has an initial term of up to two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Directors or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the Independent Directors. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Company, on behalf of the Fund, on 60 days’

 

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written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund’s shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board of Directors, including a majority of the Independent Directors, or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment,” as defined in the 1940 Act.

 

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

Purchase and Issuance of Creation Units

 

The Company issues and sells Shares of the Fund only: (i) in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), at their NAV next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day, in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”); or (ii) pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Service (defined below). The NAV of the Fund’s Shares is calculated each Business Day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The Fund will not issue fractional Creation Units. A Business Day is any day on which the NYSE is open for business.

 

FUND DEPOSIT. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) per each Creation Unit, constituting a substantial replication of the Fund and a Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company 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. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for all or a portion of Deposit Cash, the 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 associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities (“Non-Standard Charges”) 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 the Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the 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 market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component will be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the market 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 will be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).

 

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The Fund, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC"), makes available on each Business Day, immediately 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 the Fund. The Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, in order to effect purchases of Creation Units of the 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 the Fund Deposit for the Fund changes as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser with a view to the investment objectives of the Fund.

 

The Company reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount) to replace any Deposit Security, which will be added to the Deposit Cash, if applicable, and 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 (as defined below) 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”).

 

CASH PURCHASE METHOD. The Company may at its discretion permit full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units of the Fund in instances permitted by the exemptive relief the Adviser is relying on in offering the Fund. When full or partial cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for the 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 the 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. In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an “Authorized Participant” or “AP”) must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Transfer Agent” or “Fund Services”) and the Company, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each AP 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 Company an

 

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amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the Creation Transaction Fee (defined below) and any other applicable fees and taxes. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent the Adviser bears the expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Company in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover.

 

All orders to purchase Shares directly from the Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units in the manner set forth and by the time(s) designated in the Participant Agreement (the “Cut-Off Time”). 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 AP 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 the Fund in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an AP 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 APs may have international capabilities.

 

On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which the Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed on any day, the Fund will not accept orders on such day. Orders must be transmitted by an AP by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the AP Handbook. With respect to the Fund, the Distributor 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 AP should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor by the Cut-Off Time on the Business Day on which the order is placed. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an AP.

 

Fund Deposits must be delivered by an AP through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a subcustody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Company or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian will cause the subcustodian of the Fund to maintain an account into which the AP will 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 Company. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local subcustodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the AP in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the Fund or its agents by no later than the Settlement 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 Company, whose determination will be final and binding. The amount of cash represented by the Cash Component

 

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must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as 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 in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund.

 

The order will 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 Cut-Off Time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited by 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, 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 by 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the AP will be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, AP Handbook and this SAI are properly followed.

 

ISSUANCE OF A CREATION UNIT. Except as provided herein, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Company of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Distributor and the Adviser will be notified of such delivery, and the Company will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor. However, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances. The AP will be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.

 

Creation Units may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Company 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 the 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 market value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which will be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. An additional amount of cash will be required to be deposited with the Company, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Company in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Company to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. APs will be liable to the Company for the costs incurred by the Company in

 

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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 market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Company 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 Company and deposited into the Company. In addition, a Transaction Fee as set forth below under “Creation Transaction Fee” will be charged in all cases, unless otherwise advised by the Fund, and Non-Standard Charges may also apply. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.

 

ACCEPTANCE OF ORDERS OF CREATION UNITS. The Company reserves the right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Distributor in respect of the Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; or (e) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, be unlawful.

 

CREATION TRANSACTION FEE. A purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units, and investors will be required to pay a Creation Transaction Fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The Fund may adjust the creation transaction fee from time to time based upon actual experience. In addition, the Fund may impose a Non-Standard Charge of up to 2% of the value of the creation transactions for cash creations, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases for the Fund. The Fund may adjust the Non-Standard Charge from time to time based upon actual experience. Investors who use the services of an AP, broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services, which may include an amount for the Creation Transaction Fee and Non-Standard Charges. Investors are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Company. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent the Adviser bears the expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Company in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover. The standard Creation Transaction Fee for the Fund is $300.

 

RISKS OF PURCHASING CREATION UNITS. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the Fund. Because the Fund’s 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 the 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

 

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secondary-market demand for Shares. 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 a shareholder 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 the Fund’s 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)(C) of the Securities Act.

 

Redemption of Creation Units

 

Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF THE FUND, THE COMPANY 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 Company. 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 Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available immediately 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 the 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 combination thereof, as determined by the Company. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the 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 the 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 any fixed redemption transaction fee as set forth below and any Non-Standard Charges. If the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an AP by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Company’s discretion, an AP 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 METHOD. Although the Company does not ordinarily permit full or partial cash redemptions of Creation Units of the Fund, when full or partial cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for the Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind

 

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redemptions thereof. In the case of full or partial cash redemptions, the AP will receive the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer. The Fund may incur costs such as brokerage costs or taxable gains or losses that the Fund might not have incurred if the redemption had been made in-kind. These costs may decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent that the costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP. Shareholders may be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise have been subject to and/or at an earlier date than if the Fund had effected redemptions wholly on an in-kind basis.

 

REDEMPTION TRANSACTION FEES. A redemption transaction fee may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units, and APs will be required to pay a Redemption Transaction Fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The redemption transaction fee is the same no matter how many Creation Units are being redeemed pursuant to any one redemption request. The Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time based upon actual experience. In addition, the Fund may impose a Non-Standard Charge of up to 2% of the value of a redemption transaction for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions for the Fund. Investors who use the services of an AP, broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services which may include an amount for the Redemption Transaction Fees and Non-Standard Charges. Investors are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Fund Securities to the account of the Company. The Non-Standard Charges are payable to the Fund as it incurs costs in connection with the redemption of Creation Units, the receipt of Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount and other transactions costs. The standard Redemption Transaction Fee for the Fund is $300.

 

PROCEDURES FOR REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS. Orders to redeem Creation Units must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an AP has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Company’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 Company is received by the Transfer Agent from the AP 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 will be rejected.

 

The AP must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Company, 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 AP which 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 AP. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an AP and transfer of the Shares to the Company’s 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 APs.

 

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In connection with taking delivery of Shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or AP 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 the Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within three business days of the trade date.

 

ADDITIONAL REDEMPTION PROCEDURES. In connection with taking delivery of Shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, the AP 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 the Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within three Business Days of trade date. However, due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, the different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (that is the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold), and in certain other circumstances, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds may take longer than three Business Days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. If neither the redeeming Shareholder nor the AP acting on behalf of such redeeming Shareholder has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Company may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming shareholder will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.

 

If it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities, the Company may in its discretion 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 the 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 relevant Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Company’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). The Fund may also, in its sole discretion, 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 Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Company could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An AP 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 AP may request the redeeming investor of the Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an

 

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AP 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 AP may be required by the Company to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status in order to receive Fund Securities.

 

Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on the relevant exchange(s) on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their Shares of the Fund, or to purchase or sell Shares of the Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the 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 the 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 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.

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

 

The Company has adopted, on behalf of the Fund, a policy relating to the selective disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings by the Adviser, Board, officers, or third-party service providers, in accordance with regulations that seek to ensure that disclosure of information about portfolio holdings is in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders. The policies relating to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings are designed to allow disclosure of portfolio holdings information where necessary to the Fund’s operation without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. It is the policy of the Company that disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings to a select person or persons prior to the release of such holdings to the public (“selective disclosure”) is prohibited, unless there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure.

 

The Company discloses portfolio holdings information as required in regulatory filings and shareholder reports, discloses portfolio holdings information as required by federal and state securities laws and may disclose portfolio holdings information in response to requests by governmental authorities. As required by the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Company will disclose the Fund’s portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR, Form N-CEN, and Form N-PORT, or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require.

 

The Fund’s entire portfolio holdings will be publicly disseminated each business day and may be available through financial reporting and news services including publicly available internet websites.

 

The Company may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings that is not publicly available to its third-party service providers, which include U.S. Bank, N.A., the custodian; Fund Services, the administrator, accounting agent and transfer agent; [  ], the Fund’s

 

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independent registered public accounting firm; Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, legal counsel; FilePoint, the financial printer; the Fund’s proxy voting service(s); and the Company’s liquidity classification agent. These service providers are required to keep such information confidential, and are prohibited from trading based on the information or otherwise using the information except as necessary in providing services to the Fund. Such holdings are released on conditions of confidentiality, which include appropriate trading prohibitions. “Conditions of confidentiality” include confidentiality terms included in written agreements, implied by the nature of the relationship (e.g. attorney-client relationship), or required by fiduciary or regulatory principles (e.g., custody services provided by financial institutions). Portfolio holdings may also be provided earlier to shareholders and their agents who receive redemptions in kind that reflect a pro rata allocation of all securities held in the Fund’s portfolio.

 

Portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to (i) certain independent reporting agencies recognized by the SEC as acceptable agencies for the reporting of industry statistical information and, (ii) financial consultants to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients, in each case in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws and the Company’s and Adviser’s fiduciary duties to Fund shareholders. Disclosures to financial consultants are also subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions. The foregoing disclosures are made pursuant to the Company’s policy on selective disclosure of portfolio holdings. The Board or a committee thereof may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

 

The Adviser reserves the right to refuse to fulfill any request for portfolio holdings information from a shareholder or non-shareholder if it believes that providing such information will be contrary to the best interests of the Fund.

 

The Board provides ongoing oversight of the Company’s policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Board receives from the CCO as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Board receives an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any violation of the policy set forth above as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such violation must be reported by the Adviser, director, officer or third-party service provider to the Company’s CCO, who will determine whether the violation should be reported immediately to the Board or at its next quarterly Board meeting.             

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the sections in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES.”

 

NAV is determined as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) each day the NYSE is open, except that no computation need be made on a day on which no orders to purchase or redeem Shares have been received. The NYSE currently observes the following holidays: New Year’s

 

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Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Presidents Day (third Monday in February), Good Friday (Friday before Easter), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day (first Monday in September), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November), and Christmas Day.

 

NAV per Share is computed by dividing the value of the Fund’s net assets (i.e., the value of its assets less its liabilities) by the total number of the Fund’s Shares outstanding. In computing NAV, securities are valued at market value as of the applicable NAV determination time. The Board has adopted a pricing and valuation policy for use by the Fund and its Valuation Designee (defined below) in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Fund has designated the Adviser as its “Valuation Designee” to perform all of the fair value determinations as well as to perform all of the responsibilities that may be performed by the Valuation Designee in accordance with Rule 2a-5. The Valuation Designee is authorized to make all necessary determinations of the fair values of portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or if it is deemed that the prices obtained from brokers and dealers or independent pricing services are unreliable. Securities, other than stock options, listed on the NYSE or other exchanges are valued on the basis of the last reported sale price on the Exchange on which they are primarily traded. However, if the last sale price on the NYSE is different from the last sale price on any other exchange, the NYSE price will be used. If there are no sales on that day, then the securities are valued at the bid price on the NYSE or other primary exchange for that day. Securities traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market are valued on the basis of the last sales price as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (“NASDAQ”). If there are no sales on that day, then the securities are valued at the mean between the closing bid and asked prices as reported by NASDAQ. Stock options and stock index options traded on national securities exchanges or on NASDAQ are valued at the mean between the latest bid and asked prices for such options. Debt securities that mature in less than 60 days are valued at amortized cost (unless the Valuation Designee determines that this method does not represent fair value), if their original maturity was 60 days or less or by amortizing the value as of the 61st day before maturity, if their original term to maturity exceeded 60 days. A pricing service may be used to determine the fair value of securities held by the Fund. Any such service might value the investments based on methods that include consideration of yields or prices of securities of comparable quality, coupon, maturity, and type; indications as to values from dealers; and general market conditions. The service may also employ electronic data-processing techniques, a matrix system, or both to determine valuation. The Board will review and monitor the methods such services use to assure itself that securities are valued at their fair values.

 

The values of securities held by the Fund and other assets used in computing NAV are determined as of the time at which trading in such securities is completed each day. That time, in the case of foreign securities, generally occurs at various times before the close of the NYSE. Trading in securities listed on foreign securities exchanges will be valued at the last sale or, if no sales are reported, at the bid price as of the close of the Exchange, subject to possible adjustment as described in the Prospectus. Foreign currency exchange rates are also generally determined before the close of the NYSE. On occasion, the values of such securities and exchange rates may be affected by events occurring between the time as of which determinations of such values or exchange rates are made and the close of the NYSE. When such events materially affect the

 

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value of securities held by the Fund or its liabilities, such securities and liabilities will be valued at fair value by the Adviser, as the Fund’s Valuation Designee, in accordance with procedures adopted in good faith by the Board. The values of any assets and liabilities initially expressed in foreign currencies will be converted to U.S. dollars based on exchange rates supplied by a quotation service.

 

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

 

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES.” In addition, the following is only a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations that generally affect the Fund and its shareholders. No attempt is made to present a comprehensive explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors with specific reference to their own tax situations, including their state, local, and foreign tax liabilities.

 

It is the policy of the Company each fiscal year to distribute substantially all of the Fund’s net investment income (i.e., generally, the income that it earns from dividends and interest on its investments, and any short-term capital gains, net of Fund expenses) and net capital gains (i.e., the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses), if any, to its shareholders.

 

Dividend Reinvestment Service

 

The Fund 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 Fund 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 in order 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 Fund at NAV. Distributions reinvested in additional Shares of the Fund will nevertheless be taxable to beneficial owners acquiring such additional Shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.

 

Taxes – General

 

The discussions of the federal tax consequences in the Prospectus and this SAI are based on the Code and the regulations issued under it, and court decisions and administrative interpretations, as in effect on the date of the Prospectus and this SAI, respectively. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly alter the statements included herein, and any such changes or decisions may be retroactive. The Fund has elected to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. As such, the Fund generally will be exempt from federal income tax on its net investment income and realized capital gains that it

 

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distributes to shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company, the Fund must meet three important tests each year.

 

First, the Fund must derive with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies, or net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

Second, generally, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of such issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies) of (1) any one issuer, (2) two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or (3) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

Third, the Fund must distribute an amount equal to at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) before taking into account any deduction for dividends paid, and 90% of its tax-exempt income for the year.

 

The Fund intends to comply with these requirements. If the Fund were to fail to make sufficient distributions, it could be liable for corporate income tax (which may include interest or penalties) and for excise tax (as discussed below) in respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough and the Fund does not satisfy the 90% distribution requirement described above, the Fund could be disqualified as a regulated investment company. If for any taxable year the Fund were not to qualify as a regulated investment company, all its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In that event, taxable shareholders would recognize dividend income on distributions (including distributions of capital gains) to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, and corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

 

The Code imposes a nondeductible 4% excise tax on regulated investment companies that fail to distribute each year an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for this excise tax.

 

The Fund’s hedging and derivatives transactions are subject to special and complex U.S. federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of

 

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certain losses or deductions, (ii) convert lower-taxed long-term capital gain into higher-taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income, (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur, (vi) adversely alter the intended characterization of certain complex financial transactions and (vii) produce income that will not be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the 90% gross income test described above. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders and the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions.

 

The Fund’s investment in non-U.S. securities may be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes. In that case, the Fund’s yield on those securities would be decreased. Shareholders will generally not be entitled to claim a credit or deduction with respect to any non-U.S. taxes paid by the Fund.

 

Loss Carryforwards

 

For federal income tax purposes, the Fund is generally permitted to carry forward a net capital loss in any year to offset its own capital gains, if any, during subsequent years.

 

State and Local Taxes

 

Although the Fund expects to qualify as a regulated investment company and to be relieved of all or substantially all federal income taxes, depending upon the extent of its activities in states and localities in which its offices are maintained, in which its agents or independent contractors are located or in which it is otherwise deemed to be conducting business, the Fund may be subject to the tax laws of such states or localities.

 

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

 

Subject to the general supervision of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund, the selection of brokers and dealers to effect the transactions, and the negotiation of brokerage commissions, if any. Purchases and sales of securities on a stock exchange are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. In the OTC market, securities are generally traded on a “net” basis, with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price, which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. Certain money market instruments may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no commission or discounts are paid.

 

The Adviser may serve as an investment adviser to other clients, including private investment companies, and the Adviser may in the future act as an investment adviser to other registered investment companies. It is the practice of the Adviser to cause purchase and sale transactions to be allocated among the Fund and

 

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others whose assets are managed by the Adviser in such manner as it deems equitable. In making such allocations, the main factors considered are the respective investment objectives, the relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, the availability of cash for investment, the size of investment commitments generally held, and the opinions of the persons responsible for managing the Fund and the other client accounts. This procedure may, under certain circumstances, have an adverse effect on the Fund.

 

The policy of the Fund regarding purchases and sales of securities 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 Fund’s policy is to pay commissions that are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. The Adviser believes that a requirement always to seek the lowest commission cost could impede effective management and preclude the Adviser from obtaining high-quality brokerage and research services. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Adviser relies on its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage and research services received from the broker effecting the transaction.

 

In seeking to implement the Fund’s policies, the Adviser, through a brokerage or an outsourced trading desk, conducts trades on behalf of the Fund and effects transactions with brokers and dealers that it believes provide the most favorable prices and are capable of providing efficient executions. The Adviser may place portfolio transactions with a broker or dealer that furnishes research and other services to the Adviser and may pay higher commissions to brokers in recognition of research provided (or direct the payment of commissions to such brokers). Such services may include, but are not limited to, any one or more of the following: (1) information as to the availability of securities for purchase or sale, (2) statistical or factual information or opinions pertaining to investments, (3) wire services, (4) and appraisals or evaluations of portfolio securities. The information and services received by the Adviser from brokers and dealers may be of benefit in the management of accounts of other clients and may not in all cases benefit the Company directly. While such services are useful and important in supplementing its own research and facilities, the Adviser believes the value of such services is not determinable and does not significantly reduce its expenses.

 

During the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, the Fund paid brokerage fees in the amount of $[...]. 

 

The Fund did not own securities of its regular broker-dealers as of August 31, 2026.

 

The Fund did not direct a portion of its brokerage transactions to brokers for research services provided during the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026.

 

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SECURITIES LENDING

 

Securities Finance Trust Company (otherwise known as and referred to herein as “eSecLending”) serves as securities lending agent for the Fund and in that role administers the Fund’s securities lending program pursuant to the terms of a Securities Lending Agency Agreement entered into between the Fund and eSecLending.

 

As securities lending agent, eSecLending is responsible for marketing to approved borrowers available securities from the Fund’s portfolio. eSecLending is responsible for the administration and management of the Fund’s securities lending program, including the preparation and execution of a participant agreement with each borrower governing the terms and conditions of any securities loan, ensuring that securities loans are properly coordinated and documented with the Fund’s custodian, ensuring that loaned securities are daily valued and that the corresponding required cash collateral of at least 102% of the current market value of the loaned securities is delivered by the borrower(s), using best efforts to obtain additional collateral on the next business day if the value of the collateral falls below the required amount, and arranging for the investment of cash collateral received from borrowers in accordance with the Fund’s investment guidelines.

 

eSecLending receives as compensation for its services a portion of the amount earned by the Fund for lending securities. The Fund did not engage in any securities lending activities with eSecLending during the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026.

 

PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES

 

The Board has delegated the responsibility of voting proxies with respect to the portfolio securities purchased and/or held by the Fund (“portfolio proxies”) to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight.

 

Policies of the Adviser

 

The Adviser’s proxy voting policy establishes minimum standards for the exercise of proxy voting authority by the Adviser. The Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures are set forth in Appendix B.

 

The Fund may invest its assets in debt securities, which generally do not issue proxies. However, the Fund may also invest in other types of securities that may issue proxies.

 

More Information 

 

The Company is required to disclose annually the Fund’s complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX. The Fund’s proxy voting record for the most recent 12-month period ended June 30th will be available upon request by calling 1-800-617-0004. The Fund’s Form N-PX will also be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

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PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

The Adviser and/or its affiliates, at their discretion, may make payments from their own resources and not from Fund assets to affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), trust companies, registered investment advisers, financial planners, retirement plan administrators, insurance companies, and any other institution having a service, administration, or any similar arrangement with the Fund, its service providers or their respective affiliates, as incentives to help market and promote the Fund and/or in recognition of its distribution, marketing, administrative services, and/or processing support.

 

These additional payments may be made to financial intermediaries that sell Fund Shares or provide services to the Fund, the Distributor or shareholders of the Fund through the financial intermediary’s retail distribution channel and/or fund supermarkets. Payments may also be made through the financial intermediary’s retirement, qualified tuition, fee-based advisory, wrap fee bank trust, or insurance (e.g., individual or group annuity) programs. These payments may include, but are not limited to, placing the Fund in a financial intermediary’s retail distribution channel or on a preferred or recommended fund list; providing business or shareholder financial planning assistance; educating financial intermediary personnel about the Fund; providing access to sales and management representatives of the financial intermediary; promoting sales of Fund Shares; providing marketing and educational support; maintaining Share balances and/or for sub-accounting, administrative or shareholder transaction processing services. A financial intermediary may perform the services itself or may arrange with a third party to perform the services.

 

The Adviser and/or its affiliates may also make payments from their own resources to financial intermediaries for costs associated with the purchase of products or services used in connection with sales and marketing, participation in and/or presentation at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs, client and investor entertainment and other sponsored events. The costs and expenses associated with these efforts may include travel, lodging, sponsorship at educational seminars and conferences, entertainment and meals to the extent permitted by law.

 

Revenue sharing payments may be negotiated based on a variety of factors, including the level of sales, the amount of Fund assets attributable to investments in the Fund by financial intermediaries’ customers, a flat fee or other measures as determined from time to time by the Adviser and/or its affiliates. A significant purpose of these payments is to increase the sales of Fund Shares, which in turn may benefit the Adviser through increased fees as Fund assets grow.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES

 

The Company has authorized capital of 100 billion shares of common stock at a par value of $0.001 per share. Currently, [...] billion shares have been classified into [...] classes. However, the Company only has approximately [...] active share classes that have begun investment operations. Under the Company’s Charter, the Board has the power to classify and reclassify any unissued Shares of common stock from time to time.

 

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Each share that represents an interest in the Fund has an equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to the Fund with each other share that represents an interest in the Fund, even where a share has a different class designation than another share representing an interest in the Fund. Shares of the Company do not have preemptive or conversion rights. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectus, shares of the Company will be fully paid and non-assessable.

 

The Company does not currently intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders except as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. The Company’s amended By-Laws provide that shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding shares of all classes of Common Stock of the Company have the right to call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more directors. To the extent required by law, the Company will assist in shareholder communication in such matters.

 

Holders of shares of each class of the Company will vote in the aggregate on all matters, except where otherwise required by law. Further, shareholders of the Company will vote in the aggregate and not by portfolio except as otherwise required by law or when the Board determines that the matter to be voted upon affects only the interests of the shareholders of a particular portfolio or class of shares. Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted by the provisions of such Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Company shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each portfolio affected by the matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that a portfolio shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each portfolio in the matter are identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of the portfolio. Under Rule 18f-2 the approval of an investment advisory agreement or distribution agreement or any change in the Fundamental investment objective or fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a portfolio only if approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such portfolio. However, Rule 18f-2 also provides that the ratification of the selection of independent public accountants and the election of directors are not subject to the separate voting requirements and may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of an investment company voting without regard to a portfolio. Shareholders of the Company are entitled to one vote for each full share held (irrespective of class or portfolio) and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Voting rights are not cumulative and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate shares of common stock of the Company may elect all of the Directors.

 

Notwithstanding any provision of Maryland law requiring a greater vote of shares of the Company’s common stock (or of any class voting as a class) in connection with any corporate action, unless otherwise provided by law (for example by Rule 18f-2 discussed above), or by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, the Company may take or authorize such action upon the favorable vote of the holders of more than 50% of all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock voting without regard to class (or portfolio).

 

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GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Anti-Money Laundering Program

 

The Fund has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”). To ensure compliance with this law, the Fund’s Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures, and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that certain of its service providers have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity, and conducting a complete and thorough review of all new account applications. The Fund will not transact business with any person or legal entity and beneficial owner, if applicable, whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

[  ], located at [  ], is the independent registered public accounting firm of the Fund. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for conducting the annual audit of the Fund’s financial statements. The selection of the independent registered public accounting firm is approved annually by the Board.

 

Transfer Agent

 

Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent.

 

Custodian

 

U.S. Bank, N.A., 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, WI 53212, serves as custodian (the “Custodian”) of the Fund’s assets and is responsible for maintaining custody of the Fund’s cash and investments and retaining sub-custodians, including in connection with the custody of foreign securities. Cash held by the Custodian, the amount of which may at times be substantial, is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to the amount of available insurance coverage limits. The Custodian and Fund Services are affiliates.

 

Administrator

 

Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202, serves as the administrator (the “Administrator”) and provides various administrative and accounting services necessary for the operations of the Fund. Services provided by the Administrator include facilitating general Fund management; monitoring Fund compliance with federal and state regulations; supervising the maintenance of the Fund’s general ledger, the preparation of the Fund’s financial statements, the determination of NAV, and the

 

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payment of dividends and other distributions to shareholders; and preparing specified financial, tax, and other reports. The Custodian and the Administrator are affiliates.

 

During the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026, the Fund paid $[...] in administration and accounting fees to Fund Services.

 

Counsel

 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-6996, serves as counsel to the Company.

 

Registration Statement

 

This SAI and the Prospectus do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement the Company has filed with the SEC. The complete Registration Statement may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the fee prescribed by SEC rules and regulations. A text-only version of the Registration Statement is available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The audited financial statements, financial highlights, and notes thereto in the Fund’s Annual Report on Form N-CSR for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2026 have been audited by [  ], the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, whose report thereon also appears in the Annual Report, which is incorporated by reference into this SAI. No other parts of the Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the Annual Report may be obtained at no charge by calling 1-800-617-0004.  

 

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APPENDIX A

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS

 

Short-Term Credit Ratings

 

An S&P Global Ratings short-term issue credit rating is generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market.  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 commitment 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.

 

                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.

 

“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

 

                Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial 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.

 

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

 

“P-1” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-2” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-3” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation.  Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity.  Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short-term” based on market convention.1 Typically, this means a timeframe of up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured

 

1. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity.

 

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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” – Securities possess the highest short-term credit quality.  This designation indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

“F2” – Securities possess good short-term credit quality.  This designation indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

 

“F3” – Securities possess fair short-term credit quality.  This designation indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

“B” – Securities possess speculative short-term credit quality.  This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

“C” – Securities possess 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an issue of a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated.

 

The Morningstar DBRS® Ratings Limited (“Morningstar DBRS”) short-term obligation ratings provide Morningstar DBRS’s opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner.  The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of shorter than one year. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the subcategories “(high)”, “(middle)”, and “(low)”.

 

The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for commercial paper and short-term debt:

 

                “R-1 (high)” - Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be 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 or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.

 

                “R-2 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the 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” – Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the 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” – Short-term debt rated “R-4” is considered to be of speculative credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.

 

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                “R-5” – Short-term debt rated “R-5” is considered to be of 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” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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.  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 Issue Credit Ratings

 

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 is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) – 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.

 

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                Moody’s long-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more.  Such ratings reflect both on the likelihood of 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to unrated obligations, obligation and/or program.

 

                The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:

 

“AAA” – Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality.  “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit 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” – Securities considered to be of very high credit quality.  “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk.  They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments.  This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

“A” – Securities considered to be of high credit quality.  “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit 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” – Securities considered to be of good credit quality.  “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of credit 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” – Securities considered to be speculative.  “BB” ratings indicates an elevated vulnerability to credit 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 to be met.

 

“B” – Securities considered to be highly speculative.  “B” ratings indicate that material credit risk is present

 

“CCC” – A “CCC” rating indicates that substantial credit risk is present.

 

“CC” – A “CC” rating indicates very high levels of credit risk.

 

“C” – A “C” rating indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

 

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned “RD” or “D” ratings but are instead rated in the “CCC” to “C” rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. 

 

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Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories.  Such suffixes are not added to “AAA” ratings and ratings below the “CCC” category.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issue of a rated issuer.

 

The Morningstar DBRS long-term credit ratings provide opinions on risk of default. Morningstar DBRS considers the risk of default to be the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy the the financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which a long-term obligation has been issued.  The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of one year or longer.  All rating categories from AA to CCC contain subcategories “(high)” and “(low)”.  The absence of either a “(high)” or “(low)” designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category.  The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for long-term debt:

 

                “AAA” – Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

 

                “AA” – Long-term debt rated “AA” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “A” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable.  May be vulnerable to future events.

 

                “BB” – Long-term debt rated “BB” is of speculative, non-investment grade credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain.  Vulnerable to future events.

 

                “B” – Long-term debt rated “B” is of highly speculative credit quality.  There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.

 

                “CCC”, “CC” and “C” – Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is of 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 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” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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.  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 symbols are as follows:

 

“SP-1” – A municipal note rated “SP-1” exhibits a 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” – A municipal note rated “SP-2” exhibits a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

 

“SP-3” – A municipal note rated “SP-3” exhibits a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

 

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“D” – This rating 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 Scale

 

“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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.

 

For 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.

 

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

 

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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.

 

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.

 

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, 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).

 

Morningstar DBRS offers independent, transparent, and innovative credit analysis to the market. Credit ratings are forward-looking opinions about credit risk that reflect the creditworthiness of an issuer, rated entity, security and/or obligation based on Morningstar DBRS’s quantitative and qualitative analysis in accordance with applicable methodologies and criteria.  They are meant to provide opinions on relative measures of risk and are not based on expectations of, or meant to predict, any specific default probability. Credit ratings are not statements of fact.  Morningstar DBRS issues credit ratings using one or more categories, such as public, private, provisional, final(ized), solicited, or unsolicited. From time to time, credit ratings may also be subject to trends, placed under review, or discontinued. Morningstar DBRS credit ratings are determined by credit rating committees.

 

An S&P Global Ratings short-term issue credit rating is generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market.  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 commitment 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.

 

                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.

 

“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

 

                Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial 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.

 

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

 

“P-1” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

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“P-2” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-3” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation.  Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity.  Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short-term” based on market convention.1 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” – Securities possess the highest short-term credit quality.  This designation indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

“F2” – Securities possess good short-term credit quality.  This designation indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

 

1. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity.

 

“F3” – Securities possess fair short-term credit quality.  This designation indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

“B” – Securities possess speculative short-term credit quality.  This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

“C” – Securities possess 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an issue of a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated.

 

The Morningstar DBRS® Ratings Limited (“Morningstar DBRS”) short-term obligation ratings provide Morningstar DBRS’s opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner.  The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of shorter than one year. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the subcategories “(high)”, “(middle)”, and “(low)”.

 

The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for commercial paper and short-term debt:

 

                “R-1 (high)” - Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the 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)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be 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 or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.

 

A-8

 

 

 

 

                “R-2 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the 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” – Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the 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” – Short-term debt rated “R-4” is considered to be of speculative credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.

 

                “R-5” – Short-term debt rated “R-5” is considered to be of 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” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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.  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 Issue Credit Ratings

 

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 is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring

 

A-9

 

 

 

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) – 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 of financial obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more.  Such ratings reflect both on the likelihood of 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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to unrated obligations, obligation and/or program.

 

                The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:

 

“AAA” – Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality.  “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit 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” – Securities considered to be of very high credit quality.  “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk.  They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments.  This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

“A” – Securities considered to be of high credit quality.  “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit 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” – Securities considered to be of good credit quality.  “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of credit 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” – Securities considered to be speculative.  “BB” ratings indicates an elevated vulnerability to credit 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 to be met.

 

“B” – Securities considered to be highly speculative.  “B” ratings indicate that material credit risk is present

 

A-10

 

 

 

 

“CCC” – A “CCC” rating indicates that substantial credit risk is present.

 

“CC” – A “CC” rating indicates very high levels of credit risk.

 

“C” – A “C” rating indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

 

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned “RD” or “D” ratings but are instead rated in the “CCC” to “C” rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. 

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories.  Such suffixes are not added to “AAA” ratings and ratings below the “CCC” category.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issue of a rated issuer.

 

The Morningstar DBRS long-term credit ratings provide opinions on risk of default. Morningstar DBRS considers the risk of default to be the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy the the financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which a long-term obligation has been issued.  The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of one year or longer.  All rating categories from AA to CCC contain subcategories “(high)” and “(low)”.  The absence of either a “(high)” or “(low)” designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category.  The following summarizes the ratings used by Morningstar DBRS for long-term debt:

 

                “AAA” – Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

 

                “AA” – Long-term debt rated “AA” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “A” is of 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” – Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable.  May be vulnerable to future events.

 

                “BB” – Long-term debt rated “BB” is of speculative, non-investment grade credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain.  Vulnerable to future events.

 

                “B” – Long-term debt rated “B” is of highly speculative credit quality.  There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.

 

                “CCC”, “CC” and “C” – Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is of 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 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” – A downgrade to “D” may occur 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.  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 symbols are as follows:

 

A-11

 

 

 

 

“SP-1” – A municipal note rated “SP-1” exhibits a 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” – A municipal note rated “SP-2” exhibits a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

 

“SP-3” – A municipal note rated “SP-3” exhibits a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

 

“D” – This rating 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 Scale

 

“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.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.

 

For 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.

 

A-12

 

 

 

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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, 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).

 

Morningstar DBRS offers independent, transparent, and innovative credit analysis to the market. Credit ratings are forward-looking opinions about credit risk that reflect the creditworthiness of an issuer, rated entity, security and/or obligation based on Morningstar DBRS’s quantitative and qualitative analysis in accordance with applicable methodologies and criteria.  They are meant to provide opinions on relative measures of risk and are not based on expectations of, or meant to predict, any specific default probability. Credit ratings are not statements of fact.  Morningstar DBRS issues credit ratings using one or more categories, such as public, private, provisional, final(ized), solicited, or unsolicited. From time to time, credit ratings may also be subject to trends, placed under review, or discontinued. Morningstar DBRS credit ratings are determined by credit rating committees.

 

A-13

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX B

 

F/m Investments LLC (“FMI” or the “Adviser”) may vote proxies for certain advisory clients if that responsibility is specifically accepted by FMI in the advisory agreement between FMI and the client. Regardless, a client always has the right to vote their own proxies. A client can exercise this right by instructing FMI in writing to not vote proxies in the client’s account. In addition, where FMI has proxy voting authority but a client desires to direct FMI on how to vote a particular proxy, clients should contact FMI at the address below.

 

If the client agreement is entered into by a trustee or other fiduciary on behalf of an employee retirement income plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”), including a person meeting the definition of “fiduciary” under ERISA, the trustee or other fiduciary generally retains the right and obligation to vote proxies. In such cases, the Adviser is generally precluded from voting proxies for the plan.

 

The Adviser’s proxy voting procedures provide that it votes proxies in its clients’ interests, and that if it identifies a material conflict of interest between itself and the client, it will vote based upon the recommendation of an independent third party. In certain circumstances, in accordance with an investment advisory contract, or other written directive, or if the Adviser has determined that it is in the client’s best interest, it may refrain from voting proxies.

 

Upon written request, a client will be provided with FMI’s proxy voting policies and procedures. Clients may also request, in writing, copies of records regarding how FMI voted their securities. Written requests must be addressed to Chief Compliance Officer, 900 19th Street NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20006.

 

B-1

 

 

 

PART C: OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 28. EXHIBITS

 

(a)   Articles of Incorporation.
     
  (1) Articles of Incorporation of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 24, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (2) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 24, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (3) Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 12, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (4) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 12, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (5) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 27, 1990, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (6) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 1, 1990, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (7) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (8) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 22, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (9) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1993, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.

 

 

 

  (10) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1993, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (11) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (12) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (13) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (14) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (15) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 31, 1995.
     
  (16) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996.
     
  (17) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 11, 1996.
     
  (18) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997.
     
  (19) Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997.
     
  (20) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997.

 

 

 

 

  (21) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
     
  (22) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
     
  (23) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
     
  (24) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
     
  (25) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999.
     
  (26) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 29, 1999.
     
  (27) Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000.
     
  (28) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000.
     
  (29) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000.
     
  (30) Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000.
     
  (31) Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2001.
     
  (32) Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant (Boston Partners Bond Fund – Institutional Class and Boston Partners Bond Fund – Investor Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 15, 2002.

 

 

 

  (33) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund – Institutional Class and Boston Partners Bond Fund – Institutional Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 15, 2002.
     
  (34) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Schneider Value Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 78 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 2002.
     
  (35) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Institutional Liquidity Fund for Credit Unions and Liquidity Fund for Credit Union Members) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2003.
     
  (36) Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 89 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2004.
     
  (37) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Investor Class, Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Institutional Class, Robeco WPG Tudor Fund – Institutional Class, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund – Institutional Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 93 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 4, 2005.
     
  (38) Certificate of Correction of Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 2005.
     
  (39) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Investor Class, Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Institutional Class, Robeco WPG Tudor Fund – Institutional Class, Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund f/k/a Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund – Institutional Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 2005.

 

 

 

  (40) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Senbanc Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005.
     
  (41) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Retirement Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 19, 2005.
     
  (42) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Investor Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2005.
     
  (43) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006.

 

  (44) Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006.
     
  (45) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Bear Stearns Ultra Short Income Fund f/k/a Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.
     
  (46) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.
     
  (47) Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant (Bear Stearns Ultra Short Income Fund f/k/a Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007.
     
  (48) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Bear Stearns Ultra Short Income Fund f/k/a Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007.
     
  (49) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed Income Fund) incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.

 

 

 

  (50) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund – Investor Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 13, 2007.
     
  (51) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 17, 2007.
     
  (52) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund – Institutional Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 4, 2007.
     
  (53) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Bear Stearns Multifactor 130/30 US Core Equity Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 17, 2007.
     
  (54) Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant (Bear Stearns Ultra Short Income Fund f/k/a Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 28, 2007.

 

  (55) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SAM Sustainable Global Active Fund, SAM Sustainable Themes Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 128 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on January 26, 2009.
     
  (56) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Perimeter Small Cap Growth Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 129 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 2, 2009.
     
  (57) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (S1 Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 135 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 19, 2010.
     
  (58) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 136 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 6, 2010.
     
  (59) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund f/k/a Robeco WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 141 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 28, 2010.

 

 

 

  (60) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners Global Equity Fund (f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Global Equity Fund) and Robeco Boston Partners International Equity Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 14, 2011.
     
  (61) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund f/k/a Summit Global Investments U.S. Low Volatility Equity Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2011.
     
  (62) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed Income Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2012.
     
  (63) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 152 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 29, 2013.
     
  (64) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners Long/Short/ Research Fund – Institutional Class – Institutional Class f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund – Institutional Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2013.

 

  (65) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio, Matson Money International VI Equity Portfolio, Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 159 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2013.
     
  (66) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SGI Global Equity Fund f/k/a Scotia Dynamic U.S. Growth Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 161 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2013.
     
  (67) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund – Institutional Class f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund – Institutional Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 168 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 30, 2014.
     

 

 

 

  (68) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund and Adara Smaller Companies Fund (f/k/a Altair Smaller Companies Fund)) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 168 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 30, 2014.
     
  (69) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Campbell Core Trend Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 171 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 16, 2014.
     
  (70) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed Income Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 174 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 23, 2014.
     
  (71) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (Boston Partners Investment Funds) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 174 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 23, 2014.
     
  (72) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund f/k/a Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 182 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 16, 2015.
     
  (73) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Campbell Core Carry Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 182 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 16, 2015.
     
  (74) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners Alpha Blue Dynamic Equity Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 182 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 16, 2015.
     
  (75) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund – Class C f/k/a Summit Global Investments U.S. Low Volatility Equity Fund – Class C) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 184 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2015.

 

 

 

  (76) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund – Institutional Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 187 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2015.
     
  (77) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SGI Small Cap Equity Fund f/k/a Summit Global Investments Small Cap Low Volatility Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 30, 2016.

     
  (78) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Fasanara Capital Absolute Return Multi-Asset Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 198 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 29, 2016.
     
  (79) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (Campbell Dynamic Trend Fund f/k/a Campbell Core Trend Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 207 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 28, 2016.
     
  (80) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (MFAM Global Opportunities Fund (f/k/a Motley Fool Independence Fund), MFAM Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund (f/k/a Motley Fool Great America Fund), and MFAM Emerging Markets Fund (f/k/a Motley Fool Epic Voyage Fund)) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 206 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 21, 2016.
     
  (81) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (MFAM Emerging Markets Fund f/k/a Motley Fool Epic Voyage Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2017.
     
  (82) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Orinda Income Opportunities Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 216 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 10, 2017.
     
  (83) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund — Class T) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 216 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 10, 2017.
     
  (84) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Campbell Systematic Macro Fund f/k/a Campbell Managed Futures 10V Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 224 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 28, 2017.
     
  (85) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 226 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 23, 2017.
     

 

 

 

  (86) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Motley Fool 100 Index ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 235 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on January 19, 2018.
     

  (87) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund – Class I) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 238 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 21, 2018.
     
  (88) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund – Institutional Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 238 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 21, 2018.
     
  (89) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed Income Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 238 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 21, 2018.
     
  (90) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Aquarius International Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 238 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 21, 2018.
     
  (91) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 238 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 21, 2018.
     
  (92) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (SGI Global Equity Fund (f/k/a Dynamic U.S. Growth Fund)) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 238 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 21, 2018.
     
  (93) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (SGI Global Equity Fund f/k/a Summit Global Investments Global Low Volatility Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 242 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 19, 2018.
     
  (94) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund f/k/a Summit Global Investments Small Cap Low Volatility Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 242 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 19, 2018.
     
  (95) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (Adara Smaller Companies Fund (f/k/a Altair Smaller Companies Fund)) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 242 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 19, 2018.
     
  (96) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (MFAM Global Opportunities Fund (f/k/a Motley Fool Independence Fund) and MFAM Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund (f/k/a Motley Fool Great America Fund)) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 242 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 19, 2018.

 

 

 

  (97) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF (f/k/a Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF)) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 247 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 23, 2018.
     
  (98) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Motley Fool Innovation ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 247 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 23, 2018.
     
  (99) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (MFAM Global Opportunities Fund, MFAM Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund, MFAM Emerging Markets Fund and MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 251 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 8, 2019.
     
  (100) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund (f/k/a MFAM Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 251 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 8, 2019.
     
  (101) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 254 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (No. 811-05518) filed on May 21, 2019.
     
  (102) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Campbell Advantage Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 254 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (No. 811-05518) filed on May 21, 2019.
     
  (103) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, (f/k/a Summit Global Investments U.S. Low Volatility Equity Fund), SGI Global Equity Fund (f/k/a Summit Global Investments Global Low Volatility Fund), and SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund (f/k/a Summit Global Investments Small Cap Low Volatility Fund)) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 254 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (No. 811-05518) filed on May 21, 2019.
     
  (104) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (Campbell Systematic Macro Fund (f/k/a Campbell Managed Futures 10V Fund)) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 254 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 21, 2019.
     

 

 

 

  (105) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity VI Portfolio) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 261 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2020.
     
  (106) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SGI Peak Growth Fund, SGI Prudent Growth Fund, and SGI Conservative Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 263 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 25, 2020.

     
  (107) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund f/k/a Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 268 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 23, 2020.
     
  (108) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Stance Equity ESG Large Cap Core ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 269 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 18, 2020.
     
  (109) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (YieldX Diversified Income ETF, YieldX High Income ETF, and YieldX Short-Term Income ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 281 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 26, 2021.
     
  (110) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (SGI Small Cap Growth Fund f/k/a Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2021.
     
  (111) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (DriveWealth Power Saver ETF f/k/a YieldX High Income ETF and DriveWealth Steady Saver ETF f/k/a YieldX Short-Term Income ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2021.
     
  (112) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF, Motley Fool Mid-Cap Growth ETF, Motley Fool Next Index ETF, Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF, WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund and Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 285 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on December 10, 2021.
     
  (113) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Optima Strategic Credit Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 287 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on December 29, 2021.
     

 

 

 

  (114) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (SGI Small Cap Core Fund f/k/a SGI Small Cap Growth Fund and Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF f/k/a MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     
  (115) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SGI U.S. Large Cap Core ETF and SGI Dynamic Tactical ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 300 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2022.
     

  (116) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (US Treasury 30 Year Bond ETF, US Treasury 20 Year Bond ETF, US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF, US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF, US Treasury 5 Year Note ETF, US Treasury 3 Year Note ETF, US Treasury 2 Year Note ETF, US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF, US Treasury 6 Month Bill ETF and US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 293 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 5, 2022.
     
  (117) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund – Class I) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 300 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2022.
     
  (118) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Campbell Systematic Macro Fund – Class I) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 300 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2022.
     
  (119) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Oakhurst Fixed Income Fund, Oakhurst Short Duration Bond Fund, Oakhurst Short Duration High Yield Credit Fund, and Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund f/k/a F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 307 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 10, 2023.
     
  (120) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (F/m Opportunistic Income ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 308 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 30, 2023.
     
  (121) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (F/m 6-Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 9-18 Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (f/k/a F/m 1-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF), F/m 2-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 3-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 5-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 7-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 10-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 20-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 30-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF and F/m 15+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 316 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on January 9, 2024.
     

 

 

 

  (122) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF and SGI Enhanced Core ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 320 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 26, 2024.
     
  (123) Articles of Amendment of Registrant (F/m 9-18 Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF f/k/a F/m 1-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 316 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on January 9, 2024.
     
  (124) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 2, 2024.
     

  (125) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SGI Enhanced Nasdaq-100 ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 326 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 13, 2024.
     
  (126) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (F/m Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2024.
     
  (127) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (SGI Enhanced Market Leaders ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 14, 2025.
     
  (128) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF, F/m Yield Curve Steepening Strategy ETF, F/m Yield Curve Flattening Strategy ETF, F/m Rising Interest Rates Strategy ETF, F/m Falling Interest Rates Strategy ETF, F/m U.S. Treasury 3 Month Bill Institutional ETF, F/m Leveraged U.S. Treasury 3-month Bill ETF, F/m Current Coupon Mortgage-Backed ETF, F/m Short Duration High Coupon Tax Free Municipal ETF, F/m Small Cap Core ETF, F/m Small Cap Growth ETF, F/m SMID Equity ETF, F/m High Yield 100 ETF, F/m High Yield High Beta ETF, F/m High Yield Quality ETF, F/m Short Duration High Yield Quality ETF, and F/m Senior Secured High Yield ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (129) Articles Amendment of Registrant (F/m US Treasury ETFs and F/m Long-Term Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF, f/k/a F/m Leveraged U.S. Treasury 3-month Bill ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2025.
     

 

 

 

  (130) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Emerald Banking & Finance Evolution Fund, Emerald Growth Fund, and F/m Emerald Special Situations ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (131) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (F/m Compoundr High Yield Bond ETF, F/m Compoundr Total Return Bond ETF, F/m Compoundr AAA CLO ETF, F/m Compoundr U.S. Treasury 10-Year Note ETF, F/m Compoundr Investment Grade Bond ETF, and F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 362 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 11, 2025.
     
  (132) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Motley Fool Innovative Growth Factor ETF, Motley Fool Crowdsource ETF, Motley Fool Value Factor ETF, Motley Fool Enhanced Income ETF, Motley Fool International Opportunities ETF, Motley Fool Large Cap Growth ETF, Motley Fool Momentum Factor ETF, Motley Fool Multi-Factor ETF, Motley Fool Smart Volatility Factor ETF, Motley Fool 100 Equal Weight ETF, Motley Fool Next Equal Weight ETF, Motley Fool 100 Minimum Volatility ETF, Motley Fool Next Minimum Volatility ETF, Motley Fool Rising 100 ETF, and Motley Fool Rising 100 Minimum Volatility ETF ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 377 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 4, 2025.
     
  (133) Articles Amendment of Registrant (F/m Callable Tax-Free Municipal ETF (f/k/a F/m Short Duration High Coupon Tax Free Municipal ETF)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 367 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 26, 2025.
     
  (134) Articles Amendment of Registrant (F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF (f/k/a F/m Callable Tax-Free Municipal ETF)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 371 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 31, 2025.
     
  (135) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) Fund – Institutional Class Shares, F/m US Treasury 30 Year Bond Fund – Institutional Class Shares, F/m US Treasury 20 Year Bond Fund - Institutional Class Shares, F/m US Treasury 10 Year Note Fund - Institutional Class Shares, F/m US Treasury 7 Year Note Fund - Institutional Class Shares, F/m US Treasury 5 Year Note Fund - Institutional Class Shares, F/m US Treasury 3 Year Note Fund - Institutional Class Shares, F/m US Treasury 2 Year Note Fund - Institutional Class Shares, F/m US Treasury 12 Month Bill Fund - Institutional Class Shares, F/m US Treasury 6 Month Bill Fund - Institutional Class Shares, F/m US Treasury 3 Month Bill Fund - Institutional Class Shares) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 387 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 10, 2026.
     

 

 

 

  (136) Articles Amendment of Registrant (F/m US Treasury 3 Month Bill Fund - ETF Class Shares) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 387 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 10, 2026.
     
  (137) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (F/m Compoundr Ultrashort Treasury ETF, F/m Compoundr Intermediate Treasury ETF, F/m Compoundr Long Treasury ETF) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 378 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 10, 2025.
     
  (138) Articles Amendment of Registrant (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund - R6 Class Shares, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund – R6 Class Shares, and Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II - R6 Class Shares) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 403 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 2, 2026.
     
  (139) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (F/m Accumulator Ultrashort U.S. Treasury Fund, F/m Accumulator Intermediate U.S. Treasury Fund, F/m Accumulator Long-Term U.S. Treasury Fund, F/m Accumulator TIPS Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 400 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 9, 2026.
     
 

(140)

 

 

Articles Supplementary of Registrant (F/m Accumulator BDC Fund, F/m Accumulator Mortgage REIT Fund, F/m Accumulator Equity REIT Fund, F/m Accumulator High Dividend Payers Fund, F/m Accumulator High Dividend Payers Growth Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 407 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 25, 2026.
     
  (141) Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Motley Fool 100 Premium Income ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Tax Efficient Premium Income ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Hedged ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Yield Plus ETF, and the Motley Fool 100 Premium Income Buffer ETF) will be filed by amendment.
     
(b)   By-Laws.
     
  (1) By-Laws, as amended, are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2021.
     
(c)   Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders.
     
  (1) See Articles VI, VII, VIII, IX and XI of Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation dated February 17, 1988 which are incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 24, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.

 

 

 

  (2) See Articles II, III, VI, XIII, and XIV of Registrant’s By-Laws as amended through August 25, 2004, which are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 89 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2004.
     
(d)   Investment Advisory Contracts.
     
  (1) Reserved.
     
  (2) Reserved.
     
  (3) Investment Advisory Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed Income Fund) between Registrant and Matson Money, Inc. (f/k/a Abundance Technologies, Inc.) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 125 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 27, 2008.
     
  (4) Amendment No. 1 to the Investment Advisory Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund and Free Market Fixed Income Fund) between Registrant and Matson Money, Inc. (f/k/a Abundance Technologies, Inc.) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2013.
     
  (5) Reserved.

  

  (6) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Boston Partners Investment Funds) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 261 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2020.
     
  (7) Investment Advisory Agreement (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, f/k/a Summit Global Investments U.S. Low Volatility Equity Fund) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 23, 2013.
     
  (8) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund and SGI Global Equity Fund) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (9) Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Investment Funds) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (f/k/a Robeco Investment Management, Inc.) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2013.
     

 

 

 

  (10) Addendum No. 1 to Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (f/k/a Robeco Investment Management, Inc.) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 23, 2013.
     
  (11) Investment Advisory Agreement (SGI Global Equity Fund, f/k/a Summit Global Investments Global Low Volatility Fund) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 249 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 21, 2018.
     
  (12) Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement (SGI Global Equity Fund, f/k/a Summit Global Investments Global Low Volatility Fund) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 249 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 21, 2018.
     
  (13) Investment Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) between Registrant and Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 168 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 30, 2014.
     
  (14) Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) between Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC (f/k/a Abbey Capital Offshore Fund Limited) and Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 22, 2019.

 

  (15) Reserved.
     
  (16) Reserved.
     
  (17) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Eclipse Capital Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 22, 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

  (18) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Graham Capital Management, LP is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 22, 2019.
       
    (a) Amendment to Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Graham Capital Management, LP is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 273 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 11, 2021.
       
    (b) Amendment to Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Graham Capital Management, LP is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment 327 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 19, 2024.
     
  (19) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and P/E Global LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 22, 2019.
     
  (20) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Revolution Capital Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 22, 2019.
     
  (21) Reserved.
     
  (22) Addendum No. 2 to Investment Advisory Agreement (WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund f/k/a WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund f/k/a Robeco WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (f/k/a Robeco Investment Management, Inc.) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 168 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 30, 2014.

 

  (23) Investment Advisory Agreement (Adara Smaller Companies Fund (f/k/a Altair Smaller Companies Fund)) between Registrant and Altair Advisers LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 249 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 21, 2018.
     

 

 

 

  (24) Reserved.
     
  (25) Reserved.
     
  (26) Reserved.
     
  (27) Sub-Advisory Agreement (Adara Smaller Companies Fund) among Registrant, Altair Advisers LLC and Aperio Group, LLC will be filed by amendment.
     
  (28) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (Adara Smaller Companies Fund) among Registrant, Altair Advisers LLC and Driehaus Capital Management LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2021.
     
  (29) Reserved.
     
  (30) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (Adara Smaller Companies Fund (f/k/a Altair Smaller Companies Fund)) among Registrant, Altair Advisers LLC and Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 403 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 2, 2026.
     
  (31) Sub-Advisory Agreement (Adara Smaller Companies Fund (f/k/a Altair Smaller Companies Fund)) among Registrant, Altair Advisers LLC and Pier Capital, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 247 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 23, 2018.
     
  (32) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (Adara Smaller Companies Fund (f/k/a Altair Smaller Companies Fund)) among Registrant, Altair Advisers LLC and River Road Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 249 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 21, 2018.
     
  (33) Addendum No. 3 to Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund f/k/a Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (f/k/a Robeco Investment Management, Inc.) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (34) Reserved.
     
  (35) Reserved.
     
  (36) Reserved.
     
  (37) Reserved.

 

 

 

  (38) Reserved.
     
  (39) Investment Advisory Agreement (Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio, Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio, and Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio) between Registrant and Matson Money, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (40) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio, Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio, and Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio) between Registrant and Matson Money Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (41) Addendum No. 4 to Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (f/k/a Robeco Investment Management, Inc.) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 247 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 23, 2018.
     
  (42) First Amendment to Investment Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) between Registrant and Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 216 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 10, 2017.
     
  (43) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Aspect Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 22, 2019.
     
  (44) Reserved.
     
  (45) Reserved.
     
  (46) Investment Advisory Agreement (Campbell Systematic Macro Fund) between Registrant and Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 8, 2020.
     
  (47) Investment Advisory Agreement (Campbell Systematic Macro Fund) between Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited and Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 8, 2020.

 

 

 

  (48) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Campbell Systematic Macro Fund) between Registrant and Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 407 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 25, 2026.
     
  (49) Addendum No. 5 to Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 247 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 23, 2018.
     
  (50) Reserved.
     
  (51) Reserved.
     
  (52) Reserved.
     
  (53) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund and Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) between Registrant and Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (54) Investment Advisory Agreement (Motley Fool 100 Index ETF) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 290 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on May 23, 2022.
     
  (55) Investment Advisory Agreement (Aquarius International Fund) between Registrant and Altair Advisers LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 247 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 23, 2018.
     
  (56) Sub-Advisory Agreement (Aquarius International Fund) among Registrant, Altair Advisers, LLC and Aperio Group, LLC will be filed by amendment.
     
  (57) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (Aquarius International Fund) among Registrant, Altair Advisers LLC and Driehaus Capital Management LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2021.
     
  (58) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (Aquarius International Fund) among Registrant, Altair Advisers LLC and Mawer Investment Management Ltd. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 249 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 21, 2018.
     

 

 

 

  (59) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (Aquarius International Fund) among Registrant, Altair Advisers LLC and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporate herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 305 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 27, 2023.
     
  (60) Investment Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) between Registrant and Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     

  (61) Investment Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) between Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited and Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (62) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) among Registrant, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited and Aspect Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (63) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) among Registrant, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited and Eclipse Capital Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (64) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) among Registrant, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited and Revolution Capital Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (65) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) among Registrant, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited and Welton Investment Partners LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (66) Reserved.
     

 

 

 

  (67) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Welton Investment Partners LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 22, 2019.
     
  (68) Amendment No. 2 to the Investment Advisory Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund and Free Market Fixed Income Fund) between Registrant and Matson Money, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 249 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 21, 2018.
     
  (69) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) among Registrant, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited and Tudor Investment Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     

  (70) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Tudor Investment Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 22, 2019.
     
  (71) Investment Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) between Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC and Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 22, 2019.
     
  (72) Investment Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) between Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited and Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 22, 2019.
     
  (73) Investment Advisory Agreement (Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 290 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on May 23, 2022.
     
  (74) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Episteme Capital Partners (UK) LLP is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 22, 2019.
     

 

 

 

  (75) Reserved.
     
  (76) Reserved.
     
  (77) Reserved.
     
  (78) Reserved.
     
  (79) Addendum No. 6 to Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II and Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund f/k/a Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (80) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Crabel Capital Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 260 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 14, 2020.
     
  (81) Investment Advisory Agreement (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity VI Portfolio) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 264 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 28, 2020.

     
  (82) Amended Appendix A to Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio, Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio, and Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio) between Registrant and Matson Money, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 269 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 18, 2020.
     
  (83) Amended Appendix A to Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund and Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) between Registrant and Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 269 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 18, 2020.
     
  (84) Amended Appendix A to Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, SGI Global Equity Fund, and SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity VI Portfolio) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 336 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2024.
     

 

 

 

  (85) Amended Appendix A to Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Boston Partners Funds) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 8, 2026.
     
  (86) Investment Advisory Agreement (SGI Peak Growth Fund, SGI Prudent Growth Fund, and SGI Conservative Fund) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 8, 2020.
     
  (87) Addendum No. 7 to Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund and Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund f/k/a Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 8, 2020.
     
  (88) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) among Registrant, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited and Crabel Capital Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 268 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 23, 2020.
     
  (89) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) among Registrant, Abbey Capital Limited, ACMAF Onshore Series LLC, ACMAF Offshore SPC and Graham Capital Management LP is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 321 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2024.
     

  (90) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) among Registrant, Abbey Capital Limited, ACMAF Onshore Series LLC, ACMAF Offshore SPC and Winton Capital Management Limited is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 327 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 19, 2024.
     
  (91) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) among Registrant, Abbey Capital Limited, ACMAF Onshore Series LLC, ACMAF Offshore SPC, and Systematica Investments Limited is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 335 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 19, 2024.
     
  (92) Reserved.
     
  (93) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Registrant, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Winton Capital Management Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 269 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 18, 2020.

 

 

 

 

  (94) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Registrant, Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and QMS Capital Management LP is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 2, 2024.
     
  (95) Reserved.
     
  (96) Reserved.
     
  (97) Reserved.
     
  (98) Reserved.
     
  (99) Reserved.
     
  (100) Reserved.
     
  (101) Form of Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (SGI Peak Growth Fund and SGI Prudent Growth Fund) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 336 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2024.
     
  (102) Investment Advisory Agreement (SGI Small Cap Growth Fund f/k/a Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 283 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 15, 2021.
     
  (103) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (SGI Small Cap Growth Fund f/k/a Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 283 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 15, 2021.
     
  (104) Investment Advisory Agreement (Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF and Motley Fool Mid-Cap Growth ETF) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 287 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on December 29, 2021.
     
  (105) Reserved.
     

 

 

 

  (106) Reserved.
     
  (107) Reserved.
     
  (108) Addendum No. 8 to Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund and WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     
  (109) Investment Advisory Agreement (Motley Fool Next Index ETF and Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 287 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on December 29, 2021.
     
  (110) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and R. G. Niederhoffer Capital Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 286 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2021.
     
  (111) Investment Advisory Agreement (SGI U.S. Large Cap Core ETF and SGI Dynamic Tactical ETF) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 306 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 16, 2023.
     
  (112) Sub-Advisory Agreement (SGI U.S. Large Cap Core ETF and SGI Dynamic Tactical ETF) between Summit Global Investments, LLC and SG Trading Solutions, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 306 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 16, 2023.
     
  (113) Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m US Treasury Funds) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC, dated May 19, 2023, with Exhibit A dated January 15, 2026, is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 387 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on February 10, 2026.
     

  (114) Trading Advisory Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) among Abbey Capital Limited, Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC and Systematica Investments Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 300 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2022.
     

 

 

 

  (115) Investment Advisory Agreement (Oakhurst Fixed Income Fund, Oakhurst Short Duration Bond Fund, and Oakhurst Short Duration High Yield Credit Fund) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC d/b/a Oakhurst Capital Management is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 313 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 22, 2023.
     
  (116) Expense Limitation Agreement (Oakhurst Fixed Income Fund, Oakhurst Short Duration Bond Fund, and Oakhurst Short Duration High Yield Credit Fund) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC d/b/a Oakhurst Capital Management is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 313 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 22, 2023.
     
  (117) Reserved.
     
  (118) Investment Advisory Agreement (Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund f/k/a F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund) by and among Registrant, F/m Investments LLC, and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is filed herewith.
     
  (119) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund f/k/a F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund) by and among Registrant, F/m Investments LLC, and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is filed herewith.
     
  (120) Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m Opportunistic Income ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC d/b/a North Slope Capital, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 310 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 27, 2023.
     
  (121) Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m 6-Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 9-18 Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 2-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 3-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 5-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 7-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 10-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 20-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 30-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF and F/m 15+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC d/b/a North Slope Capital, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 318 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 15, 2024.
     
  (122) Investment Advisory Agreement (SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF and SGI Enhanced Core ETF) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 321 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2024.
     
  (123) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF and SGI Enhanced Core ETF) between Summit Global Investments, LLC and SG Trading Solutions, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 321 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2024.

 

 

 

  (124) Addendum No. 9 to Investment Advisory Agreement (WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 2, 2024.
     
  (125) Investment Advisory Agreement (SGI Enhanced Nasdaq-100 ETF) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 326 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 13, 2024.
     
  (126) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (SGI Enhanced Nasdaq-100 ETF) between Summit Global Investments, LLC and SG Trading Solutions, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 326 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 13, 2024.
     
  (127) Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
     
  (128) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (F/m Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF) between F/m Investments LLC and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
     
  (129) Form of Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (F/m Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2024.
     
  (130) Investment Advisory Agreement (SGI Enhanced Market Leaders ETF) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 340 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 19, 2025.
     
  (131) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (SGI Enhanced Market Leaders ETF) between Summit Global Investments, LLC and SG Trading Solutions, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 340 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 19, 2025.
     
  (132) Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF, F/m Yield Curve Steepening Strategy ETF, F/m Yield Curve Flattening Strategy ETF, F/m Rising Interest Rates Strategy ETF and F/m Falling Interest Rates Strategy ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 342 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2025.

 

 

 

    (a) Fee Reduction Agreement (F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 410 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 31, 2026.
     
  (133) Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m High Yield 100 ETF, F/m High Beta High Yield ETF, F/m High Quality High Yield ETF, F/m Short Duration Quality High Yield ETF, F/m Senior Secured High Yield ETF, F/m U.S. Treasury 3-Month Bill Institutional ETF, F/m Long-Term Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF f/k/a F/m Leveraged U.S. Treasury 3-Month Bill ETF, F/m Current Coupon Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF, F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF (f/k/a F/m Short Duration High Coupon Tax-Free Municipal ETF), F/m Small Cap Core ETF, F/m Small Cap Growth ETF, and F/m SMID Equity ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 345 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 4, 2025.
     
    (a) Addendum No. 1 to Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF (formerly F/m Callable Tax-Free Municipal ETF (formerly F/m Short Duration High Coupon Tax-Free Municipal ETF))) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 410 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 31, 2026.
     
  (134) Investment Advisory Agreement (Emerald Growth Fund) between Registrant and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is filed herewith.
     
  (135) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Emerald Growth Fund) between Registrant and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is filed herewith.
     
  (136) Expense Waiver and Reimbursement Agreement (Emerald Growth Fund) between Registrant and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is filed herewith.
     
  (137) Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m Emerald Special Situations ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 371 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on October 31, 2025.
     
  (138) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (F/m Emerald Special Situations ETF) between F/m Investments LLC and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 371 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on October 31, 2025.
     
  (139) Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m Compoundr High Yield Bond ETF, F/m Compoundr Total Return Bond ETF, F/m Compoundr AAA CLO ETF, F/m Compoundr U.S. Treasury 10-Year Note ETF, F/m Compoundr Investment Grade Bond ETF, and F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 362 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on August 11, 2025.

 

 

 

  (140) Investment Advisory Agreement (Motley Fool Innovative Growth Factor ETF, Motley Fool Crowdsource ETF, Motley Fool Value Factor ETF, Motley Fool Enhanced Income ETF, Motley Fool International Opportunities ETF, Motley Fool Large Cap Growth ETF, Motley Fool Momentum Factor ETF, Motley Fool Multi-Factor ETF, Motley Fool Smart Volatility Factor ETF, Motley Fool 100 Equal Weight ETF, Motley Fool Next Equal Weight ETF, Motley Fool 100 Minimum Volatility ETF, Motley Fool Next Minimum Volatility ETF, Motley Fool Rising 100 ETF, and Motley Fool Rising 100 Minimum Volatility ETF ) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 377 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on December 4, 2025.
     
  (141) Expense Limitation Agreement (F/m Compoundr High Yield Bond ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 371 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on October 31, 2025.
     
  (142) Expense Limitation Agreement (F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 371 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on October 31, 2025.
     
  (143) Addendum No. 10 to Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (144) Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m Compoundr Ultrashort Treasury ETF, F/m Compoundr Intermediate Treasury ETF, F/m Compoundr Long Treasury ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2025.
     
  (145) Expense Limitation Agreement (F/m Compoundr Ultrashort Treasury ETF, F/m Compoundr Intermediate Treasury ETF and F/m Compoundr Long Treasury ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2025.
     
  (146) Amendment No. 1 to Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m Compoundr High Yield Bond ETF, F/m Compoundr Total Return Bond ETF, F/m Compoundr AAA CLO ETF, F/m Compoundr Investment Grade Bond ETF, and F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.

 

 

 

  (147) Investment Advisory Agreement (F/m Accumulator Ultrashort U.S. Treasury Fund, F/m Accumulator Intermediate U.S. Treasury Fund, F/m Accumulator Long-Term U.S. Treasury Fund, F/m Accumulator TIPS Fund, F/m Accumulator BDC Fund, F/m Accumulator Mortgage REIT Fund, F/m Accumulator Equity REIT Fund, F/m Accumulator High Dividend Payers Fund (f/k/a F/m Accumulator High Dividend Fund), and F/m Accumulator High Dividend Payers Growth Fund (f/k/a F/m Accumulator High Dividend Growth Fund)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 400 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 9, 2026.
     
  (148) Investment Advisory Agreement (Motley Fool 100 Premium Income ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Tax Efficient Premium Income ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Hedged ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Yield Plus ETF, and the Motley Fool 100 Premium Income Buffer ETF) will be filed by amendment.
     
  (149) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (Motley Fool 100 Premium Income ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Tax Efficient Premium Income ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Hedged ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Yield Plus ETF, and the Motley Fool 100 Premium Income Buffer ETF) will be filed by amendment.
     
(e)   Underwriting Contracts.
     
  (1) Distribution Agreement between Registrant, Vigilant Distributors, LLC (f/k/a/ Herald Investment Marketing, LLC) and Matson Money, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 273 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 11, 2021.
     
  (2) ETF Distribution Agreement (Motley Fool ETFs and F/m US Treasury ETFs (f/k/a US Treasury ETFs)) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC dated August 8, 2022 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 304 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on March 24, 2023.
       
    (a) First Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (SGI ETFs) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC dated January 25, 2023 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 304 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on March 24, 2023.
       
    (b) Second Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (F/m Opportunistic Income ETF) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 309 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 13, 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

    (c) Third Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (F/m 6-Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 9-18 Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (f/k/a F/m 1-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF), F/m 2-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 3-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 5-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 7-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 10-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 20-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 30-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF and F/m 15+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 313 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 22, 2023.
       
    (d) Fourth Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF and SGI Enhanced Core ETF) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 321 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2024.
       
    (e) Fifth Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (SGI Enhanced Nasdaq-100 ETF) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment 327 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 19, 2024.
       
    (f) Sixth Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (F/m Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 336 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2024.
       
    (g) Seventh Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (SGI Enhanced Market Leaders ETF, F/m High Yield 100 ETF and F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 352 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 2025.
       
    (h) Eighth Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (F/m Emerald Special Situations ETF) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
       
    (i) Ninth Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (F/m Compoundr High Yield Bond ETF and F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.

 

 

 

    (j) Tenth Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (Motley Fool Innovative Growth Factor ETF, Motley Fool Crowdsource ETF, Motley Fool Value Factor ETF, Motley Fool Enhanced Income ETF, Motley Fool International Opportunities ETF, Motley Fool Large Cap Growth ETF, Motley Fool Momentum Factor ETF, Motley Fool Multi-Factor ETF, Motley Fool Smart Volatility Factor ETF, Motley Fool 100 Equal Weight ETF, Motley Fool Next Equal Weight ETF, Motley Fool 100 Minimum Volatility ETF, Motley Fool Next Minimum Volatility ETF, Motley Fool Rising 100 ETF, and Motley Fool Rising 100 Minimum Volatility ETF ) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 387 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on February 10, 2026.
       
    (k) Eleventh Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (F/m US Treasury 3 Month Bill Fund - Institutional Class Shares) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is filed herewith.
       
    (l) Eleventh Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (F/m Compoundr Ultrashort Treasury ETF, F/m Compoundr Intermediate Treasury ETF, F/m Compoundr Long Treasury ETF, F/m Accumulator Ultrashort U.S. Treasury Fund, F/m Accumulator Intermediate U.S. Treasury Fund, F/m Accumulator Long-Term U.S. Treasury Fund, F/m Accumulator TIPS Fund, F/m Accumulator BDC Fund, F/m Accumulator Mortgage REIT Fund, F/m Accumulator Equity REIT Fund, F/m Accumulator High Dividend Payers Fund, F/m Accumulator High Dividend Payers Growth Fund) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC will be filed by amendment.
       
  (3) Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
       
    (a) First Amendment to the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 309 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 13, 2023.
       
    (b) Second Amendment to the Distribution Agreement between registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 14, 2025.
       
    (c) Third Amendment to the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 387 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on February 10, 2026.

 

 

 

 

       
    (d) Fourth Amendment to the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 387 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on February 10, 2026.
       
    (e) Fifth Amendment to the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 403 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 2, 2026.
       
  (4) Form of Authorized Participant Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 304 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on March 24, 2023.
     
(f)   Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts.
     
  (1) Form of Deferred Compensation Plan is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 23, 2013.
     
  (2) Form of Deferred Compensation Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 23, 2013.
     
(g)   Custodian Agreement.
     
  (1) Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association dated June 30, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 260 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 14, 2020.
     
  (2) First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 8, 2020.
     
  (3) Second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 273 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 11, 2021.
     

 

 

 

  (4) Third Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 284 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2021.
     
  (5) Fourth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     
  (6) Fifth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     
  (7) Sixth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 293 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 5, 2022.
     
  (8) Seventh Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 300 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2022.
     
  (9) Eighth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 310 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 27, 2023.
     
  (10) Ninth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 312 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 22, 2023.
     
  (11) Tenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 316 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on January 9, 2024.
     
  (12) Eleventh Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 320 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 26, 2024.
     

 

 

 

  (13) Twelfth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 2, 2024.
     
  (14) Thirteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment 327 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 19, 2024.
     
  (15) Fourteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2024.
     
  (16) Fifteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 342 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2025.
     
  (17) Sixteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     

  (18) Seventeenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
     
  (19) Eighteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
     
  (20) Nineteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2025.
     
  (21) Twentieth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2025.
     

 

 

 

 

  (22) Twenty-First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (23) Twenty-Second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 403 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 2, 2026.
     
  (24) Twenty-Third Amendment to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association will be filed by amendment.
     
(h)   Other Material Contracts.
     
  (1) Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Related Form of Shareholder Servicing Agreement (WPG Small Cap Value Diversified Fund f/k/a WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund f/k/a Robeco WPG Tudor Fund – Institutional Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
     
  (2) Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC dated June 30, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 260 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 14, 2020.
     
  (3) Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC dated June 30, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     

  (4) Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC dated June 30, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 256 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2019.
     
  (5) First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 8, 2020.
     
  (6) First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 8, 2020.

 

 

 

 

  (7) First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 8, 2020.
     
  (8) Form of Second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 273 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 11, 2021.
     
  (9) Form of Second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 273 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 11, 2021.
     
  (10) Second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 273 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 11, 2021.
     
  (11) Third Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 273 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 11, 2021.
     
  (12) Third Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 273 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 11, 2021.
     
  (13) Fourth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2021.
     

  (14) Fourth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2021.
     
  (15) Third Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2021.
     

 

 

 

  (16) Fifth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 281 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 26, 2021.
     
  (17) Fifth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 281 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 26, 2021.
     
  (18) Sixth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     
  (19) Seventh Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     
  (20) Sixth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     
  (21) Seventh Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     
  (22) Fourth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     
  (23) Fifth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     

 

 

 

 

  (24) Eighth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 293 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 5, 2022.
     
  (25) Eighth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 293 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 5, 2022.
     
  (26) Sixth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 293 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 5, 2022.
     
  (27) Ninth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 300 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2022.
     
  (28) Ninth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 300 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2022.
     
  (29) Seventh Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 300 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2022.
     
  (30) Tenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 310 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 27, 2023.
     
  (31) Tenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 310 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 27, 2023.
     
  (32) Eighth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 310 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 27, 2023.
     

 

 

 

  (33) Form of Rule 12d1-4 Fund of Funds Investment Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 308 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 30, 2023.
     
  (34) Eleventh Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 312 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 22, 2023.
     
  (35) Eleventh Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 312 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 22, 2023.
     
  (36) Ninth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 312 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 22, 2023.
     
  (37) Twelfth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 316 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on January 9, 2024.
     
  (38) Twelfth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 316 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on January 9, 2024.
     
  (39) Tenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 316 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on January 9, 2024.
     
  (40) Reserved.
     
  (41) Thirteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 320 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 26, 2024.
     
  (42) Thirteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 320 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 26, 2024.
     

 

 

 

  (43) Eleventh Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 320 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 26, 2024.
     
  (44) Fourteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 2, 2024.

     
  (45) Fourteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 2, 2024.
     
  (46) Twelfth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 2, 2024.
     
  (47) Fifteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment 327 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 19, 2024.
     
  (48) Fifteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment 327 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 19, 2024.
     
  (49) Thirteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment 327 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 19, 2024.
     
  (50) Sixteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2024.
     
  (51) Sixteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2024.
     

 

 

 

  (52) Fourteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2024.
     
  (53) Seventeenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 342 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2025.
     
  (54) Seventeenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 342 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2025.
     
  (55) Fifteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 342 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2025.
     
  (56) Eighteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (57) Eighteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (58) Sixteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (59) Licensing Agreement (F/m High Yield 100 ETF) between F/m Investments and Bloomberg Index Services Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 345 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 4, 2025.
     
  (60) Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan (Emerald Banking & Finance Evolution Fund – Class C Shares; Emerald Growth Fund - Class C Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     

 

 

 

  (61) Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan (Emerald Banking & Finance Evolution Fund – Institutional Class Shares; Emerald Growth Fund - Institutional Class Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (62) Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan (Emerald Banking & Finance Evolution Fund – Investor Class Shares; Emerald Growth Fund - Investor Class Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (63) Nineteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
     
  (64) Nineteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
     
  (65) Seventeenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
     
  (66) Twentieth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
     
  (67) Twentieth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
     
  (68) Eighteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
     
  (69) Twenty-first Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2025.
     

 

 

 

  (70) Twenty-first Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2025.
     
  (71) Nineteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2025.
     
  (72) Sublicense Agreement between the Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 367 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on September 26, 2025.
     
  (73) Twenty-second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2025.
     
  (74) Twenty-second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2025.
     
  (75) Twentieth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2025.
     
  (76) Twenty-third Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (77) Twenty-third Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (78) Twenty-first Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     

 

 

 

  (79) Twenty-fourth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 403 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 2, 2026.
     
  (80) Twenty-fourth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 403 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 2, 2026.
     
  (81) Twenty-second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 403 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 2, 2026.
     
  (82) Twenty-fifth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will be filed by amendment.
     
  (83) Twenty-fifth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will be filed by amendment.
     
  (84) Twenty-third Amendment to the Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between Registrant and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will be filed by amendment.
     
(i) (1) Consent of Counsel is filed herewith.
     
  (2) Opinion of Counsel will be filed by amendment.
     
(j) (1) Not applicable.
     
(k)   None.
     
(l)   Initial Capital Agreements.
     
  (1) Subscription Agreement, relating to Classes A through N, is incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 12, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (2) Subscription Agreement between Registrant and Planco Financial Services, Inc., relating to Classes O and P is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1990. (P)

 

 

 

  (3) Subscription Agreement between Registrant and Planco Financial Services, Inc., relating to Class Q is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1990. (P)
     
  (4) Subscription Agreement between Registrant and Counselors Securities Inc. relating to Classes R, S, and Alpha 1 through Theta 4 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
     
  (5) Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. relating to Classes TT and UU (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997.
     
  (6) Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. relating to Classes DDD and EEE (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
     
  (7) Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management relating to Classes III and JJJ (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
     
  (8) Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L. P. relating to Classes KKK and LLL (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long-Short Equity)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999.
     
  (11) Purchase Agreement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
     
  (12) Purchase Agreement (WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund f/k/a WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund f/k/a Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005.
     

 

 

 

  (13) Form of Purchase Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund) between Registrant and Matson Money, Inc. (f/k/a Abundance Technologies, Inc.), is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
     
  (14) Form of Purchase Agreement (Free Market International Equity Fund) between Registrant and Matson Money, Inc. (f/k/a Abundance Technologies, Inc.), is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
     
  (15) Form of Purchase Agreement (Free Market Fixed Income Fund) between Registrant and Matson Money, Inc. (f/k/a Abundance Technologies, Inc.), is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
     
  (16) Purchase Agreement (Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund) between Registrant and Robeco Investment Management Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 136 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 4, 2010.
     
  (17) Form of Purchase Agreement (Boston Partners Global Equity Fund f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Global Equity Fund) between Registrant and Robeco Investment Management Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 14, 2011.
     
  (18) Form of Purchase Agreement (Robeco Boston Partners International Equity Fund) between Registrant and Robeco Investment Management Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 14, 2011.
     
  (19) Purchase Agreement (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, f/k/a Summit Global Investments U.S. Low Volatility Equity Fund) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2013.
     
  (20) Form of Purchase Agreement (Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund – Investor Class f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund-Investor Class) between Registrant and Robeco Investment Management Inc. is incorporated hereby by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 23, 2013.
     

 

 

 

  (21) Form of Purchase Agreement (Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund-Institutional Class f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund-Institutional Class) between Registrant and Robeco Investment Management Inc. is incorporated hereby by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 23, 2013.
     
  (22) Form of Purchase Agreement (SGI Global Equity Fund f/k/a Scotia Dynamic U.S. Growth Fund) between Registrant and Scotia Institutional Asset Management US, Ltd. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 168 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 30, 2014.
     
  (23) Form of Purchase Agreement (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund) between Registrant and Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 168 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 30, 2014.
     
  (24) Form of Purchase Agreement (Adara Smaller Companies Fund (f/k/a Altair Smaller Companies Fund)) between Registrant and Altair Advisers LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 172 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 17, 2014.
     
  (25) Purchase Agreement (Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund f/k/a Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund) between Registrant and Robeco Investment Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 187 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2015.
     
  (26) Reserved.
     
  (27) Reserved.
     
  (28) Reserved.
     
  (29) Purchase Agreement (Campbell Systematic Macro Fund) between Registrant and Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 8, 2020.
     
  (30) Form of Purchase Agreement (Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 226 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 23, 2017.
     
  (31) Form of Purchase Agreement (Motley Fool 100 Index ETF) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 235 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on January 19, 2018.

 

 

 

     
  (32) Purchase Agreement (Aquarius International Fund) between Registrant and Altair Advisers LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 247 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 23, 2018.
     
  (33) Form of Purchase Agreement (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund) between Registrant and Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 243 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 2018.
     
  (34) Purchase Agreement (MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF (f/k/a Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF)) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 247 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 23, 2018.
     
  (35) Reserved.
     
  (36) Reserved.
     
  (37) Purchase Agreement (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity VI Portfolio) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 264 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 28, 2020.
     
  (38) Purchase Agreement (SGI Peak Growth Fund, SGI Prudent Growth Fund, and SGI Conservative Fund) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 8, 2020.
     
  (39) Reserved.
     
  (40) Purchase Agreement (Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF and Motley Fool Mid-Cap Growth ETF) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 286 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 20, 2021.
     
  (41) Reserved.
     
  (42) Purchase Agreement (Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund and WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     

 

 

 

  (43) Purchase Agreement (Motley Fool Next Index ETF and Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 288 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 2, 2022.
     
  (44) Purchase Agreement (SGI U.S. Large Cap Core ETF and SGI Dynamic Tactical ETF) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 304 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (33-20827) filed on March 24, 2023.
     
  (45) Purchase Agreement (F/m US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF, F/m US Treasury 2 Year Note ETF, and F/m US Treasury 3 Month Bill Fund – ETF Class Shares (f/k/a F/m US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF)) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC d/b/a North Slope Capital, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 300 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2022.
     
  (46) Purchase Agreement (F/m US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC d/b/a North Slope Capital, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 300 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2022.
     
  (47) Purchase Agreement (Oakhurst Fixed Income Fund, Oakhurst Short Duration Bond Fund, and Oakhurst Short Duration High Yield Credit Fund) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC d/b/a Oakhurst Capital Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 313 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 22, 2023.
     
  (48) Purchase Agreement (Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund f/k/a F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund – Investor Class) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 313 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 22, 2023.
     
  (49) Purchase Agreement (F/m Opportunistic Income ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC d/b/a North Slope Capital, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 310 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 27, 2023.
     
  (50) Purchase Agreement (F/m US Treasury 6 Month Bill ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC d/b/a North Slope Capital, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 310 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 27, 2023.
     

 

 

 

  (51) Purchase Agreement (F/m US Treasury 30 Year Bond ETF, F/m US Treasury 20 Year Bond ETF, F/m US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF, F/m US Treasury 5 Year Note ETF, and F/m US Treasury 3 Year Note ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC d/b/a North Slope Capital, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 310 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 27, 2023.
     
  (52) Purchase Agreement (SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF and SGI Enhanced Core ETF) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 320 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 26, 2024.
     
  (53) Purchase Agreement (F/m 2-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, F/m 3-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, and F/m 10-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC d/b/a North Slope Capital, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 316 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on January 9, 2024.
     
  (54) Purchase Agreement (WPG Partners Select Hedged Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 2, 2024.
     
  (55) Purchase Agreement (SGI Enhanced Nasdaq-100 ETF) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 326 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 13, 2024.
     
  (56) Purchase Agreement (F/m Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF) between Registrant and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2024.
     
  (57) Form of Purchase Agreement (SGI Enhanced Market Leaders ETF) between Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 340 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 19, 2025.
     
  (58) Purchase Agreement (F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 342 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2025.
     

 

 

 

  (59) Purchase Agreement (F/m Yield Curve Steepening Strategy ETF, F/m Yield Curve Flattening Strategy ETF, F/m Rising Interest Rates Strategy ETF, F/m Falling Interest Rates Strategy ETF, F/m U.S. Treasury 3 Month Bill Institutional ETF, F/m Small Cap Core ETF, F/m Small Cap Growth ETF, and F/m SMID Equity ETF) will be filed by amendment.
     
  (60) Purchase Agreement (F/m High Yield 100 ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 345 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 4, 2025.
     
  (61) Purchase Agreement (Emerald Growth Fund) between Registrant and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is filed herewith.
     
  (62) Purchase Agreement (F/m Emerald Special Situations ETF) between Registrant and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 371 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on October 31, 2025.
     
  (63) Purchase Agreement (F/m Compoundr High Yield Bond ETF and F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 362 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on August 11, 2025.
     
  (64) Purchase Agreement (Motley Fool Crowdsource ETF, Motley Fool Enhanced Income ETF, Motley Fool International Opportunities ETF, Motley Fool Large Cap Growth ETF, Motley Fool Multi-Factor ETF, Motley Fool Smart Volatility Factor ETF, Motley Fool 100 Equal Weight ETF, Motley Fool Next Equal Weight ETF, Motley Fool 100 Minimum Volatility ETF, Motley Fool Next Minimum Volatility ETF, Motley Fool Rising 100 ETF, and Motley Fool Rising 100 Minimum Volatility ETF ) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC will be filed by amendment.
     
  (65) Purchase Agreement (F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF (f/k/a F/m Callable Tax-Free Municipal ETF)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 367 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on September 26, 2025.
     
  (66) Reserved.
     
  (67) Purchase Agreement (Motley Fool Innovative Growth Factor ETF, Motley Fool Value Factor ETF, and Motley Fool Momentum Factor ETF) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 377 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on December 4, 2025.
     
  (68) Purchase Agreement (F/m Compoundr Ultrashort Treasury ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2025.
     

 

 

 

  (69) Purchase Agreement (F/m Compoundr Intermediate Treasury ETF, F/m Compoundr Long Treasury ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC will be filed by amendment.
     
  (70) Purchase Agreement (F/m Accumulator Ultrashort U.S. Treasury Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 400 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 9, 2026.
     
  (71) Purchase Agreement (F/m Accumulator Intermediate U.S. Treasury Fund, F/m Accumulator Long-Term U.S. Treasury Fund, F/m Accumulator TIPS Fund, F/m Accumulator BDC Fund, F/m Accumulator Mortgage REIT Fund, F/m Accumulator Equity REIT Fund, F/m Accumulator High Dividend Payers Fund, F/m Accumulator High Dividend Payers Growth Fund) between Registrant and F/m Investment LLC will be filed by amendment.
     
  (72) Purchase Agreement (Motley Fool 100 Premium Income ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Tax Efficient Premium Income ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Hedged ETF, the Motley Fool 100 Yield Plus ETF, and the Motley Fool 100 Premium Income Buffer ETF) between Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC will be filed by amendment.
     
  (73) Purchase Agreement (F/m Long-Term Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC is filed herewith.
     
(m)   Rule 12b-1 Plan.
     
  (1) Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997.
     
  (2) Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value) - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 53 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 10, 1998.
     
  (3) Amendment to Plans of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
     
  (4) Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral) - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 12, 1998.
     

 

 

 

  (5) Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long Short Equity) - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999.
     
  (6) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
     
  (7) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund-Investor Class f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund — Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 141 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 28, 2010.
     
  (8) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Boston Partners Global Equity Fund-Investor Class f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Global Equity Fund — Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 14, 2011.
     
  (9) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Robeco Boston Partners International Equity Fund — Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 14, 2011.
     
  (10) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, f/k/a Summit Global Investments U.S. Low Volatility Equity Fund — Retail Class) is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2011.
     
  (11) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, f/k/a Summit Global Investments U.S. Low Volatility Equity Fund – Class A) is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2011.
     
  (12) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund – Investor Class f/k/a Robeco Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund — Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 11, 2013.
     
  (13) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund — Class A) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 168 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 30, 2014.
     

 

 

 

  (14) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund — Class C) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 168 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 30, 2014.
     
  (15) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, f/k/a Summit Global Investments U.S. Low Volatility Equity Fund —Class C) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 184 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2015.
     
  (16) Reserved
     
  (17) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (SGI U.S. Small-Cap Equity Fund, f/k/a Summit Global Investments Small Cap Low Volatility Fund – Class C) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 30, 2016.
     
  (18) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund — Class T) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 216 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 10, 2017.
     
  (19) Reserved.
     
  (20) Reserved.
     
  (21) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Campbell Systematic Macro Fund — Class A) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 257 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2019.
     
  (22) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Campbell Systematic Macro Fund — Class P) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 257 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2019.
     
  (23) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Campbell Systematic Macro Fund — Class C) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 257 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 27, 2019.
     
  (24) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (SGI Global Equity Fund, f/k/a Summit Global Investments Global Low Volatility Fund – Class A Shares (formerly Class II Shares)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 28, 2017.
     
  (25) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (SGI Global Equity Fund, f/k/a Summit Global Investments Global Low Volatility Fund – Class C Shares (formerly Institutional Shares)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 28, 2017.
     

 

 

 

  (26) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund – Class A Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 243 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 2018.
     
  (27) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund – Class C Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 243 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 2018.
     
  (28) Reserved.
     
  (29) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Oakhurst Fixed Income Fund – Retail Shares) will be filed by amendment.
     
  (30) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund f/k/a F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund – Investor Class) is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment 327 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 19, 2024.
     
  (31) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Emerald Banking & Finance Evolution Fund – Class A Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (32) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Emerald Banking & Finance Evolution Fund – Class C Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (33) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Emerald Banking & Finance Evolution Fund – Investor Class Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (34) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Emerald Growth Fund – Class A Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (35) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Emerald Growth Fund – Class C Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     

 

 

 

  (36) Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Emerald Growth Fund – Investor Class Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
(n)   Rule 18f-3 Plan.
     
  (1) Amended Rule 18f-3 Plan will be filed by amendment.
     
(o)   Reserved.
     
(p)   Code of Ethics.
     
  (1) Code of Ethics of the Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (2) Code of Ethics of Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 8, 2026.
     
  (3) Code of Ethics of Matson Money, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (4) Code of Ethics of Foreside Financial Group, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (5) Code of Ethics of Summit Global Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 8, 2026.
     
  (6) Code of Ethics of Abbey Capital Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (7) Code of Ethics of Altair Advisers LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (8) Code of Ethics of Aperio Group, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     

 

 

 

  (9) Code of Ethics of Driehaus Capital Management LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (10) Code of Ethics of Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 2024.
     
  (11) Code of Ethics of Pier Capital LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 377 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-28027) filed on December 4, 2025.

     
  (12) Code of Ethics of River Road Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 23, 2025.
     
  (13) Code of Ethics of Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 8, 2026.
     
  (14) Code of Ethics of Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 14, 2025.
     
  (15) Code of Ethics of Mawer Investment Management Ltd. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (16) Code of Ethics of Vigilant Distributors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post Effective Amendment No. 359 to the Registrant’s Registrations Statement (No 33-28027) filed on July 18, 2025.
     
  (17) Code of Ethics of F/m Investments LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 8, 2026.
     
  (18) Code of Ethics of Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 413 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 8, 2026.
     

 

 

 

  (19) Code of Ethics of SG Trading Solutions, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 27, 2026.
     
  (20) Code of Ethics of [Sub-Adviser] will be filed by amendment.

 

Item 29. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT

 

None.

 

Item 30. INDEMNIFICATION

 

Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Article VIII of Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, incorporated herein by reference as Exhibits (a)(1) and (a)(3), provide as follows:

 

Section 1. To the fullest extent that limitations on the liability of directors and officers are permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, no director or officer of the Corporation shall have any liability to the Corporation or its shareholders for damages. This limitation on liability applies to events occurring at the time a person serves as a director or officer of the Corporation whether or not such person is a director or officer at the time of any proceeding in which liability is asserted.

 

Section 2. The Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to its currently acting and its former directors to the fullest extent that indemnification of directors is permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law. The Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to its officers to the same extent as its directors and to such further extent as is consistent with law. The Board of Directors may by law, resolution or agreement make further provision for indemnification of directors, officers, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by the Maryland General Corporation law.

 

Section 3. No provision of this Article shall be effective to protect or purport to protect any director or officer of the Corporation against any liability to the Corporation or its security holders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.

 

Section 4. References to the Maryland General Corporation Law in this Article are to the law as from time to time amended. No further amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall decrease, but may expand, any right of any person under this Article based on any event, omission or proceeding prior to such amendment. Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

 

 

Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (“Boston Partners”) (f/k/a Robeco Investment Management, Inc.), incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(9), provides for the indemnification of Boston Partners against certain losses.

 

Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Matson Money, Inc. (f/k/a Abundance Technologies, Inc.), (“Matson Money”) incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(3) and (d)(39) provides for the indemnification of Matson Money against certain losses.

 

Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Summit Global Investments, LLC (“SGI”) incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(7), (d)(11), (d)(81), (d)(86), (d)(102), (d)(111), (d)(122), (d)(125), and (d)(130) provides for the indemnification of SGI against certain losses.

 

Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements with Abbey Capital Limited (“Abbey Capital”) incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(13), (d)(60) and (d)(61) provides for the indemnification of Abbey Capital against certain losses.

 

Section 13 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements with Abbey Capital incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(14) and (d)(71) provides for the indemnification of Abbey Capital against certain losses.

 

Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Altair Advisers LLC (“Altair”) incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(23) and (d)(55) provide for indemnification of Altair against certain losses.

 

Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC (“CCIA”) incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(46) and (d)(47) provide for indemnification of CCIA against certain losses.

 

Section 12 of each of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC (“Motley Fool”) incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (d)(54), (d)(73), (d)(104), (d)(109), and (d)(140) provides for indemnification of Motley Fool against certain losses.

 

Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and F/m Investments LLC (“F/m”) incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (d)(113), (d)(115), (d)(118), (d)(120), (d)(121), (d)(127), (d)(132), (d)(133), (d)(137), (d)(139), (d)(144), and (d)(147) provide for the indemnification of F/m against certain losses.

 

Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust (“Emerald”) incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (d)(134) provides for indemnification of Emerald against certain losses.

 

Section 8 of the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Vigilant Distributors, LLC incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (e)(1) provides for the indemnification of Vigilant Distributors, LLC against certain losses.

 

Section 6 of the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (e)(2) provides for the indemnification of Quasar Distributors, LLC against certain losses.

 

 

 

Section 9 of the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (e)(3) provides for the indemnification of Quasar Distributors, LLC against certain losses.

 

Item 31. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISERS.

 

1. Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.

 

The sole business activity of Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (“Boston Partners”), One Beacon Street, 30th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02108, is to serve as an investment adviser. Boston Partners provides investment advisory services to the Boston Partners Funds and the WPG Partners Funds. Boston Partners is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and serves as an investment adviser to domestic and foreign institutional investors, investment companies, commingled trust funds, private investment partnerships and collective investment vehicles. Below is a list of each executive officer and director of Boston Partners indicating each business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each such person has been engaged within the last two years, for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, partner or trustee.

 

Name and Position with Boston Partners Other Companies Position With Other Companies
Joseph F. Feeney, Jr.
Director, Chief Executive Officer & Chief Investment Officer
Boston Partners Trust Company Chief Investment Officer
Mark E. Donovan
Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
   
William G. Butterly, III
General Counsel, Director of Sustainability & Engagement, & Secretary
Boston Partners Securities, L.L.C. Chief Legal Officer
  Boston Partners Trust Company General Counsel, Secretary & Director
  Boston Partners (UK) Limited Director & Secretary
Mark S. Kuzminskas
Chief Operating Officer
Boston Partners Trust Company Director & Chief Operating Officer
  Boston Partners (UK) Limited Director & Chief Operating Officer
Kenneth Lengieza
Chief Compliance Officer
   
Greg A. Varner
Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
Boston Partners Trust Company Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
  Boston Partners (UK) Limited Director & Chief Financial Officer
Stan H. Koyanagi
Director, Chairperson of the Board of Directors
ORIX Corporation Director, Managing Executive Officer and Global General Counsel
  ORIX Corporation Europe N.V. Director & General Counsel
  ORIX Corporation USA Director & General Counsel

 

 

 

Jeffrey A. Finley
Director
ORIX Corporation USA Head of Corporate Development and Strategic Opportunities; Chief Operating Officer of ORIX Capital Partners, a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation USA

Kiyoshi Habiro

Director

ORIX Corporation Europe N.V. ORIX Corporation Europe N.V.
  Director & Chief Executive Officer Director & Chief Executive Officer
  OCE Nederland B.V. OCE Nederland B.V.
  Director Director
  OCE US Holding, Inc. OCE US Holding, Inc.
  Director Director

  Canara Robeco Asset Management Company Limited Canara Robeco Asset Management Company Limited
Gilbert O. J. Van Hassel
Director
Harbor Capital Advisors, Inc. Director; Senior Managing Director, Group Head of ORIX USA Asset Management & Executive Chairman, ORIX Global Asset Management
David G. Van Hooser
Director
Harbor Capital Advisors, Inc. Director (Chairman of the Board of Directors)

 

2. Matson Money, Inc.:

 

The sole business activity of Matson Money, Inc. (“Matson Money”), 5955 Deerfield Blvd., Mason, Ohio 45040, is to serve as an investment adviser. Matson Money is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

Below is a list of each executive officer and director of Matson Money indicating each business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each such person has been engaged within the last two years, for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, partner or trustee.

 

Name and Position with Matson Money, Inc. Name of Other Company Position With Other Company
Mark E. Matson
CEO
Keep It Tight Fitness, LLC 50% owner
Mark E. Matson
CEO
The Matson Family Foundation 100% owner
Michelle Matson
Vice President/ Secretary
None None
Daniel J. List
Chief Compliance Officer
None None

 

 

 

3. Summit Global Investments, LLC:

 

The sole business activity of Summit Global Investments, LLC (“SGI”), 620 South Main Street, Bountiful, Utah 84010, is to serve as an investment adviser. SGI is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The only employment of a substantial nature of each of SGI’s directors and officers is with SGI.

 

4. Abbey Capital Limited:

 

Abbey Capital Limited (“Abbey Capital”), 8 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland, is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The only employment of a substantial nature of each of Abbey Capital’s directors and officers is with Abbey Capital.

 

5. Altair Advisers LLC:

 

Altair Advisers LLC (“Altair”), 225 West Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois 60606, is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The only employment of a substantial nature of each of Altair’s directors and officers is with Altair.

 

6. Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC:

 

The principal business activity of Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC (“CCIA”), 2850 Quarry Lake Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21209, is to serve as an investment adviser. CCIA is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

Below is a list of each executive officer and director of CCIA indicating each business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each such person has been engaged within the last two years, for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, partner or trustee.

 

Name and Position with CCIA Name of Other Company Position With Other Company
Dr. Kevin Cole
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer
Campbell & Company, LP Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer
  Campbell & Company, LLC Director and Chief Executive Officer
  Campbell Absolute Return F1 (Cayman) Director
  Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited Director

 

 

 

 

Thomas P. Lloyd
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer & Secretary
Campbell & Company, LP General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and Secretary
  Campbell & Company, LLC Director, General Counsel and Secretary
  Campbell Financial Services, LLC Director, President, Chief Compliance Officer, and Secretary
  Campbell Absolute Return F1 (Cayman) Director
  Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited Director
  Campbell Offshore Fund Limited SPC Director
John R. Radle
Chief Operating Officer
Campbell & Company, LP Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer
  Campbell & Company, LLC Director and Chief Operating Officer
  Campbell Financial Services, LLC Director and Chief Operating Officer
  Campbell Absolute Return F1 (Cayman) Director
  Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited Director

 

7. Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC:

 

A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC and each director, officer, or partner of Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in the Form ADV of Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC, as filed with the SEC on December 23, 2025, and is incorporated herein by this reference.

 

8. F/m Investments LLC:

 

A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which F/m Investments LLC and each director, officer, or partner of F/m Investments LLC is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in the Form ADV of F/m Investments LLC, as filed with the SEC on April 3, 2025, and is incorporated herein by this reference.

 

9. Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust:

 

A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust and each director, officer, or partner of Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in the Form ADV of Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust, as filed with the SEC on March 25, 2025, and is incorporated herein by this reference.

 

 

 

Item 32. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER

 

(a)(1) Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”) serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:

 

1. Capital Advisors Growth Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
2. Chase Growth Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
3. Davidson Multi Cap Equity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
4. Edgar Lomax Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
5. First Sentier American Listed Infrastructure Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
6. First Sentier Global Listed Infrastructure Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
7. Fort Pitt Capital Total Return Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
8. Huber Large Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
9. Huber Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
10. Huber Select Large Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
11. Huber Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
12. Logan Capital Broad Innovative Growth ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
13. Medalist Partners MBS Total Return Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
14. Medalist Partners Short Duration Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
15. O’Shaughnessy Market Leaders Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
16. PIA BBB Bond Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
17. PIA High Yield (MACS) Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
18. PIA High Yield Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
19. PIA MBS Bond Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
20. PIA Short-Term Securities Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
21. Poplar Forest Cornerstone Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
22. Poplar Forest Partners Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
23. Pzena Emerging Markets Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
24. Pzena International Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
25. Pzena International Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
26. Pzena Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
27. Pzena Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
28. Reverb ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
29. Scharf Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
30. Scharf Global Opportunity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
31. Scharf Multi-Asset Opportunity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
32. Shenkman Capital Floating Rate High Income Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
33. Shenkman Capital Short Duration High Income Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
34. VegTech Plant-based Innovation & Climate ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
35. The Aegis Funds
36. Allied Asset Advisors Funds
37. Angel Oak Funds Trust
38. Angel Oak Strategic Credit Fund
39. Barrett Opportunity Fund, Inc.
40. Brookfield Investment Funds
41. Buffalo Funds
42. Cushing® Mutual Funds Trust

 

 

 

43. DoubleLine Funds Trust
44. EA Series Trust (f/k/a Alpha Architect ETF Trust)
45. Ecofin Tax-Advantaged Social Impact Fund, Inc.
46. AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
47. AAM Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
48. AAM S&P 500 Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
49. AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
50. AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
51. AAM Transformers ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
52. AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
53. Aptus Collared Income Opportunity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
54. Aptus Defined Risk ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
55. Aptus Drawdown Managed Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
56. Aptus Enhanced Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
57. Aptus Large Cap Enhanced Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
58. Bahl & Gaynor Income Growth ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
59. Blue Horizon BNE ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
60. BTD Capital Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions
61. Carbon Strategy ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
62. Cboe Vest 10 Year Interest Rate Hedge ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
63. ClearShares OCIO ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
64. ClearShares Piton Intermediate Fixed Income Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions
65. ClearShares Ultra-Short Maturity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
66. Distillate International Fundamental Stability & Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
67. Distillate Small/Mid Cash Flow ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
68. Distillate U.S. Fundamental Stability & Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
69. ETFB Green SRI REITs ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
70. Hoya Capital High Dividend Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
71. Hoya Capital Housing ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
72. iBET Sports Betting & Gaming ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
73. International Drawdown Managed Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
74. LHA Market State Alpha Seeker ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
75. LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
76. LHA Market State Tactical Q ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
77. LHA Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
78. Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
79. Loncar China BioPharma ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
80. McElhenny Sheffield Managed Risk ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
81. Nationwide Dow Jones® Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
82. Nationwide Nasdaq-100 Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
83. Nationwide Russell 2000® Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
84. Nationwide S&P 500® Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
85. NETLease Corporate Real Estate ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
86. Opus Small Cap Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
87. Roundhill Acquirers Deep Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
88. The Acquirers Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions
89. U.S. Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
90. U.S. Global JETS ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
91. U.S. Global Sea to Sky Cargo ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
92. US Vegan Climate ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
93. First American Funds, Inc.

 

 

 

94. FundX Investment Trust
95. The Glenmede Fund, Inc.
96. The Glenmede Portfolios
97. The GoodHaven Funds Trust
98. Harding, Loevner Funds, Inc.
99. Hennessy Funds Trust
100. Horizon Funds
101. Hotchkis & Wiley Funds
102. Intrepid Capital Management Funds Trust
103. Jacob Funds Inc.
104. The Jensen Quality Growth Fund Inc.
105. Kirr, Marbach Partners Funds, Inc.
106. Leuthold Funds, Inc.
107. Core Alternative ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
108. Wahed Dow Jones Islamic World ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
109. Wahed FTSE USA Shariah ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
110. LKCM Funds
111. LoCorr Investment Trust
112. MainGate Trust
113. ATAC Rotation Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
114. Coho Relative Value Equity Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
115. Coho Relative Value ESG Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
116. Cove Street Capital Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
117. Ecofin Global Energy Transition Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
118. Ecofin Global Renewables Infrastructure Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
119. Ecofin Global Water ESG Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
120. Ecofin Sustainable Water Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
121. Jackson Square Large-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
122. Jackson Square SMID-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
123. Kensington Active Advantage Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
124. Kensington Defender Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
125. Kensington Dynamic Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
126. Kensington Managed Income Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
127. LK Balanced Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
128. Muhlenkamp Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
129. Nuance Concentrated Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
130. Nuance Concentrated Value Long Short Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
131. Nuance Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
132. Olstein All Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
133. Olstein Strategic Opportunities Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
134. Port Street Quality Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
135. Principal Street High Income Municipal Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
136. Principal Street Short Term Municipal Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
137. Reinhart Genesis PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
138. Reinhart International PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
139. Reinhart Mid Cap PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
140. Tortoise Energy Infrastructure and Income Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
141. Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Total Return Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
142. Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
143. V-Shares MSCI World ESG Materiality and Carbon Transition ETF, Series of Managed Portfolio Series

 

 

 

144. V-Shares US Leadership Diversity ETF, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
145. Greenspring Income Opportunities Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
146. Hood River International Opportunity Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
147. Hood River Small-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
148. Mar Vista Strategic Growth Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
149. Vert Global Sustainable Real Estate Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
150. Matrix Advisors Funds Trust
151. Matrix Advisors Value Fund, Inc.
152. Monetta Trust
153. Nicholas Equity Income Fund, Inc.
154. Nicholas Fund, Inc.
155. Nicholas II, Inc.
156. Nicholas Limited Edition, Inc.
157. Oaktree Diversified Income Fund Inc.
158. Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds
159. Perritt Funds, Inc.
160. Procure ETF Trust II
161. Professionally Managed Portfolios
162. Prospector Funds, Inc.
163. Provident Mutual Funds, Inc.
164. Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
165. Abbey Capital Multi-Asset Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
166. Adara Smaller Companies Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
167. Aquarius International Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
168. Boston Partners All Cap Value Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
169. Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
170. Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
171. Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
172. Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
173. Campbell Systematic Macro Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
174. F/m Opportunistic Income ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
175. F/m 6-Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
176. F/m 9-18 Month Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
177. F/m 2-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
178. F/m 3-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
179. F/m 5-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
180. F/m 7-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
181. F/m 10-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
182. F/m 20-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
183. F/m 30-Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
184. F/m 15+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
185. F/m Emerald Life Sciences Innovation ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
186. F/m Emerald Special Situations ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
187. F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
188. F/m Ultrashort Tax-Free Municipal ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
189. F/m High Yield 100 ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
190. F/m Compoundr U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF of The RBB Fund, Inc.
191. F/m Compoundr High Yield Bond ETF of The RBB Fund, Inc.
192. Motley Fool 100 Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
193. Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
194. Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

 

 

195. Motley Fool Mid-Cap Growth ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
196. Motley Fool Next Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
197. Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
198. Motley Fool Innovative Growth Factor ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
199. Motley Fool Momentum Factor ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
200. Motley Fool Value Factor ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
201. SGI Enhanced Core ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
202. SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
203. SGI Enhanced Nasdaq-100 ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
204. SGI Global Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
205. SGI Peak Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
206. SGI Prudent Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
207. SGI Small Cap Core Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
208. SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
209. SGI U.S. Large Cap Core ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
210. SGI Dynamic Tactical ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
211. SGI Enhanced Market Leaders ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
212. F/m US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
213. F/m US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
214. F/m US Treasury 2 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
215. F/m US Treasury 20 Year Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
216. F/m US Treasury 3 Month Bill Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
217. F/m US Treasury 3 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
218. F/m US Treasury 30 Year Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
219. F/m US Treasury 5 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
220. F/m US Treasury 6 Month Bill ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
221. F/m US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
222. WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
223. WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
224. P/E Global Enhanced International Fund, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
225. Torray Fund, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
226. Longview Advantage ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
227. Longview Advantage Fixed Income ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
228. First Eagle Global Equity ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
229. First Eagle Overseas Equity ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
230. Tweedy, Browne Insider + Value ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
231. Tweedy, Browne International Insider + Value ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
232. Advent Convertible Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
233. Twin Oak Active Opportunities II ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
234. Twin Oak Active Opportunities III ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
235. Twin Oak Endure ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
236. Twin Oak Strategic Solutions ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
237. Twin Oak Enhanced Equity ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
238. Twin Oak Enhanced Fixed Income ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
239. Twin Oak Global Equity ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
240. Twin Oak Hedged Opportunities ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
241. Twin Oak Enhanced Credit ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
242. Twin Oak Apex Opportunities ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
243. Twin Oak Horizons ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
244. Wayfinder Dynamic U.S. Interest Rate ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
245. MUFG Japan Small Cap Active ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust

 

 

 

246. Penn Capital Short Duration High Income Fund, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
247. Penn Capital Special Situations Small Cap Fund, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
248. Pathfinder Focused Opportunities ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
249. Pathfinder Disciplined US Equity ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
250. Polen Dividend Income ETF, Series of the RBB Fund Trust
251. Polen International Dividend Income ETF, Series of the RBB Fund Trust
252 Pathfinder Disciplined Midcap Equity ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
253. M.D. Sass Concentrated Value ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
254. The Snowball ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
255. Equity Partners ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
256. Synera Funds Takumi+ ETF, Series of The RBB Fund Trust
257. RBC Funds Trust
258. Series Portfolios Trust
259. Thompson IM Funds, Inc.
260. TrimTabs ETF Trust
261. Trust for Advised Portfolios
262. Barrett Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
263. Bright Rock Mid Cap Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
264. Bright Rock Quality Large Cap Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
265. CrossingBridge Low Duration High Yield Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
266. CrossingBridge Responsible Credit Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
267. CrossingBridge Ultra-Short Duration Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
268. RiverPark Strategic Income Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
269. Dearborn Partners Rising Dividend Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
270. Jensen Global Quality Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
271. Jensen Quality Value Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
272. Rockefeller Climate Solutions Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
273. Rockefeller US Small Cap Core Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
274. Terra Firma US Concentrated Realty Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
275. USQ Core Real Estate Fund
276. Wall Street EWM Funds Trust

 

(a)(2) Vigilant Distributors, LLC serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:

 

1. Free Market Fixed Income Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
2. Free Market International Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
3. Free Market US Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
4. Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
5. Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
6. Matson Money US Equity VI Portfolio, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
7. YCG Funds
8. Pemberwick Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
9. Hardman Johnston International Growth Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
10. Modern Capital Tactical Opportunities Fund, of Modern Capital Funds Trust
11. Soundwatch Hedged Equity ETF, Series of Advisor Managed Portfolios
12. WBI BullBear Value 3000 ETF, Series of Absolute Shares Trust
13. WBI BullBear Yield 300 ETF, Series of Absolute Shares Trust

 

 

 

14. WBI BullBear Quality 3000 ETF, Series of Absolute Shares Trust
15. WBI Power Fact® High Dividend ETF, Series of Absolute Shares Trust
16. Founders 100 ETF, Series of Founder Funds Trust
17. Prospera Income ETF, Series of Thrive Series Trust

 

(b)(1) The following are the Officers and Manager of Quasar, one of the Registrant’s underwriters. Quasar’s main business address is 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, Maine 04101.

 

Name Address Position with Underwriter Position with Registrant
Teresa Cowan 190 Middle Street, Suite 301
Portland, ME 04101
President/Manager None
Chris Lanza 190 Middle Street, Suite 301
Portland, ME 04101
Vice President None
Kate Macchia 190 Middle Street, Suite 301
Portland, ME 04101
Vice President None
Susan L. LaFond 190 Middle Street, Suite 301
Portland, ME 04101
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer and Treasurer None
Weston Sommers 190 Middle Street, Suite 301
Portland, ME 04101
Financial and Operations Principal and Chief Financial Officer None
Kelly B. Whetstone 190 Middle Street, Suite 301
Portland, ME 04101
Secretary None

 

(b)(2) The following are the Officers of Vigilant Distributors, LLC, one of the Registrant’s underwriters. Vigilant Distributors, LLC’s main business address is Gateway Corporate Center, Suite 216, 223 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania 19317.

 

Name Address Position with Underwriter Position with Registrant
Patrick Chism Gateway Corporate Center, Suite 216,
223 Wilmington West Chester Pike,
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Compliance Officer None
Gerald Scarpati Gateway Corporate Center, Suite 216,
223 Wilmington West Chester Pike,
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial Officer None

 

(c) Not Applicable

 

Item 33. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS

 

(1) Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc., One Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).
(2) Matson Money, Inc. (formerly Abundance Technologies, Inc.), 5955 Deerfield Blvd., Mason, Ohio 45040 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).
(3) Summit Global Investments, LLC, 620 South Main Street, Bountiful, Utah 84010 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).

 

 

 

 

(4) Abbey Capital Limited, 8 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland, (records relating to its function as investment adviser).
(5) Altair Advisers LLC, 225 West Washington, Suite 2400, Chicago, Illinois 60606 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).
(6) Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC, 2850 Quarry Lake Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21209 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).
(7) Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC, 2000 Duke Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).
(8) F/m Investments LLC, 900 19th Street, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20006 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).
(9) Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust, 3175 Oregon Pike, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).
(10) U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 (records relating to its function as administrator, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent).
(11) U.S. Bank, N.A., 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53212 (records relating to its function as custodian).
(12) Quasar Distributors, LLC, 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101 (records relating to its function as underwriter).
(13) Vigilant Distributors, LLC, Gateway Corporate Center, Suite 216, 223 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania 19317 (records relating to its function as underwriter).

 

Item 34. MANAGEMENT SERVICES

 

None.

 

Item 35. UNDERTAKINGS

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized, in the City of Short Hills and State of New Jersey on the 30th day of October, 2026.

 

  THE RBB FUND, INC.  
     
  By: /s/ Steven Plump  
    Steven Plump  
    President  

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act, this Amendment to Registrant’s Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

SIGNATURE   TITLE   DATE
         
/s/ Steven Plump   President (Principal Executive Officer)   October 30, 2026
Steven Plump        
         
/s/ James G. Shaw   Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)   October 30, 2026
James G. Shaw        
         
*Gregory P. Chandler   Director   October 30, 2026
Gregory P. Chandler        
         
*Lisa A. Dolly   Director   October 30, 2026
Lisa A. Dolly        
         
*Nicholas A. Giordano   Director   October 30, 2026
Nicholas A. Giordano        
         
*Arnold M. Reichman   Director   October 30, 2026
Arnold M. Reichman        
         
*Robert Sablowsky   Director   October 30, 2026
Robert Sablowsky        
         
*Brian T. Shea   Director   October 30, 2026
Brian T. Shea        
         
*Martha A. Tirinnanzi   Director   October 30, 2026
Martha A. Tirinnanzi        

 

*By: /s/ James G. Shaw  
James G. Shaw  
Attorney-in-Fact  

 

 

 

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

 

THE RBB FUND TRUST

(the “Trust”)

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Gregory P. Chandler, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

 

DATED: July 9, 2025  
     
  /s/ Gregory P. Chandler  
  Gregory P. Chandler  

 

 

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

 

THE RBB FUND TRUST

(the “Trust”)

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Lisa A. Dolly, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw her true and lawful attorneys, to execute in her name, place, and stead, in her capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in her name and on her behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as she might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

 

DATED: July 9, 2025  
     
  /s/ Lisa A. Dolly  
  Lisa A. Dolly  

 

 

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

 

THE RBB FUND TRUST

(the “Trust”)

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Nicholas A. Giordano, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

 

DATED: July 9, 2025  
     
  /s/ Nicholas A. Giordano  
  Nicholas A. Giordano  

 

 

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

 

THE RBB FUND TRUST

(the “Trust”)

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Arnold M. Reichman, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

 

DATED: July 9, 2025  
     
  /s/ Arnold M. Reichman  
  Arnold M. Reichman  

 

 

 

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

 

THE RBB FUND TRUST

(the “Trust”)

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Robert Sablowsky, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

 

DATED: July 9, 2025  
     
  /s/ Robert Sablowsky  
  Robert Sablowsky  

 

 

 

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

 

THE RBB FUND TRUST

(the “Trust”)

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Brian T. Shea, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

 

DATED: July 9, 2025  
     
  /s/ Brian T. Shea  
  Brian T. Shea  

 

 

 

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

 

THE RBB FUND TRUST

(the “Trust”)

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Martha A. Tirinnanzi, hereby constitutes and appoints Jillian L. Bosmann, Edward Paz, Steven Plump, and James G. Shaw her true and lawful attorneys, to execute in her name, place, and stead, in her capacity as Director/Trustee or officer, or both, of the Company and of the Trust, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in her name and on her behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as she might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

 

DATED: July 9, 2025  
     
  /s/ Martha A. Tirinnanzi  
  Martha A. Tirinnanzi  

 

 

 

 

Exhibit No. Description
(d)(118) Investment Advisory Agreement (Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund f/k/a F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund) by and among Registrant, F/m Investments LLC, and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust
(d)(119) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Emerald Large Cap Focused Fund f/k/a F/m Investments Large Cap Focused Fund) by and among Registrant, F/m Investments LLC, and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust
(d)(134) Investment Advisory Agreement (Emerald Growth Fund) between Registrant and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust
(d)(135) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (Emerald Growth Fund) between Registrant and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust
(d)(136) Expense Waiver and Reimbursement Agreement (Emerald Growth Fund) between Registrant and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust
(e)(2)(k) Eleventh Amendment to the ETF Distribution Agreement (F/m US Treasury 3 Month Bill Fund - Institutional Class Shares) between Registrant and Quasar Distributors, LLC
(i)(1) Consent of Counsel
(l)(61) Purchase Agreement (Emerald Growth Fund) between Registrant and Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust
(l)(73) Purchase Agreement (F/m Long-Term Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF) between Registrant and F/m Investments LLC

 


ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

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fp0101508-1_ex9928d136.htm

fp0101508-1_ex9928e2k.htm

fp0101508-1_ex9928i1.htm

fp0101508-1_ex9928l61.htm

fp0101508-1_ex9928l73.htm