11/12/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/12/2024 14:46
RM GREYHAWK FUND
HAWKX
A SERIES OF RM OPPORTUNITY TRUST
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
December 29, 2023, as revised November 12, 2024
This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus for the RM Greyhawk Fund (the "Fund"), dated December 29, 2023, as may be supplemented from time to time. Information about the Fund's investments is available in the Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. The Annual Report contains financial statements that are incorporated herein by reference. The Fund's Prospectus and Annual Report to shareholders are incorporated herein by reference into this SAI (i.e., each is legally made a part of this SAI). Copies of the Fund's Prospectus, this SAI, and the Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders may be obtained without charge by contacting the Fund's transfer agent, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, OH 45246, or by calling the Fund toll-free at (833) 907-0744. You may also obtain a prospectus by visiting https://www.greyhawkfund.com.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | |
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND FUND | 1 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENTS AND RISKS | 1 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND | 27 |
CODE OF ETHICS | 32 |
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES | 33 |
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES | 34 |
Investment Adviser | 34 |
Sub-Adviser | 34 |
Advisory Board | 35 |
Portfolio Managers | 35 |
Conflicts of Interest | 37 |
Ownership of Securities | 38 |
Distributor | 38 |
Rule 12b-1 Plan | 38 |
Custodian | 39 |
Fund Services | 39 |
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | 41 |
Legal Counsel | 41 |
ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO BROKERAGE | 41 |
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS | 41 |
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM | 42 |
PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES | 43 |
FREQUENT PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES | 46 |
REDEMPTION IN-KIND | 47 |
TAX STATUS | 47 |
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES | 52 |
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | 52 |
APPENDIX A - PROXY VOTING POLICY OF THE ADVISER | A-1 |
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND FUND
The RM Greyhawk Fund (the "Fund") is a diversified series of RM Opportunity Trust (the "Trust"). The Trust is an open-end investment company established under the laws of Delaware by an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated as of March 16, 2022 (the "Trust Agreement"). The Trust Agreement permits the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board" or the "Board of Trustees") to authorize and issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest of separate series without par value. The Fund is currently the only series currently authorized by the Trustees. The investment adviser to the Fund is Rocky Mountain Private Wealth Management, L.L.C. (the "Adviser" or "Rocky Mountain"). The investment sub-adviser to the Fund is Spectrum Asset Management, Inc. (the "Sub- Adviser").
The Fund does not issue share certificates. All shares are held in non-certificated form registered on the books of the Fund and the transfer agent for the account of the shareholder. The Fund may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest in one or more share classes. The Fund currently offers one class of shares. Generally, all shares of the Fund have equal rights and privileges. Each share of the Fund is entitled to one vote on all matters as to which shares are entitled to vote. In addition, each share of the Fund is entitled to participate equally with other shares (i) in dividends and distributions declared by the Fund and (ii) on liquidation to its proportionate share of the assets remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities. Shares of the Fund are fully paid, non-assessable and fully transferable when issued and have no pre-emptive, conversion or exchange rights. Fractional shares have proportionately the same rights, including voting rights, as are provided for a full share. The shares do not have cumulative voting rights or any preemptive or conversion rights, and the Trustees have the authority from time to time to divide or combine the shares of any series into a greater or lesser number of shares of that series so long as the proportionate beneficial interest in the assets belonging to that series and the rights of shares of any other series are in no way affected. Expenses attributable to any series are borne by that series. Any general expenses of the Trust not readily identifiable as belonging to a particular series are allocated by or under the direction of the Trustees in such manner as the Trustees determine to be fair and equitable. No shareholder is liable to further calls or to assessment by the Trust without his or her express consent.
Any Trustee of the Trust may be removed by vote of the shareholders holding not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Trust. The Trust does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. When matters are submitted to shareholders for a vote, each shareholder is entitled to one vote for each whole share he owns and fractional votes for fractional shares he owns. All shares of the Fund have equal voting rights and liquidation rights. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust can be amended by the Trustees, except that any amendment that adversely affects the rights of shareholders must be approved by the shareholders affected. All shares of the Fund are subject to involuntary redemption if the Trustees determine 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 adviser.
For information concerning the purchase and redemption of shares of the Fund, see "How to Purchase Shares" and "How to Redeem Shares" in the Prospectus. For a description of the methods used to determine the share price and value of the Fund's assets, see "How to Purchase Shares" and "How Shares are Priced" in the Prospectus and "Pricing of Shares" in this SAI.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENTS AND RISKS
Investment Strategies and Risks
All principal investment strategies and risks are discussed in the Prospectus. This section contains a more detailed discussion of some of the investments the Fund may make and some of the techniques the Fund may use, as described in the Risk/Return Summary in the Prospectus. Additional non-principal strategies and risks also are discussed here.
1
Asset-Backed Securities and Collateralized Debt Obligations
The Fund may invest in asset-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"). Asset-backed securities and CDOs are created by the grouping of certain governmental, government related and private loans, receivables and other non-mortgage lender assets/collateral into pools. A sponsoring organization establishes a special purpose vehicle to hold the assets/collateral and issue securities. Interests in these pools are sold as individual securities. Payments of principal and interest are passed through to investors and are typically supported by some form of credit enhancement, such as a letter of credit, surety bond, limited guaranty, or senior/subordination. Payments from the asset pools may be divided into several different tranches of debt securities, offering investors various maturity and credit risk characteristics. Some tranches are entitled to receive regular installments of principal and interest, other tranches are entitled to receive regular installments of interest, with principal payable at maturity or upon specified call dates, and other tranches are only entitled to receive payments of principal and accrued interest at maturity or upon specified call dates. Different tranches of securities will bear different interest rates, which may be fixed or floating.
Investors in asset-backed securities and CDOs bear the credit risk of the assets/collateral. Tranches are categorized as senior, mezzanine, and subordinated/equity, according to their degree of credit risk. If there are defaults or the CDO's collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches take precedence over those to subordinated/equity tranches. Senior and mezzanine tranches are typically rated, with the former receiving ratings of A to AAA from S&P Global Ratings ("S&P") and the latter receiving ratings of B to BBB. The ratings reflect both the credit quality of underlying collateral as well as how much protection a given tranche is afforded by tranches that are subordinate to it.
Because the loans held in the pool often may be prepaid without penalty or premium, asset-backed securities and CDOs can be subject to higher prepayment risks than most other types of debt instruments. Prepayments may result in a capital loss to the Fund to the extent that the prepaid securities purchased at a market discount from their stated principal amount will accelerate the recognition of interest income by the Fund, which would be taxed as ordinary income when distributed to the shareholders.
The credit characteristics of asset-backed securities and CDOs also differ in a number of respects from those of traditional debt securities. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities and CDOs depends primarily upon the credit quality of the assets/collateral underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the securities is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement to such securities.
Borrowing
The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), as interpreted or modified by regulation from time to time. This means that, in general, the Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose in an amount up to ⅓ of the Fund's total assets. The Fund also may borrow money for temporary administrative purposes in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets.
Specifically, 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 purposes. Any borrowings for temporary purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. 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 (3) days (not including Sundays and holidays) to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.
The Fund also may enter into certain transactions that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by such Fund. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on the Fund's net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. In addition, the Fund may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
2
Certificates of Deposit and Bankers' Acceptances
Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a depository institution in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The certificate usually can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity. Bankers' acceptances typically arise from short-term credit arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain funds 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 earning asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific maturity. Although maturities for acceptances can be as long as 270 days, most acceptances have maturities of six months or less.
Closed-End Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in closed-end investment companies. Shares of closed-end funds are typically offered to the public in a one-time initial public offering by a group of underwriters who retain a spread or underwriting commission of between 4% or 6% of the initial public offering price. Such securities are then listed for trading, for example, on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (commonly known as "NASDAQ") or, in some cases, may be traded in other over-the-counter markets. Because the shares of closed-end funds cannot be redeemed upon demand to the issuer like the shares of an open-end investment company (such as the Fund), investors seek to buy and sell shares of closed-end funds in the secondary market.
The Fund generally will purchase shares of closed-end funds only in the secondary market. The Fund will incur normal brokerage costs on such purchases similar to the expenses the Fund would incur for the purchase of securities of any other type of issuer in the secondary market. The Fund may, however, also purchase securities of a closed-end fund in an initial public offering when, in the opinion of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, based on a consideration of the nature of the closed-end Fund's proposed investments, the prevailing market conditions and the level of demand for such securities, they represent an attractive opportunity for growth of capital. The initial offering price typically will include a dealer spread, which may be higher than the applicable brokerage cost if the Fund purchased such securities in the secondary market.
The shares of many closed-end funds, after their initial public offering, frequently trade at a price per share that is less than the NAV per share, the difference representing the "market discount" of such shares. This market discount may be due in part to the investment objective of long-term appreciation, which is sought by many closed-end funds, as well as to the fact that the shares of closed-end funds are not redeemable by the holder upon demand to the issuer at the next determined NAV, but rather, are subject to supply and demand in the secondary market. A relative lack of secondary market purchasers of closed-end fund shares also may contribute to such shares trading at a discount to their NAV.
The Fund may invest in shares of closed-end funds that are trading at a discount to NAV or at a premium to NAV. There can be no assurance that the market discount on shares of any closed-end fund purchased by the Fund will ever decrease. In fact, it is possible that this market discount may increase and the Fund may suffer realized or unrealized capital losses due to further decline in the market price of the securities of such closed-end funds, thereby adversely affecting the NAV of the Fund's shares. Similarly, there can be no assurance that any shares of a closed-end fund purchased by the Fund at a premium will continue to trade at a premium or that the premium will not decrease subsequent to a purchase of such shares by the Fund.
Closed-end funds may issue senior securities (including preferred stock and debt obligations) for the purpose of leveraging the closed-end Fund's common shares in an attempt to enhance the current return to such closed-end Fund's common shareholders. The Fund's investment in the common shares of closed-end funds that are financially leveraged may create an opportunity for greater total return on its investment, but at the same time may be expected to exhibit more volatility in market price and NAV than an investment in shares of investment companies without a leveraged capital structure.
3
Commercial Paper
The Fund may purchase commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance current operations.
Common Stock
Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually possesses voting rights and earns dividends. Dividends on common stock are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer. Common stock generally represents the riskiest investment in a company. In addition, common stock generally has the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential because increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a company's stock price.
The Fund may invest in preferred stock with a minimum credit rating of investment grade. Preferred stock is a class of stock having a preference over common stock as to the payment of dividends and the recovery of investment should a company be liquidated, although preferred stock is usually junior to the debt securities of the issuer. Preferred stock typically does not possess voting rights and its market value may change based on changes in interest rates.
The fundamental risk of investing in common and preferred stock is the risk that the value of the stock might decrease. Stock values fluctuate in response to the activities of an individual company or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Historically, common stocks have provided greater long-term returns and have entailed greater short-term risks than preferred stocks, fixed-income securities and money market investments. The market value of all securities, including common and preferred stocks, is based upon the market's perception of value and not necessarily the book value of an issuer or other objective measures of a company's worth.
Convertible Securities
Convertible securities include fixed income securities that may be exchanged or converted into a predetermined number of shares of the issuer's underlying common stock at the option of the holder during a specified period. Convertible securities may take the form of convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds or debentures, units consisting of "usable" bonds and warrants or a combination of the features of several of these securities. Convertible securities are senior to common stocks in an issuer's capital structure but are usually subordinated to similar non-convertible securities. While providing a fixed-income stream (generally higher in yield than the income derivable from common stock but lower than that afforded by a similar nonconvertible security), a convertible security also gives an investor the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the issuing company depending upon a market price advance in the convertible security's underlying common stock.
Counterparty Risk
The Fund may invest in financial instruments involving counterparties for the purpose of attempting to gain exposure to a particular group of securities, index or asset class without actually purchasing those securities or investments, or to hedge a position. Such financial instruments may include, among others, total return, index, interest rate, and credit default swap agreements. The use of swap agreements and similar instruments exposes the Fund to risks that are different than those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. For example, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. If a counterparty defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, this default will cause the value of your investment in the Fund to decrease. In addition, the Fund may enter into swap agreements with a limited number of counterparties, which may increase the Fund's exposure to counterparty credit risk. Similarly, if the credit quality of an issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument improves, this change may adversely affect the value of the Fund's investment.
4
Cybersecurity and Disaster Recovery Risks
In connection with the increased use of technologies such as the Internet and the dependence on computer systems to perform necessary business functions, the Fund is susceptible to operational, information security, and related risks due to the possibility of cyber-attacks or other incidents. Cyber incidents may result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, infection by computer viruses or other malicious software code, gaining unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices that are used to service the Fund's operations through hacking or other means for the purpose 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 (which can make a website unavailable) on the Fund's website. In addition, authorized persons could inadvertently or intentionally release confidential or proprietary information stored on the Fund's systems.
Cybersecurity failures or breaches by the Fund's third party service providers (including, but not limited to, the Adviser, Sub- Adviser, distributor, custodian, transfer agent, and financial intermediaries) may cause disruptions and impact the service providers' and the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and the mutual funds to process transactions, inability to calculate the Fund's NAV, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of successful cyber-attacks against, or security breakdowns of, the Fund or its third-party service providers.
The Fund may incur substantial costs to prevent or address cyber incidents in the future. In addition, there is a possibility that certain risks have not been adequately identified or prepared for. Furthermore, the Fund cannot directly control any cybersecurity plans and systems put in place by third party service providers. Cybersecurity risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund's investment in such securities to lose value.
Fixed Income/Debt/Bond Securities
Yields on fixed income securities, which the Fund defines to include preferred stock, are dependent on a variety of factors, including the general conditions of the money market and other fixed income securities markets, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. An investment in the Fund will be subjected to risk even if all fixed income securities in the Fund's portfolio are paid in full at maturity. All fixed income securities, including U.S. Government securities, can change in value when there is a change in interest rates or the issuer's actual or perceived creditworthiness or ability to meet its obligations.
There is normally an inverse relationship between the market value of securities sensitive to prevailing interest rates and actual changes in interest rates. In other words, an increase in interest rates produces a decrease in market value. The longer the remaining maturity (and duration) of a security, the greater will be the effect of interest rate changes on the market value of that security. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the markets' perception of an issuer's creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. Obligations of issuers of fixed income securities (including municipal securities) are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978. In addition, the obligations of municipal issuers may become subject to laws enacted in the future by Congress, state legislatures, or referenda extending the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations or upon the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the market's perception of an issuer's creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. The possibility exists, therefore, that, the ability of any issuer to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on its debt securities may become impaired.
5
The corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest include corporate bonds and notes and short-term investments such as commercial paper and variable rate demand notes. Commercial paper (short-term promissory notes) is issued by companies to finance their or their affiliate's current obligations and is frequently unsecured. Variable and floating rate demand notes are unsecured obligations redeemable upon not more than 30 days' notice. These obligations include master demand notes that permit investment of fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement with the issuer of the instrument. The issuer of these obligations often has the right, after a given period, to prepay the outstanding principal amount of the obligations upon a specified number of days' notice. These obligations generally are not traded, nor generally is there an established secondary market for these obligations. To the extent a demand note does not have a 7-day or shorter demand feature and there is no readily available market for the obligation, it is treated as an illiquid security.
The Fund will invest in debt securities, including non-investment grade debt securities. The following describes some of the risks associated with fixed income debt securities:
Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities have varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In general, the price of a debt security can fall when interest rates rise and can rise when interest rates fall. Securities with longer maturities and mortgage securities can be more sensitive to interest rate changes although they usually offer higher yields to compensate investors for the greater risks. The longer the maturity of the security, the greater the impact a change in interest rates could have on the security's price. In addition, short-term and long-term interest rates do not necessarily move in the same amount or the same direction. Short-term securities tend to react to changes in short-term interest rates and long-term securities tend to react to changes in long-term interest rates.
Credit Risk. Fixed income securities have speculative characteristics and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly rated securities.
Extension Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the Fund (such as mortgage-backed securities) later than expected. This may happen when there is a rise in interest rates. These events may lengthen the duration (i.e., interest rate sensitivity) and potentially reduce the value of these securities.
Prepayment Risk. Certain types of debt securities, such as mortgage-backed securities, have yield and maturity characteristics corresponding to underlying assets. Unlike traditional debt securities, which may pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity when the entire principal amount comes due, payments on certain mortgage-backed securities may include both interest and a partial payment of principal. Besides the scheduled repayment of principal, payments of principal may result from the voluntary prepayment, refinancing, or foreclosure of the underlying mortgage loans.
Securities subject to prepayment are less effective than other types of securities as a means of "locking in" attractive long-term interest rates. One reason is the need to reinvest prepayments of principal; another is the possibility of significant unscheduled prepayments resulting from declines in interest rates. These prepayments would have to be reinvested at lower rates. As a result, these securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayments may also significantly shorten the effective maturities of these securities, especially during periods of declining interest rates. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective maturities of these securities, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing the volatility of the Fund.
At times, some of the mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest will have higher than market interest rates and therefore will be purchased at a premium above their par value. Prepayments may cause losses in securities purchased at a premium, as unscheduled prepayments, which are made at par, will cause the Fund to experience a loss equal to any unamortized premium.
6
Depositary Receipts
Sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), which are receipts issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs, in sponsored form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets. A sponsoring company provides financial information to the bank and may subsidize administration of the ADR. Unsponsored ADRs may be created by a broker-dealer or depository bank without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these ADRs generally bear all the costs of the ADR facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored ADR. The bank or trust company depositary of an unsponsored ADR may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. Unsponsored ADRs may carry more risk than sponsored ADRs because of the absence of financial information provided by the underlying company. Many of the risks described below regarding foreign securities apply to investments in ADRs.
Emerging Markets Securities
Investing in emerging market securities imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries. These risks include (i) the smaller market capitalization of securities markets, which may suffer periods of relative illiquidity, (ii) significant price volatility, (iii) restrictions on foreign investment, and (iv) possible repatriation of investment income and capital. In addition, foreign investors may be required to register the proceeds of sales, and future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization, or the creation of government monopolies. The currencies of emerging market countries may experience significant declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by the Fund. Certain developing countries face serious exchange constraints. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries.
Economies of emerging market countries generally are heavily dependent on international trade and, accordingly, have been and may continue to be affected adversely by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values, and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. Economies of emerging market countries also have been and may continue to be adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. The economies of emerging market countries may be predominantly based on only a few industries or dependent on revenues from particular commodities.
Certain emerging markets limit, or require governmental approval prior to, investments by foreign persons. Repatriation of investment income and capital from certain emerging markets is subject to certain governmental consents. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect the operation of the Fund.
Additional risks of emerging markets securities may include (i) greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, (ii) more substantial governmental involvement in the economy, (iii) less governmental supervision and regulation, (iv) the unavailability of currency hedging technique, (v) companies that are newly organized and small, (vi) differences in auditing and financial reporting standards, which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers, and (vii) less developed legal systems. In addition, emerging securities markets may have different clearance and settlement procedures, which may be unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions or otherwise make it difficult to engage in such transactions. Settlement problems may cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities, hold a portion of its assets in cash pending investment, or be delayed in disposing of a portfolio security. Such a delay could result in possible liability to a purchaser of the security.
Equity Securities
Equity securities consist of common stock, convertible preferred stock, rights, and warrants. Common stocks, the most familiar type, represent an equity (ownership) interest in a corporation. Warrants are options to purchase equity securities at a specified price for a specific time period. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have a short duration and are distributed by the issuer to its shareholders. Although equity securities have a history of long-term growth in value, their prices fluctuate based on changes in a company's financial condition and on overall market and economic conditions.
Investments in equity securities are subject to inherent market risks and fluctuations in value due to earnings, economic conditions, and other factors beyond the control of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser. As a result, the return and NAV of the Fund will fluctuate. Securities in the Fund's portfolio may not increase as much as the market as a whole and some undervalued securities may continue to be undervalued for long periods of time. Although profits in some Fund holdings may be realized quickly, it is not expected that most investments will appreciate rapidly.
7
Exchange-Traded Funds
The Fund may invest in a range of exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"). ETFs. Additionally, the Fund may invest in new exchange traded shares as they become available.
When the Fund invests in sector ETFs, there is a risk that securities within the same group of industries will decline in price due to sector-specific market or economic developments. If the Fund invests more heavily in a particular sector, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect that sector. As a result, the Fund's share price may fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of industries. Additionally, some sectors could be subject to greater government regulation than other sectors. Therefore, changes in regulatory policies for those sectors may have a material effect on the value of securities issued by companies in those sectors. The sectors in which the Fund may be more heavily invested will vary.
The shares of an ETF may be assembled in a block (typically 50,000 shares) known as a creation unit and redeemed in-kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. Conversely, a creation unit may be purchased from the ETF by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit. A fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities and use it (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if a fund's manager believes it is in the fund's interest to do so. A fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that the ETFs will not be obligated to redeem shares held by a fund in an amount exceeding one percent of their total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.
There is a risk that the underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events that may cause any of the service providers to the ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, to close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF. Also, because the ETFs in which the Fund intends to invest may be granted licenses by agreement to use the indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names, the ETFs may terminate if such license agreements are terminated. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its entire NAV falls below a certain amount. Although the Fund believes that, in the event of the termination of an underlying ETF the Fund will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another market index with the same general market, there is no guarantee that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time. To the extent the Fund invests in a sector product, the Fund will be subject to the risks associated with that sector.
Foreign Securities
Purchases of foreign equity securities entail certain risks. For example, there may be less information publicly available about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies generally are not subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those in the U.S. Other risks associated with investments in foreign securities include changes in restrictions on foreign currency transactions and rates of exchanges, changes in the administrations or economic and monetary policies of foreign governments, the imposition of exchange control regulations, the possibility of expropriation decrees and other adverse foreign governmental action, the imposition of foreign taxes, less liquid markets, less government supervision of exchanges, brokers and issuers, difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations, delays in settlement of securities transactions and greater price volatility. In addition, investing in foreign securities will generally result in higher commissions than investing in similar domestic securities. Future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on dividends, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign holdings, the possible establishment of exchange controls, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions, might adversely affect the payment of dividends or principal and interest on foreign obligations. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which regulates auditors of U.S. public companies, is unable to inspect audit work papers in certain foreign countries. Investors in foreign countries often have limited rights and few practical remedies to pursue shareholder claims, including class actions or fraud claims, and the ability of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), the U.S. Department of Justice and other authorities to bring and enforce actions against foreign issuers or foreign persons is limited.
Futures Contracts
Futures contracts provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific security, class of securities, or an index at a specified future time and at a specified price. Futures contracts may be issued with respect to fixed-income securities, foreign currencies, single stocks, or financial indices, including indices of U.S. government securities, foreign government securities, and equity or fixed-income securities. U.S. futures contracts are traded on exchanges that have been designated "contract markets" by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC") and must be executed through a futures commission merchant ("FCM"), or brokerage firm, which is a member of the relevant contract market. Through their clearing corporations, the exchanges guarantee performance of the contracts between the clearing members of the exchange. The Fund and open-end investment companies (mutual funds) and/or ETFs that the Fund may invest in (collectively, "Underlying Funds") may invest in futures contracts only to the extent it could invest in the underlying instrument directly.
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The Fund may at times engage in futures transactions for hedging purposes. This means that a purpose in entering into futures contracts is to protect the Fund from fluctuations in the value of securities or interest rates without actually buying or selling the underlying debt or equity security. For example, if the Fund anticipates an increase in the price of stocks, and it intends to purchase stocks at a later time, the Fund could enter into a futures contract to purchase a stock index as a temporary substitute for stock purchases. If an increase in the market occurs that influences the stock index as anticipated, the value of the futures contracts will increase, thereby serving as a hedge against the Fund not participating in a market advance. This technique is sometimes known as an anticipatory hedge. Conversely, if the Fund holds stocks and seeks to protect itself from a decrease in stock prices, the Fund might sell stock index futures contracts, thereby hoping to offset the potential decline in the value of its portfolio securities by a corresponding increase in the value of the futures contract position. The Fund could protect against a decline in stock prices by selling portfolio securities and investing in money market instruments, but the use of futures contracts enables it to maintain a defensive position without having to sell portfolio securities.
If the Fund owns Treasury bonds and the portfolio managers expect interest rates to increase, the Fund may take a short position in interest rate futures contracts. Taking such a position would have much the same effect as the Fund selling Treasury bonds in its portfolio. If interest rates increase as anticipated, the value of the Treasury bonds would decline, but the value of the Fund's interest rate futures contract will increase, thereby keeping the NAV of the Fund from declining as much as it may have otherwise. If, on the other hand, a portfolio manager expects interest rates to decline, the Fund may take a long position in interest rate futures contracts in anticipation of later closing out the futures position and purchasing the bonds. Although the Fund can accomplish similar results by buying securities with long maturities and selling securities with short maturities, given the greater liquidity of the futures market than the cash market, it may be possible to accomplish the same result more easily and more quickly by using futures contracts as an investment tool to reduce risk.
Risk Factors in Futures Transactions
Liquidity Risk. Because futures contracts are generally settled within a day from the date they are closed out, compared with a settlement period of three days for some types of securities, the futures markets can provide superior liquidity to the securities markets. Nevertheless, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time. In addition, futures exchanges may establish daily price fluctuation limits for futures contracts and may halt trading if a contract's price moves upward or downward more than the limit in a given day. On volatile trading days when the price fluctuation limit is reached, it may be impossible for the Fund to enter into new positions or close out existing positions. If the secondary market for a futures contract is not liquid because of price fluctuation limits or otherwise, the Fund may not be able to promptly liquidate unfavorable futures positions and potentially could be required to continue to hold a futures position until the delivery date, regardless of changes in its value. As a result, the Fund's access to other assets held to cover its futures positions also could be impaired.
Risk of Loss. Although the Fund may believe that the use of such contracts will benefit the Fund, the Fund's overall performance could be worse than if the Fund had not entered into futures contracts if the Adviser's or Sub-Adviser's investment judgment proves incorrect. For example, if the Fund has hedged against the effects of a possible decrease in prices of securities held in its portfolio and prices increase instead, the Fund will lose part or all of the benefit of the increased value of these securities because of offsetting losses in its futures positions. In addition, if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities from its portfolio to meet daily variation margin requirements. Those sales may be, but will not necessarily be, at increased prices that reflect the rising market and may occur at a time when the sales are disadvantageous to the Fund.
The risk of loss in trading futures contracts in some strategies can be substantial, due both to the low margin deposits required, and the extremely high degree of leverage involved in futures pricing. Because the deposit requirements in the futures markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities market, there may be increased participation by speculators in the futures market that may also cause temporary price distortions. A relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss (as well as gain) to the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase, 10% of the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the contract. The Fund will only engage in futures transactions when it is believed these risks are justified and will engage in futures transactions primarily for risk management purposes.
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Correlation Risk. The prices of futures contracts depend primarily on the value of their underlying instruments. Because there are a limited number of types of futures contracts, it is possible that the standardized futures contracts available to the Fund will not match exactly the Fund's current or potential investments. The Fund may buy and sell futures contracts based on underlying instruments with different characteristics from the securities in which it typically invests for example, by hedging investments in portfolio securities with a futures contract based on a broad index of securities, which involves a risk that the futures position will not correlate precisely with the performance of the Fund's investments.
Futures prices can also diverge from the prices of their underlying instruments, even if the underlying instruments closely correlate with the Fund's investments. Futures prices are affected by factors such as current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility of the underlying instruments and the time remaining until expiration of the contract. Those factors may affect securities prices differently from futures prices. Imperfect correlations between the Fund's investments and its futures positions also may result from differing levels of demand in the futures markets and the securities markets, from structural differences in how futures and securities are traded, and from imposition of daily price fluctuation limits for futures contracts. The Fund may buy or sell futures contracts with a greater or lesser value than the securities it wishes to hedge or is considering purchasing in order to attempt to compensate for differences in historical volatility between the futures contract and the securities, although this may not be successful in all cases. If price changes in the Fund's futures positions are poorly correlated with its other investments, its futures positions may fail to produce desired gains or result in losses that are not offset by the gains in the Fund's other investments.
Margin Requirements
The buyer or seller of a futures contract is not required to deliver or pay for the underlying instrument unless the contract is held until the delivery date. However, both the buyer and seller are required to deposit "initial margin" for the benefit of the FCM when the contract is entered into. Initial margin deposits:
● | Are equal to a percentage of the contract's value, as set by the exchange on which the contract is traded; and |
● | Are similar to good faith deposits or performance bonds. |
Unlike margin extended by a securities broker, initial margin payments do not constitute purchasing securities on margin for purposes of the Fund's investment limitations. If the value of either party's position declines, that party will be required to make additional "variation margin" payments for the benefit of the FCM to settle the change in value on a daily basis. The party that has a gain may be entitled to receive all or a portion of this amount. In the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM that holds margin on behalf of the Fund, the Fund may be entitled to return of margin owed to the Fund only in proportion to the amount received by the FCM's other customers. The Trust will attempt to minimize this risk by careful monitoring of the creditworthiness of the FCMs with which it does business and by depositing margin payments in a segregated account with the Trust's custodian.
Forward Contracts
The Fund may use forward contracts to achieve substantially similar strategies as those executed using futures contracts. A forward contract is an obligation to purchase or sell an asset at a future date at a price agreed upon by the parties. The Fund may either accept or make delivery of the asset at the maturity of the contract or, prior to maturity, enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. The Fund may engage in forward contracts for hedging or investment purposes. Forward contracts are not traded on regulated exchanges and incur the risk of default by the counter party to the transaction.
Foreign Currency Transactions
The Fund may enter into foreign currency futures contracts and forward currency contracts. A foreign currency futures contract is a standardized contract for the future delivery of a specified amount of a foreign currency, at a future date at a price set at the time of the contract. A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a currency against another currency at a future date at a price agreed upon by the parties. The Fund may either accept or make delivery of the currency at the maturity of the contract or, prior to maturity, enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. The Fund will engage in foreign currency futures contracts and forward currency transactions in anticipation of or to protect itself against fluctuations in currency exchange rates or as an investment strategy. Forward currency contracts are not traded on regulated commodities exchanges. A fund entering into a forward currency contract incurs the risk of default by the counter party to the transaction.
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There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out a foreign currency futures or forward currency position, in which case the Fund might not be able to effect a closing purchase transaction at any particular time. While these contracts tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currency increase.
Although the Fund values assets daily in U.S. dollars, it does not intend to physically convert its holdings of foreign currencies into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. The Fund will do so from time to time and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the "spread") between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer.
Options on Foreign Currencies
The Fund may invest in call and put options on domestic and foreign securities and foreign currencies. The Fund may purchase and write call and put options on foreign currencies as a hedge against changes in the value of the U.S. dollar (or another currency) in relation to a foreign currency in which portfolio securities of the Fund may be denominated, or as an investment strategy. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser the right to buy, and a put option the right to sell, a certain amount of foreign currency at a specified price during a fixed period of time. The Fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to such options, exercise them, or permit them to expire.
The Fund may employ hedging strategies with options on currencies before the Fund purchases a foreign security denominated in the hedged currency, during the period the Fund holds the foreign security, or between the day the foreign security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment therefore is made or received. Hedging against a change in the value of a foreign currency in the foregoing manner does not eliminate fluctuations in the prices of portfolio securities or prevent losses if the prices of such securities decline. Furthermore, such hedging transactions reduce or preclude the opportunity for gain if the value of the hedged currency should increase relative to the U.S. dollar. The Fund will purchase options on foreign currencies for hedging purposes and may also speculate in options on foreign currencies. The Fund may invest in options on foreign currencies which are either listed on a domestic securities exchange or traded on a recognized foreign exchange.
An option position on a foreign currency may be closed out only on an exchange which provides a secondary market for an option of the same series. Although the Fund will typically purchase exchange-traded options, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time. In the event no liquid secondary market exists, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options. If the Fund cannot close out an exchange-traded option which it holds, it would have to exercise its option in order to realize any profit and would incur transactional costs on the sale of the underlying assets.
Swap Agreements
The Fund may enter into swap agreements for purposes of attempting to gain exposure to equity, debt, commodities or other asset markets without actually purchasing those assets, or to hedge a position. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day to more than one year. In a standard "swap" transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a "basket" of securities representing a particular index.
Most swap agreements entered into by the Fund calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap agreement or periodically during its term.
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Swap agreements do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, if a swap is entered into on a net basis, if the other party to a swap agreement defaults, the Fund's risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.
The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund's obligations over its entitlements with respect to a swap agreement entered into on a net basis will be accrued daily and an amount of cash or liquid asset having an aggregate NAV at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in an account with the Custodian. The Fund will also establish and maintain such accounts with respect to its total obligations under any swaps that are not entered into on a net basis. Obligations under swap agreements so covered will not be construed to be "senior securities" for purposes of the Fund's investment restriction concerning senior securities.
Because they are two-party contracts and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid for the Fund's illiquid investment limitations. The Fund will not enter into any swap agreement unless the Adviser or Sub-Adviser believes that the other party to the transaction is creditworthy. The Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty.
The Fund may enter into a swap agreement in circumstances where the Adviser or Sub-Adviser believes that it may be more cost effective or practical than buying the securities represented by such index or a futures contract or an option on such index. The counterparty to any swap agreement will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker/dealer. The counterparty will generally agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap agreement would have increased in value had it been invested in the particular stocks represented in the index, plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. The Fund will agree to pay to the counterparty a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the swap agreement plus the amount, if any, by which the notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to the Fund on any swap agreement should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount.
The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments that are traded in the OTC market.
Regulation as a Commodity Pool Operator
The Adviser, with respect to the Fund, has filed with the National Futures Association, a notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, and Rule 4.5 of the CFTC promulgated thereunder, with respect to the Fund's operations. Accordingly, neither the Fund nor the Adviser is subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator.
High Yield Securities
The Fund may invest in high yield securities. High yield, high risk bonds are securities that are generally rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies (BB+ or lower by S&P and Ba1 or lower by Moody's Investor Services, Inc.). Other terms used to describe such securities include "lower rated bonds," "non-investment grade bonds," "below investment grade bonds," and "junk bonds." These securities are considered to be high-risk investments. The risks include the following:
Greater Risk of Loss. These securities are regarded as predominately speculative. There is a greater risk that issuers of lower rated securities will default than issuers of higher rated securities. Issuers of lower rated securities generally are less creditworthy and may be highly indebted, financially distressed, or bankrupt. These issuers are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes or adverse industry developments. In addition, high yield securities are frequently subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. If an issuer fails to pay principal or interest, the Fund will experience a decrease in income and a decline in the market value of its investments. An Underlying Fund also may incur additional expenses in seeking recovery from the issuer.
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Sensitivity to Interest Rate and Economic Changes. The income and market value of lower-rated securities may fluctuate more than higher rated securities. Although non-investment grade securities tend to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than investment grade securities, non-investment grade securities are more sensitive to short-term corporate, economic and market developments. During periods of economic uncertainty and change, the market price of the investments in lower-rated securities may be volatile. The default rate for high yield bonds tends to be cyclical, with defaults rising in periods of economic downturn.
Valuation Difficulties. It is often more difficult to value lower-rated securities than higher-rated securities. If an issuer's financial condition deteriorates, accurate financial and business information may be limited or unavailable. In addition, the lower-rated investments may be thinly traded and there may be no established secondary market. Because of the lack of market pricing and current information for investments in lower-rated securities, valuation of such investments is much more dependent on judgment than is the case with higher-rated securities.
Liquidity. There may be no established secondary or public market for investments in lower-rated securities. Such securities are frequently traded in markets that may be relatively less liquid than the market for higher rated securities. In addition, relatively few institutional purchasers may hold a major portion of an issue of lower-rated securities at times. As a result, an Underlying Fund that invests in lower-rated securities may be required to sell investments at substantial losses or retain them indefinitely even where an issuer's financial condition is deteriorating.
Credit Quality. Credit quality of non-investment grade securities can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and even recently issued credit ratings may not fully reflect the actual risks posed by a particular high-yield security.
New Legislation. Future legislation may have a possible negative impact on the market for high yield, high risk bonds. As an example, in the late 1980's, legislation required federally insured savings and loan associations to divest their investments in high- yield, high-risk bonds. New legislation, if enacted, could have a material negative effect on an Underlying Fund's investments in lower- rated securities.
High-yield, high-risk investments may include the following:
Straight fixed-income debt securities. These include bonds and other debt obligations that bear a fixed or variable rate of interest payable at regular intervals and have a fixed or resettable maturity date. The particular terms of such securities vary and may include features such as call provisions and sinking funds.
Zero-coupon debt securities. These bear no interest obligation but are issued at a discount from their value at maturity. When held to maturity, their entire return equals the difference between their issue price and their maturity value.
Zero-fixed-coupon debt securities. These are zero-coupon debt securities that convert on a specified date to interest-bearing debt securities.
Pay-in-kind bonds. These are bonds which allow the issuer, at its option, to make current interest payments on the bonds either in cash or in additional bonds. These are bonds commonly sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended the ("Securities Act"), usually to a relatively small number of institutional investors.
Convertible Securities. These are bonds or preferred stock that may be converted to common stock.
Preferred Stock. These are stocks that generally pay a dividend at a specified rate and have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and in liquidation.
Loan Participations and Assignments. These are participations in, or assignments of all or a portion of loans to corporations or to governments, including governments of less-developed countries ("LDCs").
Securities issued in connection with Reorganizations and Corporate Restructurings. In connection with reorganizing or restructuring of an issuer, an issuer may issue common stock or other securities to holders of its debt securities.
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Illiquid and Restricted Securities
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including limited partnerships, hedge funds and other private placements. Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale (e.g., because they have not been registered under the Securities Act and securities that are otherwise not readily marketable (e.g., because trading in the security is suspended or because market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers). Securities that have not been registered under the Securities Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Foreign securities that are freely tradable in their principal markets are not considered to be illiquid.
Restricted and other illiquid securities may be subject to the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. The Fund might be unable to dispose of illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty in satisfying redemption requests from shareholders. The Fund might have to register restricted securities in order to dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.
A large institutional market exists for certain securities that are not registered under the Securities Act, including foreign securities. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments. Rule 144A under the Securities Act allows such a broader institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to restrictions on resale to the general public. Rule 144A establishes a "safe harbor" from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for resale of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers. Rule 144A has produced enhanced liquidity for many restricted securities, and market liquidity for such securities may continue to expand as a result of this regulation and the consequent existence of the PORTAL system, which is an automated system for the trading, clearance and settlement of unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuers sponsored by NASDAQ.
Under guidelines adopted by the Trust's Board, the Fund's Adviser or Sub-Adviser may determine that particular Rule 144A securities, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, are liquid even though they are not registered. A determination of whether such a security is liquid or not is a question of fact. In making this determination, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser will consider, as it deems appropriate under the circumstances and among other factors: (i) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (ii) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security; (iii) the number of other potential purchasers of the security; (iv) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; (v) the nature of the security (e.g., debt or equity, date of maturity, terms of dividend or interest payments, and other material terms) 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 transfer); and (vi) the rating of the security and the financial condition and prospects of the issuer. In the case of commercial paper, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser will also determine that the paper (a) is not traded flat or in default as to principal and interest, and (b) is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by at least two Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations ("NRSROs") or, if only one NRSRO rates the security, by that NRSRO, or, if the security is unrated, the Adviser or Sub- Adviser determines that it is of equivalent quality.
Rule 144A securities and Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper that have been deemed liquid as described above will continue to be monitored by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser to determine if the security is no longer liquid as the result of changed conditions. Investing in Rule 144A securities or Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper could have the effect of increasing the amount of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities if institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase such securities.
Indexed Securities
The Fund may purchase indexed securities consistent with its investment objectives. Indexed securities are those, the value of which varies positively or negatively in relation to the value of other securities, securities indices or other financial indicators. Indexed securities may be debt securities or deposits whose value at maturity or coupon rate is determined by reference to a specific instrument or statistic. Recent issuers of indexed securities have included banks, corporations, and certain U.S. Government agencies.
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The performance of indexed securities depends to a great extent on the performance of the security or other instrument to which they are indexed and also may be influenced by interest rate changes in the U.S. and abroad. Indexed securities are subject to the credit risks associated with the issuer of the security, and their values may decline substantially if the issuer's creditworthiness deteriorates. Indexed securities may be more volatile than the underlying instruments. Certain indexed securities that are not traded on an established market may be deemed illiquid.
Insured Bank Obligations
The Fund may invest in insured bank obligations. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") insures the deposits of federally insured banks and savings and loan associations (collectively referred to as "banks") up to $250,000. The Fund may purchase bank obligations which are fully insured as to principal by the FDIC. Currently, to remain fully insured as to principal, these investments must be limited to $250,000 per bank, if the principal amount and accrued interest together exceed $250,000, the excess principal and accrued interest will not be insured. Insured bank obligations may have limited marketability.
Investment Company Securities
The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies to the extent that such an investment would be consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act, and the Fund's investment objectives. Investments in the securities of other investment companies may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. By investing in another investment company, the Fund becomes a shareholder of that investment company. As a result, the Fund's shareholders indirectly will bear the Fund's proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by shareholders of the other investment company, in addition to the fees and expenses the Fund's shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund's own operations.
Generally, under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, the Fund may invest only up to 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company (ETF or other mutual funds) but may not own more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company (the "3% Limitation") or invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies. However, Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act allows the Fund to exceed the 5% limitation and the 10% limitation described above. Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act, provides that the provisions of paragraph 12(d)(1) shall not apply to securities purchased or otherwise acquired by the Fund if (i) immediately after such purchase or acquisition not more than 3% of the total outstanding stock of such registered investment company is owned by the Fund and all affiliated persons of the Fund; and (ii) the Fund has not offered or sold after January 1, 1971, and is not proposing to offer or sell any security issued by it through a principal underwriter or otherwise at a public or offering price which includes a sales load of more than 1 ½% percent. An investment company that issues shares to the Fund pursuant to paragraph 12(d)(1)(F) shall not be required to redeem its shares in an amount exceeding 1% of such investment company's total outstanding shares in any period of less than thirty days. The Fund (or the Adviser or Sub-Adviser acting on behalf of the Fund) must comply with the following voting restrictions when the Fund exercises voting rights, by proxy or otherwise, with respect to investment companies owned by the Fund; the Fund will either seek instruction from the Fund's shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies and vote in accordance with such instructions, or vote the shares held by the Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such security. Because other investment companies employ an investment adviser, such investments by the Fund may cause shareholders to bear duplicate fees.
Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act permits the Fund to invest in other investment companies beyond the statutory limits, subject to certain conditions. Pursuant to Rule 12d1-4 and procedures approved by the Board, the Fund may invest in certain ETFs in excess of the limits described above, provided that the Fund complies with Rule 12d1-4 and any other applicable investment limitations.
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Lending Portfolio Securities
For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities, provided (1) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities or cash or cash equivalents (cash, U.S. Government securities, negotiable certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned, (2) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of securities loaned, (3) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends received on the loaned securities, and (4) the aggregate value of the securities loaned will not at any time exceed one-third of the total assets of the Fund.
Limited History of Operations Risk
The Fund has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate. Investors in the Fund bear the risk that the Fund may not be successful in implementing its investment strategies, may be unable to implement certain of its investment strategies or may fail to attract sufficient assets.
Mortgage-Backed Securities
The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities represent participation interests in pools of one-to-four family residential mortgage loans originated by private mortgage originators. Traditionally, residential mortgage-backed securities have been issued by governmental agencies such as the Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae") and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac"). The Fund does not intend to invest in commercial mortgage-backed securities. Non-governmental entities that have issued or sponsored residential mortgage- backed securities offerings include savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, insurance companies, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing.
While residential loans do not typically have prepayment penalties or restrictions, they are often structured so that subordinated classes may be locked out of prepayments for a period of time. However, in a period of extremely rapid prepayments, during which senior classes may be retired faster than expected, the subordinated classes may receive unscheduled payments of principal and would have average lives that, while longer than the average lives of the senior classes, would be shorter than originally expected. The types of residential mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest may include the following:
Guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Securities. The Fund may invest in mortgage pass-through securities representing participation interests in pools of residential mortgage loans originated by the U.S. government and guaranteed, to the extent provided in such securities, by the U.S. government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities. Such securities, which are ownership interests in the underlying mortgage loans, differ from conventional debt securities, which provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts (usually semi-annually) and principal payments at maturity or on specified call dates. Mortgage pass-through securities provide for monthly payments that are a "pass-through" of the monthly interest and principal payments (including any prepayments) made by the individual borrowers on the pooled mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the guarantor of such securities and the servicer of the underlying mortgage loans. The guaranteed mortgage pass-through securities in which the Fund will invest are those issued or guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Private Mortgage Pass-Through Securities. Private mortgage pass-through securities ("Private Pass-Throughs") are structured similarly to the Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage pass-through securities described above and are issued by originators of and investors in mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing. Private Pass-Throughs are usually backed by a pool of conventional fixed rate or adjustable rate mortgage loans.
Since Private Pass-Throughs typically are not guaranteed by an entity having the credit status of Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, such securities generally are structured with one or more types of credit enhancement.
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Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs") are debt obligations collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities. Typically, CMOs are collateralized by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac Certificates, but also may be collateralized by whole loans or Private Pass-Throughs (such collateral collectively hereinafter referred to as "Mortgage Assets").
Multi-class pass-through securities are equity interests in a pool of Mortgage Assets. Unless the context indicates otherwise, all references herein to CMOs include multi-class pass-through securities. Payments of principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets, and any reinvestment income thereon, provide the Fund to pay debt service on the CMOs or make scheduled distributions on the multi-class pass-through securities. CMOs may be sponsored by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing. Under current law, every newly created CMO issuer must elect to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit.
In a CMO, a series of bonds or certificates is issued in multiple classes. Each class of CMOs, often referred to as a "tranche," is issued at a specific fixed or floating coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on the Mortgage Assets may cause the CMOs to be retired substantially earlier than their stated maturities or final distribution dates. Interest is paid or accrues on all classes of the CMOs on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis. The principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets may be allocated among the several classes of a series of a CMO in innumerable ways. In one structure, payments of principal, including any principal prepayments, on the Mortgage Assets are applied to the classes of a CMO in the order of their respective stated maturities or final distribution dates, so that no payment of principal will be made on any class of CMOs until all other classes having an earlier stated maturity or final distribution date have been paid in full.
The Fund may also invest in, among others, parallel pay CMOs and Planned Amortization Class CMOs (PAC Bonds). Parallel pay CMOs are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO structures, must be retired by its payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date.
Ginnie Mae Certificates. Ginnie Mae is a wholly owned corporate instrumentality of the U.S. government within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The National Housing Act of 1934, as amended (the "Housing Act"), authorizes Ginnie Mae to guarantee the timely payment of the principal of and interest on certificates that are based on and backed by a pool of mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration under the Housing Act, or Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 ("FHA Loans"), or guaranteed by the Veterans' Administration under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, as amended ("VA Loans"), or by pools of other eligible mortgage loans. The Housing Act provides that the full faith and credit of the U.S. government is pledged to the payment of all amounts that may be required to be paid under any guarantee.
The Ginnie Mae Certificates will represent a pro rata interest in one or more pools of the following types of mortgage loans: (i) fixed rate level payment mortgage loans; (ii) fixed rate graduated payment mortgage loans; (iii) fixed rate growing equity mortgage loans; (iv) fixed rate mortgage loans secured by manufactured (mobile) homes; (v) mortgage loans on multifamily residential properties under construction; (vi) mortgage loans on completed multifamily projects; (vii) fixed rate mortgage loans as to which escrowed funds are used to reduce the borrower's monthly payments during the early years of the mortgage loans ("buydown" mortgage loans); (viii) mortgage loans that provide for adjustments in payments based on periodic changes in interest rates or in other payment terms of the mortgage loans; and (ix) mortgage-backed serial notes. All of these mortgage loans will be FHA Loans or VA Loans and, except as otherwise specified above, will be fully amortizing loans secured by first liens on one-to-four family housing units.
Fannie Mae Certificates. Fannie Mae is a federally chartered and privately-owned corporation organized and existing under the Federal National Mortgage Association Charter Act. Fannie Mae was originally established in 1938 as a U.S. government agency to provide supplemental liquidity to the mortgage market and was transformed into a stockholder-owned and privately managed corporation by legislation enacted in 1968. Fannie Mae provides funds to the mortgage market primarily by purchasing home mortgage loans from local lenders, thereby replenishing their funds for additional lending. Fannie Mae acquires funds to purchase home mortgage loans from many capital market investors that may not ordinarily invest in mortgage loans directly, thereby expanding the total amount of funds available for housing.
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Each Fannie Mae Certificate entitles the registered holder thereof to receive amounts representing such holder's pro rata interest in scheduled principal payments and interest payments (at such Fannie Mae Certificate's pass-through rate, which is net of any servicing and guarantee fees on the underlying mortgage loans), and any principal prepayments on the mortgage loans in the pool represented by such Fannie Mae Certificate and such holder's proportionate interest in the full principal amount of any foreclosed or otherwise finally liquidated mortgage loan. The full and timely payment of principal of and interest on each Fannie Mae Certificate will be guaranteed by Fannie Mae, which guarantee is not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. In order to meet its obligations under such guarantee, Ginnie Mae is authorized to borrow from the U.S. Treasury with no limitations as to amount.
Each Fannie Mae Certificate will represent a pro rata interest in one or more pools of FHA Loans, VA Loans or conventional mortgage loans (i.e., mortgage loans that are not insured or guaranteed by any governmental agency) of the following types: (i) fixed rate level payment mortgage loans; (ii) fixed rate growing equity mortgage loans; (iii) fixed rate graduated payment mortgage loans; (iv) variable rate California mortgage loans; (v) other adjustable rate mortgage loans; and (vi) fixed rate mortgage loans secured by multifamily projects. On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Authority (the "FHFA") announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had been placed into conservatorship, a statutory process designed to stabilize a troubled institution with the objective of returning the entity to normal business operations. The U.S. Treasury Department and the FHFA at the same time established a secured lending facility and a Secured Stock Purchase Agreement with both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to ensure that each entity had the ability to fulfill its financial obligations. The FHFA announced that it does not anticipate any disruption in pattern of payments or ongoing business operations of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
Freddie Mac Certificates. Freddie Mac is a corporate instrumentality of the U.S. government created pursuant to the Emergency Home Finance Act of 1970, as amended (the "FHLMC Act"). Freddie Mac was established primarily for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for the financing of needed housing. The principal activity of Freddie Mac currently consists of the purchase of first lien, conventional, residential mortgage loans and participation interests in such mortgage loans and the resale of the mortgage loans so purchased in the form of mortgage securities, primarily Freddie Mac Certificates.
Freddie Mac guarantees to each registered holder of a Freddie Mac Certificate the timely payment of interest at the rate provided for by such Freddie Mac Certificate, whether or not received. Freddie Mac also guarantees to each registered holder of a Freddie Mac Certificate ultimate collection of all principal of the related mortgage loans, without any offset or deduction, but does not generally guarantee the timely payment of scheduled principal. Freddie Mac may remit the amount due on account of its guarantee of collection of principal at any time after default on an underlying mortgage loan, but not later than 30 days following (i) foreclosure sale, (ii) payment of a claim by any mortgage insurer, or (iii) the expiration of any right of redemption, whichever occurs later, but in any event no later than one year after demand has been made upon the mortgagor for acceleration of payment of principal. The obligations of Freddie Mac under its guarantee are obligations solely of Freddie Mac and are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
Freddie Mac Certificates represent a pro rata interest in a group of mortgage loans (a "Freddie Mac Certificate group") purchased by Freddie Mac. The mortgage loans underlying the Freddie Mac Certificates will consist of fixed rate or adjustable rate mortgage loans with original terms to maturity of between ten and thirty years, substantially all of which are secured by first liens on one-to-four family residential properties or multifamily projects. Each mortgage loan must meet the applicable standards set forth in the FHLMC Act. A Freddie Mac Certificate group may include whole loans, participation interests in whole loans and undivided interests in whole loans and participations comprising another Freddie Mac Certificate group.
Federal Home Loan Bank Securities. The Federal Home Loan Bank system ("FHLB") was created in 1932 pursuant to the Federal Home Loan Bank Act. The FHLB was created to support residential mortgage lending and community investment. The FHLB consists of 12 member-banks which are owned by over 8,000 member community financial institutions. The FHLB provides liquidity for housing finance and community development by making direct loans to these community financial institutions, and through two FHLB mortgage programs, which help expand home ownership by giving lenders an alternative option for mortgage funding. Each member financial institution (typically a bank or savings and loan) is a shareholder in one or more of 12 regional FHLB banks, which are privately capitalized, separate corporate entities. Federal oversight, in conjunction with normal bank regulation and shareholder vigilance, assures that the 12 regional Banks will remain conservatively managed and well capitalized. The FHLB banks are among the largest providers of mortgage credit in the U.S.
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The FHLB is also one of the world's largest private issuers of fixed-income debt securities, and the Office of Finance serves as the FHLB's central debt issuance facility. Debt is issued in the global capital markets and the Fund is channeled to member financial institutions to fund mortgages, community development, and affordable housing.
Securities issued by the FHLB are not obligations of the U.S. government and are not guaranteed by the U. S. government. The FHLB may issue either bonds or discount notes. These securities, issued pursuant to the Act, are joint and several unsecured general obligations of the FHLB banks. The bonds or discount notes will not limit other indebtedness that the FHLB banks may incur and they will not contain any financial or similar restrictions on the FHLB banks or any restrictions on their ability to secure other indebtedness. Under the Federal Home Loan Bank Act, the FHLB banks may incur other indebtedness such as secured joint and several obligations of the FHLB banks and unsecured joint and several obligations of the FHLB Banks, as well as obligations of individual FHLB banks (although current Federal Housing Finance Board rules prohibit their issuance).
Municipal Securities
The Fund may invest in securities issued by states, municipalities and other political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies or authorities. Although the interest earned on many municipal securities is exempt from federal income tax, the Fund may invest in taxable municipal securities.
Municipal securities share the attributes of a debt/fixed income securities in general, but are generally issued by states, municipalities and other political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies or authorities. The municipal securities which the Fund may purchase include general obligation bonds and limited obligation bonds (or revenue bonds), including industrial development bonds issued pursuant to former federal tax law. General obligation bonds are obligations involving the credit of an issuer possessing taxing power and are payable from such issuer's general revenues and not from any particular source. Limited obligation bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Tax-exempt private activity bonds and industrial development bonds generally are also revenue bonds and thus are not payable from the issuer's general revenues. The credit and quality of private activity bonds and industrial development bonds are usually related to the credit of the corporate user of the facilities. Payment of interest on and repayment of principal of such bonds is the responsibility of the corporate user (and/or any guarantor).
Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), certain limited obligation bonds are considered "private activity bonds" and interest paid on such bonds is treated as an item of tax preference for purposes of calculating federal alternative minimum tax liability.
Open-End Investment Companies ("Mutual Funds")
The Fund and any "affiliated persons," as defined by the 1940 Act, may purchase in the aggregate only up to 3% of the total outstanding securities of any mutual fund. Accordingly, when affiliated persons hold shares of any of the mutual fund, the Fund's ability to invest fully in shares of those funds is restricted, and the Adviser must then, in some instances, select alternative investments that would not have been its first preference. The 1940 Act also provides that a mutual fund whose shares are purchased by the Fund will be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund only in an amount up to 1% of the mutual fund's outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days. Shares held by the Fund in excess of 1% of a mutual fund's outstanding securities therefore, will be considered not readily marketable securities, which, together with other such securities, may not exceed 15% of the Fund's total assets.
Under certain circumstances a mutual fund may determine to make payment of a redemption by the Fund wholly or partly by a distribution in kind of securities from its portfolio, in lieu of cash, in conformity with the rules of the SEC. In such cases, the Fund may hold securities distributed by a mutual fund until the Adviser or Sub-Adviser determines that it is appropriate to dispose of such securities.
Investment decisions by the investment advisors of the mutual funds are made independently of the Fund and its Adviser. Therefore, the investment advisor of one mutual fund may be purchasing shares of the same issuer whose shares are being sold by the investment advisor of another such funds. The result would be an indirect expense to the Fund without accomplishing any investment purpose.
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Options
The Fund may utilize call and put options on securities and/or futures to attempt to protect against possible changes in the market value of securities held in or to be purchased for the Fund's portfolio and to generate income or gain for the Fund. The ability of the Fund to successfully utilize options will depend on the Adviser's or Sub-Adviser's ability to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. The Fund will comply with applicable regulatory requirements when implementing these techniques and instruments.
The Fund may write (sell) covered call options and covered put options and purchase call and put options. The purpose of engaging in options transactions is to reduce the effect of price fluctuations of the securities owned by the Fund (and involved in the options) on the Fund's NAV per share and to generate additional revenues.
A covered call option is an option sold on a security owned by the seller of the option in exchange for a premium. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy the underlying securities at the exercise price during the option period. If the option is exercised by the purchaser during the option period, the seller is required to deliver the underlying security against payment of the exercise price. The seller's obligation terminates upon expiration of the option period or when the seller executes a closing purchase transaction with respect to such option. Call options on securities which the Fund sells (writes) will be covered or secured, which means that the Fund will own the underlying security or, to the extent it does not hold such a security, will maintain a segregated account with the Fund's custodian consisting of liquid debt obligations equal to the market value of the option, marked to market daily. When the Fund writes a covered call option, it profits from the premium paid by the buyer but gives up the opportunity to profit from an increase in the value of the underlying security above the exercise price. At the same time, the seller retains the risk of loss from a decline in the value of the underlying security during the option period. Although the seller may terminate its obligation by executing a closing purchase transaction, the cost of effecting such a transaction may be greater than the premium received upon its sale, resulting in a loss to the seller. If such an option expires unexercised, the seller realizes a gain equal to the premium received. Such a gain may be offset or exceeded by a decline in the market value of the underlying security during the option period. If an option is exercised, the exercise price, the premium received and the market value of the underlying security determine the gain or loss realized by the seller.
When the Fund sells a covered put option, it has the obligation to buy, and the purchaser of the put the right to sell, the underlying security at the exercise price during the option period. To cover a put option, the Fund deposits U.S. government securities (or other high-grade debt obligations) in a segregated account at its custodian. The value of the deposited securities is equal to or greater than the exercise price of the underlying security. The value of the deposited securities is marked to market daily and, if necessary, additional assets are placed in the segregated account to maintain a value equal to or greater than the exercise price. The Fund maintains the segregated account so long as it is obligated as the seller. The obligation of the Fund is terminated when the purchaser exercises the put option, when the option expires or when a closing purchase transaction is effected by the Fund. The Fund's gain on the sale of a put option is limited to the premium received plus interest earned on its segregated account. The Fund's potential loss on a put option is determined by taking into consideration the exercise price of the option, the market price of the underlying security when the put is exercised, the premium received and the interest earned on its segregated account. Although the Fund risks a substantial loss if the price of the security on which it has sold a put option drops suddenly, it can protect itself against serious loss by entering into a closing purchase transaction. The degree of loss will depend upon the Fund's ability to detect the movement in the security's price and to execute a closing transaction at the appropriate time.
The Fund will write options on such portion of its portfolio as management determines is appropriate in seeking to attain the Fund's objective. The Fund will write options when management believes that a liquid secondary market will exist on a national securities exchange for options of the same series so that the Fund can effect a closing purchase transaction if it desires to close out its position. Consistent with the investment policies of the Fund, a closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying security from being called or to permit the sale of the underlying security. Effecting a closing purchase transaction will permit the Fund to write another option on the underlying security with either a different exercise price or expiration date or both.
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The Fund may purchase put options to protect against declines in the market value of portfolio securities or to attempt to retain unrealized gains in the value of portfolio securities. Put options might also be purchased to facilitate the sale of portfolio securities. The Fund may purchase call options as a temporary substitute for the purchase of individual securities, which then could be purchased in orderly fashion. Upon the purchase of the securities, the Fund would normally terminate the call position. The purchase of both put and call options involves the risk of loss of all or part of the premium paid. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or drop (in the case of a put) by an amount at least equal to the premium paid for the option contract, the Fund will experience a loss on the option contract equal to the deficiency.
Preferred Stock
Preferred stocks are securities that have characteristics of both common stocks and corporate bonds. Preferred stocks may receive dividends, but payment is not guaranteed as with a bond. These securities may be undervalued because of a lack of analyst coverage resulting in a high dividend yield or yield to maturity. The risks of preferred stocks are a lack of voting rights and the Adviser or Sub-Adviser may incorrectly analyze the security, resulting in a loss to the Fund. Furthermore, preferred stock dividends are not guaranteed, and management can elect to forego the preferred dividend, resulting in a loss to the Fund.
Publicly Traded Partnerships
The Fund may invest in publicly traded partnerships ("PTPs"). PTPs are limited partnerships the interests in which (known as "units") are traded on public exchanges, just like corporate stock. PTPs are limited partnerships that provide an investor with a direct interest in a group of assets (generally, oil and gas properties). Publicly traded partnership units typically trade publicly, like stock, and thus may provide the investor more liquidity than ordinary limited partnerships. Publicly traded partnerships are also called master limited partnerships and public limited partnerships. A limited partnership has one or more general partners (they may be individuals, corporations, partnerships or another entity) which manage the partnership, and limited partners, which provide capital to the partnership but have no role in its management. When an investor buys units in a PTP, he or she becomes a limited partner. PTPs are formed in several ways. A non-traded partnership may decide to go public. Several non-traded partnerships may "roll up" into a single PTP. A corporation may spin off a group of assets or part of its business into a PTP of which it is the general partner, either to realize what it believes to be the assets' full value or as an alternative to issuing debt. A corporation may fully convert to a PTP, although since 1986 the tax consequences have made this unappealing; or, a newly formed company may operate as a PTP from its inception.
There are different types of risks to investing in PTPs including regulatory risks and interest rate risks. Currently most partnerships enjoy pass through taxation of their income to partners, which avoids double taxation of earnings. If the government were to change PTP business tax structure, unitholders would not be able to enjoy the relatively high yields in the sector for long. In addition, PTP's which charge government-regulated fees for transportation of oil and gas products through their pipelines are subject to unfavorable changes in government-approved rates and fees, which would affect a PTPs revenue stream negatively. PTPs also carry some interest rate risks. During increases in interest rates, PTPs may not produce decent returns to shareholders.
Income Trusts
The Fund may invest in income trusts which are investment trusts that hold assets that are income producing. The income is passed on to the "unitholders." Each income trust has an operating risk based on its underlying business. The term may also be used to designate a legal entity, capital structure and ownership vehicle for certain assets or businesses. Shares or "trust units" are traded on securities exchanges just like stocks. Income is passed on to the investors, called unitholders, through monthly or quarterly distributions. Historically, distributions have typically been higher than dividends on common stocks. The unitholders are the beneficiaries of a trust, and their units represent their right to participate in the income and capital of the trust. Income trusts generally invest funds in assets that provide a return to the trust and its beneficiaries based on the cash flows of an underlying business. This return is often achieved through the acquisition by the trust of equity and debt instruments, royalty interests or real properties. The trust can receive interest, royalty or lease payments from an operating entity carrying on a business, as well as dividends and a return of capital.
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Each income trust has an operating risk based on its underlying business; and, typically, the higher the yield, the higher the risk. They also have additional risk factors, including, but not limited to, poorer access to debt markets. Similar to a dividend paying stock, income trusts do not guarantee minimum distributions or even return of capital. If the business starts to lose money, the trust can reduce or even eliminate distributions; this is usually accompanied by sharp losses in a unit's market value. Since the yield is one of the main attractions of income trusts, there is the risk that trust units will decline in value if interest rates offering in competing markets, such as in the cash/treasury market, increase. Interest rate risk is also present within the trusts themselves because they hold very long- term capital assets (e.g. pipelines, power plants, etc.), and much of the excess distributable income is derived from a maturity (or duration) mismatch between the life of the asset, and the life of the financing associated with it. In an increasing interest rate environment, not only does the attractiveness of trust distributions decrease, but quite possibly, the distributions may themselves decrease, leading to a double whammy of both declining yield and substantial loss of unitholder value. Because most income is passed on to unitholders, rather than reinvested in the business, in some cases, a trust can become a wasting asset unless more equity is issued. Because many income trusts pay out more than their net income, the unitholder equity (capital) may decline over time. To the extent that the value of the trust is driven by the deferral or reduction of tax, any change in government tax regulations to remove the benefit will reduce the value of the trusts. Generally, income trusts also carry the same risks as dividend paying stocks that are traded on stock markets.
Real Estate Investment Trusts ("REITs")
The Fund may invest in equity interests or debt obligations issued by REITs. REITs are pooled investment vehicles which invest primarily in income producing real estate or real estate related loans or interest. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income primarily from the collection of rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling property that has appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of interest payments. Similar to investment companies, REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with several requirements of the Code. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses incurred by REITs in which the Fund invests in addition to the expenses incurred directly by the Fund.
Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified, are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and self-liquidation. REITs are also subject to the possibilities of failing to qualify for tax free pass-through of income under the Code and failing to maintain their exemption from registration under the 1940 Act.
REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risks. When interest rates decline, the value of a REIT's investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a REIT's investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to decline. In contrast, as interest rates on adjustable rate mortgage loans are reset periodically, yields on a REIT's investment in such loans will gradually align themselves to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed-rate obligations.
Investment in REITs involves risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. These risks include:
● | limited financial resources; |
● | infrequent or limited trading; |
● | more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities; and |
● | in addition, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, historically have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500 Index. |
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Repurchase Agreements
The Fund may invest in fully collateralized repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a short-term investment in which the purchaser (i.e., the Fund) acquires ownership of a security and the seller agrees to repurchase the obligation at a future time at a set price, thereby determining the yield during the purchaser's holding period (usually not more than 7 days from the date of purchase). 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. However, the Fund intends to enter into repurchase agreements only with its custodian, other banks with assets of $1 billion or more and registered securities dealers determined by the Adviser or Sub- Adviser to be creditworthy. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser monitors the creditworthiness of the banks and securities dealers with which the Fund engages in repurchase transactions. The Fund may not enter into a repurchase agreement with a term of more than seven days if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of its net assets would then be invested in such repurchase agreements and other illiquid investments.
Reverse Repurchase Transactions
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase transactions. In a reverse repurchase transaction, the Fund concurrently agrees to sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers, and to repurchase the same securities at a later date at a mutually agreed upon price. The repurchase price generally is equal to the original sales price plus interest. The Fund retains record ownership of the securities and the right to receive interest and principal payments. The Fund will enter into a reverse repurchase transaction in order to obtain funds to pursue additional investment opportunities with a return in excess of the cost of the reverse repurchase transaction. Such transactions may increase fluctuations in the market value of Fund assets and may be viewed as a form of leverage. Reverse purchase transactions also involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which the Fund is obligated to repurchase the securities. In the event of bankruptcy or other default by the purchaser, the Fund could experience both delays in repurchasing the portfolio securities and losses. The Fund will enter into reverse purchase transactions only with parties whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser.
Reverse purchase transactions are considered by the SEC to be borrowings by the Fund under the 1940 Act. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse purchase transaction, it will direct its custodian to place in a segregated account assets (such as cash or liquid securities consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions) having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest). The Fund will monitor the account to ensure that the market value of the account equals the amount of the Fund's commitments to repurchase securities.
Rights
Rights are usually granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock before it is issued to the public. The right entitles its holder to buy common stock at a specified price. Rights have similar features to warrants, except that the life of a right is typically much shorter, usually a few weeks. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser believes rights may become underpriced if they are sold without regard to value and if analysts do not include them in their research. The risk in investing in rights is that the Adviser or Sub-Adviser might miscalculate their value resulting in a loss to the Fund. Another risk is the underlying common stock may not reach the Adviser's or Sub-Adviser's anticipated price within the life of the right.
Short Sales
The Fund may seek to realize additional gains or hedge investments by selling a security short. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security that it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market price of the security. To complete the short sale, the Fund must arrange through a broker to borrow the security in order to deliver it to the buyer. The Fund is obligated to replace the borrowed security by purchasing it at a market price at or prior to the time it must be returned to the lender. The price at which the Fund is required to replace the borrowed security may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the Fund. Until the security is replaced, the Fund is required to repay the lender any dividends or interest attributable to the borrowed security that may accrue during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, the Fund may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. Until the short position is closed out, the Fund also will incur fees and other transaction costs.
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The net proceeds of the short sale plus any additional cash collateral will be retained by the broker to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements and provide a collateral cushion in the event that the value of the security sold short increases. The Fund will receive the net proceeds after it closes out the short position by replacing the borrowed security. Until the Fund closes the short position, the Fund also must maintain a segregated account with its custodian consisting of cash or other liquid securities in an amount at least equal to (i) the current market value of the security sold short, (ii) less any collateral deposited with the broker (not including the proceeds of the short sale). The assets in the segregated account are marked to market daily. The collateral held by the broker and the segregated account with the custodian will not necessarily limit the Fund's potential loss on a short sale, which is unlimited.
The Fund will incur a loss if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security. The Fund will realize a gain if the price of the security declines between those dates. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of any premium, dividend, interest or expenses the Fund may be required to pay in connection with the short sale. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to close out a short position at any particular time or at an acceptable price.
STRIPS
The Federal Reserve creates STRIPS (Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities) by separating the coupon payments and the principal payment from an outstanding Treasury security and selling them as individual securities. To the extent the Fund purchases the principal portion of the STRIP, the Fund will not receive regular interest payments. Instead they are sold at a deep discount from their face value. The Fund will accrue income on such STRIPS for tax and accounting purposes, in accordance with applicable law, which income is distributable to shareholders. Because no cash is received at the time such income is accrued, the Fund may be required to liquidate other Fund securities to satisfy its distribution obligations. Because the principal portion of the STRIP does not pay current income, its price can be very volatile when interest rates change. In calculating its dividend, the Fund takes into account as income a portion of the difference between the principal portion of the STRIP's purchase price and its face value.
Time Deposits and Variable Rate Notes
The Fund may invest in fixed time deposits, whether or not subject to withdrawal penalties.
The commercial paper obligations which the Fund may buy are unsecured and may include variable rate notes. The nature and terms of a variable rate note (i.e., a "Master Note") permit the Fund to invest fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement between the Fund as Lender, and the issuer, as borrower. It permits daily changes in the amounts borrowed. The Fund has the right at any time to increase, up to the full amount stated in the note agreement, or to decrease the amount outstanding under the note. The issuer may prepay at any time and without penalty any part of or the full amount of the note. The note may or may not be backed by one or more bank letters of credit. Because these notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and the issuer, it is not generally contemplated that they will be traded; moreover, there is currently no secondary market for them. Except as specifically provided in the Prospectus, there is no limitation on the type of issuer from whom these notes may be purchased; however, in connection with such purchase and on an ongoing basis, the Fund's Adviser or Sub-Adviser will consider the earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of the issuer, and its ability to pay principal and interest on demand, including a situation in which all holders of such notes made demand simultaneously. Variable rate notes are subject to the Fund's investment restriction on illiquid securities unless such notes can be put back to the issuer on demand within seven days.
U.S. Government Securities
The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities. These securities may be backed by the credit of the government as a whole or only by the issuing agency. U.S. Treasury bonds, notes, and bills and some agency securities, such as those issued by the Federal Housing Administration and Ginnie Mae, are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government as to payment of principal and interest and are the highest quality government securities. Other securities issued by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities, such as securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Banks and Freddie Mac, are supported only by the credit of the agency that issued them, and not by the U.S. government. Securities issued by the Federal Farm Credit System, the Federal Land Banks, and Fannie Mae are supported by the agency's right to borrow money from the U.S. Treasury under certain circumstances, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
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The Fund's investments in U.S. Government securities may include agency step-up obligations. These obligations are structured with a coupon rate that "steps-up" periodically over the life of the obligation. Step-up obligations typically contain a call option, permitting the issuer to buy back the obligation upon exercise of the option. Step-up obligations are designed for investors who are unwilling to invest in a long-term security in a low interest rate environment. Step-up obligations are used in an attempt to reduce the risk of a price decline should interest rates rise significantly at any time during the life of the obligation. However, step-up obligations also carry the risk that market interest rates may be significantly below the new, stepped-up coupon rate. If this occurs, the issuer of the obligation likely will exercise the call option, leaving investors with cash to reinvest. As a result, these obligations may expose the Fund to the risk that proceeds from a called security may be reinvested in another security paying a lower rate of interest.
Warrants
Warrants are securities that are usually issued with a bond or preferred stock but may trade separately in the market. A warrant allows its holder to purchase a specified amount of common stock at a specified price for a specified time. The risk in investing in warrants is the Adviser or Sub-Adviser might miscalculate their value, resulting in a loss to the Fund. Another risk is the warrants will not realize their value because the underlying common stock does reach the Adviser's or Sub-Adviser's anticipated price within the life of the warrant.
When-Issued, Forward Commitments and Delayed Settlements
The Fund may purchase and sell securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed settlement basis. In this event, the Fund's custodian will segregate liquid assets equal to the amount of the commitment in a separate account. Normally, the custodian will set aside portfolio securities to satisfy a purchase commitment. In such a case, the Fund subsequently may be required to segregate additional assets in order to assure that the value of the account remains equal to the amount of the Fund's commitment. It may be expected that the Fund's net assets will fluctuate to a greater degree when it sets aside portfolio securities to cover such purchase commitments than when it sets aside cash.
The Fund does not intend to engage in these transactions for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of its investment objectives. Because the Fund will segregate liquid assets to satisfy its purchase commitments in the manner described, the Fund's liquidity and the ability of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser to manage them may be affected in the event the Fund's forward commitments, commitments to purchase when-issued securities and delayed settlements ever exceeded 15% of the value of its net assets.
The Fund will purchase securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed settlement basis only with the intention of completing the transaction. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, the Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into and may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. In these cases, the Fund may realize a taxable capital gain or loss. When the Fund engages in when-issued, forward commitment and delayed settlement transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in the Fund incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price credited to be advantageous.
The market value of the securities underlying a when-issued purchase, forward commitment to purchase securities, or a delayed settlement and any subsequent fluctuations in their market value is taken into account when determining the market value of the Fund starting on the day the Fund agrees to purchase the securities. The Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until it has paid for and delivered on the settlement date.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund may sell a portfolio investment soon after its acquisition if the Adviser or Sub-Adviser believes that such a disposition is consistent with attaining the investment objective of the Fund. Investments may be sold for a variety of reasons, such as a more favorable investment opportunity or other circumstances bearing on the desirability of continuing to hold such investments. A high rate of portfolio turnover (over 100%) may involve correspondingly greater transaction costs, which must be borne directly by the Fund and ultimately by its shareholders. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of substantial net capital gains. To the extent short-term capital gains are realized, distributions attributable to such gains will be ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.
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Investment Restrictions
Fundamental Investment Limitations. The investment limitations described below have been adopted by the Trust with respect to the Fund and are fundamental ("Fundamental") (i.e., they may not be changed without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund). As used in the Prospectus and the SAI, the term "majority" of the outstanding shares of the Fund means the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund is present or represented at such meeting; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Other investment practices, which may be changed by the Board of Trustees without the approval of shareholders to the extent permitted by applicable law, regulation or regulatory policy, are considered non-fundamental ("Non-Fundamental").
1. Borrowing Money. The Fund will not borrow money, except: (a) from a bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings of the Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for temporary purposes only, provided that such temporary borrowings are in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Fund's total assets at the time when the borrowing is made. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from entering into reverse repurchase transactions, provided that the Fund has an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings and repurchase commitments of the Fund pursuant to reverse repurchase transactions.
2. Senior Securities. The Fund will not issue senior securities. This limitation is not applicable to activities that may be deemed to be similar to the issuance or sale of a senior security by the Fund, provided that the Fund's engagement in such activities is consistent with or permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the SEC or its staff.
3. Underwriting. The Fund will not act as underwriter of securities issued by other persons. This limitation is not applicable to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities (including restricted securities), the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under certain federal securities laws.
4. Real Estate. The Fund will not purchase or sell real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities that are secured by or represent interests in real estate. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from investing in mortgage-related securities or investing in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including real estate investment trusts).
5. Commodities. The Fund will not purchase or sell commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from purchasing or selling options or futures contracts on commodities, from investing in securities or other instruments backed by commodities or from investing in companies, which are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities.
6. Loans. The Fund will not make loans to other persons, except: (a) by loaning portfolio securities (limited at any given time to no more than one-third of the Fund's total assets); (b) by engaging in repurchase agreements; or (c) by purchasing nonpublicly offered debt securities. For purposes of this limitation, the term "loans" shall not include the purchase of a portion of an issue of publicly distributed bonds, debentures or other securities.
7. Concentration. The Fund will not invest 25% or more of its total assets in a particular industry or group of industries. This limitation is not applicable to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities or repurchase agreements with respect thereto.
With respect to the percentages adopted by the Trust as maximum limitations on its investment policies and limitations, an excess above the fixed percentage will not be a violation of the policy or limitation unless the excess results immediately and directly from the acquisition of any security or the action taken. This paragraph does not apply to the borrowing policy set forth in paragraph 1 above.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing limitations, any investment company, whether organized as a trust, association or corporation, or a personal holding company, may be merged or consolidated with or acquired by the Trust, provided that if such merger, consolidation or acquisition results in an investment in the securities of any issuer prohibited by said paragraphs, the Trust shall, within ninety days after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or acquisition, dispose of all of the securities of such issuer so acquired or such portion thereof as shall bring the total investment therein within the limitations imposed by said paragraphs above as of the date of consummation.
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In addition, the Fund has elected to be classified as a diversified fund as defined by the 1940 Act, which election may not be changed without approval by a "majority of the outstanding shares" of the Fund as described above.
Non-Fundamental. The following limitations have been adopted by the Trust with respect to the Fund and are Non-Fundamental (see "Investment Limitations - Fundamental" above).
1. Pledging. The Fund will not mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness, any assets of the Fund except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings described in limitation (1) above. Margin deposits, security interests, liens, and collateral arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other permitted investments and techniques are not deemed to be a mortgage, pledge or hypothecation of assets for purposes of this limitation.
2. Borrowing. The Fund will not purchase any security while borrowings (including reverse repurchase agreements) representing more than one-third of its total assets are outstanding.
3. Margin Purchases. The Fund will not purchase securities or evidences of interest thereon on "margin." This limitation is not applicable to short-term credit obtained by the Fund for the clearance of purchases and sales or redemption of securities, or to arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, or futures contracts.
Other Investment Limitations. Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 of the Act, the Fund will not invest 15% or more of its net assets in illiquid securities such of those which there are legal or contractual restrictions on resale and other illiquid securities. However, if more than 15% of Fund net assets are illiquid, the Fund's Adviser or Sub-Adviser will reduce illiquid assets such that they do not represent more than 15% of Fund assets, subject to timing and other considerations which are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
The Board supervises the business activities of the Trust and appoints the officers. Each Trustee serves as a trustee until the termination of the Trust unless the Trustee dies, resigns, retires or is removed. As of the date of this SAI, the Fund is the only series in the Trust. The Board will generally meet four (4) times a year to review the progress and status of the Fund.
Board of Trustees
The Trust is led by Taylor Gallegos, who has served as the Chairperson of the Board and President since November 2024 and as Treasurer since November 2022. Ms. Gallegos is an interested person of the Trust under the 1940 Act by virtue of her status as an interested person (officer) of the Adviser. The Board is comprised of two interested Trustees ("Interested Trustees") and four independent Trustees, those who are not interested persons of the Trust under the 1940 Act ("Independent Trustees"). Additionally, because certain 1940 Act governance guidelines may apply to the Trust from time to time, the Independent Trustees will meet in executive session, at least quarterly. Under the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, the Chairperson of the Board, in his capacity as a Trustee and officer is generally responsible for (a) presiding at board meetings, (b) calling special meetings on an as-needed basis, (c) execution and administration of Trust policies including (i) setting the agendas for board meetings and (ii) providing information to board members in advance of each board meeting and between board meetings. Generally, the Trust believes it best to have an executive Chairperson of the Board, who also serves as President (principal executive officer) and who is seen by our shareholders, business partners and other stakeholders as providing strong leadership. The Trust believes that its Chairperson, the independent chairperson of the Board's Audit Committee, and, as an entity, the full Board, provide effective leadership that is in the best interests of the Trust, this Fund and each shareholder because of the Board's collective business acumen and strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate.
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The Board believes that each Trustee's experience, qualifications, attributes or skills, on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees, lead to the conclusion that the Board possesses the requisite skills and attributes to carry out its oversight responsibilities with respect to the Trust. The Board believes that the Trustees' ability to review, critically evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Trust's other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support this conclusion. In reaching its conclusion, the Board also has considered the (i) experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills, among others, of its members, (ii) each member's character and integrity, (iii) the length of service as a board member of the Trust, (iv) each person's willingness to serve and ability to commit the time necessary to perform the duties of a Trustee, and (v) as to each Independent Trustee, such Trustee's status as not being an "interested person" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply to each Trustee.
In determining that each Trustee is qualified to serve on the Board, the Board considers a variety of criteria, including actual service, commitment, and participation of each member during his tenure with the Fund. The following are additional qualifications of each Trustee:
Taylor Gallegos began her career in public accounting as an auditor for non-profit and governmental entities in Corpus Christi, Texas and the surrounding areas. Ms. Gallegos later moved into the private sector, providing audit and tax services to a variety of companies in the greater Houston, Texas area. Ms. Gallegos joined Rocky Mountain as controller of the firm in May 2004. In 2008, Mrs. Gallegos became Vice President of Rocky Mountain. Ms. Gallegos received her B.B.A. in Accounting & Finance from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Andrew Parmet began his career as a trader on the floor of the NYSE. He next joined TD Ameritrade, where he built their institutional block trading desk. After serving as Head Trader for five (5) years, he left TD Ameritrade for TradeStation Securities. Andrew served as Head of Exchange Traded Products at TradeStation until its acquisition by Monex Group, Inc. in 2016. He then worked as a Trader for Cantor Fitzgerald on its prominent ETF market making desk. In December of 2019, Andrew became a portfolio manager at Rocky Mountain. Andrew has served as a Board Member and Secretary of the Dallas Securities Traders Association. He received his B.S. in Economics from Lehigh University.
Hope Nawada has served in a variety of leadership roles across a broad range of businesses spanning "Big Four" accounting, consulting, start-up, global marketing, and leading niche software solution providers making her a versatile professional with a diverse range of skills and expertise. Ms. Nawada has served as Vice President of Investment Solutions for Vitech Systems Group, since 2003. She leads all aspects of Vitech's Investment practice, a vertical in which Vitech provides its proprietary enterprise software solution, implementation services, and ongoing support to Investment and Insurance organizations. Her role encompasses developing and implementing strategic plans for the practice area as well as building and managing internal teams. Ms. Nawada has a BA from Lehigh University and a master's degree in education from Lehigh University.
Julie O'Neal had a thirty-year career in fund administration and retired in 2018 as Vice President of Operations from ALPS Alternative Investment Services (formerly, Price Meadows, Inc.). She participated in the growth of the company from three employees in one office to over two hundred employees in eight locations. Ms. O'Neal was responsible for operational teams including audit, tax, internal controls and client services. She was also a member of the executive leadership and strategic planning committees. Ms. O'Neal and her teams oversaw the monthly accounting, internal controls and annual audits for over three hundred client funds.
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Brett Dolan has served as the Chief Human Resources Officer for W.E. O'Neil, a commercial construction company, since July 2023. Prior to his current position, Mr. Dolan was Director, Human Resources for Goodfellow Bros. LLC, Goodfellow Bros. California, LLC and Blasting Technology, Inc. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for overseeing all human resources functions, including developing and implementing HR policies and procedures, supporting strategic operational objectives, compensation and total rewards, including managing the 401(k), profit- sharing, and deferred compensation plan, employee relations, employee wellness and benefits, employee development, compliance, and recruiting and retention. Prior to Goodfellow, he was the Director, Human Resources for PCL Construction, Inc., a general contractor headquartered in Denver, Colorado where he worked for 17+ years in various human resource capacities. Mr. Dolan has been engaged in various capacities in civic and non-profit organizations including Vice Chair/Executive Committee Member/Board Member for American Red Cross, Chair of Emerging Leaders Council/Board Representative/Tocqueville Ambassador Committee Member/Strategic Planning Committee Member for Mile High United Way, and Executive Director for Construction Personnel Executive Group. He was a graduate of the 2012 Denver Chamber of Commerce Leadership Denver program, was recognized by Denver Business Journal as Top 40 Under 40, as Top 20 Under 40 by Engineering News Record Magazine in the Mountain West Region, and a Top 25 Most Influential Young Professional by Colorado Business Magazine. Mr. Dolan graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio with a BS in Finance.
Meechel Munger is an experienced fund Controller with a strong history in the financial services industry. Ms. Munger currently serves as Controller for Aduro Advisors LLC, a venture capital fund accounting firm. Prior to her current position, she has served in various fund accounting roles with Unico Properties LLC and ALPS Fund Services. She has experience with financial statements, including U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), fund of funds vehicles and equity products. Ms. Munger received a Bachelor's of Administration focused in Finance, from Texas A&M University.
References to the experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills of Trustees are pursuant to requirements of the SEC, do not constitute the holding out of the Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board by reason thereof.
The Trustees of the Trust, their addresses, positions with the Trust, ages, term of office and length of time served, principal occupations during the past five years, the number of portfolios in the Fund Complex overseen by each Trustee and other directorships, if any, held by the Trustees, are set forth below.
The Board is also responsible for overseeing the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided to the Fund by the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis (following the initial two-year period), in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Advisory Agreement with the Adviser and the Sub-Advisory Agreement with the Sub-Adviser, the Board or its designee may meet with the Adviser and Sub- Adviser, as appropriate, to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser's and the Sub- Adviser's adherence to the Fund's investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about the Fund's performance and the Fund's investments, including, for example, portfolio holdings schedules.
The Trust's Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues and Fund, Adviser or Sub-Adviser risk assessments. At least annually, the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust's policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; any material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and any material compliance matters since the date of the last report.
The Board receives reports from the Fund's service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. Annually, the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of the Fund's financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Fund and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Fund's internal controls. Additionally, in connection with its oversight function, the Board oversees Fund management's implementation of disclosure controls and procedures, which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in its periodic reports with the SEC are recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the required time periods. The Board also oversees the Trust's internal controls over financial reporting, which comprise policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Trust's financial reporting and the preparation of the Trust's financial statements.
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From their review of these reports and discussions with the Adviser, the Chief Compliance Officer, the independent registered public accounting firm and other service providers, the Board and the Audit Committee learn in detail about the material risks of the Fund, thereby facilitating a dialogue about how management and service providers identify and mitigate those risks.
The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified and/or quantified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Fund's goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Board as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the Fund's investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Adviser and other service providers, including the Sub-Adviser, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and the methods by which one or more risk management functions are carried out may differ from the Fund's and each other's in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board's ability to monitor and manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
The following table provides information regarding each Independent Trustee.
Name, Address(1) and Year of Birth |
Position(s) Held with the Trust |
Term of Office/Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee(2) |
Other Directorships Held by Trustee During Past 5 Years |
Hope Nawada Born: 1974 |
Trustee | Indefinite, since November 2022 | Vice President, Solution Consulting, Vitech Systems Group, Inc. (an investment software provider for insurance and retirement plans) (April 2003 - present). | 1 | None |
Julie O'Neal Born: 1962 |
Trustee | Indefinite, since November 2022 | Retired (May 2022 - present); Vice President of Customer Success, Edvenswa Tech (Tech Consulting) (October 2021 - April 2022). | 1 | None |
Brett Dolan Born: 1973 |
Trustee | Indefinite, since November 2022 | Chief Human Resources Officer, W.E. O'Neil, (commercial construction company) (July 2023 - present); Director, Human Resources, Goodfellow Bros., LLC (civil construction company) (June 2019 - present). | 1 | None |
Meechel Munger Born: 1972 |
Trustee | Indefinite, since November 2022 | Controller, Aduro Advisors LLC (venture capital fund accounting firm) (March 2022- present); Senior Accountant, Unico Properties LLC (fund accounting firm) (July 2021 - February 2022); Accountant, ALPS Fund Services (November 2003 - June 2021). | 1 | None |
(1) | Unless otherwise specified, the mailing address of each Trustee is c/o RM Opportunity Trust, 2245 Texas Drive, Suite 300, Sugar Land, TX 77479. |
(2) | The "Fund Complex" consists of the Fund. |
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The following table provides information regarding each Interested Trustee and each officer of the Trust.
Name, Address(1) and Year of Birth |
Position(s) Held with the Fund |
Term of Office/Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee(2) |
Other Directorships Held by Trustee During Past 5 Years |
Taylor Gallegos Born: 1975 |
Trustee and Treasurer (since November 2022); Chairperson and President(3) (since November 2024) | Indefinite, since November 2022 | Vice President and Controller, Rocky Mountain Private Wealth Management, L.L.C. (since January 2008). | 1 | None |
Andrew Parmet Born: 1985 |
Trustee, Secretary | Indefinite, since November 2022 | Trader/Portfolio Manager, Rocky Mountain Private Wealth Management, L.L.C. (January 2020 - present); Trader, Meridian Equity Partners (April 2017 - December 2019). | 1 | None |
Shealyn Sullivan Born: 1969 |
Chief Compliance Officer | Indefinite, since November 2022 | Managing Member, LiftBridge Consulting, LLC (March 2023 - present); Compliance Consultant, Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (October 2021 - present); Partner, Barrington Partners, LLC (2016 - present). | N/A | N/A |
Deryk Jones Born: 1988 |
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer | Indefinite, since July 2023 | Compliance Analyst, Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (March 2018 - present). | N/A | N/A |
(1) | Unless otherwise specified, the mailing address of each Trustee and officer is c/o RM Opportunity Trust, 2245 Texas Drive, Suite 300, Sugar Land, TX 77479. |
(2) | The "Fund Complex" consists of the Fund. |
(3) | Effective as of November 6, 2024, Gabriel Gallegos resigned as a Trustee, Chairperson and President of the Trust. |
Board Committees
The Trust's Audit Committee consists of Hope Nawada, Julie O'Neal, Brett Dolan and Meechel Munger, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Meechel Munger has been designated as an "audit committee financial expert" as defined under Item 407 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act") and serves as the Chair of the Audit Committee. Effective November 11, 2022, the Chair of the Audit Committee receives $500 per meeting. The Audit Committee is responsible for (i) overseeing the accounting and financial reporting policies and practices of the Fund, their internal controls and, as appropriate, the internal controls of certain service providers; (ii) overseeing the quality and objectivity of the Fund's financial statements and the independent audit of the financial statements; and (iii) acting as a liaison between the Fund's independent auditors and the full Board. None of the Audit Committee members are "Interested" as defined in the 1940 Act. The Audit Committee held two (2) meetings during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023.
The Trust does not have a formal nominating committee, but the Audit Committee will perform nominating committee functions, as needed. The Trust does not intend to accept trustee nominations submitted by shareholders, except as may be required by law. Presently, there is not a legal requirement to accept trustee nominations submitted by shareholders.
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Compensation
Effective November 11, 2022, each Trustee who is not affiliated with the Trust, Adviser or Sub-Adviser receives $8,000 per year plus any out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with the Board's policy on travel and other business expenses relating to attendance at meetings. The foregoing compensation is paid in quarterly payments. The "interested persons" who serve as Trustees of the Trust receive no compensation for their services as Trustees. None of the executive officers receive compensation from the Trust.
Annual Trustee fees may be reviewed periodically and changed by the Board.
The compensation paid to each Trustee by the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023 was as follows:
AGGREGATE COMPENSATION FROM THE Trust | ||||
RM Greyhawk Fund |
Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses |
Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement |
Total Compensation from the Fund and Fund Complex |
|
Interested Trustee | ||||
Gabriel Gallegos* | None | None | None | None |
Taylor Gallegos | None | None | None | None |
Andrew Parmet | None | None | None | None |
Independent Trustees | ||||
Hope Nawada | $8,000 | None | None | $8,000 |
Julie O'Neal | $8,000 | None | None | $8,000 |
Brett Dolan | $8,000 | None | None | $8,000 |
Meechel Munger | $10,000 | None | None | $10,000 |
* | Effective as of November 6, 2024, Gabriel Gallegos resigned as a Trustee of the Trust. |
Trustee and Management Ownership
As of December 1, 2023, the Trustees beneficially owned the following amounts in the Fund and Fund Complex, respectively:
Name of Trustee |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in Fund Complex* Overseen by Trustee |
Gabriel Gallegos** | $0 | $0 |
Taylor Gallegos | $0 | $0 |
Andrew Parmet | $0 | $0 |
Hope Nawada | $0 | $0 |
Julie O'Neal | $0 | $0 |
Brett Dolan | $0 | $0 |
Meechel Munger | $0 | $0 |
* | Fund Complex refers to the Fund. |
** | Effective as of November 6, 2024, Gabriel Gallegos resigned as a Trustee of the Trust. |
As of December 1, 2023, the Trustees, as a group, owned less than 1% of the Fund's outstanding shares.
CODE OF ETHICS
Pursuant to the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and in order to protect against certain unlawful acts, practices and courses of business by certain individuals or entities related to the Fund, the Trust, Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC (the "Distributor"), Adviser and the Sub-Adviser have each adopted a Code of Ethics and procedures for implementing the provisions of their respective Code. The personnel of the Trust, Adviser and the Sub-Adviser are permitted to purchase securities including those that may be purchased, held, or sold by the Fund, subject to the Code of Ethics.
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CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
Control Persons
A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A control person is one who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledged the existence of control. A shareholder who controls the Fund can determine the outcome of any proposal submitted to the shareholders for approval, including changes to the Fund's fundamental policies or the terms of the management agreement with the Adviser or Sub-Adviser.
As of December 1, 2023, the name, address and percentage ownership of each shareholder that owned of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of the Fund were as follows:
NAME AND ADDRESS |
% OF SHARES OWNED |
NATURE OF OWNERSHIP |
National Financial Services LLC |
100.00% | Record |
As of December 1, 2023, the name, address and percentage ownership of each shareholder that owned of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund as follows:
NAME AND ADDRESS |
% OF SHARES OWNED |
National Financial Services LLC |
100.00% |
As of December 1, 2023, the Trustees and officers of the Fund, in the aggregate, owned less than 1% of the shares of the Fund.
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INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
INVESTMENT ADVISER
The Trustees selected Rocky Mountain as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is located at 2245 Texas Drive, Suite 300, Sugar Land, TX 77479 and is owned and controlled by Gabriel Gallegos and Taylor Gallegos. As of October 31, 2023, the Adviser had approximately $109.7 million in assets under management.
Subject to the supervision and direction of the Trustees, the Adviser manages the Fund's securities and investments (directly or through a sub-adviser or sub-advisers) in accordance with the Fund's stated investment objectives and policies, makes investment decisions and places orders to purchase and sell securities on behalf of the Fund. The fee paid to the Adviser is governed by an investment management agreement ("Management Agreement") between the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and the Adviser. Pursuant to the Management Agreement, the Fund pays the Adviser, on a monthly basis, an annual advisory fee equivalent to 1.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets. During the past three fiscal years ended August 31, the Fund paid the following fees to the Adviser under the Management Agreement:
Fund | 2023(2) | 2022 | 2021 |
RM Greyhawk Fund(1) | $464,056 | N/A | N/A |
(1) | The Fund commenced operations on December 27, 2022. |
(2) | During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Adviser voluntarily waived $36,294 of fees payable to it under the Management Agreement, resulting in $427,762 net fees paid to the Adviser during the period. The Adviser may not recoup voluntarily waived fees from the Fund. |
Under the Management Agreement, the Adviser, under the supervision of the Board, agrees to invest the assets of the Fund in accordance with applicable law and the investment objective, policies and restrictions set forth in the Fund's current Prospectus and SAI, and subject to such further limitations as the Trust may from time to time impose by written notice to the Adviser. The Adviser shall act as the investment adviser to the Fund and, as such shall, directly or through a sub-adviser, (i) obtain and evaluate such information relating to the economy, industries, business, securities markets and securities as it may deem necessary or useful in discharging its responsibilities here under, (ii) formulate a continuing program for the investment of the assets of the Fund in a manner consistent with its investment objective, policies and restrictions, and (iii) determine from time to time securities to be purchased, sold, retained or lent by the Fund, and implement those decisions, including the selection of entities with or through which such purchases, sales or loans are to be effected; provided, that the Adviser and/or any sub-adviser will place orders pursuant to its investment determinations either directly with the issuer or with a broker or dealer, and if with a broker or dealer, (a) will attempt to obtain the best price and execution of its orders, and (b) may nevertheless in its discretion purchase and sell portfolio securities from and to brokers who provide the Adviser or Sub-Adviser with research, analysis, advice and similar services and pay such brokers in return a higher commission or spread than may be charged by other brokers. The Adviser also provides the Fund with all necessary office facilities and personnel for servicing the Fund's investments, compensates all officers, Trustees and employees of the Trust who are officers, directors or employees of the Adviser, and all personnel of the Fund or the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities.
The Management Agreement was initially approved by the Board, including by a majority of the Independent Trustees, at meetings held on November 11, 2022 and November 22, 2022. The Management Agreement continues in effect for two years initially and thereafter shall continue from year to year provided such continuance is approved at least annually by: (a) a vote of the majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting specifically called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (b) the majority vote of either all of the Trustees or the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The Management Agreement may be terminated without penalty on 60 days' written notice by a vote of a majority of the Trustees or by the Adviser, or by holders of a majority of the Fund's outstanding shares. The Management Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
SUB-ADVISER
The Trustees and Adviser have selected Spectrum Asset Management, Inc. (the "Sub-Adviser") as the investment sub-adviser to the Fund. The Sub-Adviser is located at located at 2 High Ridge Park, Stamford, CT 06905 and has 35 years of experience providing investment sub-advisory services to pooled investment vehicles, including mutual funds and private funds. As of October 31, 2023, the Sub-Adviser had approximately $19.89 billion in assets under management.
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Subject to the supervision and direction of the Trustees and the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser provides the Adviser and the Fund with investment research, investment analysis, portfolio construction, and trade execution and assists the Adviser in managing the Fund's securities and investments in accordance with the Fund's stated investment objectives and policies and places orders to purchase and sell securities on behalf of the Fund. The fee paid to the Sub-Adviser is governed by an investment sub-advisory management agreement ("Sub-Advisory Agreement") between the Adviser and Sub-Adviser. Pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Sub-Adviser is entitled to receive from the Adviser (not from the Fund), on a monthly basis, an annual sub-advisory fee based on the Fund's average daily net assets that the Sub-Adviser manages. The Sub-Advisory Agreement will continue in effect for two years initially and thereafter shall continue from year to year provided such continuance is approved at least annually by (a) a vote of the majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting specifically called for the purpose of voting on such approval and by (b) the majority vote of either all of the Trustees or the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The Sub- Advisory Agreement may be terminated without penalty on 60 days' written notice by a vote of a majority of the Trustees or by the Adviser, or by holders of a majority of that Trust's outstanding shares. The Sub-Advisory Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment. The Sub-Advisory Agreement was initially approved by the Board, including by a majority of the Independent Trustees, at meetings held on November 11, 2022 and November 22, 2022.
ADVISORY BOARD
The Adviser may establish an advisory board for the Fund (the "Advisory Board"), which is a committee selected by the Adviser that would provide non-binding, strategic advice to the Fund's management team. Unlike the Board, the Advisory Board shall not have the authority to vote on Trust matters or bear legal fiduciary responsibilities. Furthermore, the Advisory Board shall not be responsible for supporting the Fund in its investment activities.
In the event that the Adviser establishes an Advisory Board, the Advisory Board's members would provide high-level advice and non-biased information and recommendations to the Fund's management team. The Adviser shall select any Advisory Board members that have a good understanding of the investment management business, market and industry trends, and are able to provide insight on issues raised by the management team. The Advisory Board would provide unbiased insights and ideas from a separate point-of-view, encourage and support the exploration of new ideas, and act as a resource for the Fund. Meetings with the Advisory Board members, if any, shall take place on an ad-hoc basis with the Fund's management team.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Set forth below is information regarding the individuals identified in the Fund's Prospectus as primarily responsible for the day- to-day management of the Fund.
As of August 31, 2023, the portfolio managers were responsible for the management of the following other types of accounts (other than the Fund):
Gabriel Gallegos
Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Account Type |
Total Assets by Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Total Assets by Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Registered Investment Companies | 1 | $52,373,136 | None | None |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 3 | $50,259,726 | 3 | $3,710,935 |
Other Accounts | 1 | $8,790,926 | None | None |
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L. Phillip Jacoby, IV
Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Account Type |
Total Assets by Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Total Assets by Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Registered Investment Companies | 9 | $10.4 billion | 0 | $0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 7 | $4.2 billion | 0 | $0 |
Other Accounts | 70 | $6.5 billion | 0 | $0 |
Roberto Giangregorio
Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Account Type |
Total Assets by Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Total Assets by Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Registered Investment Companies | 9 | $10.4 billion | 0 | $0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 7 | $4.2 billion | 0 | $0 |
Other Accounts | 70 | $6.5 billion | 0 | $0 |
Fernando Diaz
Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Account Type |
Total Assets by Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Total Assets by Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Registered Investment Companies | 9 | $10.4 billion | 0 | $0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 7 | $4.2 billion | 0 | $0 |
Other Accounts | 70 | $6.5 billion | 0 | $0 |
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Manu Krishnan
Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Account Type |
Total Assets by Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Total Assets by Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Registered Investment Companies | 9 | $10.4 billion | 0 | $0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 7 | $4.2 billion | 0 | $0 |
Other Accounts | 70 | $6.5 billion | 0 | $0 |
Satomi Yarnell
Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Account Type |
Total Assets by Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Total Assets by Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Registered Investment Companies | 9 | $10.4 billion | 0 | $0 |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 7 | $4.2 billion | 0 | $0 |
Other Accounts | 70 | $6.5 billion | 0 | $0 |
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
As indicated in the table above, a portfolio manager may manage numerous accounts for multiple clients. These accounts may include registered investment companies, other types of pooled accounts (e.g., collective investment funds), and separate accounts (i.e., accounts managed on behalf of individuals or public or private institutions). The portfolio managers make investment decisions for each account based on the investment objectives and policies and other relevant investment considerations applicable to that portfolio.
When a portfolio manager has responsibility for managing more than one account, potential conflicts of interest may arise. Those conflicts could include preferential treatment of one account over others in terms of allocation of resources or of investment opportunities. For instance, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fee it receives from the Fund, or it may receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. In those instances, the portfolio managers may have an incentive to favor the higher and/or performance-based fee accounts over the Fund. The Sub-Adviser manages other funds commonly known as hedge funds that pay higher fees and performance-based fees. Thus, the Sub-Adviser portfolio managers may have an incentive to favor such funds. However, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser have adopted policies and procedures designed to address these potential material conflicts. For instance, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser each utilizes a system for allocating investment opportunities among portfolios that is designed to provide a fair and equitable allocation.
Each portfolio manager's compensation is based on salary and variable incentive components, including, but not limited to, discretionary bonus and/or a share of the profits of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser (as applicable). Any variable incentive compensation is not tied to the performance of the Fund.
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OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
The following table shows each portfolio manager's ownership of securities of the Fund as of August 31, 2023:
Name of Portfolio Manager |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund |
Gabriel Gallegos | None |
L. Phillip Jacoby, IV | None |
Roberto Giangregorio | None |
Fernando Diaz | None |
Manu Krishnan | None |
Satomi Yarnell | None |
DISTRIBUTOR
Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC, located at 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, OH 45246 (the "Distributor"), is the distributor for the shares of the Fund. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("FINRA"). Shares of the Fund are offered on a continuous basis. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Distributor, as agent in connection with the distribution of Fund shares, will use its reasonable efforts to distribute the Fund's shares.
The Underwriting Agreement provides that, unless sooner terminated, it will continue in effect for two years initially and thereafter shall continue from year to year, subject to annual approval by (a) the Board or a vote of a majority of the outstanding shares, and (b) by a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust or of the Distributor by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Underwriting Agreement may be terminated by the Fund at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the entire Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund on 60 days' written notice to the Distributor, or by the Distributor at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on 60 days' written notice to the Fund. The Underwriting Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment.
RULE 12B-1 PLAN
The Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act for the Fund (the "Plan") pursuant to which the Fund pays fees to the Distributor for providing distribution and/or shareholder services to the Fund. Under the Plan, shares of the Fund may pay an account maintenance fee for account maintenance services and/or distribution fee at an annual rate of up to 0.40% of the Fund's average net assets as compensation for the Distributor providing account maintenance and distribution services to shareholders. Such fees are to be paid by the Fund monthly, or at such other intervals, as the Board shall determine. Such fees shall be based upon the Fund's average daily net assets during the preceding month and shall be calculated and accrued daily. The Fund may pay fees to the Distributor at a lesser rate, as agreed upon by the Board and the Distributor. The Plan authorizes payments to the Distributor as compensation for providing account maintenance services to Fund shareholders, including arranging for certain securities dealers or brokers, administrators, and others ("Recipients") to provide these services and paying compensation for these services.
The services to be provided by Recipients may include, but are not limited to, the following: assistance in the offering and sale of Fund shares and in other aspects of the marketing of the shares to clients or prospective clients of the respective recipients; answering routine inquiries concerning the Fund; assisting in the establishment and maintenance of accounts or sub-accounts in the Fund and in processing purchase and redemption transactions; making the Fund's investment plan and shareholder services available; and providing such other information and services to investors in shares of the Fund as the Distributor or the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, may reasonably request. The distribution services shall also include any advertising and marketing services provided by or arranged by the Distributor with respect to the Fund. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser may be compensated by the Distributor for their distribution and marketing efforts.
The Distributor is required to provide a written report, at least quarterly, to the Board, specifying in reasonable detail the amounts expended pursuant to the Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. Further, the Distributor will inform the Board of any Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by the Distributor to Recipients.
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The initial term of the Plan is one year and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Trust and do not have a direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan ("Rule 12b-1 Trustees") by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan. The Plan may be terminated at any time by the Trust or the Fund by vote of a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of the Distributor's compensation to be paid by the Fund unless such amendment is approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act). All material amendments must be approved by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan. During the term of the Plan, the selection and nomination of non- interested Trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of current non-interested Trustees. The Distributor will preserve copies of the Plan, any related agreements, and all reports, for a period of not less than six years from the date of such document and for at least the first two years in an easily accessible place.
During the past three fiscal years ended August 31, the Fund paid the following fees under the Plan:
Fund | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
RM Greyhawk Fund(1) | $124,810 | N/A | N/A |
(1) | The Fund commenced operations on December 27, 2022. |
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Fund has been informed by the Distributor that the following expenditures were made using the amounts the Fund's shares paid under the Plan:
Fund | Advertising | Printing |
Compensation to Dealers |
Compensation to Sales Personnel |
Interest/ Carrying/ Other financing charges |
Other |
RM Greyhawk Fund | $0 | $0 | $124,810 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Any agreement related to a Rule 12b-1 Plan will be in writing and provide that: (a) it may be terminated by the Trust or the Fund at any time upon not more than sixty days' written notice, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the respective Rule 12b-1 Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or Fund; (b) it will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act); and (c) it will continue in effect for a period of more than one year from the date of its execution or adoption only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such agreement.
CUSTODIAN
Fifth Third Bank, NA, 38 Fountain Square Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio 45263, serves as the Fund's custodian ("Custodian"). The Custodian acts as the Fund's depository, provides safekeeping of its portfolio securities, collects all income and other payments with respect thereto, disburses funds at the Fund's request and maintains records in connection with its duties.
FUND SERVICES
Fund Administration, Fund Accounting and Transfer Agent Services
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC ("Ultimus"), which has its principal office at 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246, serves as administrator, fund accountant and transfer agent for the Fund pursuant to a Master Services Agreement (the "Agreement"), subject to the supervision of the Board. Ultimus is primarily in the business of providing administrative, fund accounting and transfer agent services to retail and institutional mutual funds. Ultimus may also provide persons to serve as officers of the Fund. Such officers may be directors, officers or employees of Ultimus or its affiliates.
The Agreement with Ultimus dated November 22, 2022 with respect to the Fund, will continue in effect, initially for a term of three years from the effective day and thereafter, unless otherwise terminated as provided in the Agreement, shall automatically renew for successive one-year periods. The Agreement is terminable by the Board or Ultimus on 90 days' written notice and may be assigned by either party, provided that the Trust may not assign this agreement without the prior written consent of Ultimus. The Agreement provides that Ultimus shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to the Agreement.
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Under the Agreement, Ultimus performs administrative services, including: (1) monitor the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to the Trust by others service providers; (2) monitor Fund holdings and operations for post-trade compliance with the Fund's registration statement and applicable laws and rules; (3) prepare and coordinate the printing of semi-annual and annual financial statements; (4) prepare selected management reports for performance and compliance analyses; (5) prepare and disseminate materials for and attend and participate in meetings of the Board; (6) determine income and capital gains available for distribution and calculate distributions required to meet regulatory, income, and excise tax requirements; (7) review the Trust's federal, state, and local tax returns as prepared and signed by the Trust's independent public accountants; (8) prepare and maintain the Trust's operating expense budget to determine proper expense accruals to be charged to the Fund to calculate its daily NAV; (9) assist in and monitor the preparation, filing, printing and where applicable, dissemination to shareholders of amendments to the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, periodic reports to the Trustees, shareholders and the SEC, notices pursuant to Rule 24f-2, proxy materials and reports to the SEC on Forms N-CEN N-CSR, N-PORT and N-PX; (10) coordinate the Trust's audits and examinations by assisting the Fund's independent public accountants; (11) determine, in consultation with others, the jurisdictions in which shares of the Trust shall be registered or qualified for sale and facilitate such registration or qualification; (12) monitor sales of shares and ensure that the shares are properly and duly registered with the SEC; (13) monitor the calculation of performance data for the Fund; (14) prepare, or cause to be prepared, expense and financial reports; (15) prepare authorization for the payment of Trust expenses and pay, from Trust assets, all bills of the Trust; (16) provide information typically supplied in the investment company industry to companies that track or report price, performance or other information with respect to investment companies; (17) upon request, assist the Fund in the evaluation and selection of other service providers, such as independent registered public accountants, printers, EDGAR providers and proxy solicitors (such parties may be affiliates of Ultimus); and (18) perform other services, recordkeeping and assistance relating to the affairs of the Trust as the Trust may, from time to time, reasonably request.
Ultimus also provides the Fund with accounting services, including: (i) daily computation of NAV; (ii) maintenance of security ledgers and books and records as required by the 1940 Act; (iii) production of the Fund's listing of portfolio securities and general ledger reports; (iv) reconciliation of accounting records; (v) calculation of yield and total return for the Fund; (vi) maintaining certain books and records described in Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, and reconciling account information and balances among the Fund's custodian and Adviser; and (vii) monitoring and evaluating daily income and expense accruals, and sales and redemptions of shares of the Fund.
Ultimus also acts as transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, and shareholder servicing agent for the Fund pursuant to the Agreement. Under the Agreement, Ultimus is responsible for administering and performing transfer agent functions, dividend distribution, shareholder administration, and maintaining necessary records in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.
For all services rendered to the Fund by Ultimus under the Agreement, the Fund's Adviser pays Ultimus a unitary style administration fee which scales downward based upon net assets for all ("Operational Services"), ordinary services required in the operation of the Fund. Operational Services include all fund accounting, fund administration, transfer agency, routine fund legal fees, audit fees, regulatory document filing, printing and postage costs, state registration fees, custody fees, and insurance premiums. Operational Services are exclusive of advisory fees, distribution fees, shareholder servicing fees, taxes, short selling expenses, interest, brokerage commissions, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, indirect expenses of the Fund, expenses of other investment companies in which the Fund may invest, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation. For the fiscal years ended August 31 shown in the table below, the Fund paid Ultimus the following fees for its services as Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent:
Fund | 2023(1) | 2022 | 2021 |
RM Greyhawk Fund | $66,270 | N/A | N/A |
(1) | The Fund commenced operations on December 27, 2022. |
Compliance Services
Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC ("NLCS"), 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, NE 68022, an affiliate of Ultimus and the Distributor, provides compliance services to the Fund pursuant to a Compliance Services Consulting Agreement. The Fund pays NLCS a fee for supplying the Fund's Chief Compliance Officer and providing related compliance services. The Fund also reimburses NLCS for certain out-of-pocket expenses incurred on the Fund's behalf. The fees are accrued and paid quarterly by the Fund.
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INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The firm of Cohen & Company, Ltd. ("Cohen"), located at 1835 Market Street, Suite 310, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, serves as the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm and audits the Trust's financial statements.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Thompson Hine LLP, 312 Walnut Street, 20th Floor, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, serves as the Trust's legal counsel.
ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO BROKERAGE
Specific decisions to purchase or sell securities for the Fund are made by the portfolio managers, subject to the head portfolio manager's oversight, who are employees of the Adviser and Sub-Adviser. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser are authorized by the Trustees to allocate the orders placed on behalf of the Fund to brokers or dealers who may, but need not, provide research or statistical material or other services to the Fund. Such allocation is to be in such amounts and proportions as the adviser may determine.
In selecting a broker or dealer to execute each particular transaction, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser will take into consideration execution capability and available liquidity; timing and size of particular orders; commission rates; responsiveness; trading experience; reputation, and integrity and fairness in resolving disputes. "Best execution" means the best overall qualitative execution, not necessarily the lowest possible commission cost. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser will obtain information as to the general level of commission rates being charged by the brokerage community from time to time and will periodically evaluate the overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid on client transactions by reference to such data. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser periodically reviews the past performance of the exchange members, brokers or dealers with whom it has been placing orders to execute Fund transactions in light of the factors discussed above.
Brokers or dealers executing a portfolio transaction on behalf of the Fund may receive a commission in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for executing the transaction if the Adviser or Sub-Adviser determine in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the value of brokerage, research and other services provided to the Fund. In allocating portfolio brokerage, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser may select brokers or dealers who also provide brokerage, research and other services to other accounts over which the Adviser or Sub-Adviser exercises investment discretion. Some of the services received as the result of Fund transactions may primarily benefit accounts other than the Fund, while services received as the result of portfolio transactions effected on behalf of those other accounts may primarily benefit the Fund.
During the past three fiscal years ended August 31, the Fund paid the following brokerage commissions:
Fund | 2023(1) | 2022 | 2021 |
RM Greyhawk Fund | $0 | N/A | N/A |
(1) | The Fund commenced operations on December 27, 2022. |
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Fund is required to include a schedule of portfolio holdings in the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, which is sent to shareholders within 60 days of the end of the second and fourth fiscal quarters and which is filed with the SEC on Form N-CEN and N-CSR within 70 days of the end of the second and fourth fiscal quarters. The Fund also is required to file a schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-PORT within 60 days of the end of the first and third fiscal quarters. The Fund must provide a copy of the complete schedule of portfolio holdings as filed with the SEC to any shareholder of the Fund, upon request, free of charge. This policy is applied uniformly to all shareholders of the Fund without regard to the type of requesting shareholder (i.e., regardless of whether the shareholder is an individual or institutional investor). The Fund may also, from time to time, list the Fund's top ten holdings on its website. The Fund may enter into ongoing arrangements to release portfolio holdings to rating agencies, such as Morningstar or Lipper, in order for the agencies to assign a rating or ranking to the Fund. Portfolio holdings will be supplied to rating agencies no more frequently than quarterly and only after the Fund has filed a Form N-CEN, N-CSR or Form N-PORT with the SEC. The Fund currently does not have any ongoing arrangements to release portfolio holdings information to rating agencies.
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Pursuant to policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees, the Fund has ongoing arrangements to release portfolio holdings information on a daily basis to the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, Distributor, Administrator, Transfer Agent, Fund Accounting Agent and Custodian and on an as needed basis to other third parties providing services to the Fund. The Adviser, Sub-Adviser, Administrator, Transfer Agent, Fund Accounting Agent and Custodian receive portfolio holdings information daily in order to carry out the essential operations of the Fund. The Fund discloses portfolio holdings to their auditors, legal counsel, proxy voting services (if applicable), pricing services, printers, parties to merger and reorganization agreements and their agents, and prospective or newly hired investment advisers or sub-advisers. The lag between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed will vary based on the identity of the party to whom the information is disclosed. For instance, the information may be provided to auditors within days of the end of an annual period, while the information may be given to legal counsel at any time.
The Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Distributor, the Transfer Agent, the Fund Accounting Agent and the Custodian are prohibited from entering into any special or ad hoc arrangements with any person to make available information about the Fund's portfolio holdings without the specific approval of the Board. Any party wishing to release portfolio holdings information on an ad hoc or special basis must submit any proposed arrangement to the Board, which will review the arrangement to determine (i) whether the arrangement is in the best interests of the Fund's shareholders, (ii) the information will be kept confidential (based on the factors discussed below), (iii) whether sufficient protections are in place to guard against personal trading based on the information, and (iv) whether the disclosure presents a conflict of interest between the interests of Fund shareholders and those of the Adviser, Sub-Adviser or any affiliated person of the Fund, Adviser or the Sub-Adviser. Additionally, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser and any affiliated persons of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, are prohibited from receiving compensation or other consideration, for themselves or on behalf of the Fund, as a result of disclosing the Fund's portfolio holdings. The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer monitors compliance with these procedures and reviews their effectiveness on an annual basis.
Information disclosed to third parties, whether on an ongoing or ad hoc basis, is disclosed under conditions of confidentiality. "Conditions of Confidentiality" include (i) confidentiality clauses in written agreements, (ii) confidentiality implied by the nature of the relationship (e.g., attorney-client relationship), (iii) confidentiality required by fiduciary or regulatory principles (e.g., custody relationships) or (iv) understandings or expectations between the parties that the information will be kept confidential. The agreements with the Fund's Adviser, Sub-Adviser, Distributor, Transfer Agent, Fund Accounting Agent and Custodian contain confidentiality clauses, which the Board and these parties have determined extend to the disclosure of nonpublic information about the Fund's portfolio holding and the duty not to trade on the non-public information. The Fund believes, based upon its size and history, that these are reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality of the Fund's portfolio holdings and will provide sufficient protection against personal trading based on the information.
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM
The Trust 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 Trust's Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of an anti-money laundering compliance officer (the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer), 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 the Fund's Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reported suspicious and/or fraudulent activity and a complete and thorough review of all new opening account applications. The Trust will not transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.
As a result of the Program, the Trust may be required to "freeze" the account of a shareholder if the shareholder appears to be involved in suspicious activity or if certain account information matches information on government lists of known terrorists or other suspicious persons, or the Trust may be required to transfer the account or proceeds of the account to a governmental agency.
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PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES
Calculation of Share Price
As indicated in the Prospectus under the heading "Net Asset Value," the NAV of the Fund's shares is determined by dividing the total value of the Fund's portfolio investments and other assets, less any liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding of the Fund.
Generally, the Fund's domestic securities (including underlying ETFs which hold portfolio securities primarily listed on foreign (non-U.S.) exchanges) are valued each day at the last quoted sales price on each security's primary exchange. Securities traded or dealt in upon one or more securities exchanges for which market quotations are readily available and not subject to restrictions against resale shall be valued at the last quoted sales price on the primary exchange or, in the absence of a sale on the primary exchange, at the mean between the current bid and ask prices on such exchange. Securities primarily traded in the NASDAQ National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price. If market quotations are not readily available, securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined in good faith by the Fund's fair value committee in accordance with procedures approved by the Board and as further described below. Securities that are not traded or dealt in any securities exchange (whether domestic or foreign) and for which over-the-counter market quotations are readily available generally shall be valued at the last sale price or, in the absence of a sale, at the mean between the current bid and ask price on such over-the-counter market.
Certain securities or investments for which daily market quotes are not readily available may be valued, pursuant to guidelines established by the Board, with reference to other securities or indices. Debt securities not traded on an exchange may be valued at prices supplied by a pricing agent(s) based on broker or dealer supplied valuations or matrix pricing, a method of valuing securities by reference to the value of other securities with similar characteristics, such as rating, interest rate and maturity. Short-term investments having a maturity of 60 days or less may be generally valued at amortized cost when it approximated fair value.
Exchange-traded options are valued at the last quoted sales price or, in the absence of a sale, at the mean between the current bid and ask prices on the exchange on which such options are traded. Futures and options on futures are valued at the settlement price determined by the exchange. Other securities for which market quotes are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board or persons acting at their direction. Swap agreements and other derivatives are generally valued daily based upon quotations from market makers or by a pricing service in accordance with the valuation procedures approved by the Board.
Under certain circumstances, the Fund may use an independent pricing service to calculate the fair market value of foreign equity securities on a daily basis by applying valuation factors to the last sale price or the mean price as noted above. The fair market values supplied by the independent pricing service will generally reflect market trading that occurs after the close of the applicable foreign markets of comparable securities or the value of other instruments that have a strong correlation to the fair-valued securities. The independent pricing service will also take into account the current relevant currency exchange rate. A security that is fair valued may be valued at a price higher or lower than actual market quotations or the value determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures. Because foreign securities may trade on days when Fund shares are not priced, the value of securities held by the Fund can change on days when Fund shares cannot be redeemed or purchased. In the event that a foreign security's market quotations are not readily available or are deemed unreliable (for reasons other than because the foreign exchange on which it trades closed before the Fund's calculation of NAV), the security will be valued at its fair market value as determined in good faith by the Fund's fair value committee in accordance with procedures approved by the Board as discussed below. Without fair valuation, it is possible that short- term traders could take advantage of the arbitrage opportunity and dilute the NAV of long-term investors. Fair valuation of the Fund's portfolio securities can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders, but there is no assurance that it will prevent dilution of the Fund's NAV by short-term traders. In addition, because the Fund may invest in underlying ETFs which hold portfolio securities primarily listed on foreign (non-U.S.) exchanges, and these exchanges may trade on weekends or other days when the underlying ETFs do not price their shares, the value of these portfolio securities may change on days when you may not be able to buy or sell Fund shares.
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Investments initially valued in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted to U.S. dollars using exchange rates obtained from pricing services. As a result, the NAV of the Fund's shares may be affected by changes in the value of currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The value of securities traded in markets outside the United States or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar may be affected significantly on a day that the NYSE is closed, and an investor is not able to purchase, redeem or exchange shares.
Fund shares are valued at the close of regular trading on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) (the "NYSE Close") on each day that the NYSE is open. For purposes of calculating the NAV, the Fund normally use pricing data for domestic equity securities received shortly after the NYSE Close and does not normally take into account trading, clearances or settlements that take place after the NYSE Close. Domestic fixed income and foreign securities are normally priced using data reflecting the earlier closing of the principal markets for those securities. Information that becomes known to the Fund or its agents after the NAV has been calculated on a particular day will not generally be used to retroactively adjust the price of the security or the NAV determined earlier that day.
When market quotations are insufficient or not readily available, the Fund may value securities at fair value or estimate their value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, as the Board-appointed valuation designee, pursuant to procedures approved by the Board. Fair valuation may also be used by the Board if extraordinary events occur after the close of the relevant market but prior to the NYSE Close.
The Fund may hold securities, such as private placements, interests in commodity pools, other non-traded securities or temporarily illiquid securities, for which market quotations are not readily available or are determined to be unreliable. These securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined using the "fair value" procedures approved by the Board. The Board has delegated execution of these procedures to a fair value team composed of one of more officers from each of the (i) Trust, (ii) administrator, and (iii) Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser. The team may also enlist third party consultants such as an audit firm or financial officer of a security issuer on an as-needed basis to assist in determining a security-specific fair value. The Board reviews and ratifies the execution of this process and the resultant fair value prices at least quarterly to assure the process produces reliable results.
Fair Value Committee and Valuation Process. The fair value committee is composed of one of more officers from each of the (i) Trust, (ii) administrator, and (iii) Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser. The applicable investments are valued collectively via inputs from each of these groups. For example, fair value determinations are required for the following securities: (i) securities for which market quotations are insufficient or not readily available on a particular business day (including securities for which there is a short and temporary lapse in the provision of a price by the regular pricing source), (ii) securities for which, in the judgment of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, the prices or values available do not represent the fair value of the instrument. Factors which may cause the Adviser or Sub-Adviser to make such a judgment include, but are not limited to, the following: only a bid price or an asked price is available; the spread between bid and asked prices is substantial; the frequency of sales; the thinness of the market; the size of reported trades; and actions of the securities markets, such as the suspension or limitation of trading; (iii) securities determined to be illiquid; (iv) securities with respect to which an event that will affect the value thereof has occurred (a "significant event") since the closing prices were established on the principal exchange on which they are traded, but prior to the Fund's calculation of its NAV. Specifically, interests in commodity pools or managed futures pools are valued on a daily basis by reference to the closing market prices of each futures contract or other asset held by a pool, as adjusted for pool expenses. Restricted or illiquid securities, such as private placements or non-traded securities are valued via inputs from the Adviser or Sub-Adviser valuation based upon the current bid for the security from two or more independent dealers or other parties reasonably familiar with the facts and circumstances of the security (who should take into consideration all relevant factors as may be appropriate under the circumstances). If the Adviser or Sub-Adviser is unable to obtain a current bid from such independent dealers or other independent parties, the fair value team shall determine the fair value of such security using the following factors: (i) the type of security; (ii) the cost at date of purchase; (iii) the size and nature of the Fund's holdings; (iv) the discount from market value of unrestricted securities of the same class at the time of purchase and subsequent thereto; (v) information as to any transactions or offers with respect to the security; (vi) the nature and duration of restrictions on disposition of the security and the existence of any registration rights; (vii) how the yield of the security compares to similar securities of companies of similar or equal creditworthiness; (viii) the level of recent trades of similar or comparable securities; (ix) the liquidity characteristics of the security; (x) current market conditions; and (xi) the market value of any securities into which the security is convertible or exchangeable.
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Standards for Fair Value Determinations. As a general principle, the fair value of a security is the amount that the Fund might reasonably expect to realize upon its current sale. The Trust has adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures ("ASC 820"). In accordance with ASC 820, fair value is defined as the price that the Fund would receive upon selling an investment in a timely transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market of the investment. ASC 820 establishes a three-tier hierarchy to maximize the use of observable market data and minimize the use of unobservable inputs and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk, for example, the risk inherent in a particular valuation technique used to measure fair value including such a pricing model and/or the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the reporting entity's own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, developed based on the best information available under the circumstances.
Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund's investments relating to ASC 820. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below.
Level 1 - quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
Level 2 - other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)
Level 3 - significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund's own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).
The fair value team takes into account the relevant factors and surrounding circumstances, which may include: (i) the nature and pricing history (if any) of the security; (ii) whether any dealer quotations for the security are available; (iii) possible valuation methodologies that could be used to determine the fair value of the security; (iv) the recommendation of a portfolio manager of the Fund with respect to the valuation of the security; (v) whether the same or similar securities are held by other funds managed by the Adviser (or Sub-Adviser) or other funds and the method used to price the security in those funds; (vi) the extent to which the fair value to be determined for the security will result from the use of data or formulae produced by independent third parties and (vii) the liquidity or illiquidity of the market for the security.
Board of Trustees Determination. The Board of Trustees meets at least quarterly to consider the valuations provided by the fair value committee and to ratify the valuations made for the applicable securities. The Board of Trustees considers the reports provided by the fair value committee, including follow up studies of subsequent market-provided prices when available, in reviewing and determining in good faith the fair value of the applicable portfolio securities.
The Trust expects that the NYSE will be closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Purchase of Shares
Orders for shares received by the Fund in good order prior to the close of business on the NYSE on each day during such periods that the NYSE is open for trading are priced at the public offering price, which is NAV plus any sales charge, or at NAV per share (if no sales charges apply) computed as of the close of the regular session of trading on the NYSE. Orders received in good order after the close of the NYSE, or on a day it is not open for trading, are priced at the close of such NYSE on the next day on which it is open for trading at the next determined NAV per share plus sales charges, if any. In addition to issuing shares in exchange for cash, the Fund may issue shares in exchange for securities (in kind) at its discretion.
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Notice to Texas Shareholders
Under section 72.1021(a) of the Texas Property Code, initial investors in the Fund who are Texas residents may designate a representative to receive notices of abandoned property in connection with Fund shares. Texas shareholders who wish to appoint a representative should notify the Trust's Transfer Agent by writing to the address below to obtain a form for providing written notice to the Trust:
RM Greyhawk Fund
c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC 225 Pictoria
Drive, Suite 450
Cincinnati, Ohio 45246
Redemption of Shares
The Fund will redeem all or any portion of a shareholder's shares of the Fund when requested in accordance with the procedures set forth in the "Redemptions" section of the Prospectus. Under the 1940 Act, a shareholder's right to redeem shares and to receive payment therefore may be suspended at times when (a) the NYSE is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings; (b) trading on that exchange is restricted for any reason; (c) an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the value of net assets, provided that applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (or any succeeding governmental authority) will govern as to whether the conditions prescribed in (b) or (c) exist; or (d) the SEC by order permits a suspension of the right to redemption or a postponement of the date of payment on redemption.
In case of suspension of the right of redemption, payment of a redemption request will be made based on the NAV next determined after the termination of the suspension.
Supporting documents in addition to those listed under "Redemptions" in the Prospectus will be required from executors, administrators, trustees, or if redemption is requested by someone other than the shareholder of record. Such documents include, but are not restricted to, stock powers, trust instruments, certificates of death, appointments as executor, the certificates of corporate authority and waiver of tax required in some states when settling estates.
FREQUENT PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES
The Fund discourages and does not accommodate frequent purchase and redemption Fund shares, commonly referred to as market timing that it considers abusive. Market timing is an investment strategy using frequent purchases and redemptions and/or exchanges in an attempt to profit from short term market movements. Market timing may result in dilution of the value of Fund shares held by long term shareholders, disrupt portfolio management, and increase Fund expenses for all shareholders. The Board of Trustees has adopted a policy requiring the Fund's transfer agent to monitor shareholder activity for purchases and redemptions and/or exchanges that reasonably indicate abusive market timing activity. The transfer agent does not employ an objective standard and may not be able to identify all market timing activity or may misidentify certain trading activity as market timing activity. The Board of Trustees also has adopted a redemption policy to discourage short-term traders and/ or market timers from investing in the Fund.
While the Fund attempts to deter abusive market timing, there is no assurance that it will be able to identify and eliminate all market timers. For example, certain accounts called "omnibus accounts" include multiple shareholders. Omnibus accounts typically provide the Fund with a net purchase or redemption request on any given day where purchasers of Fund shares and redeemers of Fund shares are netted against one another and the identity of individual purchasers and redeemers whose orders are aggregated is not known by the Fund. The netting effect often makes it more difficult to apply redemption fees, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to apply the fee to such accounts in an effective manner. Brokers maintaining omnibus accounts with the Fund have agreed to provide shareholder transaction information, to the extent known to the broker, to the Fund upon request. If the Fund becomes aware of market timing in an omnibus account, it will work with the broker maintaining the omnibus account to identify the shareholder engaging in the market timing activity. In addition to the redemption fee, the Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order for any reason, including purchase orders that it does not think are in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders or if the Fund thinks that trading is abusive.
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Pricing of Shares
The NAV of the shares of the Fund is determined at the close of trading (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day the NYSE is open for business. For a description of the methods used to determine the NAV, see "How Shares Are Priced" in the Prospectus.
Equity securities generally are valued by using market quotations but may be valued on the basis of prices furnished by a pricing service when the Adviser believes such prices accurately reflect the fair market value of such securities. Securities that are traded on any stock exchange or on the NASDAQ over-the-counter market are generally valued by the pricing service at the last quoted sale price. Lacking a last sale price, an equity security is generally valued by the pricing service at the mean of the last bid and ask price as of 4:00 p.m. When market quotations are not readily available, when the Adviser determines that the market quotation or the price provided by the pricing service does not accurately reflect the current market value, or when restricted or illiquid securities are being valued, such securities are valued as determined in good faith by the Adviser, in conformity with guidelines adopted by and subject to review of the Board of Trustees.
Fixed income securities generally are valued by using market quotations but may be valued on the basis of prices furnished by a pricing service when the Adviser believes such prices accurately reflect the fair market value of such securities. A pricing service utilizes electronic data processing techniques based on yield spreads relating to securities with similar characteristics to determine prices for normal institutional-size trading units of debt securities without regard to sale or bid prices. If the Adviser decides that a price provided by the pricing service does not accurately reflect the fair market value of the securities, when prices are not readily available from a pricing service, or when restricted or illiquid securities are being valued, securities are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, in conformity with guidelines adopted by and subject to review of the Board of Trustees. Short term investments in fixed income securities with maturities of less than 60 days when acquired, or which subsequently are within 60 days of maturity, are valued by using the amortized cost method of valuation, which the Board has determined will represent fair value.
REDEMPTION IN-KIND
The Fund does not intend to redeem shares in any form except cash. The Fund reserves the right to honor requests for redemption or repurchase orders made by shareholders during any 90-day period by making payment in whole or in part in portfolio securities ("redemption in-kind") if the amount of such a request is large enough to affect operations (if the request is greater than the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the Fund's net assets at the beginning if the 90-day period). The securities will be chosen by the Fund and valued using the same procedures as used in calculating the Fund's NAV. A shareholder will be exposed to market risk until these securities are converted to cash and may incur transaction expenses in converting these securities to cash. In the event that an in-kind distribution is made, a shareholder may incur additional expenses, such as the payment of brokerage commissions, on the sale or other disposition of the securities received from the Fund.
TAX STATUS
The following discussion is general in nature and should not be regarded as an exhaustive presentation of all possible tax ramifications. All shareholders should consult a qualified tax adviser regarding their investment in the Fund.
The Fund intends to qualify as regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, which requires compliance with certain requirements concerning the sources of its income, diversification of its assets, and the amount and timing of its distributions to shareholders. Such qualification does not involve supervision of management or investment practices or policies by any government agency or bureau. By so qualifying, the Fund should not be subject to federal income or excise tax on its net investment income or net capital gain, which are distributed to shareholders in accordance with the applicable timing requirements. Net investment income and net capital gain of the Fund will be computed in accordance with Section 852 of the Code.
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Net investment income is made up of dividends and interest less expenses. Net capital gain for a fiscal year is computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund. Capital losses incurred in tax years beginning after December 22, 2010 may now be carried forward indefinitely and retain the character of the original loss. Under previously enacted laws, capital losses could be carried forward to offset any capital gains only for eight years, and carried forward as short-term capital losses, irrespective of the character of the original loss. Capital loss carry forwards are available to offset future realized capital gains. To the extent that these carry forwards are used to offset future capital gains it is probable that the amount offset will not be distributed to shareholders.
The Fund intends to distribute all of its net investment income, any excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, and any excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses in accordance with the timing requirements imposed by the Code and therefore should not be required to pay any federal income or excise taxes. Distributions of net investment income and net capital gain will be made after the end of each fiscal year, and no later than December 31 of each year. Both types of distributions will be in shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects to receive cash.
To be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, the Fund must also (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, net income from certain publicly traded partnerships and gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in such securities or currencies, and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each fiscal quarter, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund's assets is represented by cash, U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities (for purposes of this calculation, generally limited in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the market value of the Fund's assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer) and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities of (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) any one issuer, two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or the securities of certain publicly traded partnerships.
If the Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M in any fiscal year, it will be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. As such, the Fund would be required to pay income taxes on its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, at the rates generally applicable to corporations. Shareholders of the Fund generally would not be liable for income tax on the Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains in their individual capacities. Distributions to shareholders, whether from the Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains, would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits of the Fund.
The Fund is subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on certain undistributed amounts of ordinary income and capital gain under a prescribed formula contained in Section 4982 of the Code. The formula requires payment to shareholders during a calendar year of distributions representing at least 98% of the Fund's ordinary income for the calendar year and at least 98.2% of its capital gain net income (i.e., the excess of its capital gains over capital losses) realized during the one-year period ending October 31 during such year plus 100% of any income that was neither distributed nor taxed to the Fund during the preceding calendar year. Under ordinary circumstances, the Fund expects to time its distributions so as to avoid liability for this tax.
The following discussion of tax consequences is for the general information of shareholders that are subject to tax. Shareholders that are IRAs or other qualified retirement plans are exempt from income taxation under the Code.
Distributions of taxable net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.
Distributions of net capital gain ("capital gain dividends") generally are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shares of the Fund have been held by such shareholders.
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A redemption of Fund shares by a shareholder will result in the recognition of taxable gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares. Such gain or loss is treated as a capital gain or loss if the shares are held as capital assets. However, any loss realized upon the redemption of shares within six months from the date of their purchase will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as capital gain dividends during such six-month period. All or a portion of any loss realized upon the redemption of shares may be disallowed to the extent shares are purchased (including shares acquired by means of reinvested dividends) within 30 days before or after such redemption.
Distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain will be taxable as described above, whether received in additional cash or shares. Shareholders electing to receive distributions in the form of additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each share so received equal to the NAV of a share on the reinvestment date.
All distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain, whether received in shares or in cash, must be reported by each taxable shareholder on his or her federal income tax return. Dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December as of a record date in such a month, if any, will be deemed to have been received by shareholders on December 31, if paid during January of the following year. Redemptions of shares may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and are also subject to these reporting requirements.
Capital losses incurred after October 31 within the fiscal year are deemed to arise on the first business day of the following fiscal year for tax purposes.
Under the Code, the Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service all distributions of taxable income and capital gains as well as gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares, except in the case of certain exempt shareholders. Under the backup withholding provisions of Section 3406 of the Code, distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain and proceeds from the redemption or exchange of the shares of a regulated investment company may be subject to withholding of federal income tax in the case of non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the investment company with their taxpayer identification numbers and with required certifications regarding their status under the federal income tax law, or if the Fund is notified by the IRS or a broker that withholding is required due to an incorrect TIN or a previous failure to report taxable interest or dividends. If the withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld.
Options, Futures, Forward Contracts and Swap Agreements
To the extent such investments are permissible for the Fund, the Fund's transactions in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts, straddles and foreign currencies will be subject to special tax rules (including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules), the effect of which may be to accelerate income to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains and convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing, and character of distributions to shareholders.
To the extent such investments are permissible, certain of the Fund's hedging activities (including its transactions, if any, in foreign currencies or foreign currency-denominated instruments) are likely to produce a difference between its book income and its taxable income. If the Fund's book income exceeds its taxable income, the distribution (if any) of such excess book income will be treated as (i) a dividend to the extent of the Fund's remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax- exempt income), (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipient's basis in the shares, and (iii) thereafter, as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. If the Fund's book income is less than taxable income, the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regular investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.
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Other Reporting and Withholding Requirements
Payments to a shareholder that is either a foreign financial institution ("FFI") or a non-financial foreign entity ("NFFE") within the meaning of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA") may be subject to a generally nonrefundable 30% withholding tax on: (a) income dividends paid by the Fund after June 30, 2014 and (b) certain capital gain distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares paid by the Fund after December 31, 2016. FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided: (a) by an FFI, subject to any applicable intergovernmental agreement or other exemption, if it enters into a valid agreement with the IRS to, among other requirements, report required information about certain direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI and (b) by an NFFE, if it: (i) certifies that it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners or (ii) if it does have such owners, reports information relating to them. The Fund may disclose the information that it receives from its shareholders to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of the Fund fails to provide the Fund with appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies
Investment by the Fund in certain "passive foreign investment companies" ("PFICs") could subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax (including interest charges) on distributions received from the company or on proceeds received from the disposition of shares in the company, which tax cannot be eliminated by making distributions to Fund shareholders. However, the Fund may elect to treat a PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF election"), in which case the Fund will be required to include its share of the company's income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether they receive any distribution from the company.
The Fund also may make an election to mark the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in such holdings "to the market" as though it had sold and repurchased its holdings in those PFICs on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss. The QEF and mark-to-market elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed for the Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require the Fund to liquidate other investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirement, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect the Fund's total return.
Foreign Currency Transactions
The Fund's transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt securities and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned.
Foreign Taxation
Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties and conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may be able to elect to "pass through" to the Fund's shareholders the amount of eligible foreign income and similar taxes paid by the Fund. If this election is made, a shareholder generally subject to tax will be required to include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) his or her pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund, and may be entitled either to deduct (as an itemized deduction) his or her pro rata share of foreign taxes in computing his or her taxable income or to use it as a foreign tax credit against his or her U.S. federal income tax liability, subject to certain limitations. In particular, a shareholder must hold his or her shares (without protection from risk of loss) on the ex-dividend date and for at least 15 more days during the 30-day period surrounding the ex-dividend date to be eligible to claim a foreign tax credit with respect to a gain dividend. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by a shareholder who does not itemize deductions. Each shareholder will be notified within 60 days after the close of the Fund's taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid by the Fund will "pass through" for that year.
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Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund's income will flow through to shareholders of the Fund. With respect to the Fund, gains from the sale of securities will be treated as derived from U.S. sources and certain currency fluctuation gains, including fluctuation gains from foreign currency-denominated debt securities, receivables and payables will be treated as ordinary income derived from U.S. sources. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. A shareholder may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of his or her proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. The foreign tax credit can be used to offset only 90% of the revised alternative minimum tax imposed on corporations and individuals and foreign taxes generally are not deductible in computing alternative minimum taxable income.
Original Issue Discount and Pay-In-Kind Securities
Current federal tax law requires the holder of a U.S. Treasury or other fixed income zero coupon security to accrue as income each year a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased, even though the holder receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.
Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as debt securities that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount ("OID") is treated as interest income and is included in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A portion of the OID includable in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities (including certain pay-in-kind securities) may be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having market discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the "accrued market discount" on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having market discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
Some debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as having acquisition discount, or OID in the case of certain types of debt securities. Generally, the Fund will be required to include the acquisition discount, or OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having acquisition discount, or OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
A fund that holds the foregoing kinds of securities may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount, which is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would in the absence of such transactions.
Shareholders of the Fund may be subject to state and local taxes on distributions received from the Fund and on redemptions of the Fund's shares.
A brief explanation of the form and character of the distribution accompany each distribution. In January of each year the Fund issues to each shareholder a statement of the federal income tax status of all distributions.
Shareholders should consult their tax advisers about the application of federal, state and local and foreign tax law in light of their particular situation.
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PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Board has delegated responsibilities for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by the Fund to the Adviser, or its delegate. The Adviser will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures. In some instances, the Adviser may be asked to cast a proxy vote that presents a conflict between the interests of the Fund's shareholders, and those of the Adviser or an affiliated person of the Adviser. In such a case, the Trust's policy requires that the Adviser abstain from making a voting decision and to forward all necessary proxy voting materials to the Trust to enable the Board of Trustees to make a voting decision. The Adviser shall make a written recommendation of the voting decision to the Board of Trustees, which shall include: (i) an explanation of why it has a conflict of interest; (ii) the reasons for its recommendation; and (iii) an explanation of why the recommendation is consistent with Adviser's proxy voting policies. The Board of Trustees shall make the proxy voting decision that, in its judgment, after reviewing the recommendation of the Adviser, is most consistent with the Adviser's proxy voting policies and in the best interests of Fund shareholders. When the Board of Trustees is required to make a proxy voting decision, only the Trustees without a conflict of interest with regard to the security in question or the matter to be voted upon shall be permitted to participate in the decision of how the Fund's vote will be cast.
The Adviser's policies and procedures are attached as Appendix A.
MORE INFORMATION. The actual voting records relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund toll free at (833) 907-0744. The information is also available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Trust's proxy voting policies and procedures is available by calling the Fund toll-free at (833) 907-0744 and will be sent within three business days of receipt of a request.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Fund's audited financial statements and report of the independent registered public accounting firm required to be included in the SAI are hereby incorporated by reference to the Annual Report for the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, as filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR on November 8, 2023. You can obtain a copy of the financial statements contained in the Fund's Annual Report without charge by calling the Fund toll-free at (833) 907-0744 or by visiting https://www.greyhawkfund.com.
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APPENDIX A
PROXY VOTING POLICY OF THE ADVISER
In its standard investment advisory agreement, Rocky Mountain specifically states that it does not vote proxies including clients governed by ERISA. However, Rocky Mountain will vote proxies on behalf of investment company clients ("Funds") only in the event when the Funds own 50 basis points or more of the issuer. We have instructed all custodians, other than Fund custodians, to forward proxies directly to our clients, and if we accidentally receive a proxy for any non-Fund client, current or former, the Chief Compliance Officer will promptly forward the proxy to the client. In order to fulfill its responsibilities to Funds, Rocky Mountain has adopted the following policies and procedures for proxy voting with regard to companies in any Fund's investment portfolios.
The Fund exercises its proxy voting rights with regard to the companies in that Fund's investment portfolio, with the goals of maximizing the value of the Fund's investments, promoting accountability of a company's management and board of directors to its shareholders, aligning the interests of management with those of shareholders, increasing transparency of a company's business and operations as mandate per prospectus.
Policy
When the Proxy Voting responsibilities are triggered (when Funds own 50 basis point or more of the issuer), it is the policy of Rocky Mountain to identify any potential conflicts of interest prior to the voting of any proxies. When reviewing proxy proposals, the CCO will monitor for conflicts of interest. If the proposal falls within our predetermined voting guidelines, we will vote according to the guidelines. If a conflict is identified, Rocky Mountain may disclose the conflict to the applicable clients or contact a third party to advise Rocky Mountain to determine the vote and/or provide voting recommendations.
It is feasible that from time to time a potential conflict of interest may arise in the voting of proxies. Such conflicts may occur if an adviser manages a pension plan, administers employee benefit plans, or provides brokerage, underwriting, insurance, or banking services to a company whose management is soliciting proxies. Failure to vote in favor of management may harm the adviser's relationship with the company. The adviser may also have relationships with participants in proxy contests, corporate directors or candidates for directorships. For example, an executive of the adviser may have a spouse or other close relative who serves as a director or executive of a company.
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