As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 8, 2018

 

Securities Act Registration No. [_________]
Investment Company Act Registration No. 811-23324

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-1A

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (X)
PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. [__]
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. [__]

 

and/or

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 (X)
AMENDMENT NO. [__]
Check appropriate box or boxes

 

PGIM ETF TRUST
Exact name of registrant as specified in charter

 

655 Broad Street, 17th Floor
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Address of Principal Executive Offices including Zip Code

 

(973) 367-7521
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code

 

Claudia DiGiacomo
655 Broad Street, 17 th Floor
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Name and Address of Agent for Service

 

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

 

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that the registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

PGIM ULTRA SHORT BOND ETF

 

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS — January 8, 2018

 

Objective

Total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation, consistent with preservation of capital

 

PGIM ULTRA SHORT BOND ETF
Ticker Symbol:
XXXX
Listing Exchange:
NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's shares, nor has the SEC determined that this prospectus is complete or accurate. It is a criminal offense to state otherwise.

 


Exchange traded funds are distributed by Prudential Investment Management Services LLC (PIMS), member SIPC. PGIM Fixed Income is a unit of PGIM, Inc. (PGIM), a registered investment adviser. PIMS and PGIM are Prudential Financial companies. © 2017 Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities. The Prudential logo and the Rock symbol are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide.

 
 
 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

3 FUND SUMMARY
3 INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
3 FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
3 INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND PERFORMANCE
6 MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
6 BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES
7 TAX INFORMATION
7 PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIaries
8 MORE ABOUT THE FUND'S PRINCIPAL AND NON-PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, INVESTMENTS AND RISKS
8 INVESTMENTS AND INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
12 RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
18 HOW THE FUND IS MANAGED
18 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
18 MANAGER
19 INVESTMENT SUBADVISER
19 PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
19 DISTRIBUTOR
19 DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
20 FUND DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX ISSUES
21 DISTRIBUTIONS
22 TAX ISSUES
23 TAXES WHEN SHARES ARE SOLD
24 HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES
27 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
 
 

FUND SUMMARY

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The investment objective of the Fund is to seek total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation, consistent with preservation of capital.

FUND FEES AND EXPENSES

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Investors purchasing shares of the Fund in the secondary market also may be subject to additional costs (including customary brokerage commissions) charged by their broker, which are not reflected in the tables below. The management agreement between PGIM ETF Trust (the “Trust”) and PGIM Investments LLC (“PGIM Investments”) (the “Management Agreement”) provides that PGIM Investments will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except for certain expenses, including but not limited to, interest expenses, taxes, brokerage expenses, future Rule 12b-1 fees (if any), acquired fund fees and expenses, and the management fee payable to PGIM Investments under the Management Agreement.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management fees 0.        %
Distribution or distribution and service (12b-1) fees None
Other expenses None
Total annual Fund operating expenses 0.      %

 

Example. The following hypothetical example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other exchange traded funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. It assumes a 5% return on your investment each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Investors may pay brokerage commissions on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the Example. Your actual costs may be higher or lower.

 

Number of Years You Own Shares
1 Year 3 Years
$XXXX $XXXX

 

Portfolio Turnover. The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. The Fund is newly offered; therefore, it does not have a turnover rate for the most recent fiscal year.

 

INVESTMENTS, RISKS AND PERFORMANCE

Principal Investment Strategies. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in a portfolio of investment grade, U.S. dollar denominated short-term fixed, variable and floating rate debt instruments. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its investable assets in bonds with varying maturities. For purposes of this policy, bonds include fixed income instruments issued by the US Government, its agencies and instrumentalities, as well as commercial paper, money market instruments, asset-backed securities, funding agreements, variable rate demand notes, bills, notes and other obligations issued by banks, corporations and other companies (including trust structures), obligations issued by non-U.S. banks, companies or non-US governments, and municipal bonds and notes. The term “investable assets” refers to the Fund's net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes. The Fund's investable assets will be less than its total assets to the extent that it has borrowed money for non-investment purposes, such as to meet anticipated redemptions.

 
 

The Fund considers its investments to be short-term investments if they have final maturities of less than three years, including investments that have stated maturities in excess of three years but which have a remaining average life not exceeding three years. The effective duration of the Fund's portfolio will generally be one year or less, although under certain market conditions, such as periods of significant volatility in interest rates and spreads, the Fund’s duration may be longer than one year. Duration is the magnitude of the change in the price of a bond relative to a given change in the market interest rate. Duration incorporates a bond’s yield, coupon interest payments, final maturity, call and put features and prepayment exposure into one measure. Duration provides an indication of the potential volatility of the price of a portfolio of bonds prior to maturity.

The Fund’s fixed income investments will have a minimum short term rating of at least A2 by S&P Global Ratings (S&P) or P2 by Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) or a minimum long-term rating of BBB- by Moody’s or Baa3 by S&P, or the equivalent by another nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSRO). The Fund may also invest in unrated fixed income investments that the Fund’s subadviser determines to be of comparable quality to the rated fixed income investments that are permissible investments. In the event that a security receives different ratings from different NRSROs, the Fund will treat the security as being rated in the highest rating category received from an NRSRO. A rating is an assessment of the likelihood of the timely payment of interest and repayment of principal and can be useful when comparing different debt obligations. These ratings are not a guarantee of quality. The opinions of the rating agencies do not reflect market risk and they may, at times, lag behind the current financial condition of a company.

Some (but not all) of the US Government securities and mortgage-related securities in which the Fund will invest are backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government, which means that payment of interest and principal is guaranteed, but yield and market value are not. These include obligations of the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA or “Ginnie Mae”) and the Farmers Home Administration and the Export-Import Bank. Securities issued by other government entities, like obligations of the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA or “Fannie Mae”), the Student Loan Marketing Association (SLMA or “Sallie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC or “Freddie Mac”), the Federal Home Loan Bank, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the United States Postal Service are not backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government. However, these issuers have the right to borrow from the US Treasury to meet their obligations. In contrast, the debt securities of other issuers, like the Farm Credit System, depend entirely upon their own resources to repay their debt obligations.

In managing the Fund’s assets, the subadviser will use a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top down economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is determined based on a review of the financial health and trends of the issuer.

Principal Risks. All investments have risks to some degree. An investment in the Fund is not guaranteed to achieve its investment objective; is not a deposit with a bank; is not insured, endorsed or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency; and is subject to investment risks, including possible loss of your original investment.

Bond Obligations Risk. Debt obligations are subject to credit risk, market risk and interest rate risk. The Fund's holdings, share price, yield and total return may also fluctuate in response to bond market movements. The value of bonds may decline for issuer-related reasons, including management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods and services. Certain types of fixed-income obligations also may be subject to “call and redemption risk,” which is the risk that the issuer may call a bond held by the Fund for redemption before it matures and the Fund may lose income.

Credit Risk. This is the risk that the issuer, the guarantor or the insurer of a fixed-income security, or the counterparty to a contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal and interest payments or to otherwise honor its obligations. Additionally, the securities could lose value due to a loss of confidence in the ability of the issuer, guarantor, insurer or counterparty to pay back debt. The longer the maturity and the lower the credit quality of a bond, the more sensitive it is to credit risk.

Interest Rate Risk. The value of your investment may go down when interest rates rise. A rise in rates tends to have a greater impact on the prices of longer term or duration securities. When interest rates fall, the issuers of debt obligations may prepay principal more quickly than expected, and the Fund may be required to reinvest

 
 

the proceeds at a lower interest rate. This is referred to as “ prepayment risk .” When interest rates rise, debt obligations may be repaid more slowly than expected, and the value of the Fund's holdings may fall sharply. This is referred to as “ extension risk .” The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk since the US Federal Reserve Board has ended its quantitative easing program and may continue to raise rates. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply or in a manner not anticipated by the subadviser.

Extension Risk. When interest rates rise, repayments of fixed income securities, particularly asset- and mortgage-backed securities, may occur more slowly than anticipated, extending the effective duration of these securities at below market interest rates and causing their market prices to decline more than they would have declined due to the rise in interest rates alone. This may cause the Fund’s share price to be more volatile.

US Government and Agency Securities Risk. US Government and agency securities are subject to market risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. Not all US Government securities are insured or guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the US Government; some are only insured or guaranteed by the issuing agency, which must rely on its own resources to repay the debt. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some US Government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the US Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. In addition, the value of US Government securities may be affected by changes in the credit rating of the US Government.

Risks of Variable and Floating Rate Bonds. Variable and floating rate bonds are subject to credit risk, market risk and interest rate risk. In addition, the absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer defaults.

Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in securities of non-US issuers (including those denominated in US dollars) generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers. Foreign political, economic and legal systems, especially those in developing and emerging market countries, may be less stable and more volatile than in the US. Foreign legal systems generally have fewer regulatory requirements than the US legal system. In general, less information is publicly available about non-US companies than about US companies. Non-US companies generally are not subject to the same accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards as are US companies.

Management Risk. The value of your investment may decrease if judgments by the subadviser about the attractiveness, value or market trends affecting a particular security, industry or sector or about market movements are incorrect.

Market Risk. Securities markets may be volatile and the market prices of the securities held by the Fund may decline. Securities fluctuate in price based on changes in an issuer’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. If the market prices of the securities owned by the Fund fall, the market value of the shares of the Fund may decrease.

Non-Money Market Fund Risk. The Fund is not a money market fund. The Fund’s net asset value and market value will fluctuate every day and these fluctuations may be significant on certain days. Also, the Fund is not subject to the liquidity requirements and investment and credit quality restrictions applicable to money market funds. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will generate higher returns than money market funds.

ETF Shares Trading Risk. Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the Exchange) and are bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Trading on the Exchange, including trading of Fund shares, may be halted in certain circumstances and shareholders may not be able to sell Fund shares at the time or price desired. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange to maintain the listing of shares of the Fund will continue to be met. At times, trading in the securities of ETFs has become volatile and unpredictable and the price of ETF shares has diverged from market driven fundamentals. Since the Fund is new, an active secondary market for the shares of the Fund may not develop or may not continue once developed. The market prices of the shares of the Fund are expected to fluctuate in response to changes in the Fund’s net asset value (NAV), the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for shares of the Fund. We cannot predict whether shares of the Fund will trade above, below or at their NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of significant market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for the shares of the Fund (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in the Fund’s shares trading significantly above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) to NAV or to the

 
 

intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. During such periods, you may incur significant losses if you sell your shares of the Fund.

The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid-ask spreads on the Exchange and the corresponding premium or discount between the market price for Fund shares and their NAV may widen.

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of intermediaries that act as authorized participants and none of these authorized participants is or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these intermediaries exit the business or are unable to or choose not to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant creates or redeems, shares of the Fund may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

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

Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage-backed and asset-backed investments tend to increase in value less than other debt securities when interest rates decline, but are subject to similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. The values of mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities become more volatile as interest rates rise. In a period of declining interest rates, the Fund may be required to reinvest more frequent prepayments on mortgage-backed and asset-backed investments in lower-yielding investments. In addition to interest rate risk, investments in mortgage-backed securities composed of subprime mortgages may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk and liquidity risk.

Prepayment Risk. The Fund may invest in mortgage-related securities and asset-backed securities, which are subject to prepayment risk. If these securities are prepaid, the Fund may have to replace them with lower-yielding securities. Stripped mortgage-backed securities are generally more sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates than other mortgage-related securities. Unlike mortgage-related securities, asset-backed securities are usually not collateralized. If the issuer of a non-collateralized debt security defaults on the obligation, there is no collateral that the security holder may sell to satisfy the debt.

Risk of Increase in Expenses. Your actual cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the expenses shown in the expense table for a variety of reasons.

Performance. The Fund has not been in operation for a full calendar year, and hence has no past performance data to present. A number of factors—including risk—can affect how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

 

Investment Manager Subadviser Portfolio Managers Title Service Date
PGIM Investments LLC PGIM Fixed Income Joseph D’Angelo Managing Director & Portfolio Manager ________ 2018
    Douglas G. Smith Vice President & Portfolio Manager ________ 2018

 

BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES

 

The Fund is an exchange traded fund, commonly known as an “ETF”. Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers or other financial intermediaries. Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, and because the shares of the Fund trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares of the Fund may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). The Fund will issue and redeem its shares at NAV only in a large specified number of shares called a “Creation Unit” or multiples thereof to Authorized Participants who have entered into agreements with

 
 

the Fund’s distributor. A Creation Unit consists of [25,000] shares of the Fund. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in return for a specified amount of cash and/or designated portfolio of securities. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

 

TAX INFORMATION

Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes. The Fund's dividends and distributions are taxable and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), PGIM or other related companies may pay the intermediary for marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 
 

 

 

 

MORE ABOUT THE FUND'S PRINCIPAL AND NON-PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, INVESTMENTS AND RISKS

 

INVESTMENTS AND INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund's investment objective is to seek total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation, consistent with preservation of capital .

The Fund is an actively managed ETF and, thus, does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. Accordingly, the subadviser has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund's portfolio in accordance with the Fund's investment objective. Unlike shares of a mutual fund, which can be bought from and redeemed by the issuing mutual fund by all shareholders at a price based on NAV, shares of the Fund may be directly purchased from and redeemed by the Fund at NAV solely by Authorized Participants. Also unlike shares of a mutual fund, shares of the Fund are listed on a national securities exchange and trade in the secondary market at market prices that change throughout the day.

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in a portfolio of investment grade, U.S. dollar denominated short-term fixed, variable and floating rate debt instruments. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its investable assets in bonds with varying maturities. For purposes of this policy, bonds include fixed income instruments issued by the US Government, its agencies and instrumentalities, as well as commercial paper, money market instruments, asset-backed securities, funding agreements, variable rate demand notes, bills, notes and other obligations issued by banks, corporations and other companies (including trust structures), obligations issued by non-U.S. banks, companies or non-US governments, and municipal bonds and notes. The term “investable assets” refers to the Fund's net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes. The Fund's investable assets will be less than its total assets to the extent that it has borrowed money for non-investment purposes, such as to meet anticipated redemptions.

The Fund may invest in US dollar-denominated instruments issued by foreign governments, or their agencies and instrumentalities, corporations (including a US affiliate of a foreign corporation), or financial institutions.

The Fund considers its investments to be short-term investments if they have final maturities of less than three years, including investments that have stated maturities in excess of three years but which have a remaining average life not exceeding three years. The effective duration of the Fund's portfolio will generally be one year or less, although under certain market conditions, such as periods of significant volatility in interest rates and spreads, the Fund’s duration may be longer than one year. Duration is the magnitude of the change in the price of a bond relative to a given change in the market interest rate. Duration incorporates a bond’s yield, coupon interest payments, final maturity, call and put features and prepayment exposure into one measure. Duration provides an indication of the potential volatility of the price of a portfolio of bonds prior to maturity.

The Fund may only invest in fixed income investments that have a minimum short term rating of at least A2 by S&P Global Ratings (S&P) or P2 by Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) or a minimum long-term rating of BBB- by Moody’s or Baa3 by S&P, or the equivalent by another nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSRO). The Fund may also invest in unrated fixed income investments that the subadviser determines to be of comparable quality to the rated fixed income investments that are permissible investments. In the event that a security receives different ratings from different NRSROs, the Fund will treat the security as being rated in the highest rating category received from an NRSRO. A rating is an assessment of the likelihood of the timely payment of interest and repayment of principal and can be useful when comparing different debt obligations. These ratings are not a guarantee of quality. The opinions of the rating agencies do not reflect market risk and they may, at times, lag behind the current financial condition of a company.

The Fund may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in investments that were downgraded below investment grade after they were purchased for the Fund. High-yield debt securities or junk bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to their capacity to pay interest and principal. These securities tend to offer higher yields, but also offer higher credit risks than higher rated securities. A description of bond ratings is contained in the Statement of Additional Information.

The Fund may also invest in debt obligations issued by the US Treasury. Treasury securities have varying interest rates and maturities, but they are all backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government. The

 
 

Fund may also invest in other debt obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government and government-related entities. Some (but not all) of the US Government securities and mortgage-related securities in which the Fund will invest are backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government, which means that payment of interest and principal is guaranteed, but yield and market value are not. These securities include, but are not limited to, direct obligations issued by the US Treasury, and obligations of certain entities that may be chartered or sponsored by Acts of Congress, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA or “Ginnie Mae”). Securities issued by other government entities that may be chartered or sponsored by Acts of Congress, in which the Fund may invest, are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States and must rely on their own resources to repay the debt. These securities include, but are not limited to, obligations of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC” or “Freddie Mac”), FNMA and the Student Loan Marketing Association (“SLMA” or “Sallie Mae”), each of which has the right to borrow from the US Treasury to meet its obligations.

The Fund may also invest in Yankee obligations, which are dollar-denominated debt obligations issued in the US by foreign corporations and governments.

In managing the Fund’s assets, the subadviser will use a combination of top-down economic analysis and bottom-up research in conjunction with proprietary quantitative models and risk management systems. In the top-down economic analysis, the subadviser develops views on economic, policy and market trends. In its bottom-up research, the subadviser develops an internal rating and outlook on issuers. The rating and outlook is determined based on a complete review of the financial health and trends of the issuer. The subadviser may also consider investment factors such as expected total return, yield, spread and potential for price appreciation as well as credit quality, maturity and risk. The Fund may invest in a security based upon the expected total return rather than the yield of such security.

Mortgage pass-through securities include collateralized mortgage obligations, multi-class pass-through securities and stripped mortgage-backed securities. A collateralized mortgage obligation (CMO) is a security backed by an underlying portfolio of mortgages or mortgage-backed securities that may be issued or guaranteed by a bank or by US governmental entities. A multi-class pass-through security is an equity interest in a trust composed of underlying mortgage assets. Payments of principal of and interest on the mortgage assets and any reinvestment income thereon provide funds to pay debt service on the CMO or to make scheduled distributions on the multi-class pass-through security. A stripped mortgage-backed security (MBS strip) may be issued by US governmental entities or by private institutions. MBS strips take the pieces of a debt security (principal and interest) and break them apart. The resulting securities may be sold separately and may perform differently.

The values of mortgage-related securities vary with changes in market interest rates generally and changes in yields among various kinds of mortgage-related securities. Such values are particularly sensitive to changes in prepayments of the underlying mortgages. For example, during periods of falling interest rates, prepayments tend to accelerate as homeowners and others refinance their higher rate mortgages; these prepayments reduce the anticipated duration of the mortgage-related securities. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, prepayments can be expected to decelerate, which has the effect of extending the anticipated duration at the same time that the value of the securities declines. MBS strips tend to be even more highly sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates than mortgage-related securities and CMOs generally.

An asset-backed security is another type of pass-through instrument that pays interest based upon the cash flow of an underlying pool of assets, such as automobile loans and credit card receivables. Asset-backed securities can also be collateralized by a portfolio of corporate bonds including junk bonds or other securities. Credit quality depends primarily on the quality of the underlying asset, the level of credit support, if any, provided by the structure or by a third-party insurance wrap, and the credit quality of the swap counterparty, if any. The value of the security may change because of actual or perceived changes in the creditworthiness of the individual borrowers, the originator, the servicing agent, the financial institution providing the credit support or the swap counterparty.

The Fund’s investment objective is not a fundamental policy of the Fund, and therefore may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval. The Fund will provide 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders of a change in its non-fundamental policy of investing at least 80% of its investable assets in bonds with varying maturities.

 
 

US Treasury Strips

The US Treasury sometimes “strips” Treasury debt obligations into their component parts: the Treasury's obligation to make periodic interest payments and its obligation to repay the amount borrowed. These stripped securities are sold to investors separately. Stripped securities do not make periodic interest payments. They are usually sold at a discount and then redeemed for their face value on their maturity dates. These securities increase in value when interest rates fall and lose value when interest rates rise. However, the value of stripped securities generally fluctuates more in response to interest rate movements than the value of traditional bonds. The Fund may try to increase returns by buying stripped securities at a discount and either selling them after they increase in value or holding them until they mature.

Money Market Instruments

The Fund may hold cash and/or invest in money market instruments, including commercial paper of a US or foreign company, foreign government securities, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, time deposits of domestic and foreign banks, and obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or its agencies or instrumentalities. These obligations may be US dollar-denominated or denominated in a foreign currency. Money market instruments typically have a maturity of one year or less as measured from the date of purchase.

The Fund will only purchase money market instruments in one of the two highest short-term quality ratings of an NRSRO.

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements, where a party agrees to sell a security to the Fund and then repurchases it at an agreed-upon price at a stated time. This creates a fixed return for the Fund, and is, in effect, a loan by the Fund. Repurchase agreements are used for cash management purposes only.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, where the Fund sells a security with an obligation to repurchase it at an agreed-upon price and time. Reverse repurchase agreements that involve borrowing to take advantage of investment opportunities, a practice known as leverage, could magnify losses. If the Fund borrows money to purchase securities and those securities decline in value, then the value of the Fund's shares will decline faster than if the Fund were not leveraged. In addition, interest costs and investment fees relating to leverage may exceed potential investment gains. Borrowing, including any reverse repurchase agreements that involve borrowing, shall not exceed 33 1∕3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets.

Dollar Rolls

The Fund may enter into dollar rolls in which the Fund sells securities to be delivered in the current month and repurchases substantially similar (same type and coupon) securities to be delivered on a specified future date by the same party. The Fund is paid the difference between the current sales price and the forward price for the future purchase as well as the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale.

Loan Participations and Assignments

The Fund may invest in fixed and floating rate loans (secured or unsecured) arranged through private negotiations between a company as the borrower and one or more financial institutions as lenders. These types of investments can be in the form of loan participations or assignments.

Loan participations and assignments are nonconvertible corporate debt instruments of varying maturities. With participations, the Fund has the right to receive payments of principal, interest and fees from the lender conditioned upon the lender's receipt of payment from the borrower. In participations, the Fund generally does not have direct rights against the borrower on the loan, which means that if the borrower does not pay back the loan or otherwise comply with the loan agreement, the Fund will not have the right to make it do so. With assignments, the Fund has direct rights against the borrower on the loan, but its rights may be more limited than the original lender's.

Derivative Strategies

Derivatives are financial instruments whose value depends upon, or is derived from, the value of something else, such as one or more underlying investments, indexes or currencies. We may use various derivative strategies to try to improve the Fund's returns. We may also use hedging techniques to try to protect the Fund's assets. With

 
 

derivatives, we try to predict if the underlying investment—a security, market index, currency, interest rate or some other benchmark—will go up or down at some future date. We will consider other factors (such as cost) in deciding whether to employ any particular strategy or technique, or use any particular instrument. Derivatives may be traded on organized exchanges, or in individually negotiated transactions with other parties (these are known as “over-the-counter” derivatives). When the Fund uses derivative strategies, the Fund designates certain assets as segregated or otherwise covers its exposure, as required by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the Fund has the flexibility to make use of derivatives, it may choose not to for a variety of reasons, even under very volatile market conditions. We cannot guarantee that these strategies and techniques will work, that the instruments necessary to implement these strategies and techniques will be available, or that the Fund will not lose money.

Futures Contracts and Related Options . The Fund may purchase and sell financial futures contracts and related options on financial futures. A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a set quantity of an underlying asset at a future date, or to make or receive a cash payment based on the value of a securities index, or some other asset, at a stipulated future date. The terms of futures contracts are standardized. In the case of a financial futures contract based upon a broad index, there is no delivery of the securities comprising the underlying index, margin is uniform, a clearing corporation or an exchange is the counterparty and the Fund makes daily margin payments based on price movements in the index. An option gives the purchaser the right to buy or sell securities or currencies, or in the case of an option on a futures contract, the right to buy or sell a futures contract in exchange for a premium.

Swap Transactions. The Fund may enter into swap transactions. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods typically ranging from a few weeks 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, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. There are various types of swaps, including but not limited to credit default swaps, interest rate swaps, total return swaps and index swaps.

Swap Options. The Fund may enter into swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms.

Options. The Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on debt securities, aggregates of debt securities, financial indexes, and currencies traded on US or foreign securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. An option gives the purchaser the right to buy or sell securities or such currencies in exchange for a premium.

Short Sales

The Fund may make short sales of a security. This means that the Fund may sell a security that it does not own, which it may do, for example, when the investment subadviser thinks the value of the security will decline. The Fund generally borrows the security to deliver to the buyers in a short sale. The Fund must then replace the borrowed security by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. The Fund may make short sales “against the box.” In a short sale against the box, at the time of sale, the Fund owns or has the right to acquire the identical security at no additional cost through conversion or exchange of other securities it owns.

Investments in Affiliated Funds

The Fund may invest its assets in affiliated short-term bond funds and/or affiliated or unaffiliated money market funds. The affiliated funds are registered investment companies under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). The Fund can invest its free cash balances in the affiliated funds to obtain income on short-term cash balances while awaiting attractive investment opportunities, to provide liquidity in preparation for anticipated redemptions or for defensive purposes. Such an investment could also allow the Fund to obtain the benefits of a more diversified portfolio available in the affiliated funds than might otherwise be available through direct investments in those asset classes, and will subject the Fund to the risks associated with the particular asset class. The investment results of the portions of the Fund’s assets invested in the affiliated funds will be based on the investment results of the affiliated funds.

When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Securities

The Fund may purchase securities, including money market obligations, bonds or other obligations, on a when-issued, delayed-delivery or forward commitment basis. When the Fund purchases delayed delivery securities,

 
 

the price and interest rate are fixed at the time of purchase. For both when-issued and delayed delivery securities, delivery and payment for the obligations take place at a later time. The Fund does not earn interest income until the date the obligations are expected to be delivered. These types of investments potentially leverage the Fund, which could magnify losses. The Fund will segregate liquid assets, marked-to-market daily, with a value equal to any such investments. Segregating assets may cause the Fund to forgo making other potentially favorable investments.

[Securities Lending

Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements, the Fund may lend portfolio securities with a value up to 33 1/3% of its total assets to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations to earn additional income. Loans of portfolio securities will be collateralized by cash. Cash collateral will be invested in an affiliated prime money market fund.]

Temporary Defensive Investments

In response to adverse market, economic or political conditions, the Fund may take a temporary defensive position and invest up to 100% of its assets in money market instruments, including short-term obligations of, or securities guaranteed by, the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or in high-quality obligations of domestic or foreign banks and corporations, and may hold up to 100% of its assets in cash or cash equivalents. Investing heavily in these securities is inconsistent with and limits the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective, but may help to preserve the Fund's assets.

Other Investments

In addition to the strategies and securities discussed above, the Fund may use other strategies or invest in other types of securities as described in the SAI. The Fund might not use all of the strategies or invest in all of the types of securities as described in the Prospectus or in the SAI.

The table below summarizes the investment limits applicable to the Fund’s principal investment strategies and certain non-principal investment strategies.

 

 

Principal Strategies: Investment Limits

Bonds: At least 80% of investable assets

Non-agency privately issued mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities: Up to 30% of total assets for non-agency, non-government sponsored entity and privately issued consistent with listing requirements of the Exchange

Agency or government sponsored entity mortgage-backed and asset-backed Securities: without limit

 

Non-Principal Strategies: Investment Limits

Illiquid Securities: Up to 15% of net assets

Borrowing: Up to 33 1/3% of total assets

Emerging market securities: Up to 10% of total assets

Junk bonds: Up to 5% and only as a result of a downgrade on a current investment

 

RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND

New/Small Fund Risk . The Fund recently commenced operations and has a limited operating history. As a new and relatively small fund, the Fund's performance may not represent how the Fund is expected to or may perform in the long term if and when it becomes larger and has fully implemented its investment strategies. Investment positions may have a disproportionate impact (negative or positive) on performance in new and smaller funds. New and smaller funds may also require a period of time before they are invested in securities that meet their investment objectives and policies and achieve a representative portfolio composition. Fund performance may be lower or higher during this "ramp-up" period, and may also be more volatile, than would be the case after the Fund is fully invested. Similarly, a new or smaller fund's investment strategy may require a longer period of time to show returns that are representative of the strategy. New funds have limited performance histories for investors to evaluate and new and smaller funds may not attract sufficient assets to achieve investment and trading efficiencies. If the Fund were to fail to successfully implement its investment strategies or achieve its investment objective, performance may be negatively impacted, and any resulting liquidation could create negative transaction costs for the Fund and tax consequences for investors

 
 

Bond Obligations Risk. As with credit risk, market risk and interest rate risk, the Fund's holdings, share price, yield and total return may fluctuate in response to bond market movements. The value of bonds may decline for issuer-related reasons, including management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods and services. Certain types of fixed-income obligations also may be subject to “ call and redemption risk ,” which is the risk that the issuer may call a bond held by the Fund for redemption before it matures and the Fund may not be able to reinvest at the same level and therefore would earn less income.

Credit Risk. This is the risk that the issuer, the guarantor or the insurer of a fixed-income security, or the counterparty to a contract may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal and interest payments or to otherwise honor its obligations. Additionally, the securities could lose value due to a loss of confidence in the ability of the issuer, guarantor, insurer or counterparty to pay back debt. The longer the maturity and the lower the credit quality of a bond, the more sensitive it is to credit risk.

Interest Rate Risk. The value of your investment may go down when interest rates rise. A rise in rates tends to have a greater impact on the prices of longer term or duration securities. When interest rates fall, the issuers of debt obligations may prepay principal more quickly than expected, and the Fund may be required to reinvest the proceeds at a lower interest rate. This is referred to as “ prepayment risk .” When interest rates rise, debt obligations may be repaid more slowly than expected, and the value of the Fund's holdings may fall sharply. This is referred to as “ extension risk .” The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk since the US Federal Reserve Board has ended its quantitative easing program and may continue to raise rates. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply or in a manner not anticipated by the subadviser.

Extension Risk. When interest rates rise, repayments of fixed income securities, particularly asset- and mortgage-backed securities, may occur more slowly than anticipated, extending the effective duration of these securities at below market interest rates and causing their market prices to decline more than they would have declined due to the rise in interest rates alone. This may cause the Fund’s share price to be more volatile.

US Government and Agency Securities Risk. US Government and agency securities are subject to market risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. Not all US Government securities are insured or guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the US Government; some are only insured or guaranteed by the issuing agency, which must rely on its own resources to repay the debt. In addition, Connecticut Avenue Securities issued by Fannie Mae and Structured Agency Credit Risk issued by Freddie Mac carry no guarantee whatsoever and the risk of default associated with these securities would be borne by the Fund. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some US Government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the US Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. In addition, the value of US Government securities may be affected by changes in the credit rating of the US Government.

Risks of Variable and Floating Rate Bonds. Variable and floating rate bonds are subject to credit risk, market risk and interest rate risk. In addition, the absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer defaults.

Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in securities of non-US issuers (including those denominated in US dollars) generally involve more risk than investing in securities of US issuers. Foreign political, economic and legal systems, especially those in developing and emerging market countries, may be less stable and more volatile than in the US. Foreign legal systems generally have fewer regulatory requirements than the US legal system. In general, less information is publicly available about non-US companies than about US companies. Non-US companies generally are not subject to the same accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards as are US companies.

Management Risk. The value of your investment may decrease if judgments by the subadviser about the attractiveness, value or market trends affecting a particular security, industry or sector or about market movements are incorrect.

Market Risk. Securities markets may be volatile and the market prices of the securities held by the Fund may decline. Securities fluctuate in price based on changes in an issuer’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. If the market prices of the securities owned by the Fund fall, the value of your investment in the Fund will decline.

 
 

Money Market Instruments Risk. Although money market instruments are generally viewed as low risk investments, money market instruments are nevertheless subject to credit risk, market risk, prepayment risk and interest rate risk.

Non-Money Market Fund Risk. The Fund is not a money market fund. The Fund does not seek to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share. The Fund’s NAV and market value will fluctuate every day and these fluctuations may be significant on certain days. Also, the Fund is not subject to the liquidity requirements and investment and credit quality restrictions applicable to money market funds. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will generate higher returns than money market funds.

ETF Shares Trading Risk. Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and are bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Trading on the Exchange, including trading of Fund shares, may be halted in certain circumstances and shareholders may not be able to sell Fund shares at the time or price desired. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange to maintain the listing of shares of the Fund will continue to be met. At times, trading in the securities of ETFs has become volatile and unpredictable and the price of ETF shares has diverged from market driven fundamentals. The market prices of shares of the Fund are expected to fluctuate in response to changes in the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for the shares of the Fund. We cannot predict whether the shares of the Fund will trade above, below or at their NAV.

Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of significant market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for the shares of the Fund (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in the shares of the Fund trading significantly above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. During such periods, you may incur significant losses if you sell your shares of the Fund.

The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid-ask spreads on the Exchange and the corresponding premium or discount between the market price for Fund shares and their NAV may widen.

Cost of Buying or Selling Shares . When you buy or sell shares of the Fund through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission or other charges imposed by brokers. In addition, the market price of shares of the Fund, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. The spread of the Fund’s shares varies over time based on the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, and market liquidity and may increase if the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decreases. In times of severe market disruption, including when trading of the Fund’s holdings may be halted, the bid-ask spread may increase significantly. This means that the shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s NAV, and the discount is likely to be greatest during significant market volatility.

No Guarantee of Active Trading Market Risk. While shares of the Fund are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that active trading markets for the shares will develop or be maintained by market makers or by authorized participants. The distributor of the Fund’s shares, does not maintain a secondary market in the shares.

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of intermediaries that act as authorized participants and none of these authorized participants is or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these intermediaries exit the business or are unable to or choose not to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant creates or redeems, shares of the Fund may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

Cash Transactions Risk. Unlike certain ETFs, the Fund may effect its creations and redemptions in cash or partially in cash. As a result, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in such ETFs. Other ETFs generally are able to make in-kind redemptions and avoid realizing gains in connection with transactions designed to raise cash to meet redemption requests. If the Fund effects a portion of redemptions for cash, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute

 
 

redemption proceeds, which involves transaction costs. If the Fund recognizes gain on these sales, this generally will cause the Fund to recognize gain it might not otherwise have recognized if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind, or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise be required. The Fund generally intends to distribute these gains to shareholders to avoid being taxed on this gain at the Fund level and otherwise comply with the special tax rules that apply to it. This strategy may cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be subject to, or at an earlier date than, if they had made an investment in a different ETF.

Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage-backed and asset-backed investments tend to increase in value less than other debt securities when interest rates decline, but are subject to similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. The values of mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities become more volatile as interest rates rise. In a period of declining interest rates, the Fund may be required to reinvest more frequent prepayments on mortgage-backed and asset-backed investments in lower-yielding investments. In addition to interest rate risk, investments in mortgage-backed securities composed of subprime mortgages may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk and liquidity risk.

Prepayment Risk. The Fund may invest in mortgage-related securities and asset-backed securities, which are subject to prepayment risk. If these securities are prepaid, the Fund may have to replace them with lower-yielding securities. Stripped mortgage-backed securities are generally more sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates than other mortgage-related securities. Unlike mortgage-related securities, asset-backed securities are usually not collateralized. If the issuer of a non-collateralized debt security defaults on the obligation, there is no collateral that the security holder may sell to satisfy the debt.

Risks of Municipal Securities. The Fund’s investments in municipal securities are subject to credit risk, extension risk, prepayment risk, market risk and interest rate risk.

Repurchase Agreements Risk. Repurchase agreements could involve certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the seller, including losses and possible delays or restrictions upon the Fund’s ability to dispose of the underlying securities. To the extent that, in the meantime, the value of the securities that the Fund has purchased has decreased, the Fund could experience a loss.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk. Reverse repurchase agreements involve leverage, which may exaggerate the increase or decrease of the value of the Fund’s assets during the term of the agreement.

Stripped Securities Risk. Stripped securities are more volatile than securities where the principal and interest have not been separated. These securities do not make periodic interest payments, and generally lose value when interest rates rise. The value of stripped securities generally fluctuates more in response to interest rate movements than the value of traditional bonds. Interest-only stripped securities generally have greater risk of loss compared to principal-only stripped securities.

When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Transactions Risk. When-issued and delayed delivery securities involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose value prior to its delivery. There also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price.

Forward Commitments Risk. Forward commitments are subject to the risk that the counterparty to the forward commitment may fail to make payment or delivery in a timely manner or at all. Forward commitments are also subject to the risk that the value of the security to be purchased may decline prior to the settlement date.

Liquidity Risk. The Fund may invest in instruments that trade in lower volumes and are less liquid than other investments. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments made by the Fund are difficult to purchase or sell. Liquidity risk also includes the risk that the Fund may make investments that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. If the Fund is forced to sell these investments to pay redemption proceeds or for other reasons, the Fund may lose money. In addition, when there is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at the desired time or price, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell the instrument at all. The reduction in dealer market-making capacity in the fixed-income markets that has occurred in recent years also has the potential to reduce liquidity. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund's value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities.

 
 

Junk Bonds Risk. High-yield, high-risk bonds have predominantly speculative characteristics, including particularly high credit risk. Junk bonds tend to be less liquid than higher-rated securities. The liquidity of particular issuers or industries within a particular investment category may shrink or disappear suddenly and without warning. The non-investment grade bond market can experience sudden and sharp price swings and become illiquid due to a variety of factors, including changes in economic forecasts, stock market activity, large sustained sales by major investors, a high profile default or a change in the market's psychology.

Dollar Rolls Risk. Dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities that the Fund is committed to buy may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold. These transactions may involve leverage.

Risks of Investments in Loans. The Fund's ability to receive payments of principal and interest and other amounts in connection with loans (whether through participations, assignments or otherwise) will depend primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. The failure by the Fund to receive scheduled interest or principal payments on a loan because of a default, bankruptcy or any other reason would adversely affect the income of the Fund and would likely reduce the value of its assets. Even with loans secured by collateral, there is the risk that the value of the collateral may decline, may be insufficient to meet the obligations of the borrower, or be difficult to liquidate. In the event of a default, the Fund may have difficulty collecting on any collateral and would not have the ability to collect on any collateral for an uncollateralized loan. Further, the Fund's access to collateral, if any, may be limited by bankruptcy laws. Due to the nature of the private syndication of senior loans, including, for example, lack of publicly-available information, some senior loans are not as easily purchased or sold as publicly-traded securities. In addition, loan participations generally are subject to restrictions on transfer, and only limited opportunities may exist to sell loan participations in secondary markets. As a result, it may be difficult for the Fund to value loans or sell loans at an acceptable price when it wants to sell them. Extended trade settlement periods may, in unusual market conditions with a high volume of shareholder redemptions, present a risk to shareholders regarding the Fund's ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time periods stated in the Prospectus. In some instances, loans and loan participations are not rated by independent credit rating agencies; in such instances, a decision by the Fund to invest in a particular loan or loan participation could depend exclusively on the investment subadviser's credit analysis of the borrower, or in the case of a loan participation, of the intermediary holding the portion of the loan that the Fund has purchased. To the extent the Fund invests in loans of non-US issuers, the risks of investing in non-US issuers are applicable. Loans may not be considered to be “securities” and as a result may not benefit from the protections of the federal securities laws, including anti-fraud protections and those with respect to the use of material non-public information, so that purchasers, such as the Fund, may not have the benefit of these protections.

Illiquid Securities Risk. The Fund may invest to a greater degree in instruments that trade in lower volumes and may make investments that may be less liquid than other investments. The Fund may make investments that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. When there is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at the desired time or price, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell the instrument at all. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities.

Yankee Obligations Risk. Foreign markets, economies and political systems, particularly those in developing countries, may not be as stable as those in the US. In addition, Yankee Obligations may be less liquid than US debt obligations. Differences in foreign laws, accounting standards, public information, custody and settlement practices may result in less reliable information on foreign investments and involve more risk. Investments in emerging markets securities are subject to greater volatility and price declines.

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives involve special risks and costs and may result in losses to the Fund. The successful use of derivatives requires sophisticated management, and, to the extent that derivatives are used, the Fund will depend on the subadviser’s ability to analyze and manage derivatives transactions. The prices of derivatives may move in unexpected ways, especially in abnormal market conditions. Some derivatives are “leveraged” and therefore may magnify or otherwise increase investment losses to the Fund. The Fund’s use of derivatives may also increase the amount of taxes payable by shareholders. Other risks arise from the potential inability to terminate or sell derivatives positions. A liquid secondary market may not always exist for the Fund’s derivatives positions. In fact, many over-the-counter derivative instruments will not have liquidity beyond the counterparty to the instrument. Over-the-counter derivative instruments also involve the risk that the other party will not meet its obligations to the Fund.

 
 

The US Government and foreign governments are in the process of adopting and implementing regulations governing derivatives markets, including mandatory clearing of certain derivatives, margin and reporting requirements. The ultimate impact of the regulations remains unclear. Additional regulation of derivatives may make derivatives more costly, limit their availability or utility, or otherwise adversely affect their performance or disrupt markets.

Short Sales Risk. Short sales involve costs and risks. The Fund must pay the lender interest on the security it borrows, and the Fund will lose money to the extent that the price of the security increases between the time of the short sale and the date when the Fund replaces the borrowed security. Although the Fund’s gain is limited to the price at which it sold the securities short, its potential loss is limited only by the maximum attainable price of the securities, less the price at which the security was sold and may, theoretically, be unlimited. When selling short against the box, the Fund gives up the opportunity for capital appreciation in the security.

[Securities Lending Risk . Securities lending involves the risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. As a result, the Fund may lose money and there may be a delay in recovering the loaned securities. Additionally, losses could result from the reinvestment of collateral received on loaned securities in investments that decline in value, default, or do not perform as well as expected. The affiliated prime money market fund in which cash collateral is invested may impose liquidity fees or temporary gates on redemptions if its weekly liquid assets fall below a designated threshold. If this were to occur, the Fund may lose money on its investment of cash collateral in the affiliated prime money market fund, or the Fund may not be able to redeem its investment of cash collateral in the affiliated prime money market fund, which might cause the Fund to liquidate other holdings in order to return the cash collateral to the borrower upon termination of a securities loan. These events could trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund.]

Risk of Increase in Expenses. Your actual cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the expenses shown in the expense table for a variety of reasons.

Please note that, in addition to the risks discussed above, there are many other factors that may impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective and which could result in a loss of all or a part of your investment.

More information about the Fund’s investment strategies and risks appears in the SAI.

 
 

 

 

 

HOW THE FUND IS MANAGED

 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Fund is overseen by a Board of Trustees (hereafter referred to as Trustees, or the Board). The Board oversees the actions of the Manager, investment subadviser and distributor and decides on general policies. The Board also oversees the Fund's officers, who conduct and supervise the daily business operations of the Fund.

 

MANAGER

PGIM Investments LLC (PGIM Investments)
655 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102-4410

 

As manager, PGIM Investments manages the Fund's investment operations and administers its business affairs and is responsible for supervising the Fund's investment subadviser. Pursuant to the management agreement relating to the Fund, PGIM Investments is responsible for substantially all expenses of the Fund, except taxes, brokerage expenses, interest expenses, distribution fees or expenses, expenses incident to shareholder meetings and extraordinary expenses. The Fund may also pay for any costs or expenses of investing in other funds. The Fund pays PGIM Investments management fees at the rate of 0.[ ] % of the Fund's average daily net assets.

 

PGIM Investments and its predecessors have served as a manager or administrator to investment companies since 1987. As of October 31, 2017, PGIM Investments, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential, served as the investment manager to all of the Prudential US and offshore open-end investment companies, and as the manager or administrator to closed-end investment companies, with aggregate assets of approximately $279.4 billion.

 

Subject to the supervision of the Board, PGIM Investments is responsible for conducting the initial review of prospective investment subadvisers for the Fund. In evaluating a prospective investment subadviser, PGIM Investments considers many factors, including the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. Subject to the Board’s oversight, PGIM Investments is also responsible for monitoring the performance of the Fund's investment subadviser and recommending its termination and replacement when deemed appropriate. PGIM Investments may provide a subadviser with additional investment guidelines consistent with the Fund's investment objective and restrictions.

 

[PGIM Investments and the Fund operate under an exemptive order (the Order) from the SEC that generally permits PGIM Investments to enter into or amend agreements with unaffiliated investment subadvisers and certain subadvisers that are affiliates of PGIM Investments without obtaining shareholder approval. This authority is subject to certain conditions, including the requirement that the Board must approve any new or amended agreements with an investment subadviser. Shareholders of the Fund still have the right to terminate these agreements at any time by a vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The Fund will notify shareholders of any new investment subadvisers engaged or material amendments to subadvisory agreements made pursuant to the Order. Any new subadvisory agreement or amendment to the Fund’s management agreement or current subadvisory agreement that directly or indirectly results in an increase in the aggregate management fee rate payable by the Fund will be submitted to the Fund’s shareholders for their approval. PGIM Investments does not currently intend to retain unaffiliated subadvisers.]

 

A discussion of the basis for the Board's approvals of the management and subadvisory agreements will be available in the Fund's Annual Report to shareholders for the period ending August 31.

 

 
 

INVESTMENT SUBADVISER

PGIM, Inc. (PGIM) is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. (Prudential Financial) that was organized in 1984. Its address is 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102. As of September 30, 2017, PGIM managed approximately $1.13 trillion in assets.

 

PGIM Fixed Income is the primary public fixed-income asset management unit of PGIM, with $695 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2017, and is the unit of PGIM that provides investment advisory services to the Fund. PGIM Fixed Income is organized into groups specializing in different sectors of the fixed-income market: US and non-US government bonds, mortgages and asset-backed securities, US and non-US investment grade corporate bonds, high-yield bonds, emerging markets bonds, municipal bonds, and money market securities.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Joseph D'Angelo and Douglas G. Smith of PGIM Fixed Income are responsible for the management of the PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF.

 

Joseph D'Angelo is a Managing Director and the Head of PGIM Fixed Income’s Money Markets Team, overseeing portfolio management of all taxable money markets portfolios. Mr. D’Angelo joined the Firm in 1988, working first in the Management Accounting Group and then the Treasurer's Group. He moved to the Securities Lending Group in 1994 and assumed investment management responsibilities in 1998. Mr. D’Angelo received a BA in Economics from Swarthmore College and an MBA in Finance from New York University.

 

Douglas G. Smith is a Vice President and a money markets portfolio manager for PGIM Fixed Income's Money Markets Team. He has been responsible for investing the short-term cash of the Firm and its subsidiaries, including the reinvestment of securities lending proceeds, since 1991. Mr. Smith joined the Firm in 1984, working within the Firm’s Portfolio Management Group (1988-1991) and the Comptrollers Group (1984-1988). He received a BA in Economics from Bucknell University and an MBA from Rutgers University.

Additional information about portfolio manager compensation, other accounts managed, and portfolio manager ownership of Fund securities may be found in the SAI.

 

DISTRIBUTOR

The Fund's Distributor is Prudential Investment Management Services LLC (PIMS or the Distributor). The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Fund and does not maintain a secondary market in shares of the Fund.

Distribution and Servicing Plan

The Fund has adopted a Distribution and Servicing Plan (the 12b-1 Plan) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act). The 12b-1 Plan permits compensation in connection with the distribution and marketing of Fund shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services. The 12b-1 Plan permits the Fund to pay compensation at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. However, the Board has determined not to authorize payment of a 12b-1 Plan fee at this time.

The 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Board determines that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees, when and if authorized, will be paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund.

PGIM or its affiliates make payments to broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, banks or other intermediaries (together, intermediaries) related to marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, or their making shares of the Fund available to their customers generally and in certain investment programs. Such payments, which may be significant to the intermediary, are not made by the Fund. Rather, such payments are made by PGIM or its affiliates from their own resources, which come directly or indirectly in part from fees paid by the Fund. A financial intermediary may make decisions about which investment options it recommends or makes available, or the level of services provided, to its customers based on the payments it is eligible to receive. Therefore,

 
 

such payments to an intermediary create conflicts of interest between the intermediary and its customers and may cause the intermediary to recommend the funds over another investment. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

Please contact your salesperson or other investment professional for more information regarding any such payments his or her firm may receive from PGIM or its affiliates.

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund's portfolio securities are described in the Fund's SAI. On each business day, before commencement of trading on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on www.pgiminvestments.com the Fund's portfolio holdings that will form the basis for the Fund's calculation of NAV at the end of the business day.

 
 

FUND DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX ISSUES

DISTRIBUTIONS

Investors who buy shares of the Fund should be aware of some important tax issues. For example, the Fund distributes dividends of net investment income and realized net capital gains , if any, to shareholders. These distributions are subject to federal income taxes, unless you hold your shares in a 401(k) plan, an Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”) or some other qualified or tax-deferred plan or account. Dividends and distributions from the Fund also may be subject to state and local income tax in the state where you live.

 

Also, if you sell shares of the Fund for a profit, you may have to pay capital gains taxes on the amount of your profit, unless you hold your shares in a qualified or tax-deferred plan or account.

 

The following briefly discusses some of the important income tax issues you should be aware of, but is not meant to be tax advice. For tax advice, please speak with your tax adviser.

 

The Fund distributes dividends out of any net investment income to shareholders. For example, if the Fund owns an ACME Corp. bond and the bond pays interest, the Fund will pay out a portion of this interest as a dividend to its shareholders, assuming the Fund's income is more than its costs and expenses. The dividends you receive from the Fund will be subject to taxation whether or not they are reinvested in the Fund.

 

The Fund also distributes any realized net capital gains to shareholders. Capital gains are generated when the Fund sells its assets for a profit. For example, if the Fund bought 100 bonds of ACME Corp. for a total of $1,000 and more than one year later sold the bonds for a total of $1,500, the Fund has net long-term capital gains of $500, which it will pass on to shareholders (assuming the Fund's remaining total gains are greater than any losses it may have). Capital gains are taxed differently depending on how long the Fund holds the security—if the Fund holds a security for more than one year before selling it, any gain is treated as long-term capital gain which is generally taxed at rates of up to 15% or 20% for noncorporate US shareholders, depending on whether their income exceeds certain threshold amounts which are adjusted annually for inflation. If the Fund holds the security for one year or less, any gain is treated as short-term capital gain, which is taxed at rates applicable to ordinary income. Different rates apply to corporate shareholders.

 

Dividends from net investment income paid to a non-corporate US shareholder that are reported as qualified dividend income will generally be taxable to such shareholder at the long-term capital gain tax rate. Dividends of net investment income that are not reported as qualified dividend income will be taxable to shareholders at ordinary income rates. Also, a portion of the dividends paid to corporate shareholders of the Fund will be eligible for the dividends received deduction to the extent the Fund's income is derived from certain dividends received from US corporations. [Because of the nature of the Fund’s investments, the Fund does not expect to pay dividends that for noncorporate shareholders are treated as qualified dividend income or that for corporate shareholders are eligible for the dividends received deduction.]

 

A US shareholder that is an individual, estate, or certain type of trust is subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on the lesser of (1) the US shareholder's “net investment income,” including Fund distributions and net gains from the disposition of Fund shares, and (2) the excess of the US shareholder's modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year over $200,000 (or $250,000 for married couples filing jointly). For this purpose, net investment income includes interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, capital gain and income from a passive activity business or a business of trading in financial instruments or commodities.

 

Dividends and other distributions on shares of the Fund are distributed on a pro rata basis to beneficial owners of such shares.

 

Dividend payments are made through DTC participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from the Fund.

 

 
 

Dividend Reinvestment Service. No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Fund. Broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of the Fund for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their broker to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

The chart below sets forth the expected frequency of dividend and capital gains distributions to shareholders. Various factors may impact the frequency of dividend distributions to shareholders, including but not limited to adverse market conditions or portfolio holding-specific events.

 

 

Expected Distribution Schedule*  
Dividends Monthly
Long Term Capital Gains Annually
Short Term Capital Gains Annually

 

*Under certain circumstances, the Fund may make more than one distribution of short-term and/or long-term capital gains during a fiscal year.

 

TAX ISSUES

Form 1099

For every year the Fund declares a dividend, you will receive a Form 1099, which reports the amount of ordinary income distributions and long-term capital gains we distributed to you during the prior year unless you own shares of the Fund as part of a qualified or tax-deferred plan or account. If you do own shares of the Fund as part of a qualified or tax-deferred plan or account, your taxes are deferred, so you will not receive a Form 1099 annually, but instead you will receive a Form 1099 when you take any distribution from your qualified or tax-deferred plan or account.

 

Fund distributions are generally taxable to you in the calendar year in which they are received, except when we declare certain dividends and distributions in the fourth quarter, with a record date in such quarter, and actually pay them in January of the following year. In such cases, the dividends and distributions are treated as if they were paid on December 31st of the prior year.

 

Withholding Taxes

If federal tax law requires you to provide the Fund with your taxpayer identification number and certifications as to your tax status and you fail to do this, or if you are otherwise subject to backup withholding, we will withhold and pay to the US Treasury a portion of your distributions and sale proceeds based on the applicable backup withholding rate.

 

Taxation of Non-US Shareholders

For a discussion regarding the taxation of non-US shareholders, please see the SAI and contact your tax adviser.

 

If You Purchase on or Before a Record Date

If you buy shares of the Fund on or before the record date for a distribution (the date that determines who receives the distribution), we will pay that distribution to you. As explained above, the distribution may be subject to taxes. You may think you've done well since you bought shares one day and soon thereafter received a distribution. That is not so, because when dividends are paid out, the value of each share of the Fund decreases by the amount of the dividend to reflect the payout, although this may not be apparent because the value of each share of the Fund also will be affected by market changes, if any. However, the timing of your purchase does mean that part of your investment may have come back to you as taxable income.

 

 
 

TAXES WHEN SHARES ARE SOLD

 

Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. Capital loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends received by the shareholder. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited. Net gains from the sale of shares are included in “net investment income” for purposes of the 3.8% Medicare contribution tax mentioned above.

 

For shares purchased and sold from a taxable account, your intermediary will report cost basis information to you and to the IRS. Your intermediary will permit shareholders to elect their preferred cost basis method. In the absence of an election, your cost basis method will be your intermediary’s default method, which is often the average cost method. Please consult your tax adviser to determine the appropriate cost basis method for your particular tax situation and to learn more about how the cost basis reporting laws apply to you and your investments.

 

The above is a general summary of tax implications of investing in the Fund. Because each investor’s tax consequences are unique, please consult your tax advisor to see how investing in the Fund and, for individuals and S corporations, selection of a particular cost method of accounting will affect your own tax situation.

 
 

 

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

Secondary Market

Most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the secondary market on the Exchange. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded securities. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. The spread varies over time for shares of the Fund based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund has a lot of trading volume and market liquidity.

Shares of the Fund trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to varying degrees from the daily NAV of the shares.

Directly with the Fund

The Fund’s shares are issued or redeemed by the Fund at NAV per share only in Creation Units. Investors such as market makers, large investors and institutions who wish to deal in Creation Units directly with the Fund must have entered into an authorized participant agreement with the Distributor, or purchase through a dealer that has entered into such an agreement. Set forth below is a brief description of the procedures applicable to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. For more detailed information, see “Creation and Redemption of Fund Shares” in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.

Beneficial Ownership

The Depository Trust Company (DTC) serves as securities depository for the shares of the Fund. The shares of the Fund may be held only in book-entry form; stock certificates will not be issued. DTC, or its nominee, is the record or registered owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund. Beneficial ownership of shares will be shown on the records of DTC or its participants. Beneficial owners of shares are not entitled to have shares registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificates in definitive form and are not considered the registered holder thereof. Accordingly, to exercise any rights of a holder of shares of the Fund, each beneficial owner must rely on the procedures of: (i) DTC; (ii) “DTC Participants,” i.e. , securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC; and (iii) “Indirect Participants,” i.e. , brokers, dealers, banks and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly, through which such beneficial owner holds its interests.

The Fund understands that under existing industry practice, in the event the Fund requests any action of holders of shares, or a beneficial owner desires to take any action that DTC, as the record owner of all outstanding shares, is entitled to take, DTC would authorize the DTC Participants to take such action and that the DTC Participants would authorize the Indirect Participants and beneficial owners acting through such DTC Participants to take such action and would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them. As described above, the Fund recognizes DTC or its nominee as the owner of all shares of the Fund for all purposes. For more detailed information, see “Book Entry Only System” in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.

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

Understanding the Price You'll Pay for the Shares

Market Trading Price. The trading price of the Fund’s shares on the Exchange may differ from the Fund’s daily NAV and can be affected by market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors.

The Exchange disseminates the approximate value of shares of the Fund every fifteen seconds. This approximate value should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV of the Fund because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed only once a day. The approximate value is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers and other market intermediaries that may trade in the portfolio securities held by the Fund. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate value and the Fund does not make any representation or warranty as to its accuracy.

 
 

Premiums and Discounts. The Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this prospectus, and, therefore, does not have information about the differences between the Fund’s daily market price on the Exchange and its NAV. When available, information regarding how often the shares of the Fund traded on the Exchange at a price above ( i.e. , at a premium) or below ( i.e. , at a discount) the NAV of the Fund during the past four calendar quarters, as applicable, can be found at www.pgiminvestments.com.

Net Asset Value. The share value of a fund—known as the net asset value or NAV —is determined by a simple calculation: it's the total value of the Fund (assets minus liabilities) divided by the total number of shares outstanding. For example, if the value of the investments held by Fund XYZ (minus its liabilities) is $1,000 and there are 100 shares of Fund XYZ owned by shareholders, the value of one share of the Fund—or the NAV—is $10 ($1,000 divided by 100).

The Fund's NAV will be determined every day on which the Fund is open as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). The price at which a purchase of a Creation Unit is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in proper form in accordance with this prospectus and the requirements of the authorized participant agreement.

The Fund's portfolio securities are valued based upon market quotations or, if market quotations are not readily available, at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by the Board. These procedures include pricing methodologies for determining the fair value of certain types of securities and other assets held by the Fund that do not have quoted market prices, and authorize the use of other pricing sources, such as bid prices supplied by a principal market maker and evaluated prices supplied by pricing vendors that employ analytic methodologies that take into account the prices of similar securities and other market factors.

If the Fund determines that a market quotation for a security is not reliable based on, among other things, events or market conditions that occur with respect to one or more securities held by the Fund or the market as a whole, after the quotation is derived or after the closing of the primary market on which the security is traded, but before the time that the Fund's NAV is determined, the Fund may use “fair value pricing,” which is implemented by a valuation committee (“Valuation Committee”) consisting of representatives of the Manager or by the Board. The subadviser often provides relevant information for the Valuation Committee meeting. In addition, the Fund may use fair value pricing determined by the Valuation Committee or Board if the pricing source does not provide an evaluated price for a security or provides an evaluated price that, in the judgment of the Manager (which may be based upon a recommendation from the subadviser), does not represent fair value. Equity securities that are traded on foreign exchanges are valued using pricing vendor services that provide fair value model prices. The models generate an evaluated adjustment factor for each security, which is applied to the local closing price to adjust it for post-closing market movements. Utilizing that evaluated adjustment factor, the vendor provides an evaluated price for each security. Non-US securities markets are open for trading on weekends and other days when the Fund does not price shares. Therefore, the value of the Fund’s shares may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares.

Investments in open-end non-exchange-traded mutual funds shall be valued at their NAV as determined as of the close of the NYSE on the date of valuation, which will reflect the mutual fund’s fair valuation procedures.

Different valuation methods may result in differing values for the same security. The fair value of a portfolio security that the Fund uses to determine its NAV may differ from the security's quoted or published price. If the Fund needs to implement fair value pricing after the NAV publishing deadline but before shares of the Fund are processed, the NAV you receive or pay may differ from the published NAV price. The prospectuses of any other mutual funds in which the Fund invests will explain each fund’s procedures and policies with respect to the use of fair value pricing.

Fair value pricing procedures are designed to result in prices for the Fund's securities and its NAV that are reasonable in light of the circumstances which make or have made market quotations unavailable or unreliable, and may have the effect of reducing arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders. There is no assurance, however, that fair value pricing will more accurately reflect the market value of a security than the market price of such security on that day or that it will prevent dilution of the Fund's NAV by short-term traders.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions

The Fund imposes no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions. The Board of Trustees evaluated the risks of market timing activities by the Fund’s shareholders when they considered that no

 
 

restriction or policy was necessary. The Board considered that, unlike mutual funds, the Fund issues and redeems its shares at NAV only in Creation Units, and the Fund’s shares may be purchased and sold on the Exchange at prevailing market prices.

 
 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

Introduction

No financial information is available for the Fund as of the date of this Prospectus, as the Fund is new and has no prior financial information.

 
 

 

 

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please read this Prospectus before you invest in the Fund and keep it for future reference.
For information or shareholder questions contact:

MAIL
PGIM Investments LLC

655 Broad Street, 17th Floor

Newark NJ 07102

 

WEBSITE
www.pgiminvestments.com

TELEPHONE
Number TBD

Number TBD

(from outside the US)

 

 

■   E-DELIVERY
You may request e-delivery of Fund documents by contacting your financial intermediary directly or by going to www.icsdelivery.com. Instead of receiving printed documents by mail, you will receive notification via email when new materials are available. You can cancel your enrollment or change your email address at any time by visiting the website address above

 

 

The Annual and Semi-Annual Reports and the SAI contain additional information about the Fund. Shareholders may obtain free copies of the SAI, Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report as well as other information about the Fund and may make other shareholder inquiries through the telephone number, address and website listed above.

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (SAI)
(incorporated by reference into this Prospectus)

 

SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT

ANNUAL REPORT
(contains a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the last fiscal year)

 

 

You can also obtain copies of Fund documents, including the SAI, from the Securities and Exchange Commission as follows (the SEC charges a fee to copy documents):

MAIL
Securities and Exchange Commission
Public Reference Section
100 F Street, NE
Washington, DC 20549-1520

 

ELECTRONIC REQUEST
publicinfo@sec.gov

IN PERSON
Public Reference Room located at
100 F Street, NE in Washington, DC
For hours of operation, call (202) 551-8090

 

VIA THE INTERNET
on the EDGAR Database at www.sec.gov

 

 

PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF
Ticker Symbol XXXXXXX
Listing Exchange NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

____________

The Fund's Investment Company Act File No. XXX-XXXXX

 

 

 

 
 
PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF

 

RESERVED: PGIM INVESTMENTS | BRINGING YOU THE INVESTMENT MANAGERS OF PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL, INC.

FRONT_SAI.JPG

 

 

The information in this Preliminary Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This SAI is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  |  JANUARY 8, 2018

 

This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) of PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF (the “Fund”) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Fund dated January 8, 2018. The Prospectus can be obtained, without charge, by calling [XXX-XXX-XXXX] or by writing to PGIM Investments LLC, 655 Broad Street, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ 07102. This SAI has been incorporated by reference into the Fund’s current Prospectus.

 

The Fund is new and therefore no audited financial statements or other financial information are available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MFXXXX

 
 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

3 PART I
3 INTRODUCTION
3 GLOSSARY
5 FUND CLASSIFICATION, INVESTMENT Objective & POLICIES
5 EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
5 INVESTMENT RISKS AND CONSIDERATIONS
30 INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
33 INFORMATION ABOUT BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS
42 MANAGEMENT & ADVISORY ARRANGEMENTS
49 OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
51 PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS & BROKERAGE
53 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
53 PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS AND CONTROL PERSONS
53 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
54 PART II
54 CREATIONS AND REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES
64 NET ASSET VALUE
66 TAXES, DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
74 DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
76 PROXY VOTING
76 CODES OF ETHICS
77 FINANCIAL STATEMENT – STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
78 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES (IN ORGANIZATION)
79 STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS (IN ORGANIZATION)
81 APPENDIX I: PROXY VOTING POLICIES OF THE SUBADVISER
83 APPENDIX II: DESCRIPTIONS OF SECURITY RATINGS
 
 

 

 

 

PART I

 

INTRODUCTION

This SAI sets forth information about PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF, which is a series of the PGIM ETF Trust (the Trust). It provides additional information about the Fund's Board of Trustees, the advisory services provided to and the management fees paid by the Fund, and information about other fees paid by and services provided to the Fund. This SAI also provides information about the investment policies and other investment information relevant to the Fund.

 

The Fund will offer and issue shares at net asset value (NAV) only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (each a Creation Unit or a Creation Unit Aggregation). The Fund’s shares will be listed and traded on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the Exchange). Fund shares will trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at or above NAV. The Fund normally expects to issue and redeem Creation Units in exchange for an all-cash payment (Cash Deposit) but reserves the right to issue and redeem Creation Units in exchange for a basket of securities and other financial instruments (the Deposit Instruments) together with a deposit of a specified cash payment (the Cash Component). Shares are redeemable by the Fund only in Creation Units. In the event of the liquidation of the Fund, the Trust may lower the number of Shares in a Creation Unit, including making the shares individually redeemable.

 

The Fund may charge transaction fees for each creation and redemption transaction. See the “Creations and Redemptions” section below. In each instance of cash creations or redemptions, transaction fees may be imposed that will be higher than the transaction fees associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. In all cases, transaction fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.

 

Before reading the SAI, you should consult the Glossary below, which defines certain of the terms used in the SAI:

 

GLOSSARY

Term Definition
ADR American Depositary Receipt
ADS American Depositary Share
Board Fund’s Board of Directors or Trustees
Board Member A trustee or director of the Fund’s Board
CEA Commodity Exchange Act, as amended
CFTC US Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Code Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
CMO Collateralized Mortgage Obligation
ETF Exchange-Traded Fund
EDR European Depositary Receipt
Fannie Mae Federal National Mortgage Association
FDIC Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Fitch Fitch Ratings, Inc.
Freddie Mac Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
GDR Global Depositary Receipt
Ginnie Mae Government National Mortgage Association
IPO Initial Public Offering
IRS Internal Revenue Service
1933 Act Securities Act of 1933, as amended
1934 Act Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
1940 Act Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions Exemptive order, SEC release, no-action letter or similar relief or interpretations, collectively
LIBOR London Interbank Offered Rate
Manager or PGIM Investments PGIM Investments LLC
Moody’s Moody’s Investor Services, Inc.
NASDAQ National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System
NAV Net Asset Value
NRSRO Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization
NYSE New York Stock Exchange
 
 

 

Exchange NYSE Arca, Inc.
OTC Over the Counter
Prudential Prudential Financial, Inc.
REIT Real Estate Investment Trust
RIC Regulated Investment Company, as the term is used in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
S&P S&P Global Ratings
SEC US Securities & Exchange Commission
World Bank International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
 
 

 

FUND CLASSIFICATION, INVESTMENT Objective & POLICIES

PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF is a diversified, actively managed exchange traded fund

 

The investment objective of the Fund is to seek total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation, consistent with preservation of capital. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in a portfolio of investment grade, U.S. dollar denominated short-term fixed, variable and floating rate debt instruments.

 

The following section identifies and explains certain of the types of investments and investment strategies that the Fund may use, and the risks associated with such investments and investment strategies. The Fund also may invest from time to time in certain types of investments and investment strategies that are not discussed below.

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Exchange and may trade on other secondary markets. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares of the Fund will continue to be met. In such event, the Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares from listing. In the event the Fund ceases to be listed on an exchange, the Fund may cease operating as an “exchange-traded” fund and operate as a mutual fund, provided that shareholders are given advance notice.

As in the case of other publicly-traded securities, when you buy or sell shares through a financial intermediary you may incur a brokerage commission determined by that financial intermediary.

 

In order to provide additional information regarding the intraday value of shares of the Fund, the Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other widely disseminated means an updated intraday indicative value (IIV) for the Fund as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Fund is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIV and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIV.

As an active ETF, the Fund’s IIV is based on the current market value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings that will form the basis for the Fund’s calculation of NAV at the end of the Business Day (as defined below), as disclosed on the Fund’s website prior to that Business Day’s commencement of trading (the “Active Funds IIV Basket”). Unlike the Fund’s NAV, the IIV may not reflect estimated accrued interest, dividends and other income, or Fund expenses.

The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share prices of the Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

 

INVESTMENT RISKS AND CONSIDERATIONS

Set forth below are descriptions of some of the types of investments and investment strategies that the Fund may use and the risks and considerations associated with those investments and investment strategies. Please also see the Prospectus and the “Fund Classification, Investment Objective & Policies” section of this SAI.

 

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES . Asset-backed securities directly or indirectly represent a participation interest in, or are secured by and payable from, a stream of payments generated by particular assets such as motor vehicle or credit card receivables. Payments of principal and interest may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the entities issuing the securities. Asset-backed securities may be classified as pass-through certificates or collateralized obligations.

 

Pass-through certificates are asset-backed securities which represent an undivided fractional ownership interest in an underlying pool of assets. Pass-through certificates usually provide for payments of principal and interest received to be passed through to their holders, usually after deduction for certain costs and expenses incurred in administering the pool. Because pass-through certificates represent an ownership interest in the underlying assets, the holders thereof bear directly the risk of any defaults by the obligors on the underlying assets not covered by any credit support.

 

Asset-backed securities issued in the form of debt instruments include collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and other similarly structured securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed-income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed-income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically

 
 

collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CBOs and CLOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

 

For CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.The risks of an investment in a CBO or CLO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the instrument in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs and CLOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CBOs and CLOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities; however, an active dealer market may exist for CBOs and CLOs, allowing them to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed-income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Fund’s Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CBOs and CLOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the possibility that the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the risk that the Fund may invest in CBOs or CLOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the risk that the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

 

ASSET-BASED SECURITIES . The Fund may invest in debt, preferred or convertible securities, the principal amount, redemption terms or conversion terms of which are related to the market price of some natural resource asset such as gold bullion. These securities are referred to as “asset-based securities.” Obligations ranked in the fourth highest rating category, while considered “investment grade,” may have certain speculative characteristics. If the asset-based security is backed by a bank letter of credit or other similar facility, the subadviser may take such backing into account in determining the creditworthiness of the issuer. While the market prices for an asset-based security and the related natural resource asset generally are expected to move in the same direction, there may not be perfect correlation in the two price movements. Asset-based securities may not be secured by a security interest in or claim on the underlying natural resource assets and do not represent an interest in the referenced assets. Certain asset-based securities may be illiquid.

 

The asset-based securities in which the Fund may invest may bear interest or pay preferred dividends at below market (or even relatively nominal) rates. As an example, assume gold is selling at a market price of $300 per ounce and an issuer sells a $1,000 face amount gold-related note with a seven-year maturity, payable at maturity at the greater of either $1,000 in cash or the then market price of three ounces of gold. If at maturity, the market price of gold is $400 per ounce, the amount payable on the note would be $1,200. Certain asset-based securities may be payable at maturity in cash at the stated principal amount or, at the option of the holder, directly in a stated amount of the asset to which it is related. In such instance, because the Fund does not presently intend to invest directly in natural resource assets, the Fund may sell the asset-based security in the secondary market, to the extent one exists, prior to maturity if the value of the stated amount of the asset exceeds the stated principal amount and thereby realize the appreciation in the underlying asset.

 

BORROWING AND LEVERAGE. Unless noted otherwise, the Fund may borrow up to 33  1 3 % of the value of its total assets (calculated at the time of the borrowing). The Fund may pledge up to 33  1 3 % of its total assets to secure these borrowings. If the Fund’s asset coverage for borrowings falls below 300%, the Fund will take prompt action to reduce borrowings. If the Fund borrows to invest in securities, any investment gains made on the securities in excess of interest paid on the borrowing will cause the NAV of the shares to rise faster than would otherwise be the case. On the other hand, if the investment performance of the additional securities purchased fails to cover their cost (including any interest paid on the money borrowed) to the Fund, the NAV of the Fund’s shares will decrease faster than would otherwise be the case. This is the speculative factor known as “leverage.” In addition, the Fund may use certain investment management techniques (collectively, “effective leverage”), such as certain derivatives, that may provide leverage and are not subject to the borrowing limitation noted above.

 

The Fund may borrow from time to time, at the discretion of the subadviser, to take advantage of investment opportunities, when yields on available investments exceed interest rates and other expenses of related borrowing, or when, in the subadviser's opinion, unusual market conditions otherwise make it advantageous for the Fund to increase its investment capacity. The Fund will only borrow when there is an expectation that it will benefit the Fund after taking into account

 
 

considerations such as interest income and possible losses upon liquidation. Borrowing by the Fund creates an opportunity for increased net income but, at the same time, creates risks, including the fact that leverage may exaggerate changes in the NAV of Fund shares and in the yield on the Fund. Unless otherwise stated, the Fund may borrow through forward rolls, dollar rolls or reverse repurchase agreements.

 

CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in convertible securities. Convertible securities entitle the holder to receive interest payments paid on corporate debt securities or the dividend preference on a preferred stock until such time as the convertible security matures or is redeemed or until the holder elects to exercise the conversion privilege.

 

The characteristics of convertible securities make them appropriate investments for an investment company seeking long-term capital appreciation and/or total return. These characteristics include the potential for capital appreciation as the value of the underlying common stock increases, the relatively high yield received from dividend or interest payments as compared to common stock dividends and decreased risks of decline in value relative to the underlying common stock due to their fixed-income nature. As a result of the conversion feature, however, the interest rate or dividend preference on a convertible security is generally less than would be the case if the securities were issued in nonconvertible form.

 

In analyzing convertible securities, the subadviser will consider both the yield on the convertible security relative to its credit quality and the potential capital appreciation that is offered by the underlying common stock, among other things.

 

Convertible securities are issued and traded in a number of securities markets. Even in cases where a substantial portion of the convertible securities held by the Fund are denominated in US dollars, the underlying equity securities may be quoted in the currency of the country where the issuer is domiciled. With respect to convertible securities denominated in a currency different from that of the underlying equity securities, the conversion price may be based on a fixed exchange rate established at the time the security is issued. As a result, fluctuations in the exchange rate between the currency in which the debt security is denominated and the currency in which the share price is quoted will affect the value of the convertible security. As described below, the Fund is authorized to enter into foreign currency hedging transactions in which the Fund may seek to reduce the effect of such fluctuations.

 

Apart from currency considerations, the value of convertible securities is influenced by both the yield of nonconvertible securities of comparable issuers and by the value of the underlying common stock. The value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield) is sometimes referred to as its “investment value.” To the extent interest rates change, the investment value of the convertible security typically will fluctuate. However, at the same time, the value of the convertible security will be influenced by its “conversion value,” which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained if the convertible security were converted. Conversion value fluctuates directly with the price of the underlying common stock. If, because of a low price of the common stock, the conversion value is substantially below the investment value of the convertible security, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value.

 

To the extent the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the price of the convertible security will be influenced principally by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over the conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed-income security. The yield and conversion premium of convertible securities issued in Japan and the Euromarket are frequently determined at levels that cause the conversion value to affect their market value more than the securities' investment value.

 

Holders of convertible securities generally have a claim on the assets of the issuer prior to the common stockholders but may be subordinated to other debt securities of the same issuer. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the charter provision, indenture or other governing instrument pursuant to which the convertible security was issued. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Certain convertible debt securities may provide a put option to the holder, which entitles the holder to cause the security to be redeemed by the issuer at a premium over the stated principal amount of the debt security under certain circumstances.

 

Synthetic convertible securities may be either (i) a debt security or preferred stock that may be convertible only under certain contingent circumstances or that may pay the holder a cash amount based on the value of shares of underlying common stock partly or wholly in lieu of a conversion right (a “Cash-Settled Convertible”), (ii) a combination of separate securities chosen by the subadviser in order to create the economic characteristics of a convertible security, i.e., a fixed-income

 
 

security paired with a security with equity conversion features, such as an option or warrant (a “Manufactured Convertible”) or (iii) a synthetic security manufactured by another party.

 

Synthetic convertible securities may include either Cash-Settled Convertibles or Manufactured Convertibles. Cash-Settled Convertibles are instruments that are created by the issuer and have the economic characteristics of traditional convertible securities but may not actually permit conversion into the underlying equity securities in all circumstances. As an example, a private company may issue a Cash-Settled Convertible that is convertible into common stock only if the company successfully completes a public offering of its common stock prior to maturity and otherwise pays a cash amount to reflect any equity appreciation. Manufactured Convertibles are created by the subadviser by combining separate securities that possess one of the two principal characteristics of a convertible security, i.e., fixed-income (“fixed-income component”) or a right to acquire equity securities (“convertibility component”). The fixed-income component is achieved by investing in nonconvertible fixed-income securities, such as nonconvertible bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments. The convertibility component is achieved by investing in call options, warrants, or other securities with equity conversion features (“equity features”) granting the holder the right to purchase a specified quantity of the underlying stocks within a specified period of time at a specified price or, in the case of a stock index option, the right to receive a cash payment based on the value of the underlying stock index.

A Manufactured Convertible differs from traditional convertible securities in several respects. Unlike a traditional convertible security, which is a single security having a unitary market value, a Manufactured Convertible is comprised of two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the total “market value” of such a Manufactured Convertible is the sum of the values of its fixed-income component and its convertibility component.

 

More flexibility is possible in the creation of a Manufactured Convertible than in the purchase of a traditional convertible security. Because many corporations have not issued convertible securities, the subadviser may combine a fixed-income instrument and an equity feature with respect to the stock of the issuer of the fixed-income instrument to create a synthetic convertible security otherwise unavailable in the market. The subadviser may also combine a fixed-income instrument of an issuer with an equity feature with respect to the stock of a different issuer when the subadviser believes such a Manufactured Convertible would better promote the Fund’s objective(s) than alternate investments. For example, the subadviser may combine an equity feature with respect to an issuer's stock with a fixed-income security of a different issuer in the same industry to diversify the Fund’s credit exposure, or with a US Treasury instrument to create a Manufactured Convertible with a higher credit profile than a traditional convertible security issued by that issuer. A Manufactured Convertible also is a more flexible investment in that its two components may be purchased separately and, upon purchasing the separate securities, “combined” to create a Manufactured Convertible. For example, the Fund may purchase a warrant for eventual inclusion in a Manufactured Convertible while postponing the purchase of a suitable bond to pair with the warrant pending development of more favorable market conditions.

 

The value of a Manufactured Convertible may respond differently to certain market fluctuations than would a traditional convertible security with similar characteristics. For example, in the event the Fund created a Manufactured Convertible by combining a short-term US Treasury instrument and a call option on a stock, the Manufactured Convertible would likely outperform a traditional convertible of similar maturity that is convertible into that stock during periods when Treasury instruments outperform corporate fixed-income securities and underperform during periods when corporate fixed-income securities outperform Treasury instruments.

 

CORPORATE LOANS. Commercial banks and other financial institutions make loans to companies that need capital to grow or restructure (“corporate loans”). Borrowers generally pay interest on corporate loans at rates that change in response to changes in market interest rates such as the LIBOR or the prime rate of US banks. As a result, the value of corporate loan investments is generally responsive to shifts in market interest rates. Because the trading market for corporate loans is less developed than the secondary market for bonds and notes, the Fund may experience difficulties from time to time in selling its corporate loans. Borrowers frequently provide collateral to secure repayment of these obligations. Leading financial institutions often act as agent for a broader group of lenders, generally referred to as a “syndicate.” The syndicate's agent arranges the corporate loans, holds collateral and accepts payments of principal and interest. If the agent develops financial problems, the Fund may not recover its investment, or there might be a delay in the Fund’s recovery. By investing in a corporate loan, the Fund becomes a member of the syndicate.

 

As in the case of junk bonds, the corporate loans in which the Fund may invest can be expected to provide higher yields than higher-rated fixed-income securities but may be subject to greater risk of loss of principal and interest. There are, however, some significant differences between corporate loans and junk bonds. Corporate loans are frequently secured by pledges of liens and security interests in the assets of the borrower, and the holders of corporate loans are frequently the beneficiaries of debt service subordination provisions imposed on the borrower's bondholders. These arrangements are designed to give corporate loan investors preferential treatment over junk bond investors in the event of a deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer. Even when these arrangements exist, however, there can be no assurance that the principal and

 
 

interest owed on the corporate loans will be repaid in full. Corporate loans generally bear interest at rates set at a margin above a generally recognized base lending rate that may fluctuate on a day-to-day basis, in the case of the prime rate of a US bank, or that may be adjusted on set dates, typically 30 days but generally not more than one year, in the case of LIBOR. Consequently, the value of corporate loans held by the Fund may be expected to fluctuate significantly less than the value of fixed rate junk bond instruments as a result of changes in the interest rate environment. On the other hand, the secondary dealer market for corporate loans is not as well developed as the secondary dealer market for junk bonds, and therefore presents increased market risk relating to liquidity and pricing concerns.

 

The Fund may acquire interests in corporate loans by means of a novation, assignment or participation. In a novation, the Fund would succeed to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and become a contracting party under the credit agreement with respect to the debt obligation. As an alternative, the Fund may purchase an assignment, in which case the Fund may be required to rely on the assigning institution to demand payment and enforce its rights against the borrower but would otherwise typically be entitled to all of such assigning institution's rights under the credit agreement. Participation interests in a portion of a debt obligation typically result in a contractual relationship only with the institution selling the participation interest and not with the borrower. In purchasing a loan participation, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution selling the participation to the Fund.

 
 

 

 

 

The Fund’s ability to receive payments of principal and interest and other amounts in connection with loans (whether through participations, assignments or otherwise) will depend primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. The failure by the Fund to receive scheduled interest or principal payments on a loan because of a default, bankruptcy or any other reason would adversely affect the income of the Fund and would likely reduce the value of its assets. Even with loans secured by collateral, there is the risk that the value of the collateral may decline, may be insufficient to meet the obligations of the borrower, or be difficult to liquidate. In the event of a default, the Fund may have difficulty collecting on any collateral and would not have the ability to collect on any collateral for an uncollateralized loan. Further, the Fund’s access to collateral, if any, may be limited by bankruptcy laws. Due to the nature of the private syndication of senior loans, including, for example, lack of publicly-available information, some senior loans are not as easily purchased or sold as publicly-traded securities. In addition, loan participations generally are subject to restrictions on transfer, and only limited opportunities may exist to sell loan participations in secondary markets. As a result, it may be difficult for the Fund to value loans or sell loans at an acceptable price when it wants to sell them. Loans trade in an over-the-counter market, and confirmation and settlement, which are effected through standardized procedures and documentation, may take significantly longer than seven days to complete. Floating rate loans are especially subject to liquidity and settlement risk due to the fact that they can take more than seven days to settle. Extended trade settlement periods may, in unusual market conditions with a high volume of shareholder redemptions, present a risk to shareholders regarding the Fund’s ability to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time periods stated in the Prospectus. In some instances, loans and loan participations are not rated by independent credit rating agencies; in such instances, a decision by the Fund to invest in a particular loan or loan participation could depend exclusively on the investment subadviser’s credit analysis of the borrower, or in the case of a loan participation, of the intermediary holding the portion of the loan that the Fund has purchased. To the extent the Fund invests in loans of non-US issuers, the risks of investing in non-US issuers are applicable.

 

Loans may not be considered to be “securities” and as a result may not benefit from the protections of the federal securities laws, including anti-fraud protections and those with respect to the use of material non-public information, so that purchasers, such as the Fund, may not have the benefit of these protections. If the Fund is in possession of material non-public information about a borrower as a result of its investment in such borrower’s loan, the Fund may not be able to enter into a transaction with respect to a publicly-traded security of the borrower when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so.

 

CUSTODIAL RECEIPTS. Obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the US Government, foreign governments or semi-governmental entities may be acquired by the Fund in the form of custodial receipts that evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on certain notes or bonds. Typically, custodial receipts have their unmatured interest coupons separated (“stripped”) by their holder. Having separated the interest coupons from the underlying principal of the government securities, the holder will resell the stripped securities in custodial receipt programs with a number of different names, including “Treasury Income Growth Receipts” (“TIGRs”) and “Certificate of Accrual on Treasury Securities” (“CATS”). The stripped coupons are sold separately from the underlying principal, which is usually sold at a deep discount because the buyer receives only the right to receive a future fixed payment on the security and does not receive any rights to periodic interest (cash) payments. CATS and TIGRs are not considered US Government securities by the staff of the SEC. Such notes and bonds are held in custody by a bank or a brokerage firm on behalf of the owners.

 

CYBER SECURITY RISK. With the increasing use of technology and computer systems in general and, in particular, the Internet to conduct necessary business functions, the Fund is susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. These risks, which are often collectively referred to as “cyber security” risks, may include deliberate or malicious attacks, as well as unintentional events and occurrences. Cyber security is generally defined as the technology, operations and related protocol surrounding and protecting a user’s computer hardware, network, systems and applications and the data transmitted and stored therewith. These measures ensure the reliability of a user’s systems, as well as the security, availability, integrity, and confidentiality of data assets.

 

Deliberate cyber attacks can include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to computer systems in order to misappropriate and/or disclose sensitive or confidential information; deleting, corrupting or modifying data; and causing operational disruptions. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (in order to prevent access to computer networks). In addition to deliberate breaches engineered by external actors, cyber security risks can also result from the conduct of malicious,

 
 

exploited or careless insiders, whose actions may result in the destruction, release or disclosure of confidential or proprietary information stored on an organization’s systems.

 

Cyber security failures or breaches, whether deliberate or unintentional, arising from the Fund’s third-party service providers (e.g., custodians, financial intermediaries, transfer agents), subadviser, shareholder usage of unsecure systems to access personal accounts, as well as breaches suffered by the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, may cause significant disruptions in the business operations of the Fund. Potential impacts may include, but are not limited to, potential financial losses for the Fund and the issuers’ securities, the inability of shareholders to conduct transactions with the Fund, an inability of the Fund to calculate NAV, and disclosures of personal or confidential shareholder information.

 

In addition to direct impacts on Fund shareholders, cyber security failures by the Fund and/or its service providers and others may result in regulatory inquiries, regulatory proceedings, regulatory and/or legal and litigation costs to the Fund, and reputational damage. The Fund may incur reimbursement and other expenses, including the costs of litigation and litigation settlements and additional compliance costs. The Fund may also incur considerable expenses in enhancing and upgrading computer systems and systems security following a cyber security failure.

 

The rapid proliferation of technologies, as well as the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime, hackers, terrorists, and others continue to pose new and significant cyber security threats. Although the Fund and its service providers and subadviser may have established business continuity plans and risk management systems to mitigate cyber security risks, there can be no guarantee or assurance that such plans or systems will be effective, or that all risks that exist, or may develop in the future, have been completely anticipated and identified or can be protected against. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control or assure the efficacy of the cyber security plans and systems implemented by third-party service providers, the subadviser, and the issuers in which the Fund invests.

 

DEBT SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in debt securities, such as bonds, that involve credit risk. This is the risk that the issuer will not make timely payments of principal and interest. The degree of credit risk depends on the issuer's financial condition and on the terms of the bonds. Changes in an issuer's credit rating or the market's perception of an issuer's creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. Credit risk is reduced to the extent the Fund invests its assets in US Government securities. All debt securities, however, are subject to interest rate risk. This is the risk that the value of the security may fall when interest rates rise. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of shorter-term securities. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk since the US Federal Reserve Board has ended its quantitative easing program and may continue to raise rates. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply or in a manner not anticipated by the subadviser.

 

DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS. The Fund may invest in the securities of foreign issuers in the form of Depositary Receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. ADRs and ADSs are receipts or shares typically issued by an American bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. EDRs are receipts issued in Europe that evidence a similar ownership arrangement. GDRs are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement. Generally, ADRs and ADSs, in registered form, are designed for use in the US securities markets, and EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. The Fund may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. Depositary Receipts are generally subject to the same risks as the foreign securities that they evidence or into which they may be converted or exchanged. The Fund will not invest in any Depositary Receipts that the Manager or a subadviser deems to be illiquid or for which pricing information is not readily available. No affiliated persons of the Fund, the Manager or a subadviser will serve as the depositary bank for any Depositary Receipts held by the Fund.

 

DERIVATIVES. The Fund may use instruments referred to as derivatives. Derivatives are financial instruments the value of which is derived from another security, a commodity (such as gold or oil), a currency or an index (a measure of value or rates, such as the S&P 500 Index or the prime lending rate). Derivatives allow the Fund to increase or decrease the level of risk to which the Fund is exposed more quickly and efficiently than transactions in other types of instruments. The Fund may use derivatives for hedging purposes. The Fund may also use derivatives to seek to enhance returns. The use of a

 
 

derivative is speculative if the Fund is primarily seeking to achieve gains, rather than offset the risk of other positions. When the Fund invests in a derivative for speculative purposes, the Fund will be fully exposed to the risks of loss of that derivative, which may sometimes be greater than the derivative's cost. The Fund may not use any derivative to gain exposure to an asset or class of assets that the Fund would be prohibited by its investment restrictions from purchasing directly.

 

A discussion of the risk factors relating to derivatives is set out in the sub-section entitled “Risk Factors Involving Derivatives.”

 

HEDGING. Hedging is a strategy in which a derivative or security is used to offset the risks associated with other Fund holdings. Losses on the other investment may be substantially reduced by gains on a derivative that reacts in an opposite manner to market movements. While hedging can reduce losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a different manner than anticipated by the Fund or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge. Hedging also involves the risk that changes in the value of the derivative will not match those of the holdings being hedged as expected by the Fund, in which case any losses on the holdings being hedged may not be reduced or may be increased. The inability to close options and futures positions also could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to hedge effectively its portfolio. There is also a risk of loss by the Fund of margin deposits or collateral in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the Fund has an open position in an option, a futures contract or a related option.

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging strategies will be effective or that hedging transactions will be available to the Fund. The Fund is not required to engage in hedging transactions and the Fund may choose not to do so from time to time.

 

INDEXED AND INVERSE SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in securities the potential return of which is based on an index or interest rate. As an illustration, the Fund may invest in a security whose value is based on changes in a specific index or that pays interest based on the current value of an interest rate index, such as the prime rate. The Fund may also invest in a debt security that returns principal at maturity based on the level of a securities index or a basket of securities, or based on the relative changes of two indices. In addition, the Fund may invest in securities the potential return of which is based inversely on the change in an index or interest rate (that is, a security the value of which will move in the opposite direction of changes to an index or interest rate). For example, the Fund may invest in securities that pay a higher rate of interest when a particular index decreases and pay a lower rate of interest (or do not fully return principal) when the value of the index increases. Investing in such securities may subject the Fund to reduced or eliminated interest payments or loss of principal in the event of an adverse movement in the relevant interest rate, index or indices. Indexed and inverse securities may involve credit risk, and certain indexed and inverse securities may involve leverage risk, liquidity risk and currency risk. The Fund may invest in indexed and inverse securities for hedging purposes or to seek to increase returns. When used for hedging purposes, indexed and inverse securities involve correlation risk. (Furthermore, where such a security includes a contingent liability, in the event of such an adverse movement, the Fund may be required to pay substantial additional margin to maintain the position.)

 

SWAP AGREEMENTS. The Fund may enter into swap transactions, including, but not limited to, equity, interest rate, index, credit default, total return and, to the extent that it invests in foreign currency-denominated securities, currency exchange rate swap agreements. In addition, the Fund may enter into options on swap agreements (swap options). These swap transactions are entered into in an attempt to obtain a particular return when it is considered desirable to do so, possibly at a lower cost to the Fund than if the Fund had invested directly in an instrument that yielded that desired return. Swap transactions are a type of derivative. Derivatives are further discussed in the sub-sections entitled “Derivatives” and “Risk Factors Involving Derivatives.”

 

Swap agreements are two party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on or calculated with respect to particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” that is, the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index or other investments or instruments. Most swap agreements entered into by the Fund would 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”). The Fund’s current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by the segregation of liquid assets.

 
 

 

To the extent that the Fund enters into swaps on other than a net basis, the segregated amount maintained will be the full amount of the Fund’s obligations, if any, with respect to such swaps, accrued on a daily basis. Inasmuch as segregated accounts are established for these hedging transactions, the subadviser and the Fund believe such obligations do not constitute senior securities and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Fund’s borrowing restrictions. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreement related to the transaction. Since swaps are individually negotiated, the Fund expects to achieve an acceptable degree of correlation between its rights to receive a return on its portfolio securities and its rights and obligations to receive and pay a return pursuant to swaps. The Fund will enter into swaps only with counterparties meeting certain creditworthiness standards (generally, such counterparties would have to be eligible counterparties under the terms of the Fund’s repurchase agreement guidelines approved by the Board).

 

Some swaps will be subject to mandatory or optional clearing through derivatives clearing organizations. While this is expected to better protect collateral, margin and other applicable requirements may increase the financial and operational costs for such transactions.

 

Recent legislation requires certain swaps to be executed through a centralized exchange or regulated facility and be cleared through a regulated clearinghouse. Although this clearing mechanism is generally expected to reduce counterparty credit risk, it may disrupt or limit the swap market and may not result in swaps being easier to trade or value. As swaps become more standardized, the Fund may not be able to enter into swaps that meet its investment needs. The Fund also may not be able to find a clearinghouse willing to accept a swap for clearing. In a cleared swap, a central clearing organization will be the counterparty to the transaction. The Fund will assume the risk that the clearinghouse may be unable to perform its obligations. The Fund will be required to maintain its positions with a clearing organization through one or more clearing brokers. The clearing organization will require the Fund to post margin and the broker may require the Fund to post additional margin to secure the Fund’s obligations. The amount of margin required may change from time to time. In addition, cleared transactions may be more expensive to maintain than OTC transactions and may require the Fund to deposit larger amounts of margin. The Fund may not be able to recover margin amounts if the broker has financial difficulties. Also, the broker may require the Fund to terminate a derivatives position under certain circumstances. This may cause the Fund to lose money.

 

CREDIT DEFAULT SWAP AGREEMENTS AND SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS . The Fund may enter into credit default swap agreements and similar agreements. The credit default swap agreement or similar instrument may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection “buyer” in a credit default contract may be obligated to pay the protection “seller” an up-front or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided generally that no credit event on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the “par value” (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount, if the swap is cash settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund recovers nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity that may have little or no value. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an up-front payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. If a credit event occurs, generally the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity that may have little or no value.

 

Credit default swaps and similar instruments involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly, since, in addition to general market risks, they are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk and credit risk. The Fund will enter into credit default swap agreements and similar instruments only with counterparties that are rated investment grade quality by at least one credit rating agency at the time of entering into such transaction or whose creditworthiness is believed by the subadviser to be equivalent to such rating. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the up-front or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the Fund. When acting as a seller of a credit default swap or a similar instrument, the Fund is exposed to many of the same risks of leverage since, if a credit event occurs, the seller may be required to pay the buyer the full notional value of the contract net of any amounts owed by the buyer related to its delivery of deliverable obligations.

 
 

 

 

 

CREDIT-LINKED SECURITIES . Among the income producing securities in which the Fund may invest are credit-linked securities, which are issued by a limited purpose trust or other vehicle that, in turn, invests in a derivative instrument or basket of derivative instruments, such as credit default swaps, interest rate swaps and other securities, in order to provide exposure to certain fixed-income markets. For instance, the Fund may invest in credit-linked securities as a cash management tool in order to gain exposure to a certain market and/or to remain fully invested when more traditional income producing securities are not available.

 

Like an investment in a bond, investments in these credit-linked securities represent the right to receive periodic income payments (in the form of distributions) and payment of principal at the end of the term of the security. However, these payments are conditioned on the issuer's receipt of payments from, and the issuer's potential obligations to, the counterparties to the derivative instruments and other securities in which the issuer invests. For instance, the issuer may sell one or more credit default swaps, under which the issuer would receive a stream of payments over the term of the swap agreements provided that no event of default has occurred with respect to the referenced debt obligation upon which the swap is based. If a default occurs, the stream of payments may stop and the issuer would be obligated to pay the counterparty the par (or other agreed upon value) of the referenced debt obligation. This, in turn, would reduce the amount of income and principal that the Fund would receive. The Fund’s investments in these instruments are indirectly subject to the risks associated with derivative instruments, including, among others, credit risk, default or similar event risk, counterparty risk, interest rate risk, leverage risk and management risk. It is also expected that the securities will be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. Accordingly, there may be no established trading market for the securities and they may constitute illiquid investments.

 

TOTAL RETURN SWAP AGREEMENTS . The Fund may enter into total return swap agreements. Total return swap agreements are contracts in which one party agrees to make periodic payments based on the change in market value of the underlying assets, which may include a specified security, basket of securities or securities indices during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or the total return from other underlying assets. Total return swap agreements may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or market. Total return swap agreements may effectively add leverage to the Fund’s portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. Total return swap agreements entail the risk that a party will default on its payment obligations to the Fund thereunder. Swap agreements also bear the risk that the Fund will not be able to meet its obligation to the counterparty. Generally, the Fund will enter into total return swaps on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments). The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each total return swap will be accrued on a daily basis, and an amount of cash or liquid instruments having an aggregate NAV at least equal to the accrued excess will be segregated by the Fund. If the total return swap transaction is entered into on other than a net basis, the full amount of the Fund’s obligations will be accrued on a daily basis, and the full amount of the Fund’s obligations will be segregated by the Fund in an amount equal to or greater than the market value of the liabilities under the total return swap agreement or the amount it would have cost the Fund initially to make an equivalent direct investment, plus or minus any amount the Fund is obligated to pay or is to receive under the total return swap agreement.

 

Segregation and other requirements pertaining to total return swap agreements are subject to change in the event of future changes in applicable laws or regulations. It is possible that any such changes in laws or regulations could require modifications to the operation of the Fund.

 

OPTIONS ON SECURITIES AND SECURITIES INDEXES.

TYPES OF OPTIONS. The Fund may engage in transactions in options on individual securities, baskets of securities or securities indices, or particular measurements of value or rate (an “index”), such as an index of the price of treasury securities or an index representative of short term interest rates. Such investments may be made on exchanges and in OTC markets. In general, exchange-traded options have standardized exercise prices and expiration dates and require the parties to post margin against their obligations, and the performance of the parties' obligations in connection with such options is guaranteed by the exchange or a related clearing corporation. OTC options have more flexible terms negotiated between the buyer and the seller, but generally do not require the parties to post margin and are subject to greater credit risk. OTC options also involve greater liquidity risk. See “Additional Risk Factors of OTC Transactions; Limitations on the Use of OTC Derivatives.”

 

 
 

CALL OPTIONS. The Fund may purchase call options on any of the types of securities or instruments in which it may invest. A call option gives the Fund the right to buy, and obligates the seller to sell, the underlying security at the exercise price at any time during the option period. The Fund also may purchase and sell call options on indices. Index options are similar to options on securities except that, rather than taking or making delivery of securities underlying the option at a specified price upon exercise, an index option gives the holder the right to receive cash upon exercise of the option if the level of the index upon which the option is based is greater than the exercise price of the option.

 

The Fund may only write (i.e., sell) covered call options on the securities or instruments in which it may invest and enter into closing purchase transactions with respect to certain of such options, provided such options are “covered,” as defined herein. A covered call option is an option in which the Fund owns the underlying security or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security, without additional consideration (or for additional consideration held in a segregated account by its custodian), upon conversion or exchange of other securities currently held in its portfolio or with respect to which the Fund holds cash or other liquid assets segregated within the Fund’s account at the custodian or in a separate segregation account at the custodian. The principal reason for writing call options is the attempt to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the securities alone. By writing covered call options, the Fund gives up the opportunity, while the option is in effect, to profit from any price increase in the underlying security above the option exercise price. In addition, the Fund’s ability to sell the underlying security will be limited while the option is in effect unless the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction. A closing purchase transaction cancels out the Fund’s position as the writer of an option by means of an offsetting purchase of an identical option prior to the expiration of the option it has written. Covered call options also serve as a partial hedge to the extent of the premium received against a decline in the price of the underlying security. Also, with respect to call options written by the Fund that are covered only by segregated portfolio securities, the Fund is exposed to the risk of loss equal to the amount by which the price of the underlying securities rises above the exercise price.

 

PUT OPTIONS. The Fund may purchase put options to seek to hedge against a decline in the value of its securities or to enhance its return. By buying a put option, the Fund acquires a right to sell such underlying securities or instruments at the exercise price, thus limiting the Fund’s risk of loss through a decline in the market value of the securities or instruments until the put option expires. The amount of any appreciation in the value of the underlying securities or instruments will be partially offset by the amount of the premium paid for the put option and any related transaction costs. Prior to its expiration, a put option may be sold in a closing sale transaction and profit or loss from the sale will depend on whether the amount received is more or less than the premium paid for the put option plus the related transaction costs. A closing sale transaction cancels out the Fund’s position as the purchaser of an option by means of an offsetting sale of an identical option prior to the expiration of the option it has purchased. The Fund also may purchase uncovered put options.

 

The Fund may write (i.e., sell) put options on the types of securities or instruments that may be held by the Fund, provided that such put options are covered (as described above, covered options are secured by cash or other liquid assets held in a segregated account or the referenced security). The Fund will receive a premium for writing a put option, which increases the Fund’s return.

 

FUTURES. The Fund may engage in transactions in futures and options thereon. Futures are standardized, exchange-traded contracts which obligate a purchaser to take delivery, and a seller to make delivery, of a specific amount of an asset at a specified future date at a specified price. No price is paid upon entering into a futures contract. Rather, upon purchasing or selling a futures contract the Fund is required to deposit collateral (“margin”) equal to a percentage (generally less than 10%) of the contract value. Each day thereafter until the futures position is closed, the Fund will pay additional margin representing any loss experienced as a result of the futures position the prior day or be entitled to a payment representing any profit experienced as a result of the futures position the prior day. Futures involve substantial leverage risk.

 

The sale of a futures contract limits the Fund’s risk of loss through a decline in the market value of portfolio holdings correlated with the futures contract prior to the futures contract's expiration date. In the event the market value of the portfolio holdings correlated with the futures contract increases rather than decreases, however, the Fund will realize a loss on the futures position and a lower return on the portfolio holdings than would have been realized without the purchase of the futures contract.

 

The purchase of a futures contract may protect the Fund from having to pay more for securities as a consequence of increases in the market value for such securities during a period when the Fund was attempting to identify specific securities in which to invest in a market the Fund believes to be attractive. In the event that such securities decline in value or the Fund

 
 

determines not to complete an anticipatory hedge transaction relating to a futures contract, however, the Fund may realize a loss relating to the futures position.

 

The Fund is also authorized to purchase or sell call and put options on futures contracts including financial futures and stock indices in connection with its hedging activities. Generally, these strategies would be used under the same market and market sector conditions (i.e., conditions relating to specific types of investments) in which the Fund entered into futures transactions. The Fund may purchase put options or write (i.e., sell) call options on futures contracts and stock indices rather than selling the underlying futures contract in anticipation of a decrease in the market value of its securities. Similarly, the Fund can purchase call options, or write put options on futures contracts and stock indices, as a substitute for the purchase of such futures to hedge against the increased cost resulting from an increase in the market value of securities which the Fund intends to purchase.

 

The Fund may only write “covered” put and call options on futures contracts. The Fund will be considered “covered” with respect to a call option written on a futures contract if the Fund owns the assets that are deliverable under the futures contract or an option to purchase that futures contract having a strike price equal to or less than the strike price of the “covered” option and having an expiration date not earlier than the expiration date of the “covered” option, or if it holds segregated in an account with its custodian for the term of the option cash or other liquid assets at all times equal in value to the mark-to-market value of the futures contract on which the option was written. The Fund will be considered “covered” with respect to a put option written on a futures contract if the Fund owns an option to sell that futures contract having a strike price equal to or greater than the strike price of the “covered” option, or if the Fund holds segregated in an account with its custodian for the term of the option cash or other liquid assets at all times equal in value to the exercise price of the put (less any initial margin deposited by the Fund with its futures custody manager or as otherwise permitted by applicable law with respect to such option). There is no limitation on the amount of the Fund’s assets that can be segregated. Segregation requirements may impair the Fund’s ability to sell a portfolio security or make an investment at a time when it would otherwise be favorable to do so, or require the Fund to sell a portfolio security or close out a derivatives position at a disadvantageous time or price.

 

The Manager has filed a notice of exclusion from registration as a “commodity pool operator” with respect to the Fund under CFTC Rule 4.5 and, therefore, is not subject to registration or regulation with respect to the Fund under the CEA. In order for the Manager to claim exclusion from registration as a “commodity pool operator” under the CEA, the Fund is limited in its ability to trade instruments subject to the CFTC’s jurisdiction, including commodity futures (which include futures on broad-based securities indexes, interest rate futures and currency futures), options on commodity futures, certain swaps or other investments (whether directly or indirectly through investments in other investment vehicles). Under this exclusion, the Fund must satisfy one of the following two trading limitations whenever it enters into a new commodity trading position: (1) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish the Fund’s positions in CFTC-regulated instruments may not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such investments); or (2) the aggregate net notional value of such instruments, determined at the time the most recent position was established, may not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). The Fund would not be required to consider its exposure to such instruments if they were held for “bona fide hedging” purposes, as such term is defined in the rules of the CFTC. In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, the Fund may not market itself as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the markets for CFTC-regulated instruments.

 

RISK FACTORS INVOLVING DERIVATIVES. Derivatives are volatile and involve significant risks, including:

 

Counterparty Risk —the risk that the counterparty on a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation to the Fund.

 

Currency Risk —the risk that changes in the exchange rate between two currencies will adversely affect the value (in US dollar terms) of an investment.

 

Leverage Risk —the risk associated with certain types of investments or trading strategies (such as borrowing money to increase the amount of investments) that relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of an investment. Certain investments or trading strategies that involve leverage can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested.

 

 
 

Liquidity Risk —the risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that the seller would like or at the price that the seller believes the security is currently worth.

 

Regulatory Risk —the risk that new regulation of derivatives may make them more costly, may limit their availability, or may otherwise affect their value or performance.

 

The use of derivatives for hedging purposes involves correlation risk. If the value of the derivative moves more or less than the value of the hedged instruments, the Fund will experience a gain or loss that will not be completely offset by movements in the value of the hedged instruments.

 

The Fund intends to enter into transactions involving derivatives only if there appears to be a liquid secondary market for such instruments or, in the case of illiquid instruments traded in OTC transactions, such instruments satisfy the criteria set forth below under “Additional Risk Factors of OTC Transactions; Limitations on the Use of OTC Derivatives.” However, there can be no assurance that, at any specific time, either a liquid secondary market will exist for a derivative or the Fund will otherwise be able to sell such instrument at an acceptable price. It may therefore not be possible to close a position in a derivative without incurring substantial losses, if at all.

 

Certain transactions in derivatives (such as futures transactions or sales of put options) involve substantial leverage risk and may expose the Fund to potential losses, which exceed the amount originally invested by the Fund. When the Fund engages in such a transaction, the Fund will deposit in a segregated account at its custodian liquid securities or cash and cash equivalents with a value at least equal to the Fund’s exposure, on a mark-to-market basis, to the transaction (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the SEC). Such segregation will ensure that the Fund has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the transaction, but will not limit the Fund’s exposure to loss.

 

ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS OF OTC TRANSACTIONS; LIMITATIONS ON THE USE OF OTC DERIVATIVES. Certain derivatives traded in OTC markets, including indexed securities, certain swaps and OTC options, involve substantial liquidity risk. The absence of liquidity may make it difficult or impossible for the Fund to sell such instruments promptly at an acceptable price. The absence of liquidity may also make it more difficult for the Fund to ascertain a market value for such instruments. The Fund will, therefore, acquire illiquid OTC instruments (i) if the agreement pursuant to which the instrument is purchased contains a formula price at which the instrument may be terminated or sold, or (ii) for which the subadviser anticipates the Fund can receive on each business day at least two independent bids or offers, unless a quotation from only one dealer is available, in which case that dealer's quotation may be used.

 

Because derivatives traded in OTC markets are not guaranteed by an exchange or clearing corporation and generally do not require payment of margin, to the extent that the Fund has unrealized gains in such instruments or has deposited collateral with its counterparties, the Fund is at risk that its counterparties will become bankrupt or otherwise fail to honor their obligations. The Fund will attempt to minimize the risk that a counterparty will become bankrupt or otherwise fail to honor its obligations by engaging in transactions in derivatives traded in OTC markets only with financial institutions that appear to have substantial capital or that have provided the Fund with a third-party guaranty or other credit enhancement.

 

FOREIGN INVESTMENTS. The Fund may invest in foreign equity and/or debt securities. Foreign debt securities include certain foreign bank obligations and US dollar or foreign currency-denominated obligations of foreign governments or their subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, international agencies and supranational entities.

 

Foreign Market Risk. Foreign securities offer the potential for more diversification than if the Fund invests only in the United States because securities traded on foreign markets have often (though not always) performed differently from securities in the United States. However, such investments involve special risks not present in US investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In particular, the Fund is subject to the risk that, because there are generally fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of shares traded each day, it may be difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may fluctuate more than prices of securities traded in the United States.

 

Foreign Economy Risk. The economies of certain foreign markets often do not compare favorably with that of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources, and balance of payments position. Certain such economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers, and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls,

 
 

nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets, or the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain industries. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, impair the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Fund’s assets or income back into the United States, or otherwise adversely affect the Fund’s operations. Other foreign market risks include foreign exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing favorable legal judgments in foreign courts, and political and social instability. Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the United States or other foreign countries.

 

Currency Risk and Exchange Risk. Securities in which the Fund invests may be denominated or quoted in currencies other than the US dollar. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio. Generally, when the US dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer US dollars. Conversely, when the US dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more US dollars. This risk, generally known as “currency risk,” means that a stronger US dollar will reduce returns for US investors while a weak US dollar will increase those returns.

 

Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards. Many foreign governments supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities less rigorously than the United States. Some countries may not have laws to protect investors comparable to the US securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company's securities based on nonpublic information about that company. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as US accounting standards, it may be harder for Fund management to completely and accurately determine a company's financial condition.

 

Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States. The Fund generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight over their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries may put limits on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or any of their agents goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Fund to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Fund as compared to investment companies that invest only in the United States.

 

Settlement Risk. Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement procedures and trade regulations also may involve certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically generated by the settlement of US investments. Communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates. Settlements in certain foreign countries at times have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions; these problems may make it difficult for the Fund to carry out transactions. If the Fund cannot settle or there is a delay in settling a purchase of securities, the Fund may miss attractive investment opportunities and certain assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If the Fund cannot settle or there is a delay in settling a sale of securities, the Fund may lose money if the value of the security then declines or, if there is a contract to sell the security to another party, the Fund could be liable to that party for any losses incurred.

 

Dividends or interest on, or proceeds from the sale of, foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, thereby reducing the amount available for distribution to shareholders.

 

RECENT EVENTS IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES . A number of countries in Europe have experienced severe economic and financial difficulties. Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on, or been forced to restructure, their debts; many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing existing obligations; financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit; and financial markets in Europe and elsewhere have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. These difficulties may continue, worsen or spread within and beyond Europe. Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt

 
 

could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world. In addition, the United Kingdom has voted to withdraw from the European Union, and one or more other countries may withdraw from the European Union and/or abandon the euro, the common currency of the European Union. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far-reaching. Whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries, these events could negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments.

 

INVESTMENT IN EMERGING MARKETS. The Fund may invest in the securities of issuers domiciled in various countries with emerging capital markets. Specifically, a country with an emerging capital market is any country that the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the United Nations or its authorities has determined to have a low or middle income economy. Countries with emerging markets can be found in regions such as Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa.

 

Investments in the securities of issuers domiciled in countries with emerging capital markets involve certain additional risks not involved in investments in securities of issuers in more developed capital markets, such as (i) low or non-existent trading volume, resulting in a lack of liquidity and increased volatility in prices for such securities, as compared to securities of comparable issuers in more developed capital markets, (ii) uncertain national policies and social, political and economic instability, increasing the potential for expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments, (iii) possible fluctuations in exchange rates, differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or US governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments, (iv) national policies that may limit the Fund’s investment opportunities such as restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests, and (v) the lack or relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property. In addition to withholding taxes on investment income, some countries with emerging markets may impose differential capital gains taxes on foreign investors.

 

Such capital markets are emerging in a dynamic political and economic environment brought about by events over recent years that have reshaped political boundaries and traditional ideologies. In such a dynamic environment, there can be no assurance that these capital markets will continue to present viable investment opportunities for the Fund. In the past, governments of such nations have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and most claims of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that such expropriations will not reoccur. In such an event, it is possible that the Fund could lose the entire value of its investments in the affected markets.

 

Also, there may be less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those to which US companies are subject. In certain countries with emerging capital markets, reporting standards vary widely. As a result, traditional investment measurements used in the United States, such as price/earnings ratios, may not be applicable. Emerging market securities may be substantially less liquid and more volatile than those of mature markets, and companies may be held by a limited number of persons. This may adversely affect the timing and pricing of the Fund’s acquisition or disposal of securities.

 

Practices in relation to settlement of securities transactions in emerging markets involve higher risks than those in developed markets, in part because the Fund will need to use brokers and counterparties that are less well capitalized, and custody and registration of assets in some countries may be unreliable. The possibility of fraud, negligence, undue influence being exerted by the issuer or refusal to recognize ownership exists in some emerging markets, and, along with other factors, could result in ownership registration being completely lost. The Fund would absorb any loss resulting from such registration problems and may have no successful claim for compensation.

 

RISKS OF INVESTING IN ASIA-PACIFIC COUNTRIES. In addition to the risks of foreign investing and the risks of investing in emerging markets, the developing market Asia-Pacific countries in which the Fund may invest are subject to certain additional or specific risks. There is a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of investors and financial intermediaries. Many of these markets also may be affected by developments with respect to more established markets in the region such as in Japan and Hong Kong. Brokers in developing market Asia-Pacific countries typically are fewer in number and less well capitalized than brokers in the United States. These factors, combined with the US regulatory requirements for open-end investment companies and the restrictions on foreign investment discussed below, result in potentially fewer investment opportunities for the Fund and may have an adverse impact on the investment performance of the Fund.

 

Many of the developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be subject to a greater degree of economic, political and social instability than is the case in the United States and Western European countries. Such instability may result from, among other things: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision-making, including

 
 

changes in government through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; and (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection. In addition, the governments of many such countries, such as Indonesia, have a heavy role in regulating and supervising the economy. Another risk common to most such countries is that the economy is heavily export oriented and, accordingly, is dependent upon international trade. The existence of overburdened infrastructure and obsolete financial systems also present risks in certain countries, as do environmental problems. Certain economies also depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities and, therefore, are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices that, in turn, may be affected by a variety of factors.

 

The legal systems in certain developing market Asia-Pacific countries also may have an adverse impact on the Fund. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder in a US corporation with respect to acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder’s investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging market Asia-Pacific countries. Similarly, the rights of investors in developing market Asia-Pacific companies may be more limited than those of shareholders of US corporations. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain and/or enforce a judgment in a developing market Asia-Pacific country.

 

Governments of many developing market Asia-Pacific countries have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector. In certain cases, the government owns or controls many companies, including the largest in the country. Accordingly, government actions in the future could have a significant effect on economic conditions in developing market Asia-Pacific countries, which could affect private sector companies and the Fund itself, as well as the value of securities in the Fund’s portfolio. In addition, economic statistics of developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be less reliable than economic statistics of more developed nations.

 

In addition to the relative lack of publicly available information about developing market Asia-Pacific issuers and the possibility that such issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards as US companies, inflation accounting rules in some developing market Asia-Pacific countries require companies that keep accounting records in the local currency, for both tax and accounting purposes, to restate certain assets and liabilities on the company’s balance sheet in order to express items in terms of currency of constant purchasing power. Inflation accounting may indirectly generate losses or profits for certain developing market Asia-Pacific companies. Satisfactory custodial services for investment securities may not be available in some developing Asia-Pacific countries, which may result in the Fund incurring additional costs and delays in providing transportation and custody services for such securities outside such countries.

 

Certain developing Asia-Pacific countries, such as the Philippines, India and Turkey, are especially large debtors to commercial banks and foreign governments. Fund management may determine that, notwithstanding otherwise favorable investment criteria, it may not be practicable or appropriate to invest in a particular developing Asia-Pacific country. The Fund may invest in countries in which foreign investors, including management of the Fund, have had no or limited prior experience.

 

Restrictions on Foreign Investments in Asia-Pacific Countries. Some developing Asia-Pacific countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities such as the Fund. As illustrations, certain countries may require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company or limit the investment by foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of a company which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to obtain required governmental approvals in a timely manner. In addition, changes to restrictions on foreign ownership of securities subsequent to the Fund’s purchase of such securities may have an adverse effect on the value of such shares. Certain countries may restrict investment opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to national interests.

 

The manner in which foreign investors may invest in companies in certain developing Asia-Pacific countries, as well as limitations on such investments, also may have an adverse impact on the operations of the Fund. For example, the Fund may be required in certain of such countries to invest initially through a local broker or other entity and then have the shares purchased re-registered in the name of the Fund. Re-registration may in some instances not be able to occur on a timely basis, resulting in a delay during which the Fund may be denied certain of its rights as an investor, including rights as to dividends or to be made aware of certain corporate actions. There also may be instances where the Fund places a purchase order but subsequently learns, at the time of re-registration, that the permissible allocation of the investment to foreign investors has been filled, depriving the Fund of the ability to make its desired investment at that time.

 
 

 

Substantial limitations may exist in certain countries with respect to the Fund’s ability to repatriate investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments. For example, in September 1998, Malaysia imposed currency controls that limited funds’ ability to repatriate proceeds of Malaysian investments. It is possible that Malaysia, or certain other countries may impose similar restrictions or other restrictions relating to their currencies or to securities of issuers in those countries. To the extent that such restrictions have the effect of making certain investments illiquid, securities may not be available to meet redemptions. Depending on a variety of financial factors, the percentage of the Fund’s portfolio subject to currency controls may increase. In the event other countries impose similar controls, the portion of the Fund’s assets that may be used to meet redemptions may be further decreased. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operations of the Fund. For example, funds may be withdrawn from the People’s Republic of China only in US or Hong Kong dollars and only at an exchange rate established by the government once each week. In certain countries, banks or other financial institutions may be among the leading companies or have actively traded securities. The 1940 Act restricts the Fund’s investments in any equity securities of an issuer that, in its most recent fiscal year, derived more than 15% of its revenues from “securities related activities,” as defined by the rules thereunder. These provisions may restrict the Fund’s investments in certain foreign banks and other financial institutions.

 

In addition to the risks listed above, investing in China presents additional risks. Investing in China involves a high degree of risk and special considerations not typically associated with investing in other more established economies or securities markets. Such risks may include: (a) the risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets or confiscatory taxation; (b) greater social, economic and political uncertainty (including the risk of war and social unrest); (c) dependency on exports and the corresponding importance of international trade; (d) the increasing competition from Asia’s other low-cost emerging economies; (e) greater price volatility and significantly smaller market capitalization of securities markets; (f) substantially less liquidity, particularly of certain share classes of Chinese securities; (g) currency exchange rate fluctuations and the lack of available currency hedging instruments; (h) higher rates of inflation; (i) controls on foreign investment and limitations on repatriation of invested capital and on the Fund’s ability to exchange local currencies for US dollars; (j) greater governmental involvement in and control over the economy; (k) the risk that the Chinese government may decide not to continue to support the economic reform programs implemented since 1978 and could return to the prior, completely centrally planned, economy; (l) the fact that China companies, particularly those located in China, may be smaller, less seasoned and newly-organized; (m) the difference in, or lack of, auditing and financial reporting standards which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers, particularly in China; (n) the fact that statistical information regarding the economy of China may be inaccurate or not comparable to statistical information regarding the US or other economies; (o) the less extensive, and still developing, regulation of the securities markets, business entities and commercial transactions; (p) the fact that the settlement period of securities

 

transactions in foreign markets may be longer; (q) the willingness and ability of the Chinese government to support the Chinese and Hong Kong economies and markets is uncertain; (r) the risk that it may be more difficult, or impossible, to obtain and/or enforce a judgment than in other countries; and (s) the rapidity and erratic nature of growth, particularly in China, resulting in efficiencies and dislocations.

 

Investment in China is subject to certain political risks. Following the establishment of the People’s Republic of China by the Communist Party in 1949, the Chinese government renounced various debt obligations incurred by China’s predecessor governments, which obligations remain in default, and expropriated assets without compensation. There can be no assurance that the Chinese government will not take similar action in the future. The political reunification of China and Taiwan is a highly problematic issue and is unlikely to be settled in the near future. This situation poses a threat to Taiwan’s economy and could negatively affect its stock market.

 

Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997 as a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China under the principle of “one country, two systems.” Although China is obligated to maintain the current capitalist economic and social system of Hong Kong through June 30, 2047, the continuation of economic and social freedoms enjoyed in Hong Kong is dependent on the government of China. Any attempt by China to tighten its control over Hong Kong’s political, economic, legal or social policies may result in an adverse effect on Hong Kong’s markets. Uncertainty over Hong Kong’s political future arising from interactions with China has resulted in social unrest, which could in turn cause uncertainty in the markets. In addition, the Hong Kong dollar trades at a fixed exchange rate in relation to (or, is “pegged” to) the US dollar, which has contributed to the growth and stability of the Hong Kong economy. However, it is uncertain how long the currency peg will continue or what effect the establishment of an alternative exchange rate system would have on

 
 

the Hong Kong economy. Because the Fund's NAV is denominated in US dollars, the establishment of an alternative exchange rate system could result in a decline in the Fund’s NAV.

 

The Chinese economy has grown rapidly during the past several years but there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. In fact, the Chinese economy may experience a significant slowdown as a result of, among other things, a deterioration in global demand for Chinese exports, as well as contraction in spending on domestic goods by Chinese consumers. In addition, China may experience substantial rates of inflation or economic recessions, which would have a negative effect on the economy and securities market. Delays in enterprise restructuring, slow development of well-functioning financial and widespread corruption have also hindered performance of the Chinese economy. China continues to receive substantial pressure from trading partners to liberalize official currency exchange rates.

 

Risk of Investing through Stock Connect . China A-shares (“A-shares”) are equity securities of companies based in mainland China that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange (“SSE”) and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (“SZSE”). Foreign investment in A-shares on the SSE and SZSE has historically not been permitted, other than through a license granted under regulations in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) known as the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor and Renminbi (“RMB”) Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor systems. Each license permits investment in A-shares only up to a specified quota.

 

Investment in eligible A-shares listed and traded on the SSE is also permitted through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program (“Stock Connect”). Stock Connect is a securities trading and clearing program established by Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited (“HKSCC”), the SSE and China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation Limited (“CSDCC”) that aims to provide mutual stock market access between the PRC and Hong Kong by permitting investors to trade and settle shares on each market through their local exchanges. The Fund may invest in A-shares through Stock Connect or on such other stock exchanges in China which participate in Stock Connect from time to time. Under Stock Connect, the Fund’s trading of eligible A-shares listed on the SSE would be effectuated through its Hong Kong broker.

 

Although no individual investment quotas or licensing requirements apply to investors in Stock Connect, trading through Stock Connect’s Northbound Trading Link is subject to aggregate and daily investment quota limitations that require that buy orders for A-shares be rejected once the remaining balance of the relevant quota drops to zero or the daily quota is exceeded (although the Fund will be permitted to sell A-shares regardless of the quota balance). These limitations may restrict the Fund from investing in A-shares on a timely basis, which could affect the Fund’s ability to effectively pursue its investment strategy. Investment quotas are also subject to change.

 

Investment in eligible A-shares through Stock Connect is subject to trading, clearance and settlement procedures that could pose risks to the Fund. A-shares purchased through Stock Connect generally may not be sold or otherwise transferred other than through Stock Connect in accordance with applicable rules. For example, PRC regulations require that in order for an investor to sell any A-shares on a certain trading day, there must be sufficient A-shares in the investor’s account before the market opens on that day. If there are insufficient A-shares in the investor’s account, the sell order will be rejected by the SSE. The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (“SEHK”) carries out pre-trade checking on sell orders of certain stocks listed on the SSE market (“SSE Securities”) of its participants (i.e., stock brokers) to ensure that this requirement is satisfied. While shares must be designated as eligible to be traded under Stock Connect, those shares may also lose such designation, and if this occurs, such shares may be sold but cannot be purchased through Stock Connect. In addition, Stock Connect will only operate on days when both the Chinese and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banks in both markets are open on the corresponding settlement days. Therefore, an investment in A-shares through Stock Connect may subject the Fund to a risk of price fluctuations on days where the Chinese market is open, but Stock Connect is not trading. Moreover, day (turnaround) trading is not permitted on the A-shares market. If an investor buys A-shares on day “T,” the investor will only be able to sell the A-shares on or after day T+1. Further, since all trades of eligible Stock Connect A-shares must be settled in RMB, investors must have timely access to a reliable supply of offshore RMB, which cannot be guaranteed.

 

A-shares held through the nominee structure under Stock Connect will be held through HKSCC as nominee on behalf of investors. The precise nature and rights of the Fund as the beneficial owner of the SSE Securities through HKSCC as nominee is not well defined under PRC law. There is lack of a clear definition of, and distinction between, legal ownership and beneficial ownership under PRC law and there have been few cases involving a nominee account structure in the PRC courts. The exact nature and methods of enforcement of the rights and interests of the Fund under PRC law is also uncertain. In the unlikely event that HKSCC becomes subject to winding up proceedings in Hong Kong there is a risk that the SSE Securities may not be regarded as held for the beneficial ownership of the Fund or as part of the general assets of HKSCC available for general distribution to its creditors. Notwithstanding the fact that HKSCC does not claim proprietary

 
 

interests in the SSE Securities held in its omnibus stock account in the CSDCC, the CSDCC as the share registrar for SSE listed companies will still treat HKSCC as one of the shareholders when it handles corporate actions in respect of such SSE Securities. HKSCC monitors the corporate actions affecting SSE Securities and keeps participants of Central Clearing and Settlement System (“CCASS”) informed of all such corporate actions that require CCASS participants to take steps in order to participate in them. Investors may only exercise their voting rights by providing their voting instructions to the HKSCC through participants of the CCASS. All voting instructions from CCASS participants will be consolidated by HKSCC, who will then submit a combined single voting instruction to the relevant SSE-listed company.

 

The Fund’s investments through Stock Connect’s Northbound Trading Link are not covered by Hong Kong’s Investor Compensation Fund. Hong Kong’s Investor Compensation Fund is established to pay compensation to investors of any nationality who suffer pecuniary losses as a result of default of a licensed intermediary or authorized financial institution in relation to exchange-traded products in Hong Kong. In addition, since the Fund is carrying out Northbound trading through securities brokers in Hong Kong but not PRC brokers, it is not protected by the China Securities Investor Protection Fund in the PRC.

 

Market participants are able to participate in Stock Connect subject to meeting certain information technology capability, risk management and other requirements as may be specified by the relevant exchange and/or clearing house. Further, the “connectivity” in Stock Connect requires the routing of orders across the border of Hong Kong and the PRC. This requires the development of new information technology systems on the part of the SEHK and exchange participants. There is no assurance that these systems will function properly or will continue to be adapted to changes and developments in both markets. In the event that the relevant systems fail to function properly, trading in A-shares through Stock Connect could be disrupted.

 

Stock Connect launched on November 17, 2014 and is in its initial stages. The current regulations are untested and there is no certainty as to how they will be applied or interpreted going forward. In addition, the current regulations are subject to change and there can be no assurance that Stock Connect will not be discontinued. New regulations may be issued from time to time by the regulators and stock exchanges in PRC and Hong Kong in connection with operations, legal enforcement and cross-border trades under Stock Connect. The Fund may be adversely affected as a result of such changes. Furthermore, the securities regimes and legal systems of PRC and Hong Kong differ significantly and issues may arise based on these differences. In the event that the relevant systems fail to function properly, trading in both markets through Stock Connect could be disrupted and the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective may be adversely affected. In addition, the Fund’s investments in A-shares through Stock Connect are generally subject to Chinese securities regulations and listing rules, among other restrictions. Further, different fees, costs and taxes are imposed on foreign investors acquiring A-shares obtained through Stock Connect, and these fees, costs and taxes may be higher than comparable fees, costs and taxes imposed on owners of other securities providing similar investment exposure.

 

A-Share Market Suspension Risk. A-shares may only be bought from, or sold to, the Fund at times when the relevant A-shares may be sold or purchased on the relevant Chinese stock exchange. The A-shares market has historically had a higher propensity for trading suspensions than many other global equity markets. Trading suspensions in certain stocks could lead to greater market execution risk and costs for the Fund. The SSE currently applies a daily price limit, set at 10%, of the amount of fluctuation permitted in the prices of A-shares during a single trading day. The daily price limit refers to price movements only and does not restrict trading within the relevant limit. There can be no assurance that a liquid market on an exchange will exist for any particular A-share or for any particular time.

 

RISK OF INVESTMENTS IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities issued by companies located in the Russian Federation. Settlement, clearing and registration of securities transactions in the Russian Federation are subject to significant risks. Ownership of shares is defined according to entries in the company’s share register and normally evidenced by

 

 

extracts from the register. These extracts are not negotiable instruments and are not effective evidence of securities ownership. The registrars are not necessarily subject to effective state supervision nor are they licensed with any governmental entity. Also, there is no central registration system for shareholders and it is possible for the Fund to lose its registration through fraud, negligence or mere oversight. While the Fund will endeavor to ensure that its interests continue to be appropriately recorded, either by itself or through a custodian or other agent inspecting the share register and by obtaining extracts of share registers through regular confirmations, these extracts are not legally enforceable and it is possible that a subsequent illegal amendment or other fraudulent act may deprive the Fund of its ownership rights or

 
 

improperly dilute its interests. In addition, while applicable Russian regulations impose liability on registrars for losses resulting from their errors, it may be difficult for the Fund to enforce any rights it may have against the registrar or issuer of the securities in the event of loss of share registration. While the Fund intends to invest directly in Russian companies that use an independent registrar, there can be no assurance that such investments will not result in a loss to the Fund.

 

As a result of recent political and military actions undertaken by the Russian Federation, the US and the European Union have instituted various economic sanctions against Russian individuals and entities. The US and/or the European Union may impose additional economic sanctions, or take other actions, against individuals and/or companies in specific sectors of the Russian economy, including, but not limited to, the financial services, energy, metals and mining, engineering, and defense and defense-related materials sectors. These sanctions, and the threat of additional sanctions, could have adverse consequences for the Russian economy, including continued weakening of the Russian currency, downgrades in Russia’s credit rating, and a significant decline in the value and liquidity of securities issued by Russian companies or the Russian government. Any of these events could negatively impact the Fund’s investment in Russian securities. These sanctions have the possibility of impairing the Fund’s ability to invest in accordance with its investment strategy and/or to meet its investment objective. For example, the Fund may be prohibited from investing in securities issued by companies subject to such sanctions. In addition, these sanctions may require a fund to freeze its existing investments in Russian securities, thereby prohibiting the Fund from buying, selling, receiving or delivering those securities or other financial instruments. It is also possible that any counter measures or retaliatory action by Russia could further impair the value and liquidity of securities issued by Russian companies and may have an impact on the economies of other emerging markets as well.

 

ILLIQUID OR RESTRICTED SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in securities that lack an established secondary trading market or otherwise are considered illiquid. Liquidity of a security relates to the ability to dispose easily of the security and the price to be obtained upon disposition of the security, which may be less than would be obtained for a comparable more liquid security. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments. Investment of the Fund’s assets in illiquid securities may restrict the ability of the Fund to dispose of its investments in a timely fashion and for a fair price as well as its ability to take advantage of market opportunities. The risks associated with illiquidity will be particularly acute where the Fund’s operations require cash, such as when the Fund redeems shares or pays dividends, and could result in the Fund borrowing to meet short-term cash requirements or incurring capital losses on the sale of illiquid investments. The Fund may invest in securities that are not registered (restricted securities) under the 1933 Act. The Fund is subject to a maximum of 15% of net assets invested in illiquid securities.

 

Restricted securities may be sold in private placement transactions between issuers and their purchasers and may be neither listed on an exchange nor traded in other established markets. In many cases, privately placed securities may not be freely transferable under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction or due to contractual restrictions on resale. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, privately placed securities may be less liquid and more difficult to value than publicly traded securities. To the extent that privately placed securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from the sales, due to illiquidity, could be less than those originally paid by the Fund or less than their fair market value. In addition, issuers whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that may be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. If any privately placed securities held by the Fund are required to be registered under the securities laws of one or more jurisdictions before being resold, the Fund may be required to bear the expenses of registration. Certain of the Fund’s investments in private placements may consist of direct investments and may include investments in smaller, less seasoned issuers, which may involve greater risks. These issuers may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or they may be dependent on a limited management group. In making investments in such securities, the Fund may obtain access to material nonpublic information, which may restrict the Fund’s ability to conduct portfolio transactions in such securities.

 

The Fund may purchase restricted securities that can be offered and sold to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. The Board has determined to treat as liquid Rule 144A securities that are either freely tradable in their primary markets offshore or have been determined to be liquid in accordance with the policies and procedures adopted by the Board. The Board has adopted guidelines and delegated to the Manager the daily function of determining and monitoring liquidity of restricted securities. The Board, however, will retain sufficient oversight and be ultimately responsible for the determinations. Since it is not possible to predict with assurance exactly how the market for restricted securities sold and offered under Rule 144A will continue to develop, the Board will carefully monitor the Fund’s investments in these securities. This investment practice could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in the Fund to the extent that qualified institutional buyers become for a time uninterested in purchasing these securities.

 

 
 

JUNK BONDS. Junk bonds are debt securities that are rated below investment grade by a NRSRO or are unrated securities that the subadviser believes are of comparable quality. Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, they are high risk investments that may cause income and principal losses for the Fund. The major risks of junk bond investments include the following:

 

Junk bonds are issued by less creditworthy issuers. These securities are vulnerable to adverse changes in the issuer's economic condition and to general economic conditions. Issuers of junk bonds may be unable to meet their interest or principal payment obligations because of an economic downturn, specific issuer developments or the unavailability of additional financing.

 

The issuers of junk bonds may have a larger amount of outstanding debt relative to their assets than issuers of investment grade bonds. If the issuer experiences financial stress, it may be unable to meet its debt obligations.

 

Junk bonds are frequently ranked junior to claims by other creditors. If the issuer cannot meet its obligations, the senior obligations are generally paid off before the junior obligations.

 

Junk bonds frequently have redemption features that permit an issuer to repurchase the security from the Fund before it matures. If an issuer redeems the junk bonds, the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in bonds with lower yields and may lose income.

 

Prices of junk bonds are subject to extreme price fluctuations. Negative economic developments may have a greater impact on the prices of junk bonds than on other higher rated fixed-income securities.

 

Junk bonds may be less liquid than higher rated fixed-income securities even under normal economic conditions. There are fewer dealers in the junk bond market, and there may be significant differences in the prices quoted for junk bonds by the dealers. Because they are less liquid, judgment may play a greater role in valuing certain of the Fund’s portfolio securities than in the case of securities trading in a more liquid market.

 

The Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer.

 

MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS. The Fund may invest in money market instruments. Money market instruments include cash equivalents and short-term obligations of US banks, non-US government securities, certificates of deposit and short-term obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government or its agencies. Money market instruments also include bankers' acceptances, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and Eurodollar obligations issued or guaranteed by bank holding companies in the US, their subsidiaries and non-US branches, by non-US banking institutions, and by the World Bank and other multinational instrumentalities, as well as commercial paper and other short-term obligations of, and variable amount master demand notes, variable rate notes and funding agreements issued by, US and non-US corporations.

 

MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES. Investing in mortgage-backed securities involves certain unique risks in addition to those generally associated with investing in fixed-income securities and in the real estate industry in general. These unique risks include the failure of a party to meet its commitments under the related operative documents, adverse interest rate changes and the effects of prepayments on mortgage cash flows. Mortgage-backed securities are “pass-through” securities, meaning that principal and interest payments made by the borrower on the underlying mortgages are passed through to the Fund. The value of mortgage-backed securities, like that of traditional fixed-income securities, typically increases when interest rates fall and decreases when interest rates rise. However, mortgage-backed securities differ from traditional fixed-income securities because of their potential for prepayment without penalty. The price paid by the Fund for its mortgage-backed securities, the yield the Fund expects to receive from such securities and the average life of the securities are based on a number of factors, including the anticipated rate of prepayment of the underlying mortgages. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may prepay the underlying mortgages more quickly than anticipated, thereby reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the mortgage-backed securities. Moreover, when the Fund reinvests the proceeds of a prepayment in these circumstances, the likely rate of interest received will be lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid.

 

Mortgage-backed securities, including CMOs, can be collateralized by either fixed-rate mortgages or adjustable rate mortgages. Fixed-rate mortgage securities are collateralized by fixed-rate mortgages and tend to have high prepayment rates when the level of prevailing interest rates declines significantly below the interest rates on the mortgages. Thus, under those circumstances, the securities are generally less sensitive to interest rate movements than lower coupon fixed-rate mortgages. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage pass-through securities, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae.

 

Generally, adjustable rate mortgage securities (ARMs) have a specified maturity date and amortize principal over their life. In periods of declining interest rates, there is a reasonable likelihood that ARMs will experience increased rates of prepayment of principal. However, the major difference between ARMs and fixed-rate mortgage securities (FRMs) is that the interest rate

 
 

and the rate of amortization of principal of ARMs can and do change in accordance with movements in a particular, pre-specified, published interest rate index. The amount of interest on an ARM is calculated by adding a specified amount, the “margin,” to the index, subject to limitations on the maximum and minimum interest that is charged during the life of the mortgage or to maximum and minimum changes to that interest rate during a given period.

 

The underlying mortgages which collateralize the ARMs in which the Fund invests will frequently have caps and floors which limit the maximum amount by which the loan rate to the residential borrower may change up or down (1) per reset or adjustment interval and (2) over the life of the loan. Some residential mortgage loans restrict periodic adjustments by limiting changes in the borrower's monthly principal and interest payments rather than limiting interest rate changes. These payment caps may result in negative amortization.

 

To the extent that the Fund purchases mortgage-backed securities at a premium, mortgage foreclosures and principal prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If the Fund buys such securities at a discount, both scheduled payments of principal and unscheduled prepayments will increase current and total returns and will accelerate the recognition of income which, when distributed to shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of the underlying mortgages may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This particular risk may effectively change a security that was considered short- or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a long-term security. Since long-term securities generally fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities, maturity extension risk could increase the inherent volatility of the Fund. Under certain interest rate and prepayment scenarios, the Fund may fail to recoup fully its investment in mortgage-backed securities notwithstanding any direct or indirect governmental or agency guarantee.

 

Most mortgage-backed securities are issued by federal government agencies such as Ginnie Mae, or by government sponsored enterprises such as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Principal and interest payments on mortgage-backed securities issued by the federal government and some federal agencies, such as Ginnie Mae, are guaranteed by the federal government and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Mortgage-backed securities issued by other government agencies or government sponsored enterprises are backed only by the credit of the government agency or enterprise and are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are authorized to borrow from the US Treasury to meet their obligations. Private mortgage-backed securities are issued by private corporations rather than government agencies and are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk.

 

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are stockholder-owned companies chartered by Congress. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantee the securities they issue as to timely payment of principal and interest, but such guarantee is not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. In September 2008, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed into conservatorship by their regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency. It is unclear what effect this conservatorship, which remains ongoing as of the date of this SAI, will have on the securities issued or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Although the US Government has provided financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, there can be no assurance that it will support these or other government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) in the future.

 

The Fund may purchase certain mortgage-backed securities, the underlying investments of which consist of loans issued and/or serviced by an affiliated entity.

 

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS. 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, may not be diversified geographically or by property type, and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and self-liquidation. REITs must also meet certain requirements under the Code to avoid entity level tax and be eligible to pass-through certain tax attributes of their income to shareholders. REITs are consequently subject to the risk of failing to meet these requirements for favorable tax treatment and of failing to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. REITs are also subject to the risks of changes in the Code affecting their tax status.

 

Tax reform legislation enacted on December 22, 2017, informally known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”), established a 20% deduction for qualified business income. Under this provision, which is effective beginning in 2018 and, without further legislation, will sunset after 2025, individuals, trusts, and estates generally may deduct 20% of “qualified business income,” which includes all ordinary REIT dividends. This results in a maximum effective rate of 29.6% on such dividends (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). The Tax Act does not contain a provision permitting a RIC to pass the special character of this income through to its shareholders. Thus, investors in RICs that invest in REITs will treat this as ordinary dividend income, as under current law, whereas direct investors in REITs will enjoy the benefit of the lower

 
 

rate. It is uncertain whether future legislation will enable a RIC to pass through the special character of qualified REIT dividends to the RIC’s shareholders.

 

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 investments in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates, causing the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed rate obligations.

 

Investing in certain REITs involves risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. These REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500 Index. The management of a REIT may be subject to conflicts of interest with respect to the operation of the business of the REIT and may be involved in real estate activities competitive with the REIT. REITs may own properties through joint ventures or in other circumstances in which the REIT may not have control over its investments. REITs may incur significant amounts of leverage. The Fund’s investments in REITs may subject the Fund to duplicate management and/or advisory fees.

 

REAL ESTATE RELATED SECURITIES. Although the Fund generally will not hold physical real estate, the Fund may invest in securities of issuers that are principally engaged in the real estate industry. Therefore, an investment by the Fund is subject to certain risks associated with the ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risks include, among others: possible declines in the value of real estate; risks related to general and local economic conditions; possible lack of availability of mortgage funds or other limitations on access to capital; overbuilding; risks associated with leverage; market illiquidity; extended vacancies of properties; increase in competition, property taxes, capital expenditures and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws or other governmental regulation; costs resulting from the clean-up of, and liability to third parties for damages resulting from, environmental problems; tenant bankruptcies or other credit problems; casualty or condemnation losses; uninsured damages from floods, earthquakes or other natural disasters; limitations on and variations in rents, including decreases in market rates for rents; investment in developments that are not completed or that are subject to delays in completion; and unfavorable changes in interest rates. To the extent that assets underlying the Fund’s investments are concentrated geographically, by property type or in certain other respects, the Fund may be subject to certain of the foregoing risks to a greater extent.

 

REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Fund may invest in securities pursuant to repurchase agreements. The Fund will enter into repurchase agreements only with parties meeting creditworthiness standards as set forth in the Fund’s repurchase agreement procedures.

 

Under such agreements, the other party agrees, upon entering into the contract with the Fund, to repurchase the security at a mutually agreed-upon time and price in a specified currency, thereby determining the yield during the term of the agreement. This results in a fixed rate of return insulated from market fluctuations during such period, although such return may be affected by currency fluctuations. In the case of repurchase agreements, the prices at which the trades are conducted do not reflect accrued interest on the underlying obligation. Such agreements usually cover short periods, such as under one week. Repurchase agreements may be construed to be collateralized loans by the purchaser to the seller secured by the securities transferred to the purchaser.

 

In the case of a repurchase agreement, as a purchaser, the Fund will require all repurchase agreements to be fully collateralized at all times by cash or other liquid assets in an amount at least equal to the resale price. The seller is required to provide additional collateral if the market value of the securities falls below the repurchase price at any time during the term of the repurchase agreement. In the event of default by the seller under a repurchase agreement construed to be a collateralized loan, the underlying securities are not owned by the Fund but only constitute collateral for the seller's obligation to pay the repurchase price. Therefore, the Fund may suffer time delays and incur costs or possible losses in connection with disposition of the collateral.

 

The Fund may participate in a joint repurchase agreement account with other investment companies managed by the Manager pursuant to an order of the SEC. On a daily basis, any uninvested cash balances of the Fund may be aggregated with those of such investment companies and invested in one or more repurchase agreements. The Fund participates in the income earned or accrued in the joint account based on the percentage of its investment.

 
 

 

REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS AND DOLLAR ROLLS. The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by the Fund, coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. See “Repurchase Agreements.” The Fund’s investments in these instruments are subject to the Fund’s restrictions on borrowing.

 

The Fund may enter into dollar rolls. In a dollar roll, the Fund sells securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar (same type and coupon) securities on a specified future date from the same party. During the roll period, the Fund forgoes principal and interest paid on the securities. The Fund is compensated by the difference between the current sale price and the forward price for the future purchase (often referred to as the drop) as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale. The Fund will segregate cash or other liquid assets, marked to market daily, having a value equal to the obligations of the Fund in respect of dollar rolls.

 

Dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities retained by the Fund may decline below the price of the securities sold by the Fund but which the Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement. In the event the buyer of securities under a dollar roll files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the agreement may be restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver, whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities. Cash proceeds from dollar rolls may be invested in cash or other liquid assets.

 

[SECURITIES LENDING. Unless otherwise noted, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions subject to applicable regulatory requirements and guidance, including the requirements that: (1) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33 1/3% of the total assets of the Fund; (2) the borrower pledge and maintain with the Fund collateral consisting of cash having at all times a value of not less than 102% of the value of the securities lent; and (3) the loan be made subject to termination by the Fund at any time.]

 

Cash collateral is invested in an affiliated prime money market fund and will be subject to market depreciation or appreciation. The Fund will be responsible for any loss that results from this investment of collateral. The affiliated prime money market fund in which cash collateral is invested may impose liquidity fees or temporary gates on redemptions if its weekly liquid assets fall below a designated threshold. If this were to occur, the Fund may lose money on its investment of cash collateral in the affiliated prime money market fund, or the Fund may not be able to redeem its investment of cash collateral in the affiliated prime money market fund, which might cause the Fund to liquidate other holdings in order to return the cash collateral to the borrower upon termination of a securities loan. These events could trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund.On termination of the loan, the borrower is required to return the securities to the Fund, and any gain or loss in the market price during the loan would inure to the Fund. If the borrower defaults on its obligation to return the securities lent because of insolvency or other reasons, the Fund could experience delays and costs in recovering the securities lent or in gaining access to the collateral. In such situations, the Fund may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement investment in the market. There is a risk that the value of the collateral could decrease below the value of the replacement investment by the time the replacement investment is purchased.

 

During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund an amount equivalent to any dividend or interest paid on such securities. Voting or consent rights which accompany loaned securities pass to the borrower. However, all loans may be terminated at any time to facilitate the exercise of voting or other consent rights with respect to matters considered to be material. The Fund bears the risk that there may be a delay in the return of the securities which may impair the Fund’s ability to exercise such rights.

 

SHORT SALES AND SHORT SALES AGAINST-THE-BOX. The Fund may make short sales of securities, either as a hedge against potential declines in value of a portfolio security or to realize appreciation when a security that the Fund does not own declines in value. Because making short sales in securities not owned by the Fund exposes the Fund to the risks associated with those securities, such short sales involve speculative exposure risk. As a result, if the Fund makes short sales in securities that increase in value, the Fund will likely underperform similar mutual funds that do not make short sales in securities they do not own. The Fund will incur a loss as a result of a short sale 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 security declines in price between those dates. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to close out a short sale position at any particular time or at a desired price. Although the Fund’s gain is limited to the price at which the Fund sold the security short, its potential loss is limited only by the maximum attainable price of the security, less the price at which the security was sold and may, theoretically, be unlimited. There is also a risk that a borrowed security will need to be returned to the broker/dealer on short notice. If the request for the return of a security occurs at a time when other short

 
 

sellers of the security are receiving similar requests, a “short squeeze” can occur, meaning that the Fund might be compelled, at the most disadvantageous time, to replace the borrowed security with a security purchased on the open market, possibly at prices significantly in excess of the proceeds received earlier.

 

The Fund has a short position in the securities sold short until it delivers to the broker/dealer the securities sold, at which time the Fund receives the proceeds of the sale. In addition, the Fund is required to pay to the broker/dealer the amount of any dividends or interest paid on shares sold short. The Fund will normally close out a short position by purchasing on the open market and delivering to the broker/dealer an equal amount of the securities sold short.

 

The Fund may also make short sales against-the-box. A short sale against-the-box is a short sale in which the Fund owns an equal amount of the securities sold short, or securities convertible or exchangeable for, with or without payment of any further consideration, such securities. However, if further consideration is required in connection with the conversion or exchange, cash or other liquid assets, in an amount equal to such consideration, must be segregated on the Fund’s records or with its Custodian.

 

SOVEREIGN DEBT. Investment in sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be able or willing to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt. A governmental entity's willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the governmental entity's policy towards the International Monetary Fund and the political constraints to which a governmental entity may be subject. Governmental entities may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on the implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor's obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties' commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor's ability or willingness to timely service its debts. Consequently, governmental entities may default on their sovereign debt. Holders of sovereign debt may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities. In the event of a default by a governmental entity, there may be few or no effective legal remedies for collecting on such debt.

 

STRIPPED SECURITIES. Stripped securities are created when the issuer separates the interest and principal components of an instrument and sells them as separate securities. In general, one security is entitled to receive the interest payments on the underlying assets (the interest only or “IO” security) and the other to receive the principal payments (the principal only or “PO” security). Some stripped securities may receive a combination of interest and principal payments. The yields to maturity on IOs and POs are sensitive to the expected or anticipated rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying assets, and principal payments may have a material effect on yield to maturity. If the underlying assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may not fully recoup its initial investment in IOs. Conversely, if the underlying assets experience less than anticipated prepayments of principal, the yield on POs could be adversely affected. Stripped securities may be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and rates of prepayment.

 

YANKEE OBLIGATIONS. The Fund may invest in US dollar-denominated debt securities of foreign corporations issued in the United States and US dollar-denominated debt securities issued or guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by governments, quasi-governmental entities, government agencies, and other governmental entities of foreign countries and supranational entities, which securities are issued in the United States (Yankee obligations). Debt securities of quasi-governmental entities are issued by entities owned by either a national, state or equivalent government or are obligations of a political unit that is not backed by the national government’s full faith and credit and general taxing powers. These include, among others, the Province of Ontario and the City of Tokyo.

 

TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE STRATEGY AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS. The Fund may temporarily invest without limit in money market instruments, including commercial paper of US corporations, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and other obligations of domestic banks, and obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government, its agencies or its instrumentalities, as part of a temporary defensive strategy.

 

The Fund may invest in money market instruments to maintain appropriate liquidity to meet anticipated redemptions. Money market instruments typically have a maturity of one year or less as measured from the date of purchase. The Fund also may

 
 

temporarily hold cash or invest in money market instruments pending investment of proceeds from new sales of Fund shares or during periods of portfolio restructuring.

 

WHEN-ISSUED SECURITIES, DELAYED DELIVERY SECURITIES AND FORWARD COMMITMENTS. The Fund may purchase or sell securities that the Fund is entitled to receive on a when-issued basis. The Fund may also purchase or sell securities on a delayed delivery basis or through a forward commitment. When delayed delivery securities are purchased, the price and interest rate are fixed at the time of purchase. When-issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions all involve the purchase or sale of securities with payment and delivery taking place in the future. The Fund enters into these transactions to obtain what is considered an advantageous price to the Fund at the time of entering into the transaction. The Fund has not established any limit on the percentage of its assets that may be committed in connection with these transactions. When the Fund purchases securities in these transactions, the Fund segregates liquid securities in an amount equal to the amount of its purchase commitments.

 

There can be no assurance that a security purchased on a when-issued basis will be issued or that a security purchased or sold through a forward commitment will be delivered. The value of securities in these transactions on the delivery date may be more or less than the Fund’s purchase price. The Fund may bear the risk of a decline in the value of the security in these transactions and may not benefit from an appreciation in the value of the security during the commitment period.

 

US GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in adjustable rate and fixed rate US Government securities. US Government securities are instruments issued or guaranteed by the US Treasury or by an agency or instrumentality of the US Government. US Government guarantees do not extend to the yield or value of the securities or the Fund’s shares. Not all US Government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Some are supported only by the credit of the issuing agency.

 

US Treasury securities include bills, notes, bonds and other debt securities issued by the US Treasury. These instruments are direct obligations of the US Government and, as such, are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. They differ primarily in their interest rates, the lengths of their maturities and the dates of their issuances.

 

Securities issued by agencies of the US Government or instrumentalities of the US Government, including those which are guaranteed by Federal agencies or instrumentalities, may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Obligations of Ginnie Mae, the Farmers Home Administration and the Small Business Administration are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. In the case of securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments.

 

The Fund may also invest in component parts of US Government securities, namely either the corpus (principal) of such obligations or one or more of the interest payments scheduled to be paid on such obligations. These obligations may take the form of (1) obligations from which the interest coupons have been stripped; (2) the interest coupons that are stripped; (3) book-entries at a Federal Reserve member bank representing ownership of obligation components; or (4) receipts evidencing the component parts (corpus or coupons) of US Government obligations that have not actually been stripped. Such receipts evidence ownership of component parts of US

 

Government obligations (corpus or coupons) purchased by a third party (typically an investment banking firm) and held on behalf of the third party in physical or book-entry form by a major commercial bank or trust company pursuant to a custody agreement with the third party. The Fund may also invest in custodial receipts held by a third party that are not US Government securities.

 

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

The Fund has adopted the restrictions listed below as fundamental policies. Under the 1940 Act, a fundamental policy is one that cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. A “majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities,” when used in this SAI, means the lesser of (i) 67% of the voting shares represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding voting shares are present in person or represented by proxy or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding voting shares.

 

If any percentage restriction described below is complied with at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in the percentage resulting from a change in asset values or characteristics will not constitute a violation of such restriction, unless otherwise noted below.

 
 

 

Fundamental Investment Policies

The Fund’s fundamental investment policies are as follows:

(1) The Fund may borrow money to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act.

(2) The Fund may engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act.

(3) The Fund may lend money or other assets to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act.

(4) The Fund may issue senior securities to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act.

(5) The Fund may purchase or sell real estate to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act.

(6) The Fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act.

(7) The Fund will not invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, except as permitted by the 1940 Act, any exemptive order, SEC release, no-action letter or similar relief or interpretations (collectively, the 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions).

 

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits the Fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the Fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to an additional 5% of the Fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. (The Fund’s total assets include the amounts being borrowed.) To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the Fund to maintain an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings, provided that in the event that the Fund’s asset coverage falls below 300%, the Fund is required to reduce the amount of its borrowings so that it meets the 300% asset coverage threshold within three days (not including Sundays and holidays). Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the Fund’s total assets (including amounts borrowed), minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit the Fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

 

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit the Fund from engaging in the business of underwriting or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, the 1940 Act permits the Fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the Fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the Fund’s investments in issuers where the Fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act. Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause the Fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (2) above will be interpreted not to prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the Fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

 

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit the Fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) The Fund will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money. The policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent the Fund from purchasing or investing in credit instruments, debt obligations and loans or any similar security or financial instrument. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

 
 

 

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (4) above, “senior securities” are defined as Fund obligations that have a priority over the Fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of Fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits the Fund from issuing senior securities except that the Fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the Fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose. The Fund may also borrow up to an additional 5% of the Fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The policy in (4) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit the Fund from owning real estate; however, the Fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent the Fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

 

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit the Fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, the Fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in ETFs that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

 

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the US Government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country; however, the Trust understands that the SEC staff considers securities issued by a foreign government to be in a single industry for purposes of calculating applicable limits on concentration. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to the Fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

 

The Fund’s fundamental policies will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

 

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

 

The Fund’s non-fundamental investment policies are as follows:

 

1. The Fund may not invest in other registered open-end management investment companies and registered unit investment trusts in reliance upon the provisions of subparagraphs (G) or (F) of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. The foregoing investment policy does not restrict the Fund from (i) acquiring securities of other registered investment companies in connection with a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or acquisition of assets, or (ii) purchasing the securities of registered investment companies, to the extent otherwise permissible under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act.
2. The Fund may not purchase or otherwise acquire any security if immediately after the acquisition the value of illiquid securities held by the Fund would exceed 15% of the Fund’s net assets except as permitted by 1940 Act
 
 

Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions. The Fund monitors the portion of the Fund’s total assets that is invested in illiquid securities on an ongoing basis, not only at the time of investment in such securities.

 

The Fund will provide 60 days' prior written notice to shareholders of a change in the Fund's non-fundamental policy of investing at least 80% of its investable assets (that is, net assets plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the type of investments suggested by the Fund's name.

 

Diversification

 

The Fund is currently classified as a diversified fund, as “diversified” is defined under the 1940 Act. In general, this means that the Fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the US Government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer or (b) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the Fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval.

 

INFORMATION ABOUT BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS

Information about Board Members and Officers of the Fund is set forth below. Board Members who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act, are referred to as “Independent Board Members.” Board Members who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Fund are referred to as “Interested Board Members.” The Board Members are responsible for the overall supervision of the operations of the Fund and perform the various duties imposed on the directors of investment companies by the 1940 Act. The Board in turn elects the Officers, who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Fund.

 

Independent Board Members(1)

 

Name, Address, Age
Position(s)
Portfolios Overseen
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years Other Directorships Held During Past Five Years Length of Board Service
Ellen S. Alberding (59)
Board Member
Portfolios Overseen: 89
President and Board Member, The Joyce Foundation (charitable foundation) (since 2002); Vice Chair, City Colleges of Chicago (community college system) (since 2011); Trustee, Skills for America’s Future (national initiative to connect employers to community colleges) (since 2011); Trustee, National Park Foundation (charitable foundation for national park system) (since 2009); Trustee, Economic Club of Chicago (since 2009). None. Since December 2017
Kevin J. Bannon (65)
Board Member
Portfolios Overseen: 89
Retired; Managing Director (April 2008-May 2015) and Chief Investment Officer (October 2008-November 2013) of Highmount Capital LLC (registered investment adviser); formerly Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer (April 1993-August 2007) of Bank of New York Company; President (May 2003-May 2007) of BNY Hamilton Family of Mutual Funds. Director of Urstadt Biddle Properties (equity real estate investment trust) (since September 2008). Since December 2017
Linda W. Bynoe (65)
Board Member
Portfolios Overseen: 89
President and Chief Executive Officer (since March 1995) and formerly Chief Operating Officer (December 1989-February 1995) of Telemat Ltd. (management consulting); formerly Vice President (January 1985-June 1989) at Morgan Stanley & Co. (broker-dealer).

Director of Simon Property Group, Inc. (retail real estate) (May 2003-May 2012); Director of Anixter International, Inc.

(communication products distributor) (since January 2006); Director of Northern Trust Corporation (financial services) (since April 2006); Trustee of Equity Residential (residential real estate) (since December 2009).

Since December 2017
 
 

 

Barry H. Evans (57)
Board Member
Portfolios Overseen: 89
Retired; Formerly President (2005 – 2016), Global Chief Operating Officer (2014– 2016), Chief Investment Officer – Global Head of Fixed Income (1998-2014), and various portfolio manager roles (1986-2006), Manulife Asset Management U.S. Director, Manulife Trust Company (2011- present); Director, Manulife Asset Management Limited (2015-present); Formerly Chairman of the Board of Directors of Manulife Asset Management U.S. (2005-2016); Formerly Chairman of the Board, Declaration Investment Management and Research (2008-2016). Since December 2017
Keith F. Hartstein (61)
Board Member & Independent Chair
Portfolios Overseen: 89
Retired; Member (since November 2014) of the Governing Council of the Independent Directors Council (organization of independent mutual fund directors); formerly President and Chief Executive Officer (2005-2012), Senior Vice President (2004-2005), Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing (1997-2004), and various executive management positions (1990-1997), John Hancock Funds, LLC (asset management); Chairman, Investment Company Institute’s Sales Force Marketing Committee (2003-2008). None. Since December 2017
Laurie Simon Hodrick (55)
Board Member
Portfolios Overseen: 89
A. Barton Hepburn Professor of Economics in the Faculty of Business, Columbia Business School (since 1996); Visiting Professor of Law and Rock Center for Corporate Governance Fellow, Stanford Law School (since 2015); Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University (since 2015); Sole Member, ReidCourt LLC (since 2008) (a consulting firm); Formerly Managing Director, Global Head of Alternative Investment Strategies, Deutsche Bank (2006-2008); Formerly Director/Trustee, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers Funds (1999-2006). Independent Director, Corporate Capital Trust (since April 2017) (a business development company). Since December 2017
Michael S. Hyland, CFA (72)
Board Member
Portfolios Overseen: 89
Retired (since February 2005); formerly Senior Managing Director (July 2001-February 2005) of Bear Stearns & Co, Inc.; Global Partner, INVESCO (1999-2001); Managing Director and President of Salomon Brothers Asset Management (1989-1999). None. Since December 2017
Richard A. Redeker (74)
Board Member & Independent Vice Chair
Portfolios Overseen: 89
Retired Mutual Fund Senior Executive (47 years); Management Consultant; Director, Mutual Fund Directors Forum (since 2014); Independent Directors Council (organization of independent mutual fund directors)-Executive Committee, Chair of Policy Steering Committee, Governing Council. None. Since December 2017
Stephen G. Stoneburn (74)
Board Member
 Portfolios Overseen: 89
Chairman (since July 2011), President and Chief Executive Officer (since June 1996) of Frontline Medical Communications (publishing company); formerly President (June 1995-June 1996) of Argus Integrated Media, Inc.; Senior Vice President and Managing Director (January 1993-1995) of Cowles Business Media; Senior Vice President of Fairchild Publications, Inc. (1975-1989). None. Since December 2017
 
 

 

Interested Board Members (1)  
Name, Address, Age
Position(s)
Portfolios Overseen
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years Other Directorships Held During Past Five Years Length of Board Service
Stuart S. Parker (55)
Board Member & President
Portfolios Overseen: 89
President of PGIM Investments LLC (formerly known as Prudential Investments LLC) (since January 2012); Executive Vice President of Prudential Investment Management Services LLC (since December 2012); Executive Vice President of Jennison Associates LLC and Head of Retail Distribution of PGIM Investments LLC (June 2005-December 2011). None. Since December 2017
Scott E. Benjamin (44)
Board Member & Vice President
Portfolios Overseen: 89
Executive Vice President (since June 2009) of PGIM Investments LLC; Executive Vice President (June 2009-June 2012) and Vice President (since June 2012) of Prudential Investment Management Services LLC; Executive Vice President (since September 2009) of AST Investment Services, Inc.; Senior Vice President of Product Development and Marketing, PGIM Investments (since February 2006); Vice President of Product Development and Product Management, Prudential Investments (2003-2006). None. Since December 2017
Grace C. Torres*
(58)
Board Member
Portfolios Overseen: 88
Retired; formerly Treasurer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Prudential Funds, Target Funds, Advanced Series Trust, Prudential Variable Contract Accounts and The Prudential Series Fund (1998-June 2014); Assistant Treasurer (March 1999-June 2014) and Senior Vice President (September 1999-June 2014) of PGIM Investments LLC; Assistant Treasurer (May 2003-June 2014) and Vice President (June 2005-June 2014) of AST Investment Services, Inc.; Senior Vice President and Assistant Treasurer (May 2003-June 2014) of Prudential Annuities Advisory Services, Inc. Director (since July 2015) of Sun Bancorp, Inc. N.A. and Sun National Bank Since December 2017

 

* Note: Prior to her retirement in 2014, Ms. Torres was employed by PGIM Investments LLC. Due to her prior employment, she is considered to be an “interested person” under the 1940 Act. Ms. Torres is a Non-Management Interested Board Member.

 

 

Fund Officers (a)    
Name, Address and Age
Position with Fund
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years Length of
Service as Fund Officer
Raymond A. O’Hara (62)
Chief Legal Officer
Vice President and Corporate Counsel (since July 2010) of Prudential Insurance Company of America (Prudential); Vice President (March 2011-Present) of Pruco Life Insurance Company and Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey; Vice President and Corporate Counsel (March 2011-Present) of Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation; Chief Legal Officer of PGIM Investments LLC (since June 2012); Chief Legal Officer of Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC (since June 2012) and Corporate Counsel of AST Investment Services, Inc. (since June 2012); formerly Assistant Vice President and Corporate Counsel (September 2008-July 2010) of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.; formerly Associate (September 1980-December 1987) and Partner (January 1988–August 2008) of Blazzard & Hasenauer, P.C. (formerly, Blazzard, Grodd & Hasenauer, P.C.). Since 2017
 
 

 

Chad A. Earnst (42)
Chief Compliance Officer
Chief Compliance Officer (September 2014-Present) of PGIM Investments LLC; Chief Compliance Officer (September 2014-Present) of the Prudential Funds, Target Funds, Advanced Series Trust, The Prudential Series Fund, Prudential's Gibraltar Fund, Inc., Prudential Global Short Duration High Yield Income Fund, Inc., Prudential Short Duration High Yield Fund, Inc. and Prudential Jennison MLP Income Fund, Inc.; formerly Assistant Director (March 2010-August 2014) of the Asset Management Unit, Division of Enforcement, US Securities & Exchange Commission; Assistant Regional Director (January 2010-August 2014), Branch Chief (June 2006–December 2009) and Senior Counsel (April 2003-May 2006) of the Miami Regional Office, Division of Enforcement, US Securities & Exchange Commission. Since 2017
Deborah A. Docs (59)
Secretary
Vice President and Corporate Counsel (since January 2001) of Prudential; Vice President (since December 1996) and Assistant Secretary (since March 1999) of PGIM Investments LLC; formerly Vice President and Assistant Secretary (May 2003-June 2005) of AST Investment Services, Inc. Since 2017
Jonathan D. Shain (59)
Assistant Secretary
Vice President and Corporate Counsel (since August 1998) of Prudential; Vice President and Assistant Secretary (since May 2001) of PGIM Investments LLC; Vice President and Assistant Secretary (since February 2001) of Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC; formerly Vice President and Assistant Secretary (May 2003-June 2005) of AST Investment Services, Inc. Since 2017
Claudia DiGiacomo (43)
Assistant Secretary
Vice President and Corporate Counsel (since January 2005) of Prudential; Vice President and Assistant Secretary of PGIM Investments LLC (since December 2005); Associate at Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP (1999-2004). Since 2017
Andrew R. French (54)
Assistant Secretary
Vice President and Corporate Counsel (since February 2010) of Prudential; formerly Director and Corporate Counsel (2006-2010) of Prudential; Vice President and Assistant Secretary (since January 2007) of PGIM Investments LLC; Vice President and Assistant Secretary (since January 2007) of Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC. Since 2017
Charles H. Smith (44)
Anti-Money Laundering
Compliance Officer
Vice President, Corporate Compliance, Anti-Money Laundering Unit (since January 2015) of Prudential; committee member of the American Council of Life Insurers Anti-Money Laundering and Critical Infrastructure Committee (since January 2016); formerly Global Head of Economic Sanctions Compliance at AIG Property Casualty (February 2007 – December 2014); Assistant Attorney General at the New York State Attorney General's Office, Division of Public Advocacy. (August 1998 —January 2007). Since 2017
M. Sadiq Peshimam (53)
Treasurer and Principal Financial
and Accounting Officer
Vice President (since 2005) of PGIM Investments LLC; formerly Assistant Treasurer of funds in the Prudential Mutual Fund Complex (2006-2014). Since 2017
Peter Parrella (59)
Assistant Treasurer
Vice President (since 2007) and Director (2004-2007) within Prudential Mutual Fund Administration; formerly Tax Manager at SSB Citi Fund Management LLC (1997-2004). Since 2017
Lana Lomuti (50)
Assistant Treasurer
Vice President (since 2007) and Director (2005-2007), within Prudential Mutual Fund Administration; formerly Assistant Treasurer (December 2007-February 2014) of The Greater China Fund, Inc. Since 2017
Linda McMullin (56)
Assistant Treasurer
Vice President (since 2011) and Director (2008-2011) within Prudential Mutual Fund Administration. Since 2017
Kelly A. Coyne (49)
Assistant Treasurer
Director, Investment Operations of Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC (since 2010). Since 2017

 

(a) Excludes Mr. Parker and Mr. Benjamin, interested Board Members who also serve as President and Vice President, respectively.

 

Explanatory Notes to Tables:

 

Board Members are deemed to be “Interested,” as defined in the 1940 Act, by reason of their affiliation with PGIM Investments LLC and/or an affiliate of PGIM Investments LLC.

 

Unless otherwise noted, the address of all Board Members and Officers is c/o PGIM Investments LLC, 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102-4410.

 

There is no set term of office for Board Members or Officers. The Board Members have adopted a retirement policy, which calls for the retirement of Board Members on December 31 of the year in which they reach the age of 75.

 

“Other Directorships Held” includes only directorships of companies required to register or file reports with the SEC under the 1934 Act (that is, “public companies”) or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act.

 

“Portfolios Overseen” includes all investment companies managed by PGIM Investments LLC. The investment companies for which PGIM Investments LLC serves as manager include the Prudential Mutual Funds, The Prudential Variable Contract Accounts, the PGIM ETF Trust, Target Mutual Funds, Prudential Short Duration High Yield Fund, Inc., Prudential Global Short Duration High Yield Fund, Inc., The Prudential Series Fund, Prudential's Gibraltar Fund, Inc. and the Advanced Series Trust.

 

COMPENSATION OF BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS. Pursuant to a management agreement with the Fund, the Manager pays all compensation of Fund Officers and employees as well as the fees and expenses of all Interested Board Members.

 

 
 

Each Independent Board Member and Non-Management Interested Board Member is paid annual compensation in addition to certain out-of-pocket expenses. Independent Board Members and Non-Management Interested Board Members who serve on Board Committees may receive additional compensation. The amount of annual compensation paid to each Independent Board Member and Non-Management Interested Board Member may change as a result of the introduction of additional funds on whose Boards the Board Member may be asked to serve.

 

Independent Board Members and Non-Management Interested Board Members may defer receipt of their fees pursuant to a deferred fee agreement with the Fund. Under the terms of the agreement, the Fund accrues deferred Board Members' fees daily which, in turn, accrue interest at a rate equivalent to the prevailing rate of 90-day US Treasury Bills at the beginning of each calendar quarter or at the daily rate of return of any mutual fund managed by PGIM Investments chosen by the Board Member. Payment of the interest so accrued is also deferred and becomes payable at the option of the Board Member. The Fund does not have a retirement or pension plan for Board Members.

 

The following table sets forth the estimated aggregate compensation expected to be paid for the most recent fiscal year to the Independent Board Members and Non-Management Interested Board Members for service on the Board, and the Board of any other investment company in the Fund Complex for the most recently completed calendar year. Board Members and officers who are “interested persons” of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) (with the exception of Non-Management Interested Board Members) do not receive compensation from PGIM Investments-managed funds and therefore are not shown in the following table.

 

 

Name Aggregate Fiscal Year
 Compensation from the Trust*
Pension or Retirement Benefits
 Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses
Estimated Annual Benefits
 Upon Retirement
Total Compensation from Fund
and Fund Complex for Most
 Recent Calendar Year
Compensation Received by Independent Board Members
Ellen S. Alberding [__]† None None $249,000 (32/88)*
Kevin J. Bannon [__]† None None $255,000 (32/88)
Linda W. Bynoe** [__]† None None $243,000 (32/88)
Barry H. Evans± [__]† None None None
Keith F. Hartstein** [__]† None None $249,000 (32/88)
Laurie Simon Hodrick± [__]† None None None
Michael S. Hyland [__]† None None $255,000 (32/88)
Richard A. Redeker** [__]† None None $313,000 (32/88)
Stephen G. Stoneburn** [__]† None None $244,000 (32/88)
Compensation Received by Non-Management Interested Board Member
Grace C. Torres‡ $1,000 None None $218,562 (30/86)

 

‡ Ms. Torres serves as a Non-Management Interested Board Member, and receives compensation for her service as a Board Member.

Explanatory Notes to Board Member Compensation Table

* Compensation relates to portfolios that were in existence for any period during 2017. Number of funds and portfolios represent those in existence as of December 31, 2017, and excludes funds that have merged or liquidated during the year. Additionally, the number of funds and portfolios includes those which are approved as of December 31, 2017, but may commence operations after that date. No compensation is paid out from such funds/portfolios.

** Under the deferred fee agreement for the PGIM Investments-managed funds, certain Board Members have elected to defer all or part of their total compensation. The total amount of deferred compensation accrued during the calendar year ended December 31, 2016, including investment results during the year on cumulative deferred fees, amounted to $64,545, $45,725, $(2,253), and $169,627 for Ms. Bynoe, Mr. Hartstein, Mr. Redeker, and Mr. Stoneburn, respectively.

Because the Trust is new this information is estimated for the current year.

 

 
 

 

BOARD COMMITTEES. The Board has established three standing committees in connection with Fund governance—Audit, Nominating and Governance, and Investment. Information on the membership of each standing committee and its functions is set forth below.

 

Audit Committee: The Board has determined that each member of the Audit Committee is not an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act. The responsibilities of the Audit Committee are to assist the Board in overseeing the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, accounting policies and procedures and other areas relating to the Fund's auditing processes. The Audit Committee is responsible for pre-approving all audit services and any permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm directly to the Fund. The Audit Committee is also responsible for pre-approving permitted services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm to (1) the Manager and (2) any entity in a control relationship with the Manager that provides ongoing services to the Fund, provided that the engagement of the independent registered public accounting firm relates directly to the operation and financial reporting of the Fund. The scope of the Audit Committee's responsibilities is oversight. It is management's responsibility to maintain appropriate systems for accounting and internal control and the independent registered public accounting firm's responsibility to plan and carry out an audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). The number of Audit Committee meetings held during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year is set forth in the table below.

 

The membership of the Audit Committee is set forth below:

Kevin J. Bannon (Chair)
Laurie Simon Hodrick
Michael S. Hyland, CFA
Richard A. Redeker
Stephen G. Stoneburn
Keith F. Hartstein (ex-officio)

 

Nominating and Governance Committee: The Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board is responsible for nominating Board Members and making recommendations to the Board concerning Board composition, committee structure and governance, director education, and governance practices. The Board has determined that each member of the Nominating and Governance Committee is not an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act. The number of Nominating and Governance Committee meetings held during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year is set forth in the table below. The Nominating and Governance Committee Charter is available on the Fund's website.

 

The membership of the Nominating and Governance Committee is set forth below:

Linda W. Bynoe (Chair)
Ellen S. Alberding
Barry H. Evans
Keith F. Hartstein (ex-officio)
Richard A. Redeker (ex-officio)

 

Investment Committees: The Board of each fund in the Prudential retail mutual funds complex has formed joint committees to review the performance of each fund in the Fund Complex. The Gibraltar Investment Committee reviews the performance of each fund that is subadvised by Jennison Associates LLC and Quantitative Management Associates LLC. The Dryden Investment Committee reviews the performance of each fund that is subadvised by PGIM Fixed Income and PGIM Real Estate (each of which is a business unit of PGIM, Inc.). In addition, the Dryden Investment Committee reviews the performance of the closed-end funds. Each committee meets at least four times per year and reports the results of its review to the full Board of each fund at each regularly scheduled Board meeting. Every Independent Board Member sits on one of the two committees. The Non-Management Interested Board Member sits on one of the two committees.

 

The number of Gibraltar Investment Committee or Dryden Investment Committee meetings, as applicable, held during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year is set forth in the table below.

 

The membership of the Gibraltar Investment Committee and the Dryden Investment Committee is set forth below:

Gibraltar Investment Committee
Ellen S. Alberding (Chair)

 
 

Kevin J. Bannon
Keith F. Hartstein
Laurie Simon Hodrick
Richard A. Redeker

 

Dryden Investment Committee
Michael S. Hyland, CFA (Chair)
Linda W. Bynoe
Barry H. Evans
Stephen G. Stoneburn
Grace C. Torres

 

 

Board Committee Meetings (for most recently completed fiscal year)
Audit Committee Nominating & Governance Committee Dryden/Gibraltar Investment Committee
1 0 N/A

 

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND QUALIFICATIONS OF BOARD MEMBERS. The Board is responsible for oversight of the Fund. The Fund has engaged the Manager to manage the Fund on a day-to-day basis. The Board oversees the Manager and certain other principal service providers in the operations of the Fund. The Board is currently composed of twelve members, nine of whom are Independent Board Members. The Board meets in-person at regularly scheduled meetings four times throughout the year. In addition, the Board Members may meet in-person or by telephone at special meetings or on an informal basis at other times. As described above, the Board has established three standing committees—Audit, Nominating and Governance, and Investment—and may establish ad hoc committees or working groups from time to time, to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. The Independent Board Members have also engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities.

 

The Board is chaired by an Independent Board Member. As Chair, this Independent Board Member leads the Board in its activities. Also, the Chair acts as a member or as an ex-officio member of each standing committee and any ad hoc committee of the Board. The Board Members have determined that the Board's leadership and committee structure is appropriate because the Board believes it sets the proper tone to the relationships between the Fund, on the one hand, and the Manager, the subadviser(s) and certain other principal service providers, on the other, and facilitates the exercise of the Board's independent judgment in evaluating and managing the relationships. In addition, the structure efficiently allocates responsibility among committees.

 

The Board has concluded that, based on each Board Member's experience, qualifications, attributes or skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Board Members, each Board Member should serve as a Board Member. Among other attributes common to all Board Members are their ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the various service providers to the Fund, and to exercise reasonable business judgment in the performance of their duties as Board Members. In addition, the Board has taken into account the actual service and commitment of the Board Members during their tenure in concluding that each should continue to serve. A Board Member's ability to perform his or her duties effectively may have been attained through a Board Member's educational background or professional training; business, consulting, public service or academic positions; experience from service as a Board Member of the Fund, other funds in the Fund Complex, public companies, or non-profit entities or other organizations; or other experiences. Set forth below is a brief discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each Board Member that led the Board to conclude that he or she should serve as a Board Member.

 

Ellen S. Alberding. Ms. Alberding joined the Fund Complex in 2013. Ms. Alberding has 30 years of experience in the non-profit sector, including over 20 years as the president of a charitable foundation, where she oversees multiple investment managers. Ms. Alberding also served as a Trustee of the Aon Funds from 2000 to 2003.

 

Kevin J. Bannon. Mr. Bannon joined the Fund Complex in 2008. Mr. Bannon has held senior executive positions in the financial services industry, including serving as a senior executive of asset management firms, for over 17 years.

 

Linda W. Bynoe. Ms. Bynoe has been a Board member of funds in the Fund Complex since 2005, having served on the boards of other mutual fund complexes since 1993. She has worked in the financial services industry over 11 years, has

 
 

approximately 20 years of experience as a management consultant and serves as a director of financial services and other complex global corporations.

 

Barry H. Evans. Mr. Evans joined the Fund Complex in 2017. Mr. Evans has held senior executive positions and various portfolio manager roles in an asset management firm for thirty years.

 

Keith F. Hartstein . Mr. Hartstein joined the Fund Complex in 2013. Mr. Hartstein has worked in the asset management industry for almost 30 years and served as a senior executive in an asset management firm.

 

Laurie Simon Hodrick . Ms. Hodrick joined the Fund Complex in 2017. Ms. Hodrick brings almost 30 years of experience as a finance academic, practitioner, and consultant.

 

Michael S. Hyland . Mr. Hyland joined the Fund Complex in 2008. Mr. Hyland has held senior executive positions in the financial services industry, including serving as a senior executive of asset management firms, for over 12 years.

 

Richard A. Redeker. Mr. Redeker has served as a Board member of mutual funds in the Fund Complex for more than 15 years, including as a member and/or Chair of various Board committees. Mr. Redeker has more than 50 years of experience as a senior executive in the mutual fund industry.

 

Stephen G. Stoneburn. Mr. Stoneburn has served as a Board member of mutual funds in the Fund Complex for more than 15 years, including as a member and/or Chair of various Board committees. Mr. Stoneburn has more than 30 years of experience as a senior executive officer of operating companies and/or as a director of public companies.

 

Stuart S. Parker . Mr. Parker, who has served as an Interested Board Member and President and the other funds in the Fund Complex since 2012, is President, Chief Operating Officer and Officer-in-Charge of PGIM Investments and several of its affiliates that provide services to the Fund and has held senior positions in PGIM Investments since 2005.

 

Scott E. Benjamin . Mr. Benjamin, an Interested Board Member of the Fund and of other funds in the Fund Complex since 2010, has served as a Vice President of other funds in the Fund Complex since 2009 and has held senior positions in PGIM Investments since 2003.

 

Grace C. Torres. Ms. Torres, a Non-Management Interested Board Member of the Fund and other funds in the Fund Complex, formerly served as Treasurer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer for other funds in the Fund Complex for 16 years and held senior positions with the Manager from 1999 to 2014. In addition, Ms. Torres is a certified public accountant (CPA).

 

Specific details about each Board Member's professional experience appear in the professional biography tables, above.

 

Risk Oversight. Investing in general and the operation of a mutual fund involve a variety of risks, such as investment risk, compliance risk, and operational risk, among others. The Board oversees risk as part of its oversight of the Fund. Risk oversight is addressed as part of various regular Board and committee activities. The Board, directly or through its committees, reviews reports from among others, the Manager, subadvisers, the Fund's Chief Compliance Officer, the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, counsel, and internal auditors of the Manager or its affiliates, as appropriate, regarding risks faced by the Fund and the risk management programs of the Manager and certain service providers. The actual day-to-day risk management with respect to the Fund resides with the Manager and other service providers to the Fund. Although the risk management policies of the Manager and the service providers are designed to be effective, those policies and their implementation vary among service providers and over time, and there is no guarantee that they will be effective. Not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified or processes and controls developed to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects, and some risks are simply beyond any control of the Fund or the Manager, its affiliates or other service providers.

 

Selection of Board Member Nominees. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for considering nominees for Board Members at such times as it considers electing new members to the Board. The Nominating and Governance Committee may consider recommendations by business and personal contacts of current Board Members, and by executive search firms which the Committee may engage from time to time and will also consider shareholder recommendations. The Nominating and Governance Committee has not established specific, minimum qualifications that it believes must be met by a nominee. In evaluating nominees, the Nominating and Governance Committee considers, among other things, an individual's background, skills, and experience; whether the individual is an “interested person” as defined in

 
 

the 1940 Act; and whether the individual would be deemed an “audit committee financial expert” within the meaning of applicable SEC rules. The Nominating and Governance Committee also considers whether the individual's background, skills, and experience will complement the background, skills, and experience of other nominees and will contribute to the diversity of the Board. There are no differences in the manner in which the Nominating and Governance Committee evaluates nominees for the Board based on whether the nominee is recommended by a shareholder.

 

A shareholder who wishes to recommend a board member for nomination should submit his or her recommendation in writing to the Chair of the Board (Keith Hartstein) or the Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee (Linda W. Bynoe), in either case in care of the specified Fund(s), at 655 Broad Street, 17 th Floor, Newark, New Jersey 07102-4410. At a minimum, the recommendation should include: the name, address and business, educational and/or other pertinent background of the person being recommended; a statement concerning whether the person is an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act; any other information that the Fund would be required to include in a proxy statement concerning the person if he or she was nominated; and the name and address of the person submitting the recommendation, together with the number of Fund shares held by such person and the period for which the shares have been held. The recommendation also can include any additional information which the person submitting it believes would assist the Nominating and Governance Committee in evaluating the recommendation.

 

Shareholders should note that a person who owns securities issued by Prudential (the parent company of the Fund's Manager) would be deemed an “interested person” under the 1940 Act. In addition, certain other relationships with Prudential or its subsidiaries, with registered broker-dealers, or with the Fund's outside legal counsel may cause a person to be deemed an “interested person.” Before the Nominating and Governance Committee decides to nominate an individual to the Board, Committee members and other Board Members customarily interview the individual in person. In addition, the individual customarily is asked to complete a detailed questionnaire which is designed to elicit information which must be disclosed under SEC and stock exchange rules and to determine whether the individual is subject to any statutory disqualification from serving on the board of a registered investment company.

 

Share Ownership. Information relating to each Board Member's Fund share ownership and in all registered funds in the PGIM Investments-advised funds that are overseen by the respective Board Member as of the most recently completed calendar year is set forth in the chart below.

 

 

 

Name Dollar Range of Equity
 Securities in the Fund
Aggregate Dollar Range of
 Equity Securities in All
 Registered Investment
 Companies Overseen by
 Board Member in Fund Complex
Board Member Share Ownership: Independent Board Members
Ellen S. Alberding None More than $100,000
Kevin J. Bannon None More than $100,000
Linda W. Bynoe None More than $100,000
Barry H. Evans± None More than $100,000*
Keith F. Hartstein None More than $100,000
Laurie Simon Hodrick± None None
Michael S. Hyland None More than $100,000
Richard A. Redeker None More than $100,000
Stephen G. Stoneburn None More than $100,000
Board Member Share Ownership: Interested Board Members
Stuart S. Parker None More than $100,000
Scott E. Benjamin None More than $100,000
Grace C. Torres None More than $100,000

 

± Mr. Evans and Ms. Hodrick joined the Fund Complex effective as of September 1, 2017.
* As of August 31, 2017.

 

None of the Independent Board Members, or any member of his/her immediate family, owned beneficially or of record any securities in an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund or a person (other than a registered investment

 
 

company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund as of the most recently completed calendar year.

 

Shareholder Communications with Board Members. Shareholders can communicate directly with Board Members by writing to the Chair of the Board, c/o the Fund, 655 Broad Street, 17 th Floor, Newark, New Jersey 07102-4410. Shareholders can communicate directly with an individual Board Member by writing to that Board Member, c/o the Fund, 655 Broad Street, 17 th Floor, Newark, New Jersey 07102-4410. Such communications to the Board or individual Board Members are not screened before being delivered to the addressee.

 

MANAGEMENT & ADVISORY ARRANGEMENTS

MANAGER. The Manager’s address is 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102-4410. The Manager serves as manager to all of the other investment companies that comprise the Prudential mutual funds, closed end funds and ETFs. See the Prospectus for more information about PGIM Investments. As of September 30, 2017, the Manager served as the investment manager to all of the Prudential US and offshore open-end investment companies, and as administrator to closed-end investment companies, with aggregate assets of approximately $275.9 billion.

 

The Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PIFM Holdco, LLC, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PGIM Holding Company LLC, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential.

 

Pursuant to a management agreement with the Trust on behalf of the Fund (the Management Agreement), PGIM Investments, subject to the supervision of the Board and in conformity with the stated policies of the Fund, manages both the investment operations of the Fund and the composition of the Fund's portfolio, including the purchase, retention, disposition and loan of securities and other assets. In connection therewith, the Manager is obligated to keep certain books and records of the Fund. The Manager is authorized to enter into subadvisory agreements for investment advisory services in connection with the management of the Fund. The Manager will continue to have responsibility for all investment advisory services performed pursuant to any such subadvisory agreements. PGIM Investments will review the performance of the investment subadviser(s) and make recommendations to the Board with respect to the retention of investment subadvisers and the renewal of contracts. The Manager also administers the Fund's business affairs and, in connection therewith, furnishes the Fund with office facilities, together with those ordinary clerical and bookkeeping services which are not being furnished by the Fund's custodian (the Custodian). The management services of PGIM Investments to the Fund are not exclusive under the terms of the Management Agreement and PGIM Investments is free to, and does, render management services to others.

 

PGIM Investments may from time to time waive all or a portion of its management fee. Fee waivers and subsidies will increase the Fund's total return. These voluntary waivers may be terminated at any time without notice. To the extent that PGIM Investments agrees to waive its fee, it may enter into a relationship agreement with the subadviser to share the economic impact of the fee waiver or expense subsidy.

 

The Board of Trustees of the Trust has approved a unitary management fee structure for the Fund. Under the unitary fee structure, the Manager is responsible for paying substantially all the expenses of the Fund, excluding payments under the Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), interest expenses, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage fees, costs of holding shareholder meetings, litigation, indemnification and extraordinary expenses.

 

In connection with its management of the corporate affairs of the Fund, PGIM Investments bears the following expenses:

· Expenses of any subadviser of the Fund, the Fund’s transfer agent, registrar, distributor, depository, dividend disbursing agent, securities lending agent, any index calculation, maintenance or dissemination agent, accounting services provider, and the agent responsible for calculating the current value of portfolio positions for dissemination during the business day;
· All fees and expenses of the Custodian that relate to the Fund, including (i) the custodial function and the recordkeeping connected therewith, (ii) preparing and maintaining the general accounting records of the Fund, and (iii) the pricing or valuation of the shares of the Fund;
· Expenses of obtaining quotations for calculating the value of the Fund’s net assets and expenses relating to the computation of the Fund’s net asset value;
· Expenses of maintaining the Fund’s tax records;
· Recordkeeping fees and expenses for shareholder accounts;
· Costs and/or fees, including legal fees, incident to the preparation, printing and distribution of the Fund’s product descriptions (unless such expenses are paid for pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 distribution plan or related agreement),
 
 

notices and reports of the Fund to its shareholders and other related communications of the Fund to its shareholders (other than those that are paid by the Fund), the expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information and any supplements thereto (unless such expenses are paid for pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 distribution plan or related agreement), the filing of reports with regulatory bodies, the maintenance of the Fund’s existence and qualification to do business, and the expenses of issuing, redeeming, registering and qualifying for sale, shares with federal and state securities authorities;

· Any licensing fees necessary for the operation of the Trust and the Fund;
· Any costs related to the use of any index for which an affiliated person, or an affiliated person of an affiliated person, of the Trust, Fund, Manager, any Subadviser, the distributor or promoter of the Fund serves as index provider, as such may be required by the 1940 Act or any exemptive relief relied upon under the 1940 Act;
· The Fund’s ordinary legal fees, including fees that arise in the ordinary course of business in connection with listing shares of the Fund on a securities exchange;
· Fees and expenses of independent accountants for the Fund;
· Costs of printing certificates (if any) representing shares of the Fund;
· The Fund’s pro rata portion of the fidelity bond or other insurance premiums;
· Association membership dues;
· Organizational and offering expenses, and any other expenses which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
· Fees and expenses of Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust within the meaning of the Investment Company Act; and
· Salaries and expenses of all employees of the Trust and the Manager.

 

Under the terms of the Management Agreement, the Fund is responsible for the payment of the following expenses:

 

Taxes (including, but not limited to, income, excise, stamp, transfer and withholding taxes) and governmental fees, if any, levied against the Fund;
Brokerage fees, commissions and other portfolio transaction expenses incurred for the Fund, including acquired fund fees and expenses of other pooled investment vehicles and expenses and expenses relating to creation and redemption transactions;

Costs, including the interest expenses and any loan commitment or other associated fees, of borrowing money;

·           Expenses incurred pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 distribution plan or related agreement, including distribution fees;

·           Expenses incident to meetings of the Fund’s shareholders and the associated preparation, filing and mailing of associated notices and proxy statements; and

·           Extraordinary expenses, including extraordinary legal expenses, as may arise including expenses incurred in connection with litigation, investigations, regulatory inquiries, proceedings, other claims and the legal obligations of the Fund to indemnify its Trustees, officers, employees, shareholders, distributors, the Manager, and agents with respect thereto; and

·           The management fee payable to PGIM Investments.

 

The Management Agreement provides that PGIM Investments will not be liable for any error of judgment by PGIM Investments or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the Management Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services (in which case any award of damages shall be limited to the period and the amount set forth in Section 36(b)(3) of the 1940 Act) or loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties under the Management Agreement . The Management Agreement provides that it will terminate automatically if assigned (as defined in the 1940 Act), and that it may be terminated without penalty by either PGIM Investments or the Fund by the Board or vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) upon not more than 60 days', nor less than 30 days', written notice. The Management Agreement will continue in effect for a period of more than two years from the date of execution only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act.

Pursuant to the Management Agreement, PGIM Investments is entitled to receive the fee set forth below, payable monthly based on the Fund’s average daily net assets. Under the Management Agreement, PGIM Investments is responsible for substantially all the expenses of the Fund, excluding payments noted above.

 

         

Fund

  Contractual Rate  
Ultra Short Bond ETF     [    ]

Since the Fund is newly-organized, it did not pay management fees during the last three fiscal years.

 

 
 

SUBADVISORY ARRANGEMENTS. The Manager has entered into a subadvisory agreement (Subadvisory Agreement) with the Fund's investment subadviser. The Subadvisory Agreement provides that the subadviser will furnish investment advisory services in connection with the management of the Fund. In connection therewith, the subadviser is obligated to keep certain books and records of the Fund. Under the Subadvisory Agreement, the subadviser, subject to the supervision of PGIM Investments, is responsible for managing the assets of the Fund in accordance with the Fund's investment objectives, policies and restrictions. The subadviser determines what securities and other instruments are purchased and sold for the Fund and is responsible for obtaining and evaluating financial data relevant to the Fund. PGIM Investments continues to have responsibility for all investment advisory services pursuant to the Management Agreement and supervises the subadviser's performance of such services.

 

[As discussed in the Prospectus, PGIM Investments employs the subadviser under a “manager of managers” structure that allows PGIM Investments to replace the subadviser or amend a Subadvisory Agreement without seeking shareholder approval.] The Subadvisory Agreement provides that it will terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act) or upon the termination of the Management Agreement. The Subadvisory Agreement may be terminated by the Fund, PGIM Investments, or the subadviser upon not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice. The Subadvisory Agreement provides that it will continue in effect for a period of not more than two years from its execution only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act. Any new subadvisory agreement or amendment to the Fund’s Management Agreement or Subadvisory Agreement that directly or indirectly results in an increase in the aggregate management fee rate payable by the Fund will be submitted to the Fund’s shareholders for their approval.

 

The applicable fee rate and the subadvisory fees paid by PGIM Investments for the indicated fiscal years are set forth below. Subadvisory fees are based on the average daily net assets of the Fund, calculated and paid on a monthly basis, at the fee rate as set forth in the Subadvisory Agreement. Subadvisory fees are deducted out of the management fee paid by the Fund.

 

The subadvisory fee rate for the Fund is [x.xx]%.

 

[From time to time the Manager may share certain of its profits with the Subadviser.]

 

THE FUND’S PORTFOLIO MANAGERS: INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER ACCOUNTS MANAGED

 

The table below identifies the number and total assets of other mutual funds and other types of investment accounts managed by each portfolio manager. For each category, the number of investment accounts and total assets in the investment accounts whose fees are based on performance, if any, is indicated in italics typeface. Information shown below is as of the Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year, unless noted otherwise.

 

 

Other Funds and Investment Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers
Subadviser Portfolio Managers Registered Investment
 Companies/Total Assets
Other Pooled
 Investment Vehicles/
Total Assets
Other Accounts/
Total Assets
PGIM Fixed Income* Joseph D’Angelo X/$XX X/$XX X/$XX
  Douglas G. Smith X/$XX X/$XX X/$XX

 

*Accounts are managed on a team basis. If a portfolio manager is a member of a team, any account managed by that team is included in the number of accounts and total assets for such portfolio manager (even if such portfolio manager is not primarily involved in the day-to-day management of the account).

 

THE FUND’S PORTFOLIO MANAGERS: PERSONAL INVESTMENTS AND FINANCIAL INTERESTS

 

The table below identifies the dollar value (in ranges) of investments beneficially held by, and financial interests awarded to, each portfolio manager, if any, in the Fund and in other investment accounts managed by, or which have an individual portion or sleeve managed by, each portfolio manager that utilize investment strategies, objectives and mandates similar to the Fund. Information shown below is as of the Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year, unless noted otherwise.

 

 

 
 

 

Personal Investments and Financial Interests of the Portfolio Managers
Subadviser Portfolio Managers Investments and Other Financial Interests in the Fund and Similar Strategies*
PGIM Fixed Income Joseph D’Angelo XXXXXXX
  Douglas G. Smith XXXXXXX

 

* “Investments and Other Financial Interests in the Fund and Similar Strategies” include direct investment in the Fund and investment in all other investment accounts which are managed by the same portfolio manager that utilize investment strategies, investment objectives and mandates that are similar to those of the Fund. “Other financial interests” are interests related to awards under a targeted long-term incentive plan, the value of which is subject to increase or decrease based on the performance of the Fund. “Other Investment Accounts” in similar strategies include other Prudential mutual funds, insurance company separate accounts, and collective and commingled trusts. The dollar range of each Portfolio Manager’s direct investment in the Fund is as follows: Joseph D’Angelo: XXXXXXXX; Douglas G. Smith: XXXXXXXX.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO MANAGERS—COMPENSATION AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. Set forth below, for each portfolio manager, is an explanation of the structure of, and methods used to determine, portfolio manager compensation. Also set forth below, for each portfolio manager, is an explanation of any material conflicts of interest that may arise between a portfolio manager's management of the Fund's investments and investments in other accounts.

 

PGIM, Inc. (PGIM).

COMPENSATION . The base salary of an investment professional in the PGIM Fixed Income unit of PGIM is based on market data relative to similar positions as well as the past performance, years of experience and scope of responsibility of the individual. Incentive compensation, including the annual cash bonus, the long-term equity grant and grants under PGIM Fixed Income’s long-term incentive plans, is primarily based on such person’s contribution to PGIM Fixed Income’s goal of providing investment performance to clients consistent with portfolio objectives, guidelines and risk parameters and market-based data such as compensation trends and levels of overall compensation for similar positions in the asset management industry. In addition, an investment professional’s qualitative contributions to the organization and its commercial success are considered in determining incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not solely based on the performance of, or value of assets in, any single account or group of client accounts.

 

An investment professional’s annual cash bonus is paid from an annual incentive pool. The pool is developed as a percentage of PGIM Fixed Income’s operating income and the percentage used to calculate the pool may be refined by factors such as:

 

business initiatives;

the number of investment professionals receiving a bonus and related peer group compensation;

 

financial metrics of the business relative to those of appropriate peer groups; and

 

investment performance of portfolios: (i) relative to appropriate peer groups; and/or (ii) as measured against relevant investment indices.

 

Long-term compensation consists of Prudential Financial, Inc. restricted stock and grants under the long-term incentive plan and targeted long-term incentive plan. Grants under the long-term incentive plan and targeted long-term incentive plan are participation interests in notional accounts with a beginning value of a specified dollar amount. For the long-term incentive plan, the value attributed to these notional accounts increases or decreases over a defined period of time based, in part, on the performance of investment composites representing a number of PGIM Fixed Income’s investment strategies. With respect to targeted long-term incentive awards, the value attributed to the notional accounts increases or decreases over a defined period of time based on the performance of either (i) a long-short investment composite or (ii) a commingled investment vehicle. An investment composite is an aggregation of accounts with similar investment strategies. The long-term incentive plan is designed to more closely align compensation with investment performance and the growth of PGIM Fixed Income’s business. In addition, the targeted long-term incentive plan is designed to align the interests of certain of PGIM Fixed Income’s investment professionals with the performance of a particular long-short composite or commingled investment vehicle. The chief investment officer/head of PGIM Fixed Income also receives (i) performance shares which represent the right to receive shares of Prudential Financial, Inc. common stock conditioned upon, and subject to, the achievement of specified financial performance goals by Prudential Financial, Inc.; (ii) book value units which track the book value per share of Prudential Financial, Inc.; and (iii) Prudential Financial, Inc. stock options. Each of the restricted stock, long-term incentive plan grants, performance shares and book value units and stock options is subject to vesting requirements.

 

 
 

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. Like other investment advisers, PGIM Fixed Income is subject to various conflicts of interest in the ordinary course of its business. PGIM Fixed Income strives to identify potential risks, including conflicts of interest, that are inherent in its business, and conducts annual conflict of interest reviews. When actual or potential conflicts of interest are identified, PGIM Fixed Income seeks to address such conflicts through one or more of the following methods:

 

elimination of the conflict;

 

disclosure of the conflict; or

 

management of the conflict through the adoption of appropriate policies, procedures or other mitigants.

 

PGIM Fixed Income follows the policies of Prudential Financial, Inc. on business ethics, personal securities trading by investment personnel, and information barriers. PGIM Fixed Income has adopted a code of ethics, allocation policies and conflicts of interest policies, among others, and has adopted supervisory procedures to monitor compliance with its policies. PGIM Fixed Income cannot guarantee, however, that its policies and procedures will detect and prevent, or result in the disclosure of, each and every situation in which a conflict may arise.

 

Side-by-Side Management of Accounts and Related Conflicts of Interest. PGIM Fixed Income’s side-by-side management of multiple accounts can create conflicts of interest. Examples are detailed below, followed by a discussion of how PGIM Fixed Income addresses these conflicts.

 

Performance Fees - PGIM Fixed Income manages accounts with asset-based fees alongside accounts with performance-based fees. This side-by-side management may be deemed to create an incentive for PGIM Fixed Income and its investment professionals to favor one account over another. Specifically, PGIM Fixed Income or its affiliates could be considered to have the incentive to favor accounts for which PGIM Fixed Income or an affiliate receives performance fees, and possibly take greater investment risks in those accounts, in order to bolster performance and increase its fees.

 

Affiliated accounts - PGIM Fixed Income manages accounts on behalf of its affiliates as well as unaffiliated accounts. PGIM Fixed Income could be considered to have an incentive to favor accounts of affiliates over others.

 

Large accounts - large accounts typically generate more revenue than do smaller accounts and certain of PGIM Fixed Income’s strategies have higher fees than others. As a result, a portfolio manager could be considered to have an incentive when allocating scarce investment opportunities to favor accounts that pay a higher fee or generate more income for PGIM Fixed Income.

 

Long only and long/short accounts - PGIM Fixed Income manages accounts that only allow it to hold securities long as well as accounts that permit short selling. PGIM Fixed Income may, therefore, sell a security short in some client accounts while holding the same security long in other client accounts. These short sales could reduce the value of the securities held in the long only accounts. In addition, purchases for long only accounts could have a negative impact on the short positions.

 

Securities of the same kind or class - PGIM Fixed Income sometimes buys or sells for one client account securities of the same kind or class that are purchased or sold for another client at prices that may be different. PGIM Fixed Income may also, at any time, execute trades of securities of the same kind or class in one direction for an account and in the opposite direction for another account due to differences in investment strategy or client direction. Different strategies trading in the same securities or types of securities may appear as inconsistencies in PGIM Fixed Income’s management of multiple accounts side-by-side.

 

Financial interests of investment professionals - PGIM Fixed Income investment professionals may invest in certain investment vehicles that it manages, including mutual funds and private funds. Also, certain of these investment vehicles are options under the 401(k) and deferred compensation plans offered by Prudential Financial, Inc. In addition, the value of grants under PGIM Fixed Income’s long-term incentive plan and targeted long-term incentive plan is affected by the performance of certain client accounts. As a result, PGIM Fixed Income investment professionals may have financial interests in accounts managed by PGIM Fixed Income or that are related to the performance of certain client accounts.
Non-discretionary accounts - PGIM Fixed Income provides non-discretionary investment advice to some clients and manages others on a discretionary basis. Trades in non-discretionary accounts could occur before, in concert with, or after PGIM Fixed Income executes similar trades in its discretionary accounts. The non-discretionary clients may be disadvantaged if PGIM Fixed Income delivers investment advice to them after it initiates trading for the discretionary clients, or vice versa.

 

How PGIM Fixed Income Addresses These Conflicts of Interest. PGIM Fixed Income has developed policies and procedures designed to address the conflicts of interest with respect to its different types of side-by-side management described above.

 

The chief investment officer/head of PGIM Fixed Income periodically reviews and compares performance and performance attribution for each client account within its various strategies during meetings typically attended by members of PGIM Fixed Income’s senior leadership team, chief compliance officer or his designee, and senior portfolio managers.

 

 
 

 

In keeping with PGIM Fixed Income’s fiduciary obligations, its policy with respect to trade aggregation and allocation is to treat all of its accounts fairly and equitably over time. PGIM Fixed Income’s trade management oversight committee, which generally meets quarterly, is responsible for providing oversight with respect to trade aggregation and allocation. Its compliance group periodically reviews a sampling of new issue allocations and related documentation to confirm compliance with the trade aggregation and allocation procedures. In addition, the compliance and investment risk management groups review forensic reports regarding new issue and secondary trade activity on a quarterly basis. This forensic analysis includes such data as the: (i) number of new issues allocated in the strategy; (ii) size of new issue allocations to each portfolio in the strategy; (iii) profitability of new issue transactions; and (iv) portfolio turnover. The results of these analyses are reviewed and discussed at PGIM Fixed Income’s trade management oversight committee meetings. The procedures above are designed to detect patterns and anomalies in PGIM Fixed Income’s side-by-side management and trading so that it may assess and improve its processes.

 

PGIM Fixed Income has procedures that specifically address its side-by-side management of long/short and long only portfolios. These procedures address potential conflicts that could arise from differing positions between long/short and long only portfolios. In addition, lending opportunities with respect to securities for which the market is demanding a slight premium rate over normal market rates are allocated to long only accounts prior to allocating the opportunities to long/short accounts.

 

Conflicts Related to PGIM Fixed Income’s Affiliations. As an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc., PGIM Fixed Income is part of a diversified, global financial services organization. PGIM Fixed Income is affiliated with many types of U.S. and non-U.S. financial service providers, including insurance companies, broker-dealers, commodity trading advisors, commodity pool operators and other investment advisers. Some of its employees are officers of some of these affiliates.

 

Conflicts Arising Out of Legal Restrictions . PGIM Fixed Income may be restricted by law, regulation, contract or other constraints as to how much, if any, of a particular security it may purchase or sell on behalf of a client, and as to the timing of such purchase or sale. Sometimes these restrictions apply as a result of its relationship with Prudential Financial, Inc. and its other affiliates. For example, PGIM Fixed Income does not purchase securities issued by Prudential Financial, Inc. for client accounts. In addition, PGIM Fixed Income’s holdings of a security on behalf of its clients are required, under some SEC rules, to be aggregated with the holdings of that security by other Prudential Financial, Inc. affiliates. These holdings could, on an aggregate basis, exceed certain reporting or ownership thresholds. Prudential Financial, Inc. tracks these aggregated holdings and may restrict purchases to avoid exceeding these thresholds because of the potential consequences to Prudential Financial, Inc. if such thresholds are exceeded. In addition, PGIM Fixed Income could receive material, non-public information with respect to a particular issuer and, as a result, be unable to execute transactions in securities of that issuer for its clients. For example, PGIM Fixed Income’s bank loan team often invests in private bank loans in connection with which the borrower provides material, non-public information, resulting in restrictions on trading securities issued by those borrowers. PGIM Fixed Income has procedures in place to carefully consider whether to intentionally accept material, non-public information with respect to certain issuers. PGIM Fixed Income is generally able to avoid receiving material, non-public information from its affiliates and other units within PGIM by maintaining information barriers. In some instances, it may create an isolated information barrier around a small number of its employees so that material, non-public information received by such employees is not attributed to the rest of PGIM Fixed Income.

 

Conflicts Related to Outside Business Activity . From time to time, certain of PGIM Fixed Income employees or officers may engage in outside business activity, including outside directorships. Any outside business activity is subject to prior approval pursuant to PGIM Fixed Income’s personal conflicts of interest and outside business activities policy. Actual and potential conflicts of interest are analyzed during such approval process. PGIM Fixed Income could be restricted in trading the securities of certain issuers in client portfolios in the unlikely event that an employee or officer, as a result of outside business activity, obtains material, non-public information regarding an issuer.

 

Conflicts Related to Investment of Client Assets in Affiliated Funds . PGIM Fixed Income may invest client assets in funds that it manages or subadvises for an affiliate. PGIM Fixed Income may also invest cash collateral from securities lending transactions in these funds. These investments benefit both PGIM Fixed Income and its affiliate.

 

PICA General Account . Because of the substantial size of the general account of The Prudential Insurance Company of America (PICA), trading by PICA’s general account, including PGIM Fixed Income’s trades on behalf of the account, may affect market prices.

 

Although PGIM Fixed Income does not expect that PICA’s general account will execute transactions that will move a market frequently, and generally only in response to unusual market or issuer events, the execution of these transactions could have an adverse effect on transactions for or positions held by other clients.

 

Conflicts Related to Co-investment by Affiliates

 

PGIM Fixed Income affiliates may provide initial funding or otherwise invest in vehicles it manages. When an affiliate provides “seed capital” or other capital for a fund, it may do so with the intention of redeeming all or part of its interest at a future point in time or when it deems that sufficient additional capital has been invested in that fund.

 

The timing of a redemption by an affiliate could benefit the affiliate. For example, the fund may be more liquid at the time of the affiliate’s redemption than it is at times when other investors may wish to withdraw all or part of their interests.

 

In addition, a consequence of any withdrawal of a significant amount, including by an affiliate, is that investors remaining in the fund will bear a proportionately higher share of fund expenses following the redemption.

 

PGIM Fixed Income could also face a conflict if the interests of an affiliated investor in a fund it manages diverge from those of the fund or other investors. For example, PGIM Fixed Income affiliates, from time to time, hedge some or all of the risks associated with their investments in certain funds PGIM Fixed Income manages. PGIM Fixed Income may provide assistance in connection with this hedging activity.

 

 
 

PGIM Fixed Income believes that these conflicts are mitigated by its allocation policies and procedures, its supervisory review of accounts and its procedures with respect to side-by-side management of long only and long-short accounts.

 

Conflicts Arising Out of Industry Activities

 

PGIM Fixed Income and its affiliates have service agreements with various vendors that are also investment consultants. Under these agreements, PGIM Fixed Income or its affiliates compensate the vendors for certain services, including software, market data and technology services. PGIM Fixed Income’s clients may also retain these vendors as investment consultants. The existence of these service agreements may provide an incentive for the investment consultants to favor PGIM Fixed Income when they advise their clients. PGIM Fixed Income does not, however, condition its purchase of services from consultants upon their recommending PGIM Fixed Income to their clients. PGIM Fixed Income will provide clients with information about services that it obtains from these consultants upon request.

 

PGIM Fixed Income retains third party advisors and other service providers to provide various services for PGIM Fixed Income as well as for funds that PGIM Fixed Income manages or subadvises. A service provider may provide services to PGIM Fixed Income or one of PGIM Fixed Income’s funds while also providing services to other PGIM units, other PGIM-advised funds, or affiliates of PGIM, and may negotiate rates in the context of the overall relationship. PGIM Fixed Income may benefit from negotiated fee rates offered to its funds and vice versa. There is no assurance, however, that PGIM Fixed Income will be able to obtain advantageous fee rates from a given service provider negotiated by its affiliates based on their relationship with the service provider, or that PGIM Fixed Income will know of such negotiated fee rates.

 

Conflicts Related to Securities Holdings and Other Financial Interests

 

Prudential Financial, PICA, PGIM Fixed Income and other affiliates of PGIM at times have financial interests in, or relationships with, companies whose securities PGIM Fixed Income holds, purchases or sells in its client accounts. Certain of these interests and relationships are material to PGIM Fixed Income or to the Prudential enterprise. At any time, these interests and relationships could be inconsistent or in potential or actual conflict with positions held or actions taken by us on behalf of PGIM Fixed Income’s client accounts. For example:

 

PGIM Fixed Income invests in the securities of one or more clients for the accounts of other clients.

 

PGIM Fixed Income’s affiliates sell various products and/or services to certain companies whose securities we purchase and sell for PGIM Fixed Income clients.

 

PGIM Fixed Income invests in the debt securities of companies whose equity is held by its affiliates.

 

PGIM Fixed Income’s affiliates hold public and private debt and equity securities of a large number of issuers and may invest in some of the same companies as other client accounts but at different levels in the capital structure. For example:

 

Affiliated accounts can hold the senior debt of an issuer whose subordinated debt is held by PGIM Fixed Income’s clients or hold secured debt of an issuer whose public unsecured debt is held in client accounts. In the event of restructuring or insolvency, the affiliated accounts as holders of senior debt may exercise remedies and take other actions that are not in the interest of, or are adverse to, other clients that are the holders of junior debt.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, PGIM Fixed Income may also invest client assets in offerings of securities the proceeds of which are used to repay debt obligations held in affiliated accounts or other client accounts. PGIM Fixed Income’s interest in having the debt repaid creates a conflict of interest. PGIM Fixed Income has adopted a refinancing policy to address this conflict.

 

Certain of PGIM Fixed Income’s affiliates (as well as directors or officers of its affiliates) are officers or directors of issuers in which PGIM Fixed Income invests from time to time. These issuers may also be service providers to PGIM Fixed Income or its affiliates.

 

In addition, PGIM Fixed Income may invest client assets in securities backed by commercial mortgage loans that were originated or are serviced by an affiliate.

 

In general, conflicts related to the financial interests described above are addressed by the fact that PGIM Fixed Income makes investment decisions for each client independently considering the best economic interests of such client.

 

Conflicts Related to the Offer and Sale of Securities. Certain of PGIM Fixed Income’s employees may offer and sell securities of, and interests in, commingled funds that it manages or subadvises. There is an incentive for PGIM Fixed Income’s employees to offer these securities to investors regardless of whether the investment is appropriate for such investor since increased assets in these vehicles will result in increased advisory fees to it. In addition, such sales could result in increased compensation to the employee.

 

Conflicts Related to Long-Term Compensation. The performance of many client accounts is not reflected in the calculation of changes in the value of participation interests under PGIM Fixed Income’s long-term incentive plan. This may be because the composite representing the strategy in which the account is managed is not one of the composites included in the calculation or because the account is excluded from a specified composite due to guideline restrictions or other factors. In

 
 

addition, the performance of only a small number of our investment strategies is covered under PGIM Fixed Income’s targeted long-term incentive plan. As a result of the long-term incentive plan and targeted long-term incentive plan, PGIM Fixed Income’s portfolio managers from time to time have financial interests related to the investment performance of some, but not all, of the accounts they manage. To address potential conflicts related to these financial interests, PGIM Fixed Income has procedures, including trade allocation and supervisory review procedures, designed to confirm that each of its client accounts is managed in a manner that is consistent with PGIM Fixed Income’s fiduciary obligations, as well as with the account’s investment objectives, investment strategies and restrictions. For example, PGIM Fixed Income’s chief investment officer/head reviews performance among similarly managed accounts on a quarterly basis during meetings typically attended by members of PGIM Fixed Income’s senior leadership team, chief compliance officer or his designee, and senior portfolio managers.

 

Conflicts Related to Trading – Personal Trading by Employees. Personal trading by PGIM Fixed Income employees creates a conflict when they are trading the same securities or types of securities as PGIM Fixed Income trades on behalf of its clients. This conflict is mitigated by PGIM Fixed Income’s personal trading standards and procedures.

 

In general, conflicts related to the securities holdings and financial interests described above are addressed by the fact that PGIM Fixed Income makes investment decisions for each client independently considering the best economic interests of such client.

 

Conflicts Related to Valuation and Fees. When client accounts hold illiquid or difficult to value investments, PGIM Fixed Income faces a conflict of interest when making recommendations regarding the value of such investments since its management fees are generally based on the value of assets under management. PGIM Fixed Income believes that its valuation policies and procedures mitigate this conflict effectively and enable it to value client assets fairly and in a manner that is consistent with the client’s best interests. In addition, single client account clients often calculate fees based on the valuation of assets provided by their custodian or administrator.

 

Conflicts Related to Securities Lending Fees. When PGIM Fixed Income manages a client account and also serves as securities lending agent for the account, it could be considered to have the incentive to invest in securities that would yield higher securities lending rates.

 

OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (BBH&Co. or the Administrative Agent), 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110-1548, serves as Administrative Agent, Custodian and Transfer Agent for the Fund. Pursuant to the Administrative Agency Agreement, BBH&Co. provides necessary administrative, legal, tax and accounting and financial reporting services for the maintenance and operations of the Fund. In addition, BBH&Co. makes available the office space, equipment, personnel and facilities required to provide such services. Pursuant to the Custodian and Transfer Agent Agreement, BBH&Co. maintains certain financial accounting books and records pursuant to an agreement with the Fund. Subcustodians provide custodial services for any non-US assets held outside the United States. As the transfer and dividend disbursing agent of the Fund, BBH&Co. provides customary transfer agency services to the Fund, including the handling of shareholder communications, the processing of shareholder transactions, the maintenance of shareholder account records, the payment of dividends and distributions, and related functions. For these services, BBH&Co. receives compensation from the Fund and is reimbursed for its transfer agent expenses which include an annual fee and certain out-of-pocket expenses including, but not limited to, postage, stationery, printing, allocable communication expenses and other costs. Because the Fund is new, it has not made any payments for these services.

 

[SECURITIES LENDING AGENT. TO BE FILED BY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENT]

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM. [_________],[address], serves as independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund, and in that capacity will audit the annual financial statements for the next fiscal year.

 

DISTRIBUTOR. Prudential Investment Management Services LLC (PIMS or the Distributor), 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102-4410, acts as the distributor of the Fund. The Distributor is a subsidiary of Prudential.

 

Shares will be continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only. The Distributor will deliver the Prospectus and, upon request, this SAI to persons purchasing Creation Unit Aggregations and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange

 
 

Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). Although the Distributor does not receive any fees under the Distribution Agreement, the Manager or its affiliates may pay the Distributor for certain distribution related services.

Distribution and Servicing (12b-1) Plan

The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Servicing (12b-1) Plan (the “12b-1 Plan”) with respect to shares of the Fund to permit the implementation of the Fund’s method of distribution. However, no 12b-1 Plan fee is currently charged to the Fund, and there are no plans in place to impose a 12b-1 Plan fee.

Under the terms of the 12b-1 Plan, the Trust is permitted to compensate, out of the Fund’s assets, in amounts up to an annual rate of 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund’s shares, financial intermediaries for costs and expenses incurred in connection with the distribution and marketing of the shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services to its customers that invest in shares of the Fund. Such services may include, but are not limited to, the following: marketing and promotional services including advertising; providing facilities to answer questions from prospective investors about the Funds; receiving and answering correspondence or responding to shareholder inquiries, including requests for prospectuses and statements of additional information; and preparing, printing and delivering prospectuses and shareholder reports to prospective shareholders.

Fees paid pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan may be paid for shareholder services and the maintenance of shareholder accounts, and therefore may constitute “service fees” for purposes of applicable rules of the FINRA. The 12b-1 Plan has been adopted in accordance with the requirements of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act and will be administered in accordance with the provisions of that rule.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that it may not be amended to materially increase the costs which shareholders may bear under the 12b-1 Plan without the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund and by vote of a majority of both: (i) the Trustees of the Trust; and (ii) those Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan or any agreements related to it (the “Disinterested Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the 12b-1 Plan and any related amendments. The 12b-1 Plan provides that it may not take effect until approved by vote of a majority of both: (i) the Trustees of the Trust; and (ii) the Disinterested Trustees defined above.

 

Following the expiration of the one-year period commencing with the effectiveness of the 12b-1 Plan, the 12b-1 Plan shall continue in effect so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Trustees and the Disinterested Trustees defined above. The 12b-1 Plan provides that an appropriate officer of the Fund shall provide to the Trustees, and the Board of Trustees shall review at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts so expended and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.

In addition, the Manager and its affiliates also may make payments out of their own resources, at no cost to the Fund, to financial intermediaries for services which may be deemed to be primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the Fund. The payments described in this section may be significant to the payors and the payees.

 

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRMS. The Manager and its affiliates may make payments (“Payments”) to certain broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) related to activities that are designed to make registered representatives, other professionals and individual investors more knowledgeable about the Funds or for other activities, such as participation in marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, the support of technology platforms and/or reporting systems. The Manager and its affiliates may also make Payments to Intermediaries for certain printing, publishing and mailing costs associated with the Funds or materials relating to exchange-traded funds in general. In addition, the Manager and its affiliates may make Payments to Intermediaries that make Fund shares available to their clients or for otherwise promoting the Funds. Payments of this type are sometimes referred to as marketing support or revenue-sharing payments. Any Payments made by the Manager and its affiliates will be made from its own assets and not from the assets of the Fund.

Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the Intermediary. As a result, an Intermediary may make decisions about which investment options it will recommend or make available to its clients or what services to provide for various products based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive. Payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients and these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Fund over other investments.

The Manager or its affiliates may determine to make Payments based on any number of metrics. For example, the Manager and its affiliates may make Payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an Intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the Intermediary, or an amount based on the Intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination

 
 

of the foregoing. A shareholder should contact his or her Intermediary’s salesperson or other investment professional for more information regarding any Payments the Intermediary firm may receive.

In addition to the payments described above, the Manager and its affiliates may also make payments to Intermediaries in connection with certain transaction fees (also referred to as “ticket charges”) incurred by Intermediaries.

In addition to the payments described above, the Manager and its affiliates may make payments in connection with, or reimburse Intermediaries’ sponsorship and/or attendance, at conferences, seminars or informational meetings (“event support”), provide Intermediaries or their personnel with occasional tickets to events or other entertainment, meals and small gifts (“other non-cash compensation”), and make charitable contributions to valid charitable organizations at the request of Intermediaries (“charitable contributions”) to the extent permitted by applicable law, rules and regulations.

Independent financial intermediaries unaffiliated with the Manager and its affiliates may perform shareholder servicing functions with respect to certain of their clients whose assets may be invested in the Fund. These services may include the provision of ongoing information concerning the Fund and their investment performance, responding to shareholder inquiries, and other services. The Manager and its affiliates may pay fees to such entities for the provision of these services out of their own resources.

From time to time, the Manager and its affiliates may pay or reimburse broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for the Manager and its affiliates’ attendance at investment forums sponsored by such firms, or the Manager and its affiliates may co-sponsor such investment forums with such financial institutions. Payments and reimbursements for such activities are made out of the Manager and its affiliates’ own assets and at no cost to the Fund. Such activities may provide incentives to financial institutions to market shares of the Fund. Additionally, these activities may give the Manager and its affiliates additional access to sales representatives of such financial institutions, which may increase sales of Fund shares.

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS & BROKERAGE

The Fund has adopted a policy pursuant to which the Fund and its Manager, subadviser and principal underwriter are prohibited from directly or indirectly compensating a broker-dealer for promoting or selling Fund shares by directing brokerage transactions to that broker. The Fund has adopted procedures for the purpose of deterring and detecting any violations of the policy. The policy permits the Fund, the Manager and the subadviser to use selling brokers to execute transactions in portfolio securities so long as the selection of such selling brokers is the result of a decision that executing such transactions is in the best interest of the Fund and is not influenced by considerations about the sale of Fund shares. For purposes of this section, the term “Manager” includes the subadviser.

 

The Manager is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities, futures contracts and options on such securities and futures for the Fund, the selection of brokers, dealers and futures commission merchants to effect the transactions and the negotiation of brokerage commissions, if any. On a national securities exchange, broker-dealers may receive negotiated brokerage commissions on Fund portfolio transactions, including options, futures, and options on futures transactions and the purchase and sale of underlying securities upon the exercise of options. On a foreign securities exchange, commissions may be fixed. Orders may be directed to any broker or futures commission merchant including, to the extent and in the manner permitted by applicable laws, one of the Manager's affiliates (an affiliated broker). Brokerage commissions on US securities, options and futures exchanges or boards of trade are subject to negotiation between the Manager and the broker or futures commission merchant.

 

In the OTC market, securities are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter's concession or discount. On occasion, certain money market instruments and US Government agency securities may be purchased directly from the issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid. The Fund will not deal with an affiliated broker in any transaction in which an affiliated broker acts as principal except in accordance with the rules of the SEC.

 

 
 

In placing orders for portfolio securities of the Fund, the Manager's overriding objective is to obtain the best possible combination of favorable price and efficient execution. The Manager seeks to effect such transaction at a price and commission that provides the most favorable total cost of proceeds reasonably attainable in the circumstances. The factors that the Manager may consider in selecting a particular broker, dealer or futures commission merchant (firms) are the Manager's knowledge of negotiated commission rates currently available and other current transaction costs; the nature of the portfolio transaction; the size of the transaction; the desired timing of the trade; the activity existing and expected in the market for the particular transaction; confidentiality; the execution, clearance and settlement capabilities of the firms; the availability of research and research-related services provided through such firms; the Manager's knowledge of the financial stability of the firms; the Manager's knowledge of actual or apparent operational problems of firms; and the amount of capital, if any, that would be contributed by firms executing the transaction. Given these factors, the Fund may pay transaction costs in excess of that which another firm might have charged for effecting the same transaction.

 

When the Manager selects a firm that executes orders or is a party to portfolio transactions, relevant factors taken into consideration are whether that firm has furnished research and research-related products and/or services, such as research reports, research compilations, statistical and economic data, computer databases, quotation equipment and services, research-oriented computer software and services, reports concerning the performance of accounts, valuations of securities, investment-related periodicals, investment seminars and other economic services and consultations. Such services are used in connection with some or all of the Manager's investment activities; some of such services, obtained in connection with the execution of transactions for one investment account, may be used in managing other accounts, and not all of these services may be used in connection with the Fund. The Manager maintains an internal allocation procedure to identify those firms who have provided it with research and research-related products and/or services, and the amount that was provided, and to endeavor to direct sufficient commissions to them to ensure the continued receipt of those services that the Manager believes provide a benefit to the Fund and its other clients. The Manager makes a good faith determination that the research and/or service is reasonable in light of the type of service provided and the price and execution of the related portfolio transactions.

 

When the Manager deems the purchase or sale of equities to be in the best interests of the Fund or its other clients, including Prudential, the Manager may, but is under no obligation to, aggregate the transactions in order to obtain the most favorable price or lower brokerage commissions and efficient execution. In such event, allocation of the transactions, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Manager in the manner it considers to be most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to clients. The allocation of orders among firms and the commission rates paid are reviewed periodically by the Fund's Board. Portfolio securities may not be purchased from any underwriting or selling syndicate of which any affiliate, during the existence of the syndicate, is a principal underwriter (as defined in the 1940 Act), except in accordance with rules of the SEC. This limitation, in the opinion of the Fund, will not significantly affect the Fund's ability to pursue its present investment objectives. However, in the future in other circumstances, the Fund may be at a disadvantage because of this limitation in comparison to other funds with similar objectives but not subject to such limitations.

 

Subject to the above considerations, an affiliate may act as a broker or futures commission merchant for the Fund. In order for an affiliate of the Manager to effect any portfolio transactions for the Fund, the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by the affiliated broker must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to other firms in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities or futures being purchased or sold on an exchange or board of trade during a comparable period of time. This standard would allow the affiliated broker to receive no more than the remuneration which would be expected to be received by an unaffiliated firm in a commensurate arm's-length transaction. Furthermore, the Board, including a majority of the Independent Board Members, has adopted procedures which are reasonably designed to provide that any commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to the affiliated broker (or any affiliate) are consistent with the foregoing standard. In accordance with Section 11(a) of the 1934 Act, an affiliate may not retain compensation for effecting transactions on a national securities exchange for the Fund unless the Fund has expressly authorized the retention of such compensation. The affiliate must furnish to the Fund at least annually a statement setting forth the total amount of all compensation retained by the affiliate from transactions effected for the Fund during the applicable period. Brokerage transactions with an affiliated broker are also subject to such fiduciary standards as may be imposed upon the affiliate by applicable law. Transactions in options by the Fund will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges governing the maximum number of options which may be written or held by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are written or held on the same or different exchanges or are written or held in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options which the Fund may write or hold may be affected by options written or held by the Manager and other investment advisory clients of the Manager. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.

 

 
 

Because the Fund is new, it has not made payment of commissions as of the most recently completed fiscal year.

 

The Fund is required to disclose its holdings of securities of its regular brokers and dealers (as defined under Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) and their parents as of the most recently completed fiscal year. Because the Fund is new, it held no securities of its regular brokers and dealers as of the most recently completed fiscal year.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FUND HISTORY. PGIM ETF Trust (the “Trust”) was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on October 23, 2017. PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF was established on December 9, 2017 and is expected to commence operations in ___________ 2018.

 

DESCRIPTION OF SHARES AND ORGANIZATION.

The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest, $.001 par value per share, of one or more series and classes within any series and to divide or combine the shares of any series or class without materially changing the proportionate beneficial interest of such shares of such series or class in the assets held with respect to that series. In accordance with the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Board Members may authorize the creation of additional series and classes within such series, with such preferences, privileges and rights as the Board Members may determine.

 

Shares of the Fund, when issued, are fully paid, nonassessable, and fully transferable. Shares are also redeemable at the option of the Trust under certain circumstances. There are no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights. In the event of liquidation, each share of the Fund is entitled to its portion of all of the Fund’s assets after all debt and expenses of the Fund have been paid.

 

The Trust does not intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders unless otherwise required by law. The Trust will not be required to hold meetings of shareholders unless, for example, the election of Board Members is required to be acted on by shareholders under the 1940 Act. Shareholders have certain rights, including the right to call a meeting upon the vote of 10% of the Fund’s outstanding shares for the purpose of voting on the removal of one or more Board Members.

 

Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Board may authorize the creation of additional series of shares (the proceeds of which would be invested in separate, independently managed portfolios with distinct investment objectives and policies and share purchase, redemption and NAV procedures) with such preferences, privileges and rights as the Board Members may determine. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any additional series, and all assets in which such consideration is invested, would belong to that series (subject only to the rights of creditors of that series) and would be subject to the liabilities related thereto.

 

The Board has the power to alter the number and the terms of office of the Board Members, provided that at all times at least a majority of the Board Members have been elected by the shareholders of the Trust. The voting rights of shareholders are not cumulative, so that holders of more than 50 percent of the shares voting can, if they choose, elect all Board Members being selected, while the holders of the remaining shares would be unable to elect any Board Members.

 

PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS AND CONTROL PERSONS

PGIM Investments, Inc., an affiliate of the Manager, will own all initial seed capital shares of the Fund as of the date of this SAI and shall be deemed a control person of the Fund. Shareholders owning voting securities in excess of 25% may be viewed as controlling persons of the Fund under the 1940 Act.

 

As of the date of this SAI, the Board Members and Officers of the Fund, as a group, owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Because the Fund is new, no financial information is available. When available, the Fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports will be available upon request and without charge.

 
 

 

 

PART II

 

CREATIONS AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund will issue and sell its shares only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined herein), of an order in proper form. Shares are not individually redeemable.

 

CREATION AND REDEMPTION TRANSACTION FEES. A transaction fee, as set forth in the table below, is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase or redemption of Creation Units, as applicable. Investors who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor and are authorized to transact with the Trust in Creation Units (“Authorized Participants”) will be required to pay a fixed creation transaction fee and/or a fixed redemption transaction fee, as applicable, for each transaction in a Creation Unit regardless of the number of Creation Units created or redeemed on that day. The Fund may adjust the transaction fee from time to time. An additional charge or a variable charge (discussed below) will be applied to certain creation and redemption transactions, including non-standard orders and whole or partial cash purchases or redemptions. With respect to creation orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities and other instruments constituting the Deposit Instruments to the account of the Trust and with respect to redemption orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities and other instruments received on redemption from the Trust to their designated account. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may also be charged a fee for such services.

 

From time to time, the Fund may waive all or a portion of its applicable transaction fee(s).

 

The following table shows, as of the date of this SAI, the approximate value of one Creation Unit of the Fund, fixed fees and maximum additional charges for creations and redemptions (as described above):

Approximate Value of a Creation Unit Size of a Creation Unit Fixed Transaction Fee Maximum Additional Charge for Creations* Maximum Additional Charge for Redemptions*
$ [__________] [_____] shares $[____] [__]% [__]%

* As a percentage of the NAV per Creation Unit, inclusive, in the case of redemptions, of the fixed redemption transaction fee.

In its discretion, the Trust reserves the right to increase or decrease the number of shares that constitute a Creation Unit. The Board reserves the right to declare a split or a consolidation in the number of shares outstanding of the Fund, and to make a corresponding change in the number of shares constituting a Creation Unit, in the event that the per share price in the secondary market rises (or declines) to an amount that falls outside the range deemed desirable by the Board.

General

An Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, will not be able to receive, as part of a redemption, restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.

A “Business Day” with respect to the Fund is any day on which the Exchange is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the Exchange observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Continuous Offering

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

For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells such shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the

 
 

prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the 1933 Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act.

Portfolio Deposit

The consideration for a purchase of Creation Units generally consists of a cash deposit but may include the in-kind deposit of a portfolio of securities and other instruments (the “Deposit Instruments”) and an amount of cash computed as described below (the “Cash Amount”). The Cash Amount together with the Deposit Instruments, as applicable, are referred to as the “Portfolio Deposit.”

In the event the Fund requires Deposit Instruments in consideration for purchasing a Creation Unit, the Portfolio Deposit required may, in certain limited circumstances, be different than the portfolio the Fund will deliver upon redemption of Fund shares.

In the event the Fund requires Deposit Instruments and a Cash Amount in consideration for purchasing a Creation Unit, the function of the Cash Amount is to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount (as defined below). The Cash Amount would be an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the “Deposit Amount,” which is an amount equal to the aggregate market value of the Deposit Instruments. If the Cash Amount is a positive number (the NAV per Creation Unit exceeds the Deposit Amount), the Authorized Participant will deliver the Cash Amount. If the Cash Amount is a negative number (the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the Deposit Amount), the Authorized Participant will receive the Cash Amount. Computation of the Cash Amount excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Instruments, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant.

BBH&Co, the Administrative Agent, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC), makes available on each Business Day, immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Instrument to be included in the current Portfolio Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day), as well as information regarding the Cash Amount for the Fund. Such Portfolio Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, in order to effect creations of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next-announced Portfolio Deposit composition is made available.

In addition, the Trust reserves the right to accept a basket of securities or cash that differs from Deposit Instruments or to permit the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount) to be added to the Cash Amount to replace any Deposit Instrument which may, among other reasons, not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery, not be permitted to be re-registered in the name of the Trust as a result of an in-kind creation order pursuant to local law or market convention or which may not be eligible for transfer through the Clearing Process (described below), or which may not be eligible for trading by a Participating Party (defined below). In light of the foregoing, in order to seek to replicate the in-kind creation order process, the Trust expects to purchase the Deposit Instruments represented by the cash in lieu amount in the secondary market (“Market Purchases”). In such cases where the Trust makes Market Purchases, the Authorized Participant will reimburse the Trust for, among other things, any difference between the market value at which the securities were purchased by the Trust and the cash in lieu amount (which amount, at the PGIM Investments’ discretion, may be capped), applicable registration fees and taxes. Brokerage commissions incurred in connection with the Trust’s acquisition of Deposit Instruments may be at the expense of the Fund and will affect the value of all shares of the Fund; but the Fund may charge the transaction fee to compensate for brokerage expenses

Procedures for Creation of Creation Units

To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor to create Creation Units of the Fund, an entity or person either must be (1) a “Participating Party,” i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC; or (2) a Depository Trust Company (DTC) participant (a “DTC Participant”); which, in either case, must have executed an agreement with the Distributor (as it may be amended from time to time in accordance with its terms) (“Participant Agreement”) (discussed below). A Participating Party and DTC Participant are collectively referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” All Creation Units of the Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.

All orders to create Creation Units must be placed in multiples of a certain number of shares of a Fund. Except as described below, and in all cases subject to the terms of the applicable Participant Agreement, all orders to create Creation Units, whether through the NSCC Clearing Process or outside the NSCC Clearing Process through DTC or otherwise, must be received by the Distributor no later than the closing time of the regular trading session on the Exchange (“Closing Time”) (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern time or, for Custom Orders (discussed below), such earlier time set forth in the Participant Agreement), in each case on the date such order is placed in order for creation of Creation Units to be effected based on the NAV of the Fund as determined on such date. A “Custom Order” may be placed by an Authorized Participant in the event that the Trust permits or requires the substitution of an amount of cash to be added to the Cash Amount to replace any Deposit Instrument which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or which may not be eligible for trading by such Authorized Participant or the investor for which it is acting, or other relevant reason. The Business Day on which a creation order (or order to redeem as discussed below) is placed is herein referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” Orders must be transmitted by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement or any associated document. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the Distributor, a Participating Party or a DTC Participant. Creation Units may be issued, in the sole discretion of the Trust, notwithstanding the receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the

 
 

Portfolio Deposit on the settlement date. In such cases, the Authorized Participant will remain liable for the full deposit of the missing portion(s) of the Portfolio Deposit and will be required to post collateral with the Trust consisting of cash at least equal to a percentage of the marked-to-market value of such missing portion(s) that is specified in the Participant Agreement. The Trust may use such collateral to buy the missing portion(s) of the Portfolio Deposit at any time and will subject such Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such securities and the value of such collateral. The Trust will have no liability for any such shortfall. The Trust will return any unused portion of the collateral to the Authorized Participant once the entire Fund Deposit has been properly received by the Distributor and deposited into the Trust.

Investors seeking to purchase Creation Units of the Fund through an Authorized Participant must place such orders in the form required by such Participating Party or DTC Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement, and that, therefore, orders to create Creation Units of the Fund may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through a Participating Party or a DTC Participant who has executed a Participant Agreement. At any given time there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement. Those placing orders to create Creation Units of the Fund through the NSCC Clearing Process should afford sufficient time to permit proper submission of the order to the Distributor prior to the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date.

Orders for creation that are effected outside the NSCC Clearing Process are likely to require transmittal by the DTC Participant earlier on the Transmittal Date than orders effected using the NSCC Clearing Process. Those persons placing orders outside the NSCC Clearing Process should ascertain the deadlines applicable to DTC and the Federal Reserve Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depository institution effectuating such transfer of Deposit Instruments and Cash Amount.

Placement of Creation Orders Using NSCC Clearing Process

Portfolio Deposits created through the NSCC Clearing Process, if available, must be delivered through a Participating Party that has executed a Participant Agreement.

The Participant Agreement authorizes the Distributor to transmit to the NSCC on behalf of the Participating Party such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the Participating Party’s creation order. Pursuant to such trade instructions from the Distributor to the NSCC, the Participating Party agrees to transfer the requisite Deposit Instruments (or contracts to purchase such Deposit Instruments that are expected to be delivered in a “regular way” manner by the second (2nd) Business Day) and the Cash Amount to the Trust, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. For the Fund, Creation Units typically are issued and redeemed on a “T+1 basis” (i.e., one Business Day after trade date). The Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1 if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law. An order to create Creation Units of the Fund through the NSCC Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and any ancillary documents are properly followed.

Portfolio Deposits created outside the NSCC Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order creating Creation Units of the Fund to be effected outside the NSCC Clearing Process need not be a Participating Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the NSCC Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Units will instead be effected through a transfer of securities and cash. The Portfolio Deposit transfer must be ordered by the DTC Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Instruments through DTC to the account of the Trust by no later than 11:00 a.m. Eastern time, of the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Instruments to be delivered, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The cash equal to the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve wire system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern time, on the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date. An order to create Creation Units of the Fund outside the NSCC Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date; and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and any ancillary documents are properly followed. However, if the Distributor does not receive both the requisite Deposit Instruments and the Cash Amount in a timely fashion on the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date, such order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such cancelled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Portfolio Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the current NAV of the Fund. The delivery of Creation Units so created will occur no later than the second (2nd) Business Day following the day on which the creation order is deemed received by the Distributor. For the Fund, Creation Units typically are issued and redeemed on a “T+1 basis” (i.e., one Business Day after trade date). The Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1 if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law.

Additional transaction fees may be imposed with respect to transactions effected outside the NSCC Clearing Process (through a DTC Participant) and in circumstances in which any cash can be used in lieu of Deposit Instruments to create Creation Units. (See “Creation Transaction Fee” section below.)

The Distributor will inform the Transfer Agent, the Manager and the Custodian upon receipt of a Creation Order that includes securities or other instruments custodied outside of the United States. The Custodian will then provide such information to the appropriate subcustodian. The Custodian will cause the subcustodian of the Fund to maintain an account into which the

 
 

Deposit Instruments (or the cash value of all or part of such securities, in the case of a permitted or required cash purchase or “cash in lieu” amount) will be delivered. Deposit Instruments must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local custodian. The Trust must also receive, on or before the contractual settlement date, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Custodian to be sufficient to pay the Cash Amount next determined after receipt in proper form of the purchase order, together with applicable transaction fees.

Once the Transfer Agent has accepted a creation order, the Transfer Agent will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit of the Fund against receipt of payment, at such NAV as will have been calculated after receipt in proper form of such order. The Transfer Agent will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance of such order.

Acceptance of Creation Orders

The Trust and the Distributor reserve the absolute right to reject or revoke acceptance of a creation order transmitted to it in respect of the Fund, for example, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the purchaser or group of related purchasers, upon obtaining the Creation Units of shares, would own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund; (c) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would have certain adverse tax consequences, such as causing the Fund no longer to meet RIC status under the Code for federal tax purposes; (d) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would, in the opinion of the Fund, be unlawful, as in the case of a purchaser who was banned from trading in securities (e) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Fund, PGIM Investments and/or the sub-advisers, have an adverse effect on the Fund or on the rights of the Fund’s beneficial owners; or; or (f) there exist circumstances outside the control of the Fund that make it impossible to process purchases of Creation Units of shares for all practical purposes. The Transfer Agent will notify a prospective purchaser of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Custodian, any subcustodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits to Authorized Participants nor shall either of them incur any liability to Authorized Participants for the failure to give any such notification. All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Instruments and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.

Creation Units may be issued, in the sole discretion of the Trust, notwithstanding the failure to deliver certain Deposit Instruments at settlement as described below. In these circumstances, in addition to available Deposit Instruments, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Amount, plus (ii) at least 105%, which the Trust may change from time to time, of the market value of the undelivered Deposit Instruments (the “Additional Cash Deposit”) with the Fund pending delivery of any missing Deposit Instruments.

If the Trust permits, and an Authorized Participant determines to post, an Additional Cash Deposit as collateral for any undelivered Deposit Instruments, such Authorized Participant must deposit with the Custodian the appropriate amount of federal funds by 10:00 a.m. New York (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the date of requested settlement. If the Custodian does not receive the Additional Cash Deposit in the appropriate amount by such time, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Custodian, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Instruments to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to 105% as required, which the Trust may change from time to time, of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Instruments. At any time, at the discretion of the Trust, the Trust may use the cash on deposit to purchase the missing Deposit Instruments. The Authorized Participant will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Instruments exceeds the market value of such Deposit Instruments on the transmittal date plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Instruments have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee will be charged.

Creation Transaction Fee

A fixed creation transaction fee is imposed on each creation transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased in the transaction. The amount of the creation transaction fee as well as any applicable variable charge for cash creations for the Fund is disclosed above. In the case of cash creations or where the Trust permits a purchaser to substitute cash in lieu of depositing a portion of the Deposit Instruments, the purchaser may be assessed an additional variable charge to compensate the Fund for the costs associated with purchasing the applicable securities. The Trust expects to purchase, in the secondary market or otherwise gain exposure to, the portfolio securities that could have been delivered as a result of an in-kind creation order (“Market Purchases”). In such cases where the Trust makes Market Purchases, the Authorized Participant will reimburse the Trust for, among other things, any difference between the market value at which the securities and/or financial instruments were purchased by the Trust and the cash in lieu amount (which amount, at the Manager’s discretion, may be capped), applicable registration fees, brokerage commissions and certain taxes (in each case which may, in certain instances, be based on a good faith estimate of transaction costs). The Manager may adjust the transaction fee to the extent the composition of the creation securities changes or cash in lieu is added to the Cash Amount to protect remaining shareholders. Purchasers of Creation Units are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Instruments to the account of the Trust.

Redemption of Creation Units

Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Distributor, only on a Business Day and only through a Participating Party or DTC Participant who has executed

 
 

a Participant Agreement. The Trust will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. Beneficial owners also may sell shares in the secondary market, but must accumulate enough shares to constitute a Creation Unit in order to have such shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.

The Administrative Agent, through NSCC, makes available immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each day that the Exchange is open for business, the identity of the Fund’s securities and/or an amount of cash that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form on that day. The Fund’s securities received on redemption (“Redemption Instruments”) may not be identical to Deposit Instruments that are applicable to creations of Creation Units. An Authorized Participant submitting a redemption request is deemed to represent to the Trust that it (or its client) (i) owns outright or has full legal authority and legal beneficial right to tender for redemption the requisite number of shares to be redeemed and can receive the entire proceeds of the redemption, and (ii) the shares to be redeemed have not been loaned or pledged to another party nor are they the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or such other arrangement which would preclude the delivery of such shares to the Trust. The Trust reserves the right to verify these representations at its discretion, but will typically require verification with respect to a redemption request from the Fund in connection with higher levels of redemption activity and/or short interest in the Fund. If the Authorized Participant, upon receipt of a verification request, does not provide sufficient verification of its representations as determined by the Trust, the redemption request will not be considered to have been received in proper form and may be rejected by the Trust. Unless cash redemptions are permitted or required for the Fund, the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of Redemption Instruments as announced by the Administrative Agent on the Business Day of the request for redemption, plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Redemption Instruments, less the fixed transaction fee and any variable transaction fees. Should the Redemption Instruments have a value greater than the NAV of the shares being redeemed, a compensating cash payment to the Trust equal to the differential plus the applicable redemption transaction fee will be required to be arranged for by or on behalf of the redeeming shareholder.

Redemption Transaction Fee

 

The basic fixed redemption transaction fee is the same no matter how many Creation Units are being redeemed pursuant to any one redemption request. An additional charge will be charged with respect to cash redemptions or redemptions outside of the NSCC Clearing Process. An additional variable transaction charge for cash redemptions or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are permitted or required for the Fund) may also be imposed to compensate the Fund for the costs associated with selling the applicable securities. The Trust expects to sell, in the secondary market, the portfolio securities or settle any financial instruments not transferred in-kind (“Market Sales”). In such cases where the Trust makes Market Sales, the Authorized Participant will reimburse the Trust for, among other things, any difference between the market value at which the securities and/or financial instruments were sold or settled by the Trust and the cash in lieu amount (which amount, at PGIM Investments’ discretion, may be capped), applicable registration fees, brokerage commissions and certain taxes (“Transaction Costs”). PGIM Investments may adjust the transaction fee to the extent the composition of the redemption securities changes or cash in lieu is added to the Cash Amount to protect remaining shareholders. In no event will transaction fees charged by the Fund in connection with a redemption exceed 2% of the value of each Creation Unit. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. To the extent the Fund cannot recoup the amount of Transaction Costs incurred in connection with a redemption from the redeeming shareholder because of the 2% cap or otherwise, those Transaction Costs will be borne by the Fund’s remaining shareholders and negatively affect the Fund’s performance.

 

Placement of Redemption Orders Using NSCC Clearing Process

 

Orders to redeem Creation Units of the Fund through the NSCC Clearing Process, if available, must be delivered through a Participating Party that has executed the Participant Agreement. An order to redeem Creation Units of a Fund using the Clearing Process is deemed received on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on such Transmittal Date (or, for custom orders where cash replaces any Redemption Instrument, such earlier time set forth in the Participant Agreement or any ancillary documents); and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement or any ancillary documents are properly followed; such order will be effected based on the NAV of the Fund as next determined. An order to redeem Creation Units of the Fund using the NSCC Clearing Process made in proper form but received by the Fund after 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, will be deemed received on the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date. The requisite Fund securities (or contracts to purchase such Fund securities which are expected to be delivered in a “regular way” manner) and the applicable cash payment will be transferred by the second (2nd) Business Day following the date on which such request for redemption is deemed received. For the Fund, Creation Units typically are issued and redeemed on a “T+1 basis” (i.e., one Business Day after trade date). The Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1 if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law.

 

Placement of Redemption Orders Outside NSCC Clearing Process

 

 
 

Orders to redeem Creation Units of the Fund outside the NSCC Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed the Participant Agreement. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order for redemption of Creation Units of the Fund to be effected outside the NSCC Clearing Process need not be a Participating Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that redemption of Creation Units of the Fund will instead be effected through transfer of Creation Units of the Fund directly through DTC. An order to redeem Creation Units of the Fund outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on such Transmittal Date; (ii) such order is preceded or accompanied by the requisite number of shares of Creation Units specified in such order, which delivery must be made through DTC to the Custodian no later than 11:00 a.m. Eastern time, on such Transmittal Date (the “DTC Cut-Off-Time”); and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement or any ancillary document are properly followed.

 

After the Distributor has deemed an order for redemption outside the NSCC Clearing Process received, the Custodian will initiate procedures to transfer the requisite Redemption Instruments (or contracts to purchase such Redemption Instruments) which are expected to be delivered within two Business Days and the cash redemption payment to the redeeming Beneficial Owner by the second Business Day following the Transmittal Date on which such redemption order is deemed received by the Custodian. For the Fund, Creation Units typically are issued and redeemed on a “T+1 basis” (i.e., one Business Day after trade date). The Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1 if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law. An additional variable redemption transaction fee is applicable to redemptions outside the NSCC Clearing Process.

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement, in the event the Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to the Fund’s Transfer Agent on the settlement date, the Trust, in its sole discretion, may nonetheless accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash having a value (marked to market daily) of at least 105%, which the Trust may change from time to time, of the value of the missing shares.

 

The current procedures for collateralization of missing shares require, among other things, that any cash collateral shall be in the form of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds and shall be held by the Custodian and marked to market daily, and that the fees of the Custodian and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant’s agreement will permit the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, to purchase the missing shares or acquire the Deposit Instruments and the Cash Amount underlying such shares at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such shares, Deposit Instruments or Cash Amount and the value of the collateral.

 

Placement of Redemption Orders Outside NSCC Clearing Process

 

Arrangements satisfactory to the Trust must be in place for the Participating Party to transfer the Creation Units through DTC on or before the settlement date. Redemptions of shares for Redemption Instruments that include securities or other instruments custodied outside of the United States will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits or requires cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund could not lawfully deliver specific Redemption Instruments upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the securities under such laws.

 

In connection with taking delivery of Redemption Instruments upon redemption of Creation Units that include securities or other instruments custodied outside of the United States, a redeeming shareholder or entity acting on behalf of a redeeming shareholder must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Redemption Instruments are customarily traded, to which account such Redemption Instruments will be delivered. If neither the redeeming shareholder nor the entity acting on behalf of a redeeming shareholder has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Redemption Instruments in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Redemption Instruments in such jurisdictions, the Trust may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming shareholder will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.

 

Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within two business days. Due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries or for other reasons, however, the delivery of redemption proceeds may take longer than two business days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. In such cases, the local market settlement procedures will not commence until the end of the local holiday periods.

 

The holidays applicable are listed below. The proclamation of new holidays, the treatment by market participants of certain days as “informal holidays” (e.g., days on which no or limited securities transactions occur, as a result of substantially shortened trading hours), the elimination of existing holidays or changes in local securities delivery practices, could affect the information set forth herein at some time in the future.

 

 
 

In calendar year 2018, the dates of regular holidays affecting the relevant securities markets in which the Fund invests are as follows (please note these holiday schedules are subject to potential changes in the relevant securities markets):

 

[2018

 

             
       
AUSTRALIA            
January 1   April 2   August 6   December 25
January 26   April 25   October 1   December 26
March 30   June 11        
       
AUSTRIA            
January 1   May 13   September 24   December 25
January 6   May 21   October 26   December 26
April 2   May 31   November 1    
May 1   June 10   November 15    
May 10   August 15   December 8    
       
BELGIUM            
January 1   May 10   August 15   November 11
April 2   May 11   November 1   December 25
May 1   July 21        
       
BRAZIL            
January 1   March 30   May 31   November 2
February 12   April 21   September 7   November 15
February 13   May 1   October 12   December 25
       
CANADA            
January 1   May 21   September 3   December 25
February 19   July 2   October 8   December 26
March 30   August 6   November 11    
       
CHILE            
January 1   June 26   September 19   November 1
April 14   August 15   October 9   December 8
May 1   September 18   October 27   December 25
       
CHINA            
January 1   February 21   May 1   October 2
February 15   April 5   June 18   October 3
February 19   April 6   September 24   October 4
February 20   April 30   October 1   October 5
       
COLOMBIA            
January 1   May 10   July 20   December 8
January 8   May 13   August 7   December 25
March 19   May 31   August 15    
March 29   June 11   October 15    
March 30   June 17   November 5    
May 1   July 2   November 12    
       
CZECH REPUBLIC            
January 1   May 8   September 28   December 25
March 30   May 13   October 28   December 26
April 2   July 5   November 17    
May 1   July 6   December 24    
       
DENMARK            
January 1   April 1   May 10   December 25
March 29   April 2   June 5   December 26
March 30   April 27   December 24   December 31
             
EGYPT            
January 7   May 1   August 25    
                         
 
 

 

January 25   June 15   September 11    
April 8   June 17   October 6    
April 9   June 23   November 20    
April 25   August 22        
* The Egyptian market is closed every Friday.        
       
FINLAND            
January 1   May 1   December 6   December 31
January 6   May 10   December 24    
March 30   June 22   December 25    
April 2   June 23   December 26    
       
FRANCE            
March 25   October 28   December 25   December 26
May 1            
       
GERMANY            
January 1   April 2   October 28   December 25
March 25   May 1   October 31   December 26
March 30            
       
GREECE            
January 6   April 9   May 28   December 25
February 19   May 1   August 15   December 26
April 6            
       
HONG KONG            
January 1   April 2   December 25   December 26
March 30            
       
HUNGARY            
January 1   March 16   August 20   October 23
March 15            
       
INDIA            
January 26   May 1   October 2   December 25
March 30   August 15        
       
INDONESIA            
January 1   August 17   December 25    
     
IRELAND        
January 1   October 29   December 26   December 27
August 6   December 25    
     
ISRAEL        
March 1   May 13   September 11   December 3
March 31   May 20   September 19
April 7   July 22   September 24
April 19   September 10   October 2
* The Israeli market is closed every Friday.        
     
ITALY        
January 1   April 2   December 25   December 26
March 30   May 1    
     
JAPAN        
January 1   April 30   July 16   October 8
January 8   May 3   August 11   November 3
February 11   May 4   September 17   November 23
March 21   May 5   September 24   December 23
             
KUWAIT        
January 2   June 15   August 22   November 20
February 25   June 16   August 23
February 26   June 17   August 24
 
 

 

April 13   August 21   September 11
* The Kuwaiti market is closed every Friday.        
     
LUXEMBOURG        
January 1   May 10   August 15   December 25
March 30   May 21   October 7   December 26
April 2   June 10   November 1
May 1   June 23   November 2
       
MALAYSIA            
January 1   May 1   September 16   December 25
February 1   August 31        
       
MEXICO            
January 1   March 29   September 16   December 12
February 5   March 30   November 2   December 25
March 19   May 1   November 19    
       
MOROCCO            
January 1   May 1   June 15    
January 11   June 14   July 29    
       
NETHERLANDS            
January 1   March 30   May 21   December 25
March 25   April 2   October 28   December 26
       
NEW ZEALAND            
January 1   January 29   April 2   October 22
January 2   February 6   April 25   December 25
January 22   March 30   June 4   December 26
       
NIGERIA            
January 1   May 1   June 15   December 26
March 8   May 27   August 22    
March 30   May 29   October 1    
April 2   June 12   December 25    
       
NORWAY            
January 1   April 2   May 17   December 25
March 29   May 1   May 21   December 26
March 30   May 10        
       
OMAN            
January 1   June 17   August 23   November 18
April 13   June 18   August 24   November 19
June 15   July 23   August 25   November 20
June 16   August 22   September 11    
       
PAKISTAN            
February 5   May 1   September 20   December 26
March 2   June 15   October 25    
March 23   August 14   November 20    
April 4   August 22   November 23    
April 13   August 23   December 25    
       
PERU            
January 1   May 1   July 29   November 1
March 29   June 29   August 30   December 8
March 30   July 28   October 8   December 25
             
PHILIPPINES            
January 1   March 31   August 21   December 25
February 16   April 9   August 22   December 30
February 25   May 1   August 27   December 31
March 16   June 12   November 1    
March 29   June 15   November 30    
                 
 
 

 

March 30   June 24   December 24    
       
POLAND            
January 1   May 1   May 31   November 11
January 6   May 3   June 23   December 25
April 1   May 20   August 15   December 26
April 2   May 26   November 1    
       
PORTUGAL            
January 1   May 1   June 13   November 1
March 19   May 6   June 24   December 1
March 30   May 31   August 15   December 8
April 25   June 10   October 5   December 25
       
QATAR            
February 13   June 15   August 19   August 26
March 4   June 16   August 20   August 27
June 11   June 17   August 21   December 18
June 12   June 18   August 22    
June 13   June 19   August 23    
June 14   June 20   August 24    
* The Qatari market is closed every Friday.        
       
RUSSIA            
January 1   January 5   April 30   November 5
January 2   January 7   May 1    
January 3   February 23   May 9    
January 4   March 8   June 12    
       
SINGAPORE            
January 1   May 1   August 9   December 25
March 30            
       
SOUTH AFRICA            
January 1   April 2   June 16   December 16
March 21   April 27   August 9   December 25
March 30   May 1   September 24   December 26
       
SOUTH KOREA            
January 1   March 1   July 17   September 25
February 16   May 1   August 15   October 3
February 17   May 5   September 23   October 9
February 18   May 22   September 24   December 25
February 19   June 6        
       
SPAIN            
March 29   May 31   October 12   December 8
March 30   July 25   November 1   December 25
May 1   August 15        
       
SWEDEN            
January 1   April 2   June 6   December 25
January 6   May 1   June 22   December 26
March 30   May 10   June 23    

 

SWITZERLAND            
January 1   April 2   May 21   December 25
January 2   May 10   August 1   December 26
March 30            
       
TAIWAN            
January 1   April 5   May 1   October 10
February 28            
       
THAILAND            
January 1   April 15   May 11   October 22
 
 

 

February 16   April 16   May 29   October 23
March 1   April 17   July 27   December 5
April 6   April 30   July 27   December 10
April 13   May 1   August 12   December 31
April 14   May 7   August 13    
       
TURKEY            
January 1   June 15   August 27    
April 23   August 22   August 30    
May 1   August 23   October 29    
May 19   August 24        
     
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES        
January 1   August 21   November 20    
April 13   August 22   November 30    
June 14   August 26   December 2    
June 15   September 11   December 3    
* The United Arab Emirates markets close every Friday.        
       
UNITED KINGDOM            
January 1   April 2   August 27   December 25
March 25   May 7   October 28   December 26
March 30   May 28        
       
VIETNAM            
January 1   February 18   March 28   September 1
February 15   February 19   March 29    
February 16   February 20   April 30    
February 17   March 27   May 1    

 

The longest redemption cycle for the Fund is a function of the longest redemption cycle among the countries whose securities comprise the Fund.]

For the period [ ] 2018 through December 2018, the dates of regular holidays affecting the following securities markets present the worst-case (longest) redemption cycle* for the Fund as follows:

[SETTLEMENT PERIODS GREATER THAN SEVEN DAYS FOR

THE PERIOD [ ] 2018–DECEMBER 2018

 

                         
    Beginning of
Settlement Period
    End of Settlement
Period
    Number of Days in
Settlement Period
 
China     2/14/2018       2/23/2018       9  
Japan     4/28/2017       5/8/2017       10  
      5/1/2017       5/9/2017       8  
      5/2/2017       5/10/2017       8  
Qatar     6/20/2017       6/28/2017       8  
      6/21/2017       6/29/2017       8  
      6/22/2017       7/2/2017       10  
South Africa     4/7/2017       4/18/2017       11  
      4/10/2017       4/19/2017       9  
      4/11/2017       4/20/2017       9  
      4/12/2017       4/21/2017       9  
      4/13/2017       4/24/2017       11  
      4/20/2017       4/28/2017       8  
      4/21/2017       5/2/2017       10  
      4/24/2017       5/3/2017       9  
      4/25/2017       5/4/2017       9  
      4/26/2017       5/5/2017       9  
      4/28/2017       5/10/2017       10  
      6/12/2017       6/20/2017       8  
      6/13/2017       6/21/2017       8  
      6/14/2017       6/22/2017       8  
      6/15/2017       6/23/2017       8  
      8/2/2017       8/10/2017       8  
      8/3/2017       8/11/2017       8  
 
 

 

      8/4/2017       8/14/2017       10  
      8/7/2017       8/15/2017       8  
      8/8/2017       8/16/2017       8  
      9/18/2017       9/26/2017       8  
      9/19/2017       9/27/2017       8  
      9/20/2017       9/28/2017       8  
      9/21/2017       9/29/2017       8  
      9/22/2017       10/2/2017       10  
      12/18/2017       12/27/2017       9  
      12/19/2017       12/28/2017       9  
      12/20/2017       12/29/2017       9  
      12/21/2017       1/1/2018       11  
      12/22/2017       1/2/2018       11  
Russia     12/29/2017       1/8/2018       9  
South Korea     9/29/2017       10/10/2017       10  
      10/2/2017       10/11/2017       9  
Vietnam     2/14/2018       2/22/2018       8  

 

* These worst-case redemption cycles are based on information regarding regular holidays, which may be out of date. Based on changes in holidays, longer (worse) redemption cycles are possible.]

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE

The value of a single share of the Fund—known as the net asset value per share or NAV—is determined by subtracting Fund liabilities from the value of Fund assets and dividing the remainder by the number of outstanding shares. Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may transact at a price other than the Fund’s NAV. The Fund will compute its NAV once each business day at the close of regular trading on the NYSE, usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. For purposes of computing NAV, the Fund will value futures contracts generally 15 minutes after the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The Fund may not compute its NAV on days on which no orders to purchase or sell shares of the Fund have been received or on days on which changes in the value of the Fund's portfolio securities do not materially affect NAV. The Fund will not treat an intraday unscheduled disruption in NYSE trading as a closure of the NYSE and will price its shares as of 4:00 p.m., if the particular disruption directly affects only the NYSE. Please see the NYSE website (www.nyse.com) for a specific list of the holidays on which the NYSE is closed.

 

In accordance with procedures adopted by the Board, the value of investments listed on a securities exchange and NASDAQ System securities (other than options on stock and stock indices) are valued at the last sale price on the day of valuation or, if there was no sale on such day, the mean between the last bid and asked prices on such day, or at the bid price on such day in the absence of an asked price, as provided by a pricing service or principal market marker. Securities included on the NASDAQ Market are valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (NOCP) on the day of valuation, or if there was no NOCP, at the last sale price. NASDAQ Market Securities for which there was no NOCP or last sale price are valued at the mean between the last bid and asked prices on the day of valuation, or the last bid price in the absence of an asked price. Open-end, non-exchange traded mutual funds are valued at their net asset value as determined as of the close of the NYSE on the date of valuation. Corporate bonds (other than convertible debt securities) and US Government securities that are actively traded in the OTC market, including listed securities for which the primary market is believed by the Manager in consultation with the subadviser to be over-the-counter, are valued on the basis of valuations provided by an independent pricing agent which uses information with respect to transactions in bonds, quotations from bond dealers, agency ratings, market transactions in comparable securities and various relationships between securities in determining value. Convertible debt securities that are actively traded in the over-the-counter market, including listed securities for which the primary market is believed by the Manager in consultation with the subadviser to be OTC, are valued on the day of valuation at an evaluated bid price provided by an independent pricing agent, or, in the absence of valuation provided by an independent pricing agent, at the bid price provided by a principal market maker or primary market dealer.

 

Options on securities and securities indexes that are listed on an exchange are valued at the last sale price on such exchange on the day of valuation or, if there was no such sale on such day, at the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on such exchange or at the last bid price in the absence of an asked price. Where exchange trading has halted on exchange-traded call or put options, the last available traded price may be used for a period of no longer than five business days. On the sixth business day, such options may be valued at zero in the absence of trading, when such options are “out of the money” by more than 5% of the value of the underlying asset and expire within 14 calendar days of the valuation date. If this methodology is determined to not be representative of the market value for the options, they will be fair valued.

 
 

 

Futures contracts and options thereon traded on a commodities exchange or Board of Trade shall be valued on the day of valuation at the last sale price at the close of trading on such exchange or Board of Trade or, if there was no sale on the applicable exchange or Board of Trade on such date, at the mean between the most recently quoted bid and asked prices on such exchange or Board of Trade or at the last bid price in the absence of an asked price. Quotations of non-US securities in a non-US currency are converted to US dollar equivalents at the current rate obtained from a recognized bank, dealer or independent service, and forward currency exchange contracts are valued at the current cost of covering or offsetting such contacts. Should an extraordinary event, which is likely to affect the value of the security, occur after the close of an exchange on which a portfolio security is traded, such security will be valued at fair value considering factors determined in good faith by the subadviser or Manager under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Fund's Board.

 

Under the 1940 Act, the Board is responsible for determining in good faith the fair value of securities of the Fund. Portfolio securities for which reliable market quotations are not readily available or for which the pricing agent or principal market maker does not provide a valuation or methodology or provides a valuation or methodology that, in the judgment of the Manager or subadviser (or Valuation Committee or Board) does not represent fair value (Fair Value Securities), are valued by the Valuation Committee or Board in consultation with the subadviser or Manager, as applicable, including, as applicable, their portfolio managers, traders, research and credit analysts, and legal and compliance personnel, on the basis of the following factors: the nature of any restrictions on disposition of the securities; assessment of the general liquidity/illiquidity of the securities; the issuer's financial condition and the markets in which it does business; the cost of the investment; the size of the holding and the capitalization of issuer; the prices of any recent transactions or bids/offers for such securities or any comparable securities; any available analyst, media or other reports or information deemed reliable by the Manager or subadviser regarding the issuer or the markets or industry in which it operates; other analytical data; consistency with valuation of similar securities held by other Prudential mutual funds; and such other factors as may be determined by the subadviser, Manager, Board or Valuation Committee to materially affect the value of the security. Fair Value Securities may include, but are not limited to, the following: certain private placements and restricted securities that do not have an active trading market; securities whose trading has been suspended or for which market quotes are no longer available; debt securities that have recently gone into default and for which there is no current market; securities whose prices are stale; securities affected by significant events; and securities that the subadviser or Manager believes were priced incorrectly.

 

A “significant event” (which includes, but is not limited to, an extraordinary political or market event) is an event that the subadviser or Manager believes with a reasonably high degree of certainty has caused the closing market prices of portfolio securities to no longer reflect their value at the time of the NAV calculation. On a day that the Manager determines that one or more portfolio securities constitute Fair Value Securities, the Manager’s Fair Valuation Committee may determine the fair value of these securities if the fair valuation of each security results in a change of less than $0.01 to the Fund's NAV and/or the fair valuation of the securities in the aggregate results in a change of less than one half of one percent of the Fund's daily net assets and the Fair Valuation Committee presents these valuations to the Board for its ratification. In the event that the fair valuation of a security results in a NAV change of $0.01 or more per share and/or in the aggregate results in a change of one half of one percent or more of the daily NAV, the Board shall promptly be notified.

 

In addition, the Fund uses a service provided by a pricing vendor to fair value non-US Fair Value Securities, which are securities that are primarily traded in non-US markets and subject to a valuation adjustment upon the reaching of a valuation “trigger” determined by the Board. The fair value prices of non-US Fair Value Securities reflect an adjustment to closing market prices that is intended to reflect the causal link between movements in the US market and the non-US market on which the securities trade.

 

The use of fair value pricing procedures involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different from the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if the security were sold at approximately the same time at which the NAV per share is determined.

 

Generally, the Fund will value futures contracts at the close of trading for those contracts (normally 15 minutes after the close of regular trading on the NYSE). If, in the judgment of the subadviser or Manager, the closing price of a contract is materially different from the contract price at the NYSE close, a fair value price for the contract will be determined.

 

If dividends are declared daily, the NAV of each class of shares will generally be the same. It is expected, however, that the dividends, if any, will differ by approximately the amount of the distribution and/or service fee expense accrual differential among the classes.

 
 

 

TAXES, DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The following is a summary of certain tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders. This section is based on the Code, Treasury Regulations, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. Please consult your own tax adviser concerning the consequences of investing in the Fund in your particular circumstances under the Code and the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.

 

QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY. The Fund has elected to be taxed as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code and intends to meet all other requirements that are necessary for it to be relieved of federal taxes on income and gains it distributes to shareholders. As a regulated investment company, the Fund is not subject to federal income tax on the portion of its net investment income (i.e., investment company taxable income, as that term is defined in the Code, without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) that it distributes to shareholders, provided that it distributes at least 90% of its net tax-exempt income and investment company taxable income for the year (the “Distribution Requirement”), and satisfies certain other requirements of the Code that are described below.

 

Net capital gains of the Fund that are available for distribution to shareholders will be computed by taking into account any applicable capital loss carryforward. No capital gains distributions are expected to be paid to shareholders until net gains have been realized in excess of such losses. The Fund is permitted to carryforward capital losses for an unlimited period. Capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses. If the Fund were to experience an ownership change as defined under the Code, the Fund’s loss carryforwards, if any, may be subject to limitation. If the Fund has a capital loss carryforward, the amount and duration of any such capital loss carryforward will be set forth at the end of this section.

 

In addition to satisfying the Distribution Requirement, the Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to loans of stock and securities, gains from the sale or disposition of stock, securities or non-US currencies and other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership” (as such term is defined in the Code).

 

The Fund must also satisfy an asset diversification test on a quarterly basis. Failure to do so may result in the Fund being subject to penalty taxes, being required to sell certain of its positions, and may cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company. Under this asset diversification test, at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, (1) 50% or more of the value of the Fund’s assets must be represented by cash, United States government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (2) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s assets may be invested in securities of (x) any one issuer (other than United States government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies), or two or more issuers (other than securities of other regulated investment companies) of which the Fund owns 20% or more of the voting stock and which are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses or (y) one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as such term is defined in the Code) and commonly referred to as “master limited partnerships.”

 

The Fund may be able to cure a failure to derive 90% of its income from the sources specified above or a failure to diversify its holdings in the manner described above by paying a tax, by disposing of certain assets, or by paying a tax and disposing of assets. If, in any taxable year, the Fund fails one of these tests and does not timely cure the failure, the Fund will be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders will not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.

 

Although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to regulated investment companies, such rules do apply to a regulated investment company with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The Fund’s investments in partnerships, including in qualified publicly traded partnerships, may result in the Fund being subject to state, local or non-US income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

 

If for any year the Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company, or fails to meet the Distribution Requirement, all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain) will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, the Fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net long-term capital gains, will be taxable to shareholders as dividend income. However, such dividends will be eligible (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, if the Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it must pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. If the Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund may be subject to taxation on any net built-in-gains (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gain, including items of income, over aggregate loss that would have been realized if the Fund had been liquidated) recognized for a period of ten years, or, under certain circumstances, may have to recognize and pay tax on such net built-in-gain, in order to qualify as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.

 
 

 

EXCISE TAX ON REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANIES. A 4% non-deductible excise tax is imposed on a regulated investment company to the extent that it distributes income in such a way that it is taxable to shareholders in a calendar year other than the calendar year in which the Fund earned the income. Specifically, the excise tax will be imposed if the Fund fails to distribute in each calendar year an amount equal to 98% of ordinary taxable income, including qualified dividend income, for the calendar year and 98.2% of capital gain net income for the one-year period ending on October 31 of such calendar year (or, at the election of a regulated investment company having a taxable year ending November 30 or December 31, for its taxable year). The balance of such income must be distributed during the next calendar year. For the foregoing purposes, a regulated investment company is treated as having distributed otherwise retained amounts if it is subject to income tax on those amounts for any taxable year ending in such calendar year.

 

The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions of its qualified dividend income, ordinary income and capital gain net income prior to the end of each calendar year to avoid liability for this excise tax. However, investors should note that the Fund may in certain circumstances be required to borrow money or liquidate portfolio investments to make sufficient distributions to avoid excise tax liability.

 

FUND INVESTMENTS. The Fund may make investments or engage in transactions that affect the character, amount and timing of gains or losses realized by the Fund. The Fund may make investments that produce income that is not matched by a corresponding cash receipt by the Fund. Any such income would be treated as income earned by the Fund and therefore would be subject to the Distribution Requirement. Such investments may require the Fund to borrow money or dispose of other securities in order to comply with those requirements. The Fund may also make investments that prevent or defer the recognition of losses or the deduction of expenses. These investments may likewise require the Fund to borrow money or dispose of other securities in order to comply with the Distribution Requirement. Additionally, the Fund may make investments that result in the recognition of ordinary income rather than capital gain, or that prevent the Fund from accruing a long-term holding period. These investments may prevent the Fund from making capital gain distributions as described below. The Fund intends to monitor its transactions, will make the appropriate tax elections and will make the appropriate entries in its books and records when it makes any such investments in order to mitigate the effect of these rules. The foregoing concepts are explained in greater detail in the following paragraphs.

 

Gains or losses on sales of stock or securities by the Fund generally will be treated as long-term capital gains or losses if the stock or securities have been held by it for more than one year, except in certain cases where the Fund acquires a put or writes a call or otherwise holds an offsetting position, with respect to the stock or securities. Other gains or losses on the sale of stock or securities will be short-term capital gains or losses.

 

In certain situations, the Fund may, for a taxable year, defer all or a portion of its net capital loss realized after October (or if there is no net capital loss, then any net long-term or short-term capital loss) and its late-year ordinary loss (defined as the sum of the excess of post-October non-US currency and passive non-US investment company (“PFIC”) losses over post-October non-US currency and PFIC gains plus the excess of post-December ordinary losses over post-December ordinary income) until the next taxable year in computing its investment company taxable income and net capital gain, which will defer the recognition of such realized losses. Such deferrals and other rules regarding gains and losses realized after October (or December) may affect the tax character of shareholder distributions.

 

If an option written by the Fund on securities lapses or is terminated through a closing transaction, such as a repurchase by the Fund of the option from its holder, the Fund will generally realize short-term capital gain or loss. If securities are sold by the Fund pursuant to the exercise of a call option written by it, the Fund will include the premium received in the sale proceeds of the securities delivered in determining the amount of gain or loss on the sale. Gain or loss on the sale, lapse or other termination of options acquired by the Fund on stock or securities and on narrowly-based stock indexes will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term or short-term depending on the holding period of the option.

 

Certain Fund transactions may be subject to wash sale, short sale, constructive sale, conversion transaction, constructive ownership transaction and straddle provisions of the Code that may, among other things, require the Fund to defer recognition of losses or convert long-term capital gain into ordinary income or short-term capital gain taxable as ordinary income.

 

As a result of entering into swap contracts, the Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute taxable ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to the swap for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps, the Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. Periodic net payments that would otherwise constitute ordinary deductions but are allocable under the Code to exempt-interest dividends will not be allowed as a deduction but instead will reduce net tax-exempt income.

 

In general, gain or loss on a short sale is recognized when the Fund closes the sale by delivering the borrowed property to the lender, not when the borrowed property is sold. Gain or loss from a short sale is generally capital gain or loss to the

 
 

extent that the property used to close the short sale constitutes a capital asset in the Fund’s hands. Except with respect to certain situations where the property used by the Fund to close a short sale has a long-term holding period on the date of the short sale, special rules would generally treat the gains on short sales as short-term capital gains. These rules may also terminate the running of the holding period of “substantially identical property” held by the Fund. Moreover, a loss on a short sale will be treated as a long-term capital loss if, on the date of the short sale, “substantially identical property” has been held by the Fund for more than one year. In general, the Fund will not be permitted to deduct payments made to reimburse the lender of securities for dividends paid on borrowed stock if the short sale is closed on or before the 45th day after the short sale is entered into.

 

Debt securities acquired by the Fund may be subject to original issue discount and market discount rules which, respectively, may cause the Fund to accrue income in advance of the receipt of cash with respect to interest or cause gains to be treated as ordinary income subject to the Distribution Requirement referred to above. Market discount generally is the excess, if any, of the principal amount of the security (or, in the case of a security issued at an original issue discount, the adjusted issue price of the security) over the price paid by the Fund for the security. Original issue discount or market discount that accrues in a taxable year is treated as income earned by the Fund and therefore is subject to the Distribution Requirement. Because this income earned by the Fund in a taxable year may not be represented by cash income, the Fund may have to borrow money or dispose of other securities and use the proceeds to make distributions to satisfy the Distribution Requirement.

 

Certain futures contracts and certain listed options (referred to as Section 1256 contracts) held by the Fund will be required to be “marked to market” for federal income tax purposes at the end of the Fund’s taxable year, that is, treated as having been sold at the fair market value on the last business day of the Fund’s taxable year. Except with respect to certain non-US currency forward contracts, sixty percent of any gain or loss recognized on these deemed sales and on actual dispositions will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and forty percent will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. Any net mark-to-market gains may be subject to the Distribution Requirement referred to above, even though the Fund may receive no corresponding cash amounts, possibly requiring the disposition of portfolio securities or borrowing to obtain the necessary cash.

 

Gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates that occur between the time the Fund accrues interest or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a non-US currency and the time the Fund actually collects such receivables or pays such liabilities are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, gains or losses on non-US currency forward contracts or dispositions of debt securities denominated in a non-US currency that are attributable to fluctuations in the value of the non-US currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition thereof generally also are treated as ordinary income or loss. These gains or losses, referred to under the Code as “Section 988” gains or losses, increase or decrease the amount of the Fund’s investment company taxable income available to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income, rather than increasing or decreasing the amount of the Fund’s net capital gain. If Section 988 losses exceed other investment company taxable income during a taxable year, the Fund would not be able to make any ordinary dividend distributions from current earnings and profits, and distributions made before the losses were realized could be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders, rather than as an ordinary dividend, thereby reducing each shareholder’s basis in his or her Fund shares.

 

If the Fund holds (directly or indirectly) one or more “tax credit bonds” (defined below) on one or more specified dates during the Fund’s taxable year, and the Fund satisfies the minimum distribution requirement, the Fund may elect for US federal income tax purposes to pass through to shareholders tax credits otherwise allowable to the Fund for that year with respect to such bonds. A tax credit bond is defined in the Code as a “qualified tax credit bond” (which includes a qualified forestry conservation bond, a new clean renewable energy bond, a qualified energy conservation bond, a qualified zone academy bond, or a qualified school construction bond, each of which must meet certain requirements specified in the Code), a “build America bond” or certain other specified bonds. If the Fund were to make an election, a shareholder of the Fund would be required to include in gross income an amount equal to such shareholder’s proportionate share of the interest income attributable to such credits and would be entitled to claim as a tax credit an amount equal to the shareholder’s proportionate share of such credits. Certain limitations may apply on the extent to which the credit may be claimed.

 

The Fund may make investments in equity securities of non-US issuers. If the Fund purchases shares in PFICs, the Fund may be subject to federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” from such non-US corporation, including any gain from the disposition of such shares, even if such income is distributed by the Fund to its shareholders. In addition, certain interest charges may be imposed on the Fund as a result of such distributions. If the Fund were to invest in an eligible PFIC and elected to treat the PFIC as a qualified electing fund (a “QEF”), in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the Fund would be required to include each year in its income and distribute to shareholders in accordance with the Distribution Requirement, a pro rata portion of the QEF’s ordinary earnings and net capital gain, whether or not distributed by the QEF to the Fund. The Fund may not be able to make this election with respect to many PFICs because of certain requirements that the PFICs would have to satisfy.

 

Alternatively, the Fund generally will be permitted to “mark to market” any shares it holds in a PFIC. If the Fund made such an election, with such election being made separately for each PFIC owned by the Fund, the Fund would be required to include in income each year and distribute to shareholders in accordance with the Distribution Requirement, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock as of the close of the taxable year over the adjusted

 
 

basis of such stock at that time. The Fund would be allowed a deduction for the excess, if any, of the adjusted basis of the PFIC stock over its fair market value as of the close of the taxable year, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to the stock included by the Fund for prior taxable years. The Fund will make appropriate basis adjustments in the PFIC stock to take into account the mark-to-market amounts.

 

Notwithstanding any election made by the Fund, dividends attributable to distributions from a non-US corporation will not be eligible for the special tax rates applicable to qualified dividend income if the non-US corporation is a PFIC either in the taxable year of the distribution or the preceding taxable year, but instead will be taxable at rates applicable to ordinary income.

 

The Fund may invest in REITs. The Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. In order to generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio that it otherwise would have continued to hold (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in the Fund’s receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings; if the Fund distributes such amounts, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to Fund shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT will generally not constitute qualified dividend income. REITs will generally be able to pass through the tax treatment of tax-qualified dividends they receive. However, under current law, the Fund will not be able to pass through to its shareholders the special character of ordinary REIT dividends as qualified business income. By contrast, a direct investor in a REIT would generally be entitled to a 20% deduction with respect to ordinary REIT dividends, resulting in a lower effective tax rate.

 

Some of the REITs in which the Fund may invest will be permitted to hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”). Under Treasury regulations not yet issued, but that may apply retroactively, a portion of the Fund’s income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT’s residual interest in a REMIC (referred to in the Code as an “excess inclusion”) will be subject to federal income tax in all events. These regulations are expected to provide that excess inclusion income of a regulated investment company, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the regulated investment company in proportion to the dividends received by shareholders, with the same consequences as if shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest directly.

 

In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders (i) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions), (ii) will constitute unrelated business taxable income to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on unrelated business income, thereby potentially requiring such an entity that is allocated excess inclusion income, and that otherwise might not be required to file a tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income, and (iii) in the case of a non-US shareholder, will not qualify for any reduction in US federal withholding tax.

 

Under current law, if a charitable remainder trust (defined in Section 664 of the Code) realizes any unrelated business taxable income for a taxable year, it will be subject to an excise tax equal to 100% of such unrelated business taxable income. In addition, if at any time during any taxable year a “disqualified organization” (as defined in the Code) is a record holder of a share in a regulated investment company, then the regulated investment company will be subject to a tax equal to that portion of its excess inclusion income for the taxable year that is allocable to the disqualified organization, multiplied by the highest federal income tax rate imposed on corporations. The Fund does not intend to invest directly in residual interests in REMICs or to invest in REITs in which a substantial portion of the assets will consist of residual interests in REMICs.

 

FUND DISTRIBUTIONS. The Fund anticipates distributing substantially all of its net investment income for each taxable year. Dividends of net investment income paid to a non-corporate US shareholder that are reported as qualified dividend income will generally be taxable to such shareholder at capital gain income tax rates. The amount of dividend income that may be reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income will generally be limited to the aggregate of the eligible dividends received by the Fund. In addition, the Fund must meet certain holding period requirements with respect to the shares on which the Fund received the eligible dividends, and the non-corporate US shareholder must meet certain holding period requirements with respect to the Fund shares. Dividends of net investment income that are not reported as qualified dividend income or exempt-interest dividends and dividends of net short-term capital gains will be taxable to shareholders at ordinary income rates. Dividends paid by the Fund with respect to a taxable year will qualify for the dividends received deduction generally available to corporations to the extent of the amount of dividends received by the Fund from certain domestic corporations for the taxable year. Shareholders will be advised annually as to the US federal income tax consequences of distributions made (or deemed made) during the year, including the portion of dividends paid (if any) that qualify for the reduced tax rate.

 

Ordinarily, shareholders are required to take taxable distributions by the Fund into account in the year in which the distributions are made. However, for federal income tax purposes, dividends that are declared by the Fund in October, November or December as of a record date in such month and actually paid in January of the following year will be treated as if they were paid on December 31 of the year declared. Therefore, such dividends will generally be taxable to a shareholder in the year declared rather than the year paid.

 

 
 

Dividends paid by the Fund that are properly reported as exempt-interest dividends will not be subject to regular federal income tax. Dividends paid by the Fund will be exempt from federal income tax (though not necessarily exempt from state and local taxation) to the extent of the Fund’s tax-exempt interest income as long as 50% or more of the value of the Fund’s assets at the end of each quarter is invested in (1) state, municipal and other bonds that are excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes or (2) interests in other regulated investment companies, and, in each case, as long as the Fund properly reports such dividends as exempt-interest dividends. Exempt-interest dividends from interest earned on municipal securities of a state, or its political subdivisions, are generally exempt from income tax in that state. However, income from municipal securities from other states generally will not qualify for tax-free treatment.

 

Interest on indebtedness incurred by a shareholder to purchase or carry shares of the Fund will not be deductible for US federal income tax purposes to the extent it relates to exempt-interest dividends received by a shareholder. If a shareholder receives exempt-interest dividends with respect to any share of the Fund (unless the Fund declares income dividends daily and pays such dividends at least as frequently as monthly) and if the share is held by the shareholder for six months or less, then any loss on the sale or exchange of the share may, to the extent of the exempt-interest dividends, be disallowed. In addition, the Code may require a shareholder that receives exempt-interest dividends to treat as taxable income a portion of certain otherwise non-taxable social security and railroad retirement benefit payments. Furthermore, a portion of any exempt-interest dividend paid by the Fund that represents income derived from certain revenue or private activity bonds held by the Fund may not retain its tax-exempt status in the hands of a shareholder who is a “substantial user” of a facility financed by such bonds, or a “related person” thereof. In addition, the receipt of dividends and distributions from the Fund may affect a non-US corporate shareholder’s federal “branch profits” tax liability and the federal “excess net passive income” tax liability of a shareholder of an S corporation. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers as to whether they are (i) “substantial users” with respect to a facility or “related” to such users within the meaning of the Code or (ii) subject to the federal “branch profits” tax, or the federal “excess net passive income” tax.

 

The Fund may either retain or distribute to shareholders its net capital gain (i.e., excess net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) for each taxable year. The Fund currently intends to distribute any such amounts. If net capital gain is distributed and reported as a “capital gain dividend,” it will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shareholder has held its shares or whether such gain was recognized by the Fund prior to the date on which the shareholder acquired its shares. Conversely, if the Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, the Fund will be taxed thereon (except to the extent of any available capital loss carryovers) at the 21% corporate tax rate. In such a case, it is expected that the Fund also will elect to have shareholders of record on the last day of its taxable year treated as if each received a distribution of its pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each shareholder will be required to report its pro rata share of such gain on its tax return as long-term capital gain, will receive a refundable tax credit for its pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain, and will increase the tax basis for its shares by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.

 

Distributions by the Fund that exceed the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of (and in reduction of) the shareholder’s tax basis in its shares; any distribution in excess of such tax basis will be treated as gain from the sale of its shares, as discussed below.

 

Distributions by the Fund will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund (or of another fund). Shareholders receiving a distribution in the form of additional shares will be treated as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of cash that could have been received. In addition, prospective investors in the Fund should consider the tax implications of buying shares just prior to a distribution, when the price of shares may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution. In this case, the distribution will be taxable as described above, even if the distribution effectively represents a return of invested capital.

 

SALE OF SHARES. A shareholder will generally recognize gain or loss on the sale or redemption of shares in an amount equal to the difference between the proceeds of the sale or redemption and the shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the shares. All or a portion of any loss so recognized may be disallowed if the shareholder acquires other shares of the Fund or substantially identical stock or securities within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before such disposition, such as pursuant to reinvestment of a dividend in shares of the Fund. Additionally, if a shareholder disposes of shares of the Fund within 90 days following their acquisition, and the shareholder subsequently re-acquires Fund shares (1) before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the original stock was disposed of, (2) pursuant to a reinvestment right received upon the purchase of the original shares and (3) at a reduced load charge (i.e., sales or additional charge), then any load charge incurred upon the acquisition of the original shares will not be taken into account as part of the shareholder’s basis for computing gain or loss upon the sale of such shares, to the extent the original load charge does not exceed any reduction of the load charge with respect to the acquisition of the subsequent shares. To the extent the original load charge is not taken into account on the disposition of the original shares, such charge shall be treated as incurred in connection with the acquisition of the subsequent shares. In general, any gain or loss arising from (or treated as arising from) the sale or redemption of shares of the Fund will be considered capital gain or loss and will be long term capital gain or loss if the shares were held for more than one year. However, any capital loss arising from the sale or redemption of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of long-term capital gain dividends received on (or undistributed long-term capital gains credited with respect to) such shares.

 

 
 

Capital gain of a non-corporate US shareholder is generally taxed at a federal income tax rate of up to 15% or 20% for individuals, depending on whether their incomes exceed certain threshold amounts, which are adjusted annually for inflation, where the property is held by the shareholder for more than one year. Capital gain of a corporate shareholder is taxed at the same rate as ordinary income.

 

Cost Basis Reporting . Your broker or other intermediary must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when you sell or exchange shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012 in your non-retirement accounts. The cost basis regulations do not affect retirement accounts, money market funds, and shares acquired before January 1, 2012. The regulations also require reporting whether a gain or loss is short-term (shares held one year or less) or long-term (shares held more than one year) for all shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012 that are subsequently sold or exchanged. To calculate the gain or loss on shares sold, you need to know the cost basis of the shares. Cost basis is the original value of an asset for tax purposes (usually the gross purchase price), adjusted for stock splits, reinvested dividends, and return of capital distributions. This value is used to determine the capital gain (or loss), which is the difference between the cost basis of the shares and the gross proceeds when the shares are sold. Intermediaries generally support several different cost basis methods from which you may select a cost basis method you believe best suited to your needs. If you decide to elect the default method, no action is required on your part.

 

TAXATION ON CREATIONS AND REDEMPTIONS OF CREATION UNITS. An Authorized Participant generally will recognize either gain or loss upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units. This gain or loss is calculated by taking the market value of the Creation Units purchased over the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the Deposit Securities exchanged therefor. However, the IRS may apply the wash sales rules to determine that any loss realized upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units is not currently deductible. Authorized Participants should consult their own tax advisors.

 

Capital gain or loss realized from the redemption of Creation Units will generally create long-term capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the Creation Units for more than one year, or short-term capital gain or loss if the Creation Units were held for one year or less, if the Creation Units are held as capital assets.

 

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has the right to reject an order for a purchase of shares of the Fund if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Sections 351 and 362 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. If the Fund’s basis in such securities on the date of deposit was less than market value on such date, the Fund, upon disposition of the securities, would recognize more taxable gain or less taxable loss than if its basis in the securities had been equal to market value. It is not anticipated that the Trust will exercise the right of rejection except in a case where the Trust determines that accepting the order could result in material adverse tax consequences to the Fund or its shareholders. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination.

 

BACKUP WITHHOLDING. The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the US Treasury a portion, based on the backup withholding rate, of all dividends and capital gain dividends, and the proceeds of redemption of shares, paid to any shareholder (1) who has provided the Fund with either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) who is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to report the receipt of interest or dividend income properly or (3) who has failed to certify to the Fund that it is not subject to backup withholding or that it is a corporation or other exempt recipient. In addition, dividends and capital gain dividends made to corporate United States holders may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be refunded or credited against a shareholder’s federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the IRS.

 

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the Fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not exempted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

 

MEDICARE CONTRIBUTION TAX. A US person that is an individual or estate, or a trust that does not fall into a special class of trusts that is exempt from such tax, is subject to a 3.8% tax on the lesser of (1) the US person’s “net investment income” for the relevant taxable year and (2) the excess of the US person’s modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year over $200,000 (or $250,000 if married filing jointly). The Fund shareholder’s net investment income will generally include, among other things, dividend income from the Fund and net gains from the disposition of Fund shares, unless such dividend income or net gains are derived in the ordinary course of the conduct of a trade or business (other than a trade or business that consists of certain passive or trading activities). If you are a US person that is an individual, estate or trust, you are urged to consult your tax advisers regarding the applicability of the Medicare contribution tax to your income and gains in respect of your investment in the Fund shares.

 

 
 

NON-US SHAREHOLDERS. Dividends paid to a shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual, non-US trust or estate, non-US corporation, or non-US partnership (“non-US shareholder”) will be subject to US withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) on the gross amount of the dividend. Such a non-US shareholder would generally be exempt from US federal income tax, including withholding tax, on gains realized on the sale of shares of the Fund, net capital gain dividends, exempt-interest dividends, and amounts retained by the Fund that are reported as undistributed capital gains.

 

The foregoing applies when the non-US shareholder’s income from the Fund is not effectively connected with a US trade or business. If the income from the Fund is effectively connected with a US trade or business carried on by a non-US shareholder, then ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income, net capital gain dividends, undistributed capital gains credited to such shareholder and any gains realized upon the sale of shares of the Fund will be subject to US federal income tax at the graduated rates applicable to US citizens or domestic corporations.

 

Distributions that the Fund reports as “short-term capital gain dividends” or “long-term capital gain dividends” will not be treated as such to a recipient non-US shareholder if the distribution is attributable to a REIT’s distribution to the Fund of a gain from the sale or exchange of US real property or an interest in a US real property holding corporation and the Fund’s direct or indirect interests in US real property exceed certain levels. Instead, if the non-US shareholder has not owned more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Fund at any time during the one year period ending on the date of distribution, such distributions will be subject to 30% withholding by the Fund and will be treated as ordinary dividends to the non-US shareholder; if the non-US shareholder owned more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Fund at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution, such distribution will be treated as real property gain subject to 21% withholding tax and could subject the non-US shareholder to US filing requirements. Additionally, if the Fund’s direct or indirect interests in US real property were to exceed certain levels, a non-US shareholder realizing gains upon a sale of Fund shares could be subject to the 21% withholding tax and US filing requirements unless more than 50% of the Fund’s shares were owned by US persons at such time or unless the non-US person had not held more than 5% of the Fund’s outstanding shares throughout either such person’s holding period for the redeemed shares or, if shorter, the previous five years.

 

The rules laid out in the previous paragraph, other than the withholding rules, will apply notwithstanding the Fund’s participation in a wash sale transaction or its payment of a substitute dividend.

 

Provided that more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s stock is held by US shareholders, distributions of US real property interests (including securities in a US real property holding corporation, unless such corporation is regularly traded on an established securities market and the Fund has held 5% or less of the outstanding shares of the corporation during the five-year period ending on the date of distribution), in redemption of a non-US shareholder’s shares of the Fund will cause the Fund to recognize gain. If the Fund is required to recognize gain, the amount of gain recognized will be equal to the fair market value of such interests over the Fund’s adjusted bases to the extent of the greatest non-US ownership percentage of the Fund during the five-year period ending on the date of redemption.

 

In the case of non-US non-corporate shareholders, the Fund may be required to backup withhold US federal income tax on distributions that are otherwise exempt from withholding tax unless such shareholders furnish the Fund with proper notification of their non-US status.

 

A 30% withholding tax is currently imposed on US-source dividends, interest and other income items, and will be imposed on proceeds from the sale of property producing US-source dividends and interest paid after December 31, 2018, to (i) non-US financial institutions including non-US investment funds unless they agree to collect and disclose to the IRS information regarding their direct and indirect US account holders and (ii) certain other non-US entities, unless they certify certain information regarding their direct and indirect US owners. To avoid withholding, non-US financial institutions will need to (i) enter into agreements with the IRS that state that they will provide the IRS information, including the names, addresses and taxpayer identification numbers of direct and indirect US account holders, comply with due diligence procedures with respect to the identification of US accounts, report to the IRS certain information with respect to US accounts maintained, agree to withhold tax on certain payments made to non-compliant non-US financial institutions or to account holders, or (ii) in the event that an intergovernmental agreement and implementing legislation are adopted, provide local revenue authorities with similar account holder information. Other non-US entities will need to either provide the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each substantial US owner or certifications of no substantial US ownership unless certain exceptions apply.

 

The tax consequences to a non-US shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may be different from those described herein. Non-US shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund, the procedure for claiming the benefit of a lower treaty rate and the applicability of non-US taxes.

 

NON-US TAXES. The Fund may be subject to non-US withholding taxes or other non-US taxes with respect to income (possibly including, in some cases, capital gain) received from sources within non-US countries. So long as more than 50% by value of the total assets of the Fund (1) at the close of the taxable year, consists of stock or securities of non-US issuers,

 
 

or (2) at the close of each quarter, consists of interests in other regulated investment companies, the Fund may elect to treat any non-US income taxes paid by it as paid directly by its shareholders.

 

If the Fund makes the election, each shareholder will be required to (i) include in gross income, even though not actually received, its pro rata share of the Fund’s non-US income taxes, and (ii) either deduct (in calculating US taxable income) or credit (in calculating US federal income tax) its pro rata share of the Fund’s income taxes. A non-US tax credit may not exceed the US federal income tax otherwise payable with respect to the non-US source income. For this purpose, each shareholder must treat as non-US source gross income (i) its proportionate share of non-US taxes paid by the Fund and (ii) the portion of any actual dividend paid by the Fund which represents income derived from non-US sources; the gain from the sale of securities will generally be treated as US source income and certain non-US currency gains and losses likewise will be treated as derived from US sources. This non-US tax credit limitation is, with certain exceptions, applied separately to separate categories of income; dividends from the Fund will be treated as “passive” or “general” income for this purpose. The effect of this limitation may be to prevent shareholders from claiming as a credit the full amount of their pro rata share of the Fund’s non-US income taxes. In addition, shareholders will not be eligible to claim a non-US tax credit with respect to non-US income taxes paid by the Fund unless certain holding period requirements are met at both the Fund and the shareholder levels. For purposes of foreign tax credits for US shareholders of the Fund, foreign capital gains taxes may not produce associated foreign source income, limiting the availability of such credits for US persons.

 

The Fund will make such an election only if it deems it to be in the best interest of its shareholders. A shareholder not subject to US tax may prefer that this election not be made. The Fund will notify shareholders in writing each year if it makes the election and of the amount of non-US income taxes, if any, to be passed through to the shareholders and the amount of non-US taxes, if any, for which shareholders of the Fund will not be eligible to claim a non-US tax credit because the holding period requirements (described above) have not been satisfied.

 

Shares of the Fund held by a non-US shareholder at death will be considered situated within the United States and subject to the US estate tax.

 

STATE AND LOCAL TAX MATTERS. Depending on the residence of the shareholders for tax purposes, distributions may also be subject to state and local taxes. Rules of state and local taxation regarding qualified dividend income, ordinary income dividends and capital gains distributions from regulated investment companies and other items may differ from federal income tax rules. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers as to the consequences of these and other state and local tax rules affecting investment in the Fund.

 

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The Board has adopted policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of portfolio securities owned be each fund and to authorize certain arrangements to make available information about portfolio holdings. These policies and procedures are designed to ensure that disclosures of a fund’s portfolio holdings are made consistently with the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the fiduciary duties of each fund and its adviser or exemptive orders of the Securities and Exchange Commission granting exemptions from certain provisions of the 1940 Act and permitting the operation of a Fund as an ETF, and the requirements of any Exchange. The policy is designed to ensure that disclosures of nonpublic portfolio holdings to selected third parties are made only when the fund has legitimate business purposes for doing so and the recipients are subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the nonpublic information.

 

The Board has authorized PGIM Investments, as the investment manager of each fund, to administer these policies and procedures and to enter into confidentiality agreements on behalf of the funds that provide that all information disclosed shall be treated as confidential and that the recipient will not trade on the nonpublic information. No material, non-public information, including but not limited to portfolio holdings, may be disseminated to third parties except in compliance with these policies and procedures.

 

The Custodian Bank (Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.) is authorized to facilitate, under the supervision of PGIM Investments, the release of portfolio holdings.

 

The Fund will post on its publicly available website on each day that a Fund is open for business, including as required by Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act (a “Business Day”), before commencement of trading of the Fund’s shares on the Exchange, the identities and quantities of the portfolio securities, assets and other positions held by the Fund that will form the basis for the ETF’s calculation of NAV at the end of the Business Day. The website will be publicly available at no charge. The Fund’s portfolio holdings, or portions thereof, also may be disclosed through financial reporting and news services, such as Bloomberg, and through other publicly accessible Internet websites.

 

In addition, a basket composition file, which includes the security names and share quantities to deliver (or be received) in exchange for Fund shares, together with estimates and actual cash components, will be publicly disseminated daily prior to

 
 

the opening of the Exchange(s) via the NSCC or other method in compliance with the Orders. Neither the Fund nor their service providers may publicly disseminate material non-public information concerning a Fund without the approval of the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

Complete Fund Holdings will be made public at the time of quarterly public regulatory filings via Forms N-CSR and/or N-Q, unless noted otherwise herein.

 

Daily Calculation of Net Asset Value. The net asset value per share of the Fund will be calculated on each Business Day and will be made available to all market participants at the same time via the Fund’s Website. A Fund’s net asset value may also be made available through other published means (e.g., in newspapers or other Internet websites). The Fund’s website will also include, on a per share basis, the market closing price or mid-point of the bid/ask spread at the time of calculation of such net asset value, and a calculation of the premium or discount of the market closing price or mid-point of the bid/ask spread against such net asset value.

 

Public Disclosures—Non-Specific Information. Each fund and/or PGIM Investments may publicly distribute non-specific information about the funds and/or summary information about the funds at any time. Such information will not identify any specific portfolio holding, but may reflect, among other things, the quality or character of a fund’s holdings.

 

Ongoing Nonpublic Disclosure Arrangements. Each fund has entered into ongoing arrangements to make available nonpublic information about its portfolio holdings, subject to the conditions, restrictions and requirements set forth below. Parties receiving this information may include intermediaries that distribute fund shares, third-party providers of auditing, custody, proxy voting and other services for the funds, rating and ranking organizations, and certain affiliated persons of each fund, as described below. The procedures utilized to determine eligibility are set forth below:

 

All requests from third parties for portfolio holdings shall require the following steps:

 

■ A request for release of portfolio holdings shall be prepared setting forth a legitimate business purpose for such release which shall specify the fund(s), the terms of such release, and frequency (e.g., level of detail, staleness). Such request shall address whether there are any conflicts of interest between the fund and the investment adviser, subadviser, principal underwriter or any affiliated person thereof and how such conflicts shall be dealt with to demonstrate that the disclosure is in the best interest of the shareholders of the fund(s).

■ The request shall be forwarded to PGIM Investments’ Product Development Group and to the Chief Compliance Officer or his delegate for review and approval.

■ A confidentiality agreement in the form approved by a fund officer must be executed by the recipient of the portfolio holdings.

■ A fund officer shall approve the release and the agreement. Copies of the release and agreement shall be sent to PGIM Investments’ Law Department.

■ Written notification of the approval shall be sent by such officer to PGIM Investments’ Fund Administration Group to arrange the release of portfolio holdings.

■ PGIM Investments’ Fund Administration Group shall arrange the release by the Custodian Bank.

 

Requests for disclosure to PGIM Investments or its employees shall follow the procedures noted above other than the execution of a confidentiality agreement.

 

Set forth below are the authorized ongoing arrangements as of the date of this SAI:

 

1. Traditional External Recipients/Vendors

■ Full holdings on a daily basis to Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), Broadridge and Glass, Lewis & Co. (proxy voting administrator/agents) at the end of each day;

■ Full holdings on a daily basis to ISS (securities class action claims administrator) at the end of each day;

■ Full holdings on a daily basis to a fund's Subadviser(s), Custodian Bank, sub-custodian (if any) and accounting agents (which includes the Custodian Bank and any other accounting agent that may be appointed) at the end of each day. When a fund has more than one Subadviser, each Subadviser receives holdings information only with respect to the “sleeve” or segment of the fund for which the Subadviser has responsibility;

■ [Full holdings on a daily basis to [Securities Lending Agent] at the end of each day;]

 
 

■ Full holdings to a fund's independent registered public accounting firm as soon as practicable following the fund's fiscal year-end or on an as-needed basis;

Full holdings to a fund’s counsel on an as-needed basis;

Full holdings to counsel to a fund’s independent board members on an as-needed basis; and

■ Full holdings to financial printers as soon as practicable following the end of a fund's quarterly, semi-annual and annual period-ends.

 

2. Analytical Service Providers

■ Fund trades on a quarterly basis to Abel/Noser Corp. (an agency-only broker and transaction cost analysis company) as soon as practicable following a fund's fiscal quarter-end;

■ Full holdings on a daily basis to FactSet Research Systems, Inc. (investment research provider) at the end of each day;

■ Full holdings on a daily basis to FT Interactive Data (a fair value information service) at the end of each day;

■ Full holdings on a quarterly basis to Frank Russell Company (investment research provider) when made available;

■ Full holdings on a monthly basis to Fidelity Advisors (wrap program provider) approximately five days after the end of each month (Prudential Jennison Growth fund and certain other selected Prudential Funds only);

■ Full holdings on a daily basis to ICE (InterContinental Exchange), IHS Markit and Thompson Reuters (securities valuation);

■ Full holdings on a daily basis to Standard & Poor’s Corporation (securities valuation);

■ Full holdings on a monthly basis to FX Transparency (foreign exchange/transaction analysis) when made available.

 

In each case, the information disclosed must be for a legitimate business purpose and is subject to a confidentiality agreement intended to prohibit the recipient from trading on or further disseminating such information (except for legitimate business purposes).

 

In addition, certain authorized employees of PGIM Investments receive portfolio holdings information on a quarterly, monthly or daily basis or upon request, in order to perform their business functions. All PGIM Investments employees are subject to the requirements of the personal securities trading policy of Prudential, which prohibits employees from trading on or further disseminating confidential information, including portfolio holdings information.

 

There can be no assurance that the policies and procedures on portfolio holdings information will protect a fund from the potential misuse of such information by individuals or entities that come into possession of the information.

PROXY VOTING

The Board has delegated to the Manager the responsibility for voting any proxies and maintaining proxy recordkeeping with respect to the Fund. The Manager is authorized by the Fund to delegate, in whole or in part, its proxy voting authority to the investment subadviser(s) or third party vendors consistent with the policies set forth below. The proxy voting process shall remain subject to the supervision of the Board, including any committee thereof established for that purpose.

 

The Manager and the Board view the proxy voting process as a component of the investment process and, as such, seek to ensure that all proxy proposals are voted with the primary goal of seeking the optimal benefit for the Fund. Consistent with this goal, the Board views the proxy voting process as a means to encourage strong corporate governance practices and ethical conduct by corporate management. The Manager and the Board maintain a policy of seeking to protect the best interests of the Fund should a proxy issue potentially implicate a conflict of interest between the Fund and the Manager or its affiliates.

 

The Manager delegates to the Fund's Subadviser(s) the responsibility for voting proxies. The Subadviser is expected to identify and seek to obtain the optimal benefit for the Fund, and to adopt written policies that meet certain minimum standards, including that the policies be reasonably designed to protect the best interests of the Fund and delineate procedures to be followed when a proxy vote presents a conflict between the interests of the Fund and the interests of the Subadviser or its affiliates. The Manager and the Board expect that the Subadviser will notify the Manager and Board at least annually of any such conflicts identified and confirm how the issue was resolved. In addition, the Manager expects that the Subadviser will deliver to the Manager, or its appointed vendor, information required for filing the Form N-PX with the SEC. Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to its portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ending June 30 is available without charge on the Fund's website at www.pgiminvestments.com and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

 

 
 

A summary of the proxy voting policies of the Subadviser(s) is set forth in its respective Appendix to this SAI.

 

CODES OF ETHICS

The Board has adopted a Code of Ethics. In addition, the Manager, investment subadviser(s) and Distributor have each adopted a Code of Ethics. The Codes of Ethics apply to access persons (generally, persons who have access to information about the Fund's investment program) and permit personnel subject to the Codes of Ethics to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. However, the protective provisions of the Codes of Ethics prohibit certain investments and limit such personnel from making investments during periods when the Fund is making such investments. The Codes of Ethics are on public file with, and are available from, the SEC.

 
 

 

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

PGIM ULTRA SHORT BOND ETF

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

[_______________ __], 2018

 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The Board of Trustees and Shareholder

PGIM ETF Trust

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities (in Organization) of the PGIM Ultra Short Bond Fund (the “Fund”), the sole series of the PGIM ETF Trust (the “Trust”) as of [ ], 2018, and the related statement of operations (in Organization) for the period October 23, 2017 to [ ], 2018. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of [ ], 2018, and the results of its operations for the period October 23, 2017 to [ ], 2018, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

 

[ ] 

 
[                                   ]  
[                       ], 2018  

 


 
 

 

PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (in Organization)

 

As of [ ], 2018

 

Assets      
Cash   $ [      ]  
Deferred offering costs   [      ]  
Receivable from Manager   100,000  
Total assets   [      ]  
Liabilities      
Accrued offering costs   [      ]  
Total liabilities   [      ]  
Total Net Assets   $ [      ]  
Net Assets      
Par value ($.001 par value; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized, [               ] shares outstanding)   $    
Paid-in capital in excess of par value   [      ]  
Total Net Assets   $ [      ]  
Shares Outstanding      
Net Asset Value Per Share   $    

 

See Accompanying Notes to Financial Statements

 

 


 
 

 

PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF

 

Statement of Operations (in Organization)

 

For the period from October 23, 2017 to [ ], 2018

 

Investment Income      
Investment Income   $  
Expenses      
Organizational expenses   100,000  
Total expense   100,000  
Less: Fee waivers and expense reimbursements   (100,000 )
Net expenses    
Net investment income   $  

 

See Accompanying Notes to Financial Statements

 

 
 

 

PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

[_______________ __], 2018

 

Note 1 — Organization

 

PGIM ETF Trust (the “Trust”) is a newly organized, diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and operated as an exchange traded fund. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on October 23, 2017 and the PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF is a series of the Trust (the “Fund”). The Fund has not yet commenced investment operations.

 

Note 2 — Significant Accounting Policies

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Fund in the preparation of the financial statements.

 

Organization Costs

 

[PGIM Investments LLC (“PGIM Investments”) will pay the Fund for all organizational expenses incurred by the Fund pursuant to its management agreement with the Trust.]

 

Federal Income Taxes

 

It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the federal income and excise tax requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies. Accordingly, the Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its taxable income and net realized gains, if any, to stockholders each year.

 

Note 3 — Management Agreement and Transactions with Affiliates

 

PGIM Investments will be the Fund’s investment manager and will supervise the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio by the Fund’s subadviser. PGIM Investments, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. (“Prudential”), is a registered investment adviser and will provide administrative and management services to the Fund. PGIM Investments will receive an annual fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal to 0.15% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.

 

The PGIM Fixed Income division of PGIM, Inc. (“PGIM”) will be the Fund’s subadviser. PGIM is a registered investment adviser and will be responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund subject to the supervision of the Fund’s board of trustees and PGIM Investments. No advisory fee will be paid by the Fund directly to PGIM.

 

All officers and certain Trustees of the Fund are employees of PGIM Investments or its affiliates and do not receive compensation from the Fund.

 

Note 4 — Capital

 

The Fund has issued [ ] shares. All shares were owned by PGIM Investments LLC.

 

Note 5 — Organization and Offering Costs

 

[TO COME]

Note 6 — Subsequent Events

 

The Fund has performed an evaluation of subsequent events through the date which the financial statements were issued and determined that there were no events that would require disclosure in the financial statements.

 
 

 

APPENDIX I: PROXY VOTING POLICIES OF THE SUBADVISER

PGIM, INC.

 

The policy of each of PGIM’s asset management units is to vote proxies in the best interests of their respective clients based on the clients’ priorities. Client interests are placed ahead of any potential interest of PGIM or its asset management units.

 

Because the various asset management units manage distinct classes of assets with differing management styles, some units will consider each proxy on its individual merits while other units may adopt a pre-determined set of voting guidelines. The specific voting approach of each unit is noted below.

 

Relevant members of management and regulatory personnel oversee the proxy voting process and monitor potential conflicts of interest. In addition, should the need arise, senior members of management, as advised by Compliance and Law, are authorized to address any proxy matter involving an actual or apparent conflict of interest that cannot be resolved at the level of an individual asset management business unit.

 

VOTING APPROACH OF PGIM ASSET MANAGEMENT UNITS

PGIM Fixed Income. PGIM Fixed Income is a business unit of PGIM. PGIM Fixed Income’s policy is to vote proxies in the best economic interest of its clients. In the case of pooled accounts, the policy is to vote proxies in the best economic interest of the pooled account. The proxy voting policy contains detailed voting guidelines on a wide variety of issues commonly voted upon by shareholders. These guidelines reflect PGIM Fixed Income’s judgment of how to further the best economic interest of its clients through the shareholder or debt-holder voting process.

 

PGIM Fixed Income invests primarily in debt securities, thus there are few traditional proxies voted by it. PGIM Fixed Income generally votes with management on routine matters such as the appointment of accountants or the election of directors. From time to time, ballot issues arise that are not addressed by the policy or circumstances may suggest a vote not in accordance with the established guidelines. In these cases, voting decisions are made on a case-by-case basis by the applicable portfolio manager taking into consideration the potential economic impact of the proposal. Not all ballots are received by PGIM Fixed Income in advance of voting deadlines, but when ballots are received in a timely fashion, PGIM Fixed Income strives to meet its voting obligations. It cannot, however, guarantee that every proxy will be voted prior to its deadline.

 

With respect to non-U.S. holdings, PGIM Fixed Income takes into account additional restrictions in some countries that might impair its ability to trade those securities or have other potentially adverse economic consequences. PGIM Fixed Income generally votes non-U.S. securities on a best efforts basis if it determines that voting is in the best economic interest of its clients.

 

Occasionally, a conflict of interest may arise in connection with proxy voting. For example, the issuer of the securities being voted may also be a client of PGIM Fixed Income. When PGIM Fixed Income identifies an actual or potential material conflict of interest between the firm and its clients with respect to proxy voting, the matter is presented to senior management who will resolve such issue in consultation with the compliance and legal departments. Any issues relating to proxy voting are also escalated to the PGIM Fixed Income Trade Management Oversight Committee.

 

Any client may obtain a copy of PGIM Fixed Income’s proxy voting policy, guidelines and procedures, as well as the proxy voting records for that client’s securities, by contacting the client service representative responsible for the client’s account.

 

PGIM Real Estate. PGIM Real Estate is a business unit of PGIM. PGIM Real Estate's proxy voting policy contains detailed voting guidelines on a wide variety of issues commonly voted upon by shareholders. These guidelines reflect PGIM Real Estate's judgment of how to further the best long-range economic interest of our clients (i.e. the mutual interest of clients in seeing the appreciation in value of a common investment over time) through the shareholder voting process. PGIM Real Estate’s policy is generally to vote proxies on social or political issues on a case by case basis. Additionally, where issues are not addressed by our policy, or when circumstances suggest a vote not in accordance with our established guidelines, voting decisions are made on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the potential economic impact of the proposal. With respect to international holdings, we take into account additional restrictions in some countries that might impair our ability to trade those securities or have other potentially adverse economic consequences, and generally vote foreign securities on a best efforts basis in accordance with the recommendations of the issuer's management if we determine that voting is in the best economic interest of our clients.

 

PGIM Real Estate utilizes the services of a third party proxy voting facilitator, and upon receipt of proxies will direct the voting facilitator to vote in a manner consistent with PGIM Real Estate's established proxy voting guidelines described above (assuming timely receipt of proxy materials from issuers and custodians). In accordance with its obligations under the

 
 

Advisers Act, PGIM Real Estate provides full disclosure of its proxy voting policy, guidelines and procedures to its clients upon their request, and will also provide to any client, upon request, the proxy voting records for that client's securities.

 
 

 

 

 

APPENDIX II: DESCRIPTIONS OF SECURITY RATINGS

 

MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. (MOODY'S)

Debt Ratings

Aaa: Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as “gilt edged.” Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.

 

Aa: Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high-grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than the Aaa securities.

 

A: Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment some time in the future.

 

Baa: Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium-grade obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.

 

Ba: Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.

 

B: Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.

 

Caa: Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.

 

Ca: Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.

 

C: Bonds which are rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds, and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing.

 

Moody's applies numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 in each generic rating category from Aa to Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the issuer is in the higher end of its letter rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; the modifier 3 indicates that the issuer is in the lower end of the letter ranking category.

 

Short-Term Ratings

Moody's short-term debt ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor senior financial obligations and contracts. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding one year, unless explicitly noted.

 

PRIME-1: Issuers rated Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. Prime-1 repayment ability will often be evidenced by many of the following characteristics:

 

Leading market positions in well-established industries.

 

High rates of return on funds employed.

 

Conservative capitalization structure with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection.

 

Broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation.

 

Well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.

 

PRIME-2: Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. This normally will be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings

 
 

trends and coverage ratios, while sound, may be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.

 
 

 

 

 

MIG 1: This designation denotes best quality. There is strong protection by established cash flows, superior liquidity support or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

 

MIG 2: This designation denotes high quality. Margins of protection are ample although not so large as in the preceding group.

 

S&P Global ratings (S&P)

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings

AAA: An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

 

AA: An obligation rated AA differs from the highest rated obligations only in small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

 

A: An obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

 

BBB: An obligation rated BBB exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

BB: An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

B: An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

CCC: An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

CC: An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

 

C: The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action has been taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued.

 

Plus (+) or Minus (–): The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

 

Commercial Paper Ratings

A-1: This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is strong. Those issues determined to possess extremely strong safety characteristics are denoted with a plus sign (+) designation.

 

A-2: Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated A-1.

 

Notes Ratings

An S&P notes rating reflects the liquidity factors and market risks unique to notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a notes rating. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The following criteria will be used in making that assessment.

 

Amortization schedule-the longer the final maturity relative to other maturities the more likely it will be treated as a note.

 

Source of payment-the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

 

Note rating symbols are as follows:

 
 

 

SP-1: Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

 
 

 

 

 

SP-2: Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

 

FITCH RATINGS LTD.

International Long-Term Credit Ratings

AAA: Highest Credit Quality. AAA ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in case of exceptionally strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

 

AA: Very High Credit Quality. AA ratings denote a very low expectation of credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

A: High Credit Quality. A ratings denote a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to changes in circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

 

BBB: Good Credit Quality. BBB ratings indicate that there is currently a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse changes in circumstances and in economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment-grade category.

 

BB: Speculative. BB ratings indicate that there is a possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met. Securities rated in this category are not investment grade.

 

B: Highly Speculative. B ratings indicate that significant credit risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.

 

CCC, CC, C: High Default Risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic developments. A CC rating indicates that default of some kind appears probable. C ratings signal imminent default.

 

International Short-Term Credit Ratings

F1: Highest Credit Quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

F2: Good Credit Quality. A satisfactory capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

 

F3: Fair Credit Quality. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near-term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non-investment grade.

 

B: Speculative. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

C: High Default Risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic investment.

 

Plus (+) or Minus (–): Plus or minus signs may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the AAA long-term rating category, to categories below CCC, or to short-term ratings other than F1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART C

 

OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 28. Exhibits.

 

(a)(1) Certificate of Trust of the Registrant dated October 23, 2017. Filed herewith.

 

(a)(2) Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated October 23, 2017. Filed herewith.

 

(b) By-Laws of the Registrant dated October 23, 2017. Filed herewith.

 

(c) Registrant incorporates by reference the following provisions of its Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, as Exhibit (a)(2) and Exhibit (b), respectively, defining the rights of Registrant’s shareholders: Articles III and V of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Article III of the By-Laws.

 

(d)(1) Form of Management Agreement between the Registrant and PGIM Investments LLC. To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(d)(2) Form of Subadvisory Agreement between PGIM Investments LLC and PGIM, Inc. To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(e) Form of Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Prudential Investment Management Services LLC. To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(f) Not applicable.

 

(g) Form of Custody and Transfer Agency Agreement between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(h)(1) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (g) to the Registration Statement. To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(h)(2) Form of Administrative Agency Agreement between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(h)(3) Form of Authorized Participant Agreement, To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(i) Opinion and consent of Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP. To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(j) Consent of independent registered public accounting firm. To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(k) Not applicable.

 

(l) Not applicable.

 

(m) Form of Distribution and Service Plan. To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(n) Not applicable.

 

(o) Power of Attorney. To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

(p)(1) Code of Ethics of the Registrant. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A for Prudential Investment Portfolios, Inc. 14, filed via EDGAR on June 21, 2016 (File No. 002-82976).

 

(p)(2) Investment Adviser Code of Ethics, dated January 9, 2017 and Personal Securities Trading Policy of Prudential Financial including the Manager, the Distributor, and PGIM Fixed Income, dated February 6, 2017. Incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on September 12, 2017.

 

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with the Registrant.

 

None.

 

Item 30. Indemnification.

 

As permitted by Section 17(h) and (i) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act) and pursuant to Del. Code Ann. Title 12 sec. 3817, a Delaware business trust may provide in its governing instrument for the indemnification of its officers and trustees from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever. Article VII, Section 2 of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust (Exhibit (a)(1) to the Registration Statement) states that (1) the Registrant shall indemnify any present trustee or officer to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability, and all expenses reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he or she is involved by virtue of his or her service as a trustee, officer or both, and against any amount incurred in settlement thereof and (2) all persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against Registrant shall look only to the assets of the appropriate Series (or if no Series has yet been established, only to the assets of the Registrant). Indemnification will not be provided to a person adjudged by a court or other adjudicatory body to be liable to the Registrant or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties (collectively “disabling conduct”). In the event of a settlement, no indemnification may be provided unless there has been a determination, as specified in the Declaration of Trust, that the officer did not engage in disabling conduct. In addition, Article XI of Registrant’s By-Laws (Exhibit (b) to the Registration Statement) provides that any trustee, officer, employee or other agent of the Registrant shall be indemnified by Registrant against all liabilities and expenses subject to certain limitations and exceptions contained in Article XI of the By-Laws. As permitted by Section 17(i) of the 1940 Act, pursuant to Section 10 of the Distribution Agreement (Exhibit (e)(1) to the Registration Statement), the Distributor of the Registrant may be indemnified against liabilities which it may incur, except liabilities arising from bad faith, gross negligence, willful misfeasance or reckless disregard of duties.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act) may be permitted to Trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission) such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1940 Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a Trustee, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted against the Registrant by such Trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the shares being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the 1940 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

The Registrant has purchased an insurance policy insuring its officers and Trustees against liabilities, and certain costs of defending claims against such officers and Trustees, to the extent such officers and Trustees are not found to have committed conduct constituting willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard in the performance of their duties. The insurance policy also insures the Registrant against the cost of indemnification payments to officers and Trustees under certain circumstances.

 

Section 8 of the Management Agreement (Exhibit (d)(1) to the Registration Statement) and Section 4 of the Subadvisory Agreement (Exhibit (d)(2) to the Registration Statement) limit the liability of PGIM Investments LLC and PGIM, Inc., respectively, to liabilities arising from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of their respective duties or from reckless disregard by them of their respective obligations and duties under the agreements.

 

Under Section 17(h) of the 1940 Act, it is the position of the staff of the Commission that if there is neither a court determination on the merits that the defendant is not liable nor a court determination that the defendant was not guilty of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of one’s office, no indemnification will be permitted unless an independent legal counsel (not including a counsel who does work for either the Registrant, its investment adviser, its principal underwriter or persons affiliated with these persons) provides a written opinion, based upon a review of the facts, that the person in question was not guilty of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

 

Under its Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, the Registrant may advance funds to provide for indemnification. Pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Commission staff’s position on Section 17(h), advances will be limited in the following respect:

 

(1) Any advances must be limited to amounts used, or to be used, for the preparation and/or presentation of a defense to the action (including cost connected with preparation of a settlement);

 

(2) Any advances must be accompanied by a written promise by, or on behalf of, the recipient to repay that amount of the advance which exceeds the amount to which it is ultimately determined that he is entitled to receive from the Registrant by reason of indemnification;

 

(3) Such promise must be secured by a surety bond or other suitable insurance; and

 

(4) Such surety bond or other insurance must be paid for by the recipient of such advance.

The Registrant hereby undertakes that it will apply the indemnification provisions of its By-Laws, Declaration of Trust and the Distribution Agreement in a manner consistent with Release No. 11330 of the Commission under the 1940 Act so long as the interpretation of Section 17(h) and 17(i) of such Act remain in effect and are consistently applied.

 

Item 31. Business and other Connections of the Investment Adviser.

 

PGIM Investments LLC (PGIM Investments)

 

See the Prospectus constituting Part A of this Registration Statement and “Management and Advisory Arrangements” in the Statement of Additional Information (SAI) constituting Part B of this Registration Statement.

 

The business and other connections of the officers of PGIM Investments are listed in Schedules A and D of Form ADV of PGIM Investments as currently on file with the Commission, the text of which is hereby incorporated by reference (File No. 801-31104).

 

PGIM, Inc. (PGIM)

 

See the Prospectus constituting Part A of this Registration Statement and “Management and Advisory Arrangements” in the SAI constituting Part B of this Registration Statement.

 

The business and other connections of the directors and executive officers of PGIM, Inc. are included in Schedule A and D of Form ADV filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 801-22808), as most recently amended, the text of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

Item 32. Principal Underwriters.

 

(a) Prudential Investment Management Services LLC (PIMS)

 

PIMS is distributor for PGIM ETF Trust, Prudential Government Money Market Fund, Inc., The Prudential Investment Portfolios, Inc., Prudential Investment Portfolios 2, Prudential Investment Portfolios 3, Prudential Investment Portfolios Inc. 14, Prudential Investment Portfolios 4, Prudential Investment Portfolios 5, Prudential Investment Portfolios 6, Prudential National Muni Fund, Inc., Prudential Jennison Blend Fund, Inc., Prudential Jennison Mid-Cap Growth Fund, Inc., Prudential Investment Portfolios 7, Prudential Investment Portfolios 8, Prudential Jennison Small Company Fund, Inc., Prudential Investment Portfolios 9, Prudential World Fund, Inc., Prudential Investment Portfolios, Inc. 10, Prudential Jennison Natural Resources Fund, Inc., Prudential Global Total Return Fund, Inc., Prudential Investment Portfolios 12, Prudential Investment Portfolios, Inc. 15, Prudential Investment Portfolios 16, Prudential Investment Portfolios, Inc. 17, Prudential Investment Portfolios 18, Prudential Sector Funds, Inc. Prudential Short-Term Corporate Bond Fund, Inc., The Target Portfolio Trust, and The Prudential Series Fund.

 

PIMS is also distributor of the following other investment companies: Separate Accounts: Prudential’s Gibraltar Fund, Inc., The Prudential Variable Contract Account-2, The Prudential Variable Contract Account-10, The Prudential Variable Contract Account-11, The Prudential Variable Contract Account-24, The Prudential Variable Contract GI-2, The Prudential Discovery Select Group Variable Contract Account, The Pruco Life Flexible Premium Variable Annuity Account, The Pruco Life of New Jersey Flexible Premium Variable Annuity Account, The Prudential Individual Variable Contract Account, The Prudential Qualified Individual Variable Contract Account and PRIAC Variable Contract Account A.

 

(b) The following table sets forth information regarding certain officers of PIMS. As a limited liability company, PIMS has no directors.

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

Name and Principal Business Address Positions and Offices with Underwriter Positions and Offices with Registrant
Adam Scaramella (1) President N/A
Gary F. Neubeck (2) Executive Vice President N/A
Stuart S. Parker (2) Executive Vice President Board Member and
 President
James Gemus (2) Executive Vice President N/A
Scott E. Benjamin (2) Vice President Board Member and
 Vice President
Francine Boucher (1) Senior Vice President, Chief
 Legal Officer and Secretary
N/A
Peter J. Boland (2) Senior Vice President
 and Chief Operating Officer
N/A
John N. Christolini (3) Senior Vice President N/A
Mark R. Hastings (2) Senior Vice President
 and Chief Compliance Officer
N/A
Michael J. McQuade (2) Senior Vice President, Comptroller
 and Chief Financial Officer
N/A
Hansjerg Schlenker (2) Senior Vice President and
Chief Operations Officer
N/A
Monica Oswald (3) Senior Vice President and
 Co-Chief Operations Officer
N/A
Charles Smith (4) Vice President and Anti-Money
 Laundering Officer
Anti-Money Laundering
 Compliance Officer

 

Principal Business Addresses:

 

(1) 213 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102

 

(2) 655 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102

 

(3) 280 Trumbull Street, Hartford, CT 06103

 

(4) 751 Broad Street, Newark NJ, 07102

 

(c) Registrant has no principal underwriter who is not an affiliated person of the Registrant.

 

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records.

 

All accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act and the Rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (BBH&Co.), 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110-1548, PGIM, Inc., 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, and the Registrant, 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.

 

Documents required by Rules 31a-1(b) (4), (5), (6), (7), (9), (10) and (11) and 31a-1 (d) and (f) will be kept at 655 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, and the remaining accounts, books and other documents required by such other pertinent provisions of Section 31(a) and the Rules promulgated thereunder will be kept by BNY and PMFS.

 

Item 34. Management Services.

 

Other than as set forth under the captions “How the Fund is Managed-Manager” and “How the Fund is Managed-Distributor” in the Prospectus and the caption “Management and Advisory Arrangements” in the SAI, constituting Parts A and B, respectively, of this Registration Statement, Registrant is not a party to any management-related service contract.

 

Item 35. Undertakings.

 

Not applicable.

 
 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Newark, State of New Jersey on the 8th day of January, 2018.

Name:
 
PGIM ETF TRUST
 
By: /s/Stuart S. Parker
Name: Stuart S. Parker
Title: Principal Executive Officer and President
   

        Each person whose signature appears below hereby authorizes Andrew French, Claudia DiGiacomo, Deborah A. Docs, Raymond A. O’Hara and Jonathan D. Shain, or any of them, as attorney-in-fact, to sign on his or her behalf, individually and in each capacity stated below, any amendments to this Registration Statement (including any Pre-Effective or Post-Effective Amendments) and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature   Title   Date
         
/s/Stuart S. Parker   Trustee and President   January 8, 2018
Stuart S. Parker   (Principal Executive Officer)    
         
/s/M. Sadiq Peshimam   Treasurer (Principal Financial   January 8, 2018
M. Sadiq Peshimam   (and Accounting Officer)    
         
/s/Ellen S. Alberding   Trustee   January 8, 2018
Ellen S. Alberding        
         
/s/Kevin J. Bannon   Trustee   January 8, 2018
Kevin J. Bannon        
         
/s/Scott E. Benjamin   Trustee   January 8, 2018
Scott E. Benjamin        
         
/s/Linda W. Bynoe   Trustee   January 8, 2018
Linda W. Bynoe        
         
/s/Barry H. Evans   Trustee   January 8, 2018
Barry H. Evans        
         
/s/Keith F. Hartstein   Trustee   January 8, 2018
Keith F. Hartstein        
         
/s/Laurie Simon Hodrick   Trustee   January 8, 2018
Laurie Simon Hodrick        
         
/s/Michael S. Hyland   Trustee   January 8, 2018
Michael S. Hyland        
         
/s/Richard A. Redeker   Trustee   January 8, 2018
Richard A. Redeker        
         
/s/Stephen G. Stoneburn   Trustee   January 8, 2018
Stephen G. Stoneburn        
         
/s/Grace C. Torres   Trustee   January 8, 2018
Grace C. Torres        

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

PGIM ETF TRUST

 

Exhibit Index

 

 

Item 28
Exhibit No.
Description  
(a)(1) Certificate of Trust of the Registrant dated October 23, 2017.
(a)(2) Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated October 23, 2017.
(b) By-Laws of the Registrant dated October 23, 2017.

 

CERTIFICATE OF TRUST

OF

PGIM ETF TRUST

This Certificate of Trust of PGIM ETF Trust (the “Trust”), dated as of October 23, 2017, is being duly executed and filed by the undersigned, constituting all of the trustees of the Trust, to form a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C. § 3801 et seq. (the “Act”).

1.                   Name. The name of the statutory trust is PGIM ETF Trust.

2.                   Registered Agent. The business address of the registered office of the Trust in the State of Delaware is c/o The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801, New Castle County. The name of the Trust’s registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

3.                   Registered Investment Company. The Trust is, or will become prior to or within 180 days following the first issuance of beneficial interests therein, a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

4.                   Notice of Limitation of Liabilities of Series. Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to Section 3804 of the Act, the Trust has or may establish one or more designated series and that the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to a particular series of the Trust shall be enforceable against the assets of such series only and not against the assets of the Trust generally or any other series thereof, and, unless otherwise provided in the governing instrument of the Trust, none of the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to the Trust generally or any other series thereof shall be enforceable against the assets of such series.

5.                   Effective Date. This Certificate of Trust shall be effective immediately upon filing in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being all of the trustees of the Trust, have duly executed this Certificate of Trust in accordance with the Act.

 

/s/Joel Sauber

Joel Sauber

as Trustee and not individually

 

/s/Keshav Rajagopalan

Keshav Rajagopalan

as Trustee and not individually

 

/s/Claudia DiGiacomo

Claudia DiGiacomo

as Trustee and not individually

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agreement and Declaration of Trust

of

PGIM ETF Trust

a Delaware Statutory Trust

 

 

 
 

Table of Contents

Page

AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST 1
Article I Name and Definitions 1
Section 1.   Name 1
Section 2.   Definitions 2
Article II Purpose of Trust 4
Article III Shares 5
Section 1.   Division of Beneficial Interest 5
Section 2.   Ownership of Shares 7
Section 3.   Transfer of Shares 8
Section 4.   Investments in the Trust 8
Section 5.   Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability 8
Section 6.   Establishment of Series and Classes of Shares 9
Section 7.   Indemnification of Shareholders 14
Section 8.   Constant Net Asset Value 14
Article IV The Board of Trustees 15
Section 1.   Number, Election and Tenure 15
Section 2.   Effect of Death, Resignation, etc. of a Trustee 16
Section 3.   Powers 17
Section 4.   Payment of Expenses by the Trust 25
Section 5.   Payment of Expenses by Shareholders 25
Section 6.   Ownership of Assets of the Trust 26
Section 7.   Service Contracts 26
 
 
Section 8.   Trustees and Officers as Shareholders 29
Section 9.   Delegation by Trustees 29
Section 10.   Determinations by Trustees 30
Section 11.   Small Accounts 30
Article V Shareholders’ Voting Powers and Meetings 31
Article VI Net Asset Value, Distributions and Redemptions 31
Section 1.   Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income, and Distributions 31
Section 2.   Redemptions and Repurchases 32
Article VII Compensation and Limitation of Liability of Trustees 35
Section 1.   Compensation 35
Section 2.   Limitation of Liability 35
Section 3.   Trustee’s Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety 37
Section 4.   Insurance 38
Article VIII Miscellaneous 38
Section 1.   Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees 38
Section 2.   Termination of the Trust or Any Series or Class 39
Section 3.   Reorganization and Master/Feeder 40
Section 4.   Amendments 43
Section 5.   Filing of Copies, References, Headings, Rules of Construction 44
Section 6.   Applicable Law 45
Section 7.   Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations 46
Section 8.   Statutory Trust Only 47
Section 9.   Derivative Actions 47
 
 
Section 10.   Inspection of Records and Reports 49
Section 11.   Jurisdiction and Waiver of Jury Trial 49
 
 

AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST

 

OF

 

PGIM ETF TRUST

 

THIS AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST is made as of October 23, 2017 by the Trustees named hereunder for the purpose of forming a Delaware statutory trust in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth.

WHEREAS, the Trustees desire to establish a statutory trust under the Delaware Act (as defined below) for the investment and reinvestment of funds contributed thereto; and

WHEREAS, the Trust shall be formed under the Delaware Act upon the filing of the Certificate of Trust in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees do hereby declare that the Trustees will hold all cash, securities and other assets that the Trust now possesses or may hereafter acquire from time to time and manage and dispose of the same upon the following terms and conditions.

Article I

Name and Definitions

Section 1.                 Name

. This Trust shall be known as PGIM ETF Trust and the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under that name or any other name as they may from time to time determine and the Trustees may, without Shareholder approval, change the name of the Trust or any Series or Class and adopt such other name as they deem proper. Any name change of any Series or Class shall become effective upon approval by the Trustees

 
 

of such change or any document (including any Registration Statement) reflecting such change. Any name change of the Trust shall become effective upon the effectiveness of the filing of a certificate of amendment under the Delaware Act reflecting such change. Any such action shall have the status of an amendment to this Declaration of Trust. In the event of any name change, the Trustees shall cause notice to be given to the affected Shareholders within a reasonable time after the implementation of such change, which notice will be deemed given if the changed name is reflected in any Registration Statement.

Section 2.                 Definitions

. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required by the context or specifically provided:

(a) “By-Laws” shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust as amended from time to time, which By-Laws are expressly herein incorporated by reference as part of the “governing instrument” within the meaning of the Delaware Act;

(b) “Certificate of Trust” means the certificate of trust, as amended or restated from time to time, filed by the Trustees in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with the Delaware Act;

(c) “Class” means a class of Shares of the Trust or of any Series of the Trust established in accordance with the provisions of Article III hereof;

(d) “Commission” and “Principal Underwriter” shall have the meanings given them in the 1940 Act;

(e) “Declaration of Trust” means this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended or restated from time to time;

 
 

(f) “Delaware Act” means the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C. §§ 3801 et seq. ;

(g) “Exchange” shall have the meaning given it in Section 2(a) of Article VI hereof;

(h) “General Assets” shall have the meaning given it in Section 6(a) of Article III hereof;

(i) “Interested Person” shall have the meaning given it in Section 2(a) (19) of the 1940 Act;

(j) “Investment Manager” or “Manager” means a party furnishing services to the Trust pursuant to any contract described in Section 7(a) of Article IV hereof;

(k) “1940 Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder and interpretations thereunder, and any order or orders (including orders for exemptive relief) thereunder which may from time to time be applicable to the Trust. References herein to specific sections of the 1940 Act shall be deemed to include such rules and regulations as are applicable to such sections as determined by the Trustees or their designees;

(l) “Person” means and includes individuals, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, trusts, associations, joint ventures, estates and other entities, whether or not legal entities, and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof, whether domestic or foreign;

(m) “Registration Statement” means the Trust’s registration statement or statements as filed with the Commission, as from time to time in effect and shall include any prospectus or statement of additional information forming a part thereof;

 
 

(n) “Series” means each series of Shares established under or in accordance with the provisions of Article III;

(o) “Shareholder” means a record owner of outstanding Shares;

(p) “Shares” means the shares of beneficial interest into which the beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided from time to time and includes fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares;

(q) “Trust” means the Delaware statutory trust established under the Delaware Act by this Declaration of Trust and the filing of the Certificate of Trust in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;

(r) “Trust Property” means any and all property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, that is from time to time owned or held by or for the account of the Trust; and

(s) “Trustees” or “Board of Trustees” means the Persons who have signed this Declaration of Trust and all other Persons who may from time to time be duly elected or appointed to serve as Trustees in accordance with the provisions hereof, in each case so long as such Person shall continue in office in accordance with the terms of this Declaration of Trust, and reference herein to a Trustee or the Trustees shall refer to such Person or Persons in his, her or their capacities as trustee or trustees hereunder. Unless otherwise required by the context or specifically provided, any reference herein to the Trustees shall refer to the Trustee at any time that there is only one Trustee of the Trust.

Article II

Purpose of Trust

The purpose of the Trust is to conduct, operate and carry on the business of a management investment company registered under the 1940 Act through one or more

 
 

Series investing primarily in securities, and to carry on such other business as the Trustees may from time to time determine pursuant to their authority under this Declaration of Trust.

Article III

Shares

Section 1.                 Division of Beneficial Interest

. The beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided into Shares. The Trust and any Series may have no Classes, may consist of one Class or may be divided into two or more Classes. The number of Shares of the Trust and each Series and Class authorized hereunder is unlimited. The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of Shares, and upon the establishment of any Series or Class as provided herein, the Trust shall be authorized to issue an unlimited number of Shares of each such Series and Class, unless otherwise determined, and subject to any conditions set forth, by the Trustees. Subject to the further provisions of this Article III and any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, the Trustees shall have full power and authority, and without obtaining any authorization or vote of the Shareholders of any Series or Class, (i) to divide the beneficial interest in each Series or Class into Shares, with or without par value as the Trustees shall determine (provided that unless the Trustees shall otherwise determine, all Shares shall have a par value of $0.001), (ii) to issue Shares without limitation as to number (including fractional Shares and Shares held in the treasury), to such Persons and for such amount and type of consideration, including cash or securities, at such time or times and on such terms as the Trustees may deem appropriate, (iii) to establish and designate and to change in any manner any Series or Class and to fix such preferences, voting powers, rights, duties and

 
 

privileges and business purpose of each Series or Class as the Trustees may from time to time determine, which preferences, voting powers, rights, duties and privileges may be senior or subordinate to (or in the case of business purpose, different from) any existing Series or Class and may be limited to specified property or obligations of the Trust or profits and losses associated with specified property or obligations of the Trust, (iv) to divide or combine the Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class into a greater or lesser number without thereby materially changing the proportionate beneficial interest of the Shares of the Trust or such Series or Class in the assets held with respect to the Trust or such Series or Class, (v) to classify or reclassify any Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class into Shares of one or more Series or Classes (whether the Shares to be classified or reclassified are issued and outstanding or unissued and whether such Shares constitute part or all of the Shares of the Trust or such Series or Class) and (vi) to take such other action with respect to the Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class as the Trustees may deem desirable.

Subject to the distinctions permitted among Classes of the Trust or any Series as established by the Trustees consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act, each Share of the Trust or any Series shall represent an equal beneficial interest in the net assets of the Trust or such Series, and each Shareholder of the Trust or any Series shall be entitled to receive such Shareholder’s pro rata share of distributions of income and capital gains, if any, made with respect to the Trust or such Series. Upon redemption of the Shares of any Series, the applicable Shareholder shall be paid solely out of the funds and property of such Series of the Trust.

 
 

All references to Shares in this Declaration of Trust shall be deemed to be Shares of the Trust and of any or all Series or Classes, as the context may require. All provisions herein relating to the Trust shall apply equally to each Series of the Trust and each Class, except as the context otherwise requires.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration of Trust, including Section 5 of Article IV hereof, all Shares issued hereunder, including Shares issued in connection with a dividend in Shares or a split or reverse split of Shares, shall be fully paid and non-assessable. Except as otherwise provided by the Trustees, Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to subscribe to any additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust.

Shares held in the Trust’s treasury shall not confer any voting rights on the Trustees and shall not be entitled to any dividends or other distributions declared with respect to the Shares.

Section 2.                 Ownership of Shares

. The ownership of Shares shall be recorded on the books of the Trust or a transfer or similar agent for the Trust, which books shall contain the names and addresses of the Shareholders and the Shares held by each Shareholder. No certificates certifying the ownership of Shares shall be issued except as the Board of Trustees may otherwise determine from time to time. The Trustees may make such rules as they consider appropriate for the issuance of Share certificates, the transfer of Shares and similar matters. The record books of the Trust as kept by the Trust or any transfer or similar agent, as the case may be, shall be conclusive as to the identity of the Shareholders of

 
 

each Series (or Class) and as to the number of Shares of the Trust and of each Series (or Class) held from time to time by each Shareholder.

No Shareholder shall be entitled to receive payment of any distribution or to have notice given to such Shareholder of any meeting or other action in respect of the Trust or any Series or Class until such Shareholder has given its address and such other information as shall be required to such officer or agent of the Trust or such Series or Class as shall keep the record books of the Trust or such Series or Class for entry thereof.

Section 3.                 Transfer of Shares

. Except as otherwise provided by the Trustees, Shares shall be transferable on the books of the Trust only by the record holder thereof or by his duly authorized agent upon delivery to the Trustees or the Trust’s transfer or similar agent of a duly executed instrument of transfer, together with a Share certificate if one is outstanding, and such evidence of the genuineness of each such execution and authorization and of such other matters as may be required by the Trustees. Upon such delivery, and subject to any further requirements specified by the Trustees or contained in the By-Laws, the transfer shall be recorded on the books of the Trust. Until a transfer is so recorded, the Shareholder of record of Shares shall be deemed to be the Shareholder with respect to such Shares for all purposes hereunder and neither the Trustees nor the Trust, nor any transfer or similar agent or registrar or any officer, employee or agent of the Trust, shall be affected by any notice of a proposed transfer.

Section 4.                 Investments in the Trust

 
 

. Investments may be accepted by the Trust from such Persons, at such times, on such terms, and for such consideration as the Trustees or their authorized agents from time to time may authorize.

Section 5.                 Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability

. Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving only the rights provided in this Declaration of Trust. Every Shareholder by virtue of having become a Shareholder shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof. The death, incapacity, dissolution, termination or bankruptcy of a Shareholder during the existence of the Trust shall not operate to terminate the Trust, nor entitle the representative of any such Shareholder to an accounting or to take any action in court or elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees, but entitles such representative only to the rights of such Shareholder under this Trust. Ownership of Shares shall not entitle the Shareholder to any title in or to the whole or any part of the Trust Property or right to call for a partition or division of the same or for an accounting, nor shall the ownership of Shares constitute the Shareholders as partners. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall have any power to bind personally any Shareholder, nor, except as specifically provided herein, to call upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree to pay. Ownership of Shares shall not make the Shareholders third-party beneficiaries of any contract entered into by the Trust.

Section 6.                 Establishment of Series and Classes of Shares

. The establishment of any Series (or Class) of Shares shall be effective upon the adoption by the Trustees of a resolution that sets forth the designation of, or otherwise

 
 

identifies, such Series (or Class), whether directly in such resolution or by reference to, or approval of, another document that sets forth the designation of, or otherwise identifies, such Series (or Class) including any Registration Statement, or as otherwise provided in such resolution. The relative rights and preferences of each Series and each Class shall be as set forth herein and as set forth in any Registration Statement relating thereto, unless otherwise provided in the resolution establishing such Series or Class. Any action that may be taken by the Trustees with respect to any Series or Class, including any addition, modification, division, combination, classification, reclassification, change of name or termination may be made in the same manner as the establishment of such Series or Class.

Shares of each Series (or Class) established pursuant to this Article III, unless otherwise provided in the resolution establishing such Series (or Class), shall have the following relative rights and preferences:

(a) Assets Held with Respect to a Particular Series . All consideration received by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of a particular Series, together with all assets in which such consideration is invested or reinvested, all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof from whatever source derived, including any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably be held with respect to that Series for all purposes, subject only to the rights of creditors of such Series, and shall be so recorded upon the books of account of the Trust. Such consideration, assets, income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, from whatever source derived, including any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of

 
 

such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds, in whatever form the same may be, are herein referred to as “assets held with respect to” that Series. In the event that the Trust has only issued Shares of two or more Series (and not Shares of the Trust) and there are any assets, income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, funds or payments that are not readily identifiable as assets held with respect to any particular Series (collectively “General Assets”), the Trustees shall allocate such General Assets to, between or among any one or more of the Series in such manner and on such basis as the Trustees, deem fair and equitable, and any General Assets so allocated to a particular Series shall be held with respect to that Series. Each such allocation by the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for all purposes. Separate and distinct records shall be maintained for each Series and the assets associated with each Series shall be held in such separate and distinct records (directly or indirectly, including through a nominee or otherwise) and accounted for in such separate and distinct records separately from the assets of all other Series and the General Assets of the Trust not allocated to such Series.

(b) Liabilities Held with Respect to a Particular Series . The assets of the Trust held with respect to each particular Series shall be charged against the liabilities of the Trust held with respect to that Series and all expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to that Series. Any general liabilities of the Trust that are not readily identifiable as being held with respect to any particular Series shall be allocated and charged by the Trustees to and among any one or more of the Series in such manner and on such basis as the Trustees deem fair and equitable. All liabilities, expenses, costs, charges, and reserves so charged to a Series are herein referred to as “liabilities held with

 
 

respect to” that Series. Each allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for all purposes. All liabilities held with respect to a particular Series thereof shall be enforceable against the assets held with respect to such Series only and not against the assets of the Trust generally or against the assets held with respect to any other Series and, except as otherwise provided in this Declaration of Trust, none of the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to the Trust generally or any other Series shall be enforceable against the assets of such Series. Notice of this limitation on the liability of each Series shall be set forth in the Certificate of Trust or in an amendment thereto prior to the issuance of any Shares of a Series. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Declaration of Trust to the contrary, any liability and/or expense against which any Covered Person is indemnified under Section 1 of Article XI of the By-Laws and any advancement of expenses that any Covered Person is entitled to be paid under Section 1(e) of Article XI of the By-Laws shall be deemed to be joint and several obligations of the Trust and each Series, and the assets of the Trust and each Series shall be subject to the claims of any Covered Person therefor under Article XI of the By-Laws; provided that any such liability, expense or obligation may be allocated and charged by the Trustees between or among the Trust and/or any one or more Series (and Classes) in such manner as the Trustees deem fair and equitable.

(c) Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions, and Repurchases . Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust, including Article VI, no dividend or distribution, including any distribution paid upon termination of the Trust or of any Series

 
 

(or Class) with respect to, nor any redemption or repurchase of, the Shares of any Series (or Class) shall be effected by the Trust other than from the assets held with respect to such Series, nor shall any Shareholder of any particular Series otherwise have any right or claim against the assets held with respect to any other Series except to the extent that such Shareholder has such a right or claim hereunder as a Shareholder of such other Series. To the extent not inconsistent with the 1940 Act, the Trustees shall determine which items shall be treated as income and which items as capital; and each such determination and allocation shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders for all purposes.

(d) Equality . All the Shares of each particular Series shall represent an equal proportionate interest in the assets held with respect to that Series (subject to the liabilities held with respect to that Series and such rights and preferences as may have been established and designated with respect to Classes of Shares within such Series), and each Share of any particular Series shall be equal to each other Share of that Series.

(e) Fractions . Any fractional Share of the Trust or any Series shall carry proportionately all the rights and obligations of a whole Share of the Trust or any Series, including rights with respect to voting, receipt of dividends and distributions, redemption of Shares and termination of the Trust.

(f) Exchange Privilege . The Trustees shall have the authority to provide that the Shareholders of any Series or Class shall have the right to exchange such Shares for Shares of one or more other Series or Class of Shares or for interests in one or more trusts, corporations or other business entities (or a series or class of any of the foregoing) in accordance with such requirements and procedures as may be established by the Trustees.

 
 

(g) Combination of Series and Classes . The Trustees shall have the authority, without the approval of the Shareholders of the Trust or any Series or Class unless otherwise required by applicable federal law, to combine the assets and liabilities held with respect to any two or more Series or Classes into assets and liabilities held with respect to a single Series or Class and in connection therewith to cause the Shareholders of each such Series or Class to become shareholders of such single Series or Class.

(h) Elimination of Series or Classes . At any time that there are no Shares outstanding of any particular Series (or Class) previously established, the Trustees may abolish that Series (or Class) and rescind the establishment thereof.

(i) Division of Series or Classes . The Trustees shall have the authority, without the approval of the Shareholders of any Series or Class unless otherwise required by applicable federal law, to divide the assets and liabilities held with respect to any Series or Class into assets and liabilities held with respect to an additional one or more Series or Classes and in connection therewith to cause some or all of the Shareholders of such Series or Class to be admitted as Shareholders of such additional one or more Series or Classes.

Section 7.                 Indemnification of Shareholders

. If any Shareholder or former Shareholder of any Series is held personally liable solely by reason of his or her being or having been a Shareholder and not because of his or her acts or omissions or for some other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his or her heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives or, in the case of any entity, its general successor) shall be entitled out of the assets belonging to the applicable Series (or the Trust in the event a Shareholder holds Shares of the Trust and

 
 

not a Series) to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability.

Section 8.                 Constant Net Asset Value

. If the Trust or any Series or Class holds itself out as a money market or stable value fund, the Trustees shall have the power to reduce the number of outstanding Shares of the Trust or such Series or Class by reducing the number of Shares in the account of each Shareholder on a pro rata basis, or to take such other measures as are not prohibited by the 1940 Act, so as to maintain the net asset value per share of the Trust or such Series or Class at a constant dollar amount.

Article IV

The Board of Trustees

Section 1.                 Number, Election and Tenure

. The initial Trustees shall be the persons initially signing this Declaration of Trust. Hereafter, the number of Trustees shall be such number as is determined, from time to time, by the Trustees pursuant to Section 3 of this Article IV but shall at all times be at least one. Each Trustee shall serve during the continued lifetime of the Trust until the next meeting of Shareholders called for the purpose of electing Trustees and until the election and qualification of his or her successor or, if sooner, until he or she dies, declines to serve, resigns, retires, is removed, is incapacitated or is otherwise unable or unwilling to serve as herein provided. Shareholders shall not be entitled to elect Trustees except as required by the 1940 Act. To the extent required by the 1940 Act, the Shareholders shall elect the Trustees on such dates as the Trustees may fix from time to time. Any Trustee may resign at any time by an instrument signed by him and delivered

 
 

to any officer of the Trust or to a meeting of the Trustees. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless specified to be effective at some other time. Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement with the Trust, no Trustee resigning and no Trustee removed shall have any right to any compensation for any period following the effective date of his or her resignation or removal, or any right to damages on account of such removal. The Shareholders may elect Trustees at any meeting of Shareholders called by the Trustees for that purpose. In the event that after the proxy material has been printed for a meeting of Shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected any one or more nominees named in such proxy material dies or become incapacitated or is otherwise unable or unwilling to serve, the authorized number of Trustees shall be automatically reduced by the number of such nominees, unless the Board of Trustees prior to the meeting shall otherwise determine. Any Trustee may be removed by action of at least two thirds of the number of Trustees with or without cause. Any Trustee may be removed at any meeting of Shareholders by a vote of two-thirds of the total combined net asset value of all Shares of the Trust issued and outstanding. A meeting of Shareholders for the purpose of electing or removing one or more Trustees shall be called as provided in the By-Laws.

Section 2.                 Effect of Death, Resignation, etc. of a Trustee

. The death, declination to serve, resignation, retirement, removal, or incapacity of one or more Trustees, or all of them, shall not operate to annul the Trust or to revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration of Trust. Whenever there shall be fewer than the designated number of Trustees, until additional Trustees are elected or appointed as provided herein to bring the total number of Trustees equal to the

 
 

designated number, the Trustees in office, regardless of their number, shall have all the powers granted to the Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon the Trustees by this Declaration of Trust. As conclusive evidence of such vacancy, an instrument certifying the existence of such vacancy may be executed by an officer of the Trust or by a Trustee. In the event of the death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal, or incapacity of all the then Trustees within a short period of time and without the opportunity for at least one Trustee being able to appoint additional Trustees to replace those no longer serving, the Trust’s Investment Manager(s) are empowered to appoint new Trustees subject to the provisions of Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act.

Section 3.                 Powers

. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the business of the Trust shall be managed by the Trustees, and the Trustees shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out that responsibility including the power to engage in securities transactions of all kinds on behalf of the Trust. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees may: adopt By-Laws providing for the regulation and management of the affairs of the Trust and may amend and repeal such By-Laws; enlarge or reduce their number; and fill vacancies caused by enlargement of their number or by the death, declination to serve, resignation, retirement, removal or incapacity of a Trustee; elect and remove, with or without cause, such officers and appoint and terminate such agents as they consider appropriate; appoint from their own number and establish and terminate one or more committees consisting of one or more Trustees which may exercise the powers and authority of the Board of Trustees to the extent that the Trustees determine, including a committee consisting of fewer than all of the Trustees then in office, which may act for

 
 

and bind the Trustees and the Trust, with respect to the institution, prosecution, dismissal, settlement, review or investigation of any legal action, suit or proceeding, pending or threatened to be brought before any court, administrative agency or other adjudicatory body; employ one or more custodians of the assets of the Trust and authorize such custodians to employ subcustodians and to deposit all or any part of such assets in a system or systems for the central handling of securities or with a Federal Reserve Bank; retain a transfer or similar agent or a shareholder servicing agent, or both; provide for the issuance and distribution of Shares by the Trust directly or through one or more Principal Underwriters, or both, or otherwise; redeem, repurchase and transfer Shares pursuant to applicable law; set record dates for the determination of Shareholders with respect to various matters; establish a registered office and have a registered agent in the State of Delaware; and declare and pay dividends and distributions to Shareholders. The Trustees have the power to construe and interpret this Declaration of Trust and to act upon any such construction or interpretation. Any construction or interpretation of this Declaration of Trust by the Trustees and any action taken pursuant thereto and any determination as to what is in the interests of the Trust and the Shareholders made by the Trustees in good faith shall, in each case, be conclusive and binding on all Shareholders and all other Persons for all purposes. In construing the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to the Trustees. Except as required by federal law including the 1940 Act, neither the Trustees nor any officer of the Trust shall owe any fiduciary duty to the Trust or any Series or Class or any Shareholder. Unless otherwise specified herein or required by law, any action by the Trustees shall be deemed effective if approved or taken by a majority of the Trustees present at a meeting of

 
 

Trustees at which a quorum (as defined in the By-Laws) of Trustees is present, within or without the State of Delaware. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein or required by federal law including the 1940 Act, the Trustees shall act in their sole discretion and may take any action or exercise any power without any vote or consent of the Shareholders.

Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees shall have the power and authority to cause the Trust (or to act on behalf of the Trust):

(a) To invest and reinvest cash, to hold cash uninvested, and to subscribe for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, lease, sell, assign, transfer, exchange, distribute, write options on, lend or otherwise deal in, or dispose of, any form of property, including foreign currencies and related instruments and contracts for the future acquisition or delivery of fixed income or other securities, and securities of every nature and kind, including all types of bonds, debentures, stocks, warrants, time notes, negotiable or non-negotiable instruments, obligations, evidences of indebtedness, certificates of deposit or indebtedness, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, convertible securities, forward contracts, options, futures contracts, swaps, other financial contracts or derivative instruments and securities issued by an investment company registered under the 1940 Act or any series thereof, bankers’ acceptances, and other securities of any kind, issued, created, guaranteed, or sponsored by any and all Persons, including states, territories, and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, any foreign government or any political subdivision of the U.S. Government or any foreign government, or any international instrumentality, or by any bank or savings institution, or

 
 

by any corporation or organization organized under the laws of the United States or of any state, territory, or possession thereof, or by any corporation or organization organized under any foreign law, or in “when issued” contracts for any such securities, to change the investments of the assets of the Trust; and to exercise any and all rights, powers, and privileges of ownership or interest in respect of any and all such investments of every kind and description, including the right to consent and otherwise act with respect thereto, with power to designate one or more Persons to exercise any of said rights, powers, and privileges in respect of any of said instruments;

(b) To purchase, sell and hold currencies and enter into contracts for the future purchase or sale of currencies, including forward foreign currency exchange contracts;

(c) To sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, lease, or write options (including, options on futures contracts) with respect to or otherwise deal in any property rights relating to any or all of the assets of the Trust or any Series;

(d) To vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of ownership, with respect to stock or other securities or property; and to execute and deliver proxies or powers of attorney to such Person or Persons as the Trustees shall deem proper, granting to such Person or Persons such power and discretion with relation to securities or property as the Trustees shall deem proper;

(e) To exercise powers and right of subscription or otherwise which in any manner arise out of ownership of securities;

 
 

(f) To hold any security or property in a form not indicating any trust, whether in bearer, book entry, unregistered or other negotiable form, or in its own name or in the name of a custodian or subcustodian or a nominee or nominees or otherwise;

(g) To consent to or participate in any plan for the reorganization, consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer of any security which is held in the Trust; to consent to any contract, lease, mortgage, purchase or sale of property by such corporation or issuer; and to pay calls or subscriptions with respect to any security held in the Trust;

(h) To join with other security holders in acting through a committee, depository, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to deposit any security with, or transfer any security to, any such committee, depository or trustee, and to delegate to them such power and authority with relation to any security (whether or not so deposited or transferred) as the Trustees shall deem proper, and to agree to pay, and to pay, such portion of the expenses and compensation of such committee, depository or trustee as the Trustees shall deem proper;

(i) To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in favor of or against the Trust or any matter in controversy, including claims for taxes;

(j) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited partnerships and any other combinations or associations;

(k) To borrow funds or other property or otherwise obtain credit in the name of the Trust or Series exclusively for Trust (or such Series) purposes and in connection therewith issue notes or other evidence of indebtedness; and to mortgage,

 
 

pledge or otherwise subject as security the Trust Property or any part thereof to secure any or all of such indebtedness, including the lending of portfolio securities;

(l) To endorse or guarantee the payment, or undertake the performance, of any notes or other contracts, engagements or obligations of any Person; to make contracts of guaranty or suretyship, or otherwise assume liability for payment thereof; and to mortgage and pledge the Trust Property or any part thereof to secure any of or all of such obligations;

(m) To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust Property, or the assets belonging to any appropriate Series, such insurance as the Trustees may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the business, including insurance policies insuring the assets of the Trust or payment of distributions and principal on its portfolio investments, and insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees, agents, investment advisers or Managers, Principal Underwriters, or independent contractors of the Trust, individually against all claims and liabilities of every nature arising by reason of holding Shares, holding, being or having held any such office or position, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted by any such Person as Trustee, officer, employee, agent, investment adviser or Manager, Principal Underwriter, or independent contractor, including any action taken or omitted that may be determined to constitute negligence, whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such Person against liability;

(n) To adopt, establish and carry out pension, profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase, savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans and trusts, including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity contracts as a means of providing

 
 

such retirement and other benefits, for any or all of the Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust;

(o) To operate as and carry out the business of an investment company registered under the 1940 Act, and exercise all the powers necessary or appropriate to the conduct of such operations;

(p) To enter into contracts of any kind and description;

(q) To employ one or more banks, trust companies or companies that are members of a national securities exchange or such other entities as the Commission may permit as custodians of any assets of the Trust subject to any conditions set forth in this Declaration of Trust or in the By-Laws;

(r) To interpret the investment policies, practices or limitations of the Trust or any Series or Class;

(s) To invest part or all of the Trust Property (or part or all of the assets of any Series), or to dispose of part or all of the Trust Property (or part or all of the assets of any Series) and invest the proceeds of such disposition, in securities issued by one or more other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act (including investment by means of transfer of part or all of the Trust Property in exchange for an interest or interests in such one or more investment companies) all without any requirement of approval by Shareholders unless required by the 1940 Act. Any such other investment company may (but need not) be a trust (formed under the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state) which is classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes;

 
 

(t) To provide for separate classes, groups or series of Trustees with respect to any Series or Class or any Trust Property having such relative rights, powers and duties as the Trustees may determine;

(u) To the fullest extent permitted by Section 3804 of the Delaware Act, to allocate assets and liabilities of the Trust to a particular Series, and liabilities to a particular Class, or to apportion the same between or among two or more Series or Classes, as provided for in Article III;

(v) To establish separate and distinct Series with separately defined investment objectives and policies, distinct investment purposes and separate Shares representing beneficial interests in such Series, and to establish separate Classes of the Trust or any Series, all in accordance with the provisions of Article III;

(w) To declare and make distributions of income and capital gains to Shareholders;

(x) To issue, sell, repurchase, redeem, cancel, retire, acquire, hold, resell, reissue, transfer, dispose of and otherwise deal in Shares pursuant to applicable federal law; to establish terms and conditions including any fees or expenses regarding the issuance, sale, repurchase, redemption, cancellation, retirement, acquisition, holding, resale, reissuance, disposition of or dealing in Shares; and, subject to Articles III and VI, to apply to any such repurchase, redemption, retirement, cancellation or acquisition of Shares any funds or property of the Trust or of any particular Series with respect to which such Shares are issued;

(y) To enter into contracts of any kind and description and carry on any other business in connection with or incidental to any of the foregoing powers, to do

 
 

everything necessary or desirable to accomplish any purpose or to further any of the foregoing powers, and to take every other action incidental to the foregoing business or purposes, objects or powers; and

(z) Subject to the 1940 Act, to engage in any other lawful act or activity in which a statutory trust organized under the Delaware Act may engage.

The Trust shall not be limited to investing in obligations maturing before the possible termination of the Trust or one or more of its Series. The Trust shall not in any way be bound or limited by any present or future law or custom in regard to investment by fiduciaries. The Trust shall not be required to obtain any court order to deal with any assets of the Trust or take any other action hereunder.

Section 4.                 Payment of Expenses by the Trust

. The Trustees are authorized to pay or cause to be paid out of the principal or income of the Trust, or partly out of the principal and partly out of income, as they deem fair, all expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities incurred or arising in connection with the Trust, or in connection with the management thereof, including the Trustees’ compensation and such expenses and charges for the services of the Trust’s officers, employees, investment adviser or Manager, Principal Underwriter, auditors, counsel, custodian, transfer agent, shareholder servicing agent, and such other agents or independent contractors and such other expenses and charges as the Trustees may deem necessary or proper to incur, which expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities shall be allocated in accordance with Section 6 of Article III hereof.

Section 5.                 Payment of Expenses by Shareholders

 
 

. The Trustees shall have the power, as frequently as they may determine, to cause each Shareholder, or each Shareholder of any particular Series or Class, to pay directly, in advance or arrears, for charges of the Trust’s custodian or transfer, shareholder servicing or similar agent, an amount fixed from time to time by the Trustees, by setting off such charges due from such Shareholder from declared but unpaid dividends owed such Shareholder and/or by reducing the number of Shares in the account of such Shareholder by that number of full and/or fractional Shares which represents the outstanding amount of such charges due from such Shareholder.

Section 6.                 Ownership of Assets of the Trust

. Title to all of the assets of the Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trust, except that the Trustees shall have power to cause legal title to any Trust Property to be held by or in the name of one or more of the Trustees, or in the name of the Trust, or in the name of any other Person as nominee, on such terms as the Trustees may determine, with the same effect as if such property were held in the name of the Trust. No creditor of any Trustee shall have any right to obtain possession of, or otherwise exercise legal or equitable remedies with respect to, any Trust Property with respect to any claim against, or obligation of, such Trustee in its individual capacity and not related to the Trust or any Series (or Class) of the Trust. The right, title and interest of the Trustees in the Trust Property shall vest automatically in each Person who may hereafter become a Trustee. Upon the resignation, retirement, removal, declination to serve, incapacity, or death of a Trustee, he or she shall automatically cease to have any right, title or interest in any of the Trust Property, and the right, title and interest of such Trustee in the Trust Property shall vest automatically in the remaining Trustees. Such vesting and

 
 

cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered.

Section 7.                 Service Contracts

(a)       The Trust may enter into contracts with one or more Persons, to act as investment adviser, investment sub-adviser, manager, investment manager, administrator, sub-administrator, custodian, transfer agent, accounting agent or other agent, and as such to perform such functions as the Trustees may deem reasonable and proper, including, without limitation, investment advisory, management, research, valuation of assets, clerical and administrative functions, under such terms and conditions, and for such compensation, as the Trustees may deem advisable. The Trustees may also authorize any adviser or sub-adviser to employ one or more sub-advisers from time to time and any administrator to employ one or more sub-administrators from time to time, upon such terms and conditions as shall be approved by the Trustees.

(b)       The Trust may enter into a contract or contracts with one or more Persons to act as authorized participants, underwriters, distributors or placement agents whereby the Trust may either agree to sell Shares of the Trust or any Class to the other party or parties to the contract or appoint such other party or parties its sales agent or agents for such Shares and with such other provisions as the Trustees may deem reasonable and proper, and the Trust may from time to time enter into transfer agency, sub-transfer agency and/or shareholder servicing contract(s), in each case with such terms and conditions, and providing for such compensation, as the Trustees may deem advisable. All securities and cash of the Trust shall be held pursuant to a written contract

 
 

or contracts with one or more custodians and subcustodians or shall otherwise be held in accordance with the 1940 Act, to the extent applicable.

(c)       Any contract of the character described in this Section 7 may be entered into with any Person, including the investment adviser, any investment sub-adviser or an affiliate of the investment adviser or sub-adviser, although one or more of the Trustees, officers, or Shareholders of the Trust may be an officer, director, trustee, shareholder, or member of such other party to the contract, or otherwise interested in such contract, and no such contract shall be invalidated or rendered voidable by reason of the existence of any such relationship, nor shall any Person holding such relationship be liable merely by reason of such relationship for any loss or expense to the Trust under or by reason of said contract or accountable for any profit realized directly or indirectly therefrom. The same Person may be a party to more than one contract entered into pursuant to this Section 7 and any individual may be financially interested or otherwise affiliated with Persons who are parties to any or all of the contracts mentioned in this Section 7.

(d)       The authority of the Trustees hereunder to authorize the Trust to enter into contracts or other agreements or arrangements shall include the authority of the Trustees to modify, amend, waive any provision of, supplement, assign all or a portion of, novate, or terminate such contracts, agreements or arrangements. The enumeration of any specific contracts in this Section 7 shall in no way be deemed to limit the power and authority of the Trustees as otherwise set forth in this Declaration of Trust to authorize the Trust to employ, contract with or make payments to such Persons as the Trustees may deem desirable for the transaction of the business of the Trust.

 
 

(e)       The Trustees are further empowered, at any time and from time to time, to contract with any Person to provide such other services to the Trust or one or more of the Series, as the Trustees determine to be in the best interests of the Trust and the applicable Series.

(f)       Any Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust may lend money to, borrow money from, act as a surety, guarantor or endorser for, guarantee or assume one or more obligations of, provide collateral for, and transact other business with the Trust and, subject to applicable law, has the same rights and obligations with respect to any such matter as a Person who is not a Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust.

Section 8.                 Trustees and Officers as Shareholders

. Any Trustee, officer or agent of the Trust may acquire, own and dispose of Shares to the same extent as if he were not a Trustee, officer or agent; and the Trustees may issue and sell and cause to be issued and sold Shares to, and redeem such Shares from, any such Person or any firm or company in which such Person is interested, subject only to the general limitations contained herein or in the By-Laws relating to the sale and redemption of such Shares.

Section 9.                 Delegation by Trustees

. Subject only to any limitations required by federal law including the 1940 Act, the Trustees may delegate any and all powers and authority hereunder as they consider desirable to any officer of the Trust, to any committee of the Trustees, any committee composed of Trustees and other persons and any committee composed only of persons other than Trustees and to any agent, independent contractor or employee of the Trust or to any custodian, administrator, transfer or shareholder servicing agent, Manager,

 
 

investment advisor or sub-advisor, Principal Underwriter or other service provider, provided that such delegation of power or authority by the Trustees shall not cause any Trustee to cease to be a Trustee of the Trust or cause such person, officer, agent, employee, custodian, transfer or shareholder servicing agent, Manager, Principal Underwriter or other service provider to whom any power or authority has been delegated to be a Trustee of the Trust. The reference in this Declaration of Trust to the right of the Trustees to, or circumstances under which they may, delegate any power or authority, or the reference in this Declaration of Trust to the authorized agents of the Trustees or any other Person to whom any power or authority has been or may be delegated pursuant to any specific provision of this Declaration of Trust, shall not limit the authority of the Trustees to delegate any other power or authority under this Declaration of Trust to any Person, subject only to any limitations under federal law including the 1940 Act.

Section 10.             Determinations by Trustees

. The Trustees may make any determinations they deem necessary with respect to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, including the following matters: the amount of the assets, obligations, liabilities and expenses of the Trust or any Series or Class; the amount of the net income of the Trust or any Series or Class from dividends, capital gains, interest or other sources for any period and the amount of assets at any time legally available for the payment of dividends or distributions; which items are to be treated as income and which as capital; the amount, purpose, time of creation, increase or decrease, alteration or cancellation of any reserves or charges and the propriety thereof (whether or not any obligation or liability for which such reserves or charges were created shall have been paid or discharged); the market value, or any other price to be applied in

 
 

determining the market value, or the fair value, of any security or other asset owned or held by the Trust or any Series or Class; the number of Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class issued or issuable; and the net asset value per Share.

Section 11.             Small Accounts

. The Trustees or their authorized agents may establish and change, from time to time and without prior notice to the Shareholders, one or more minimum investment amounts for Shareholder accounts, which may differ within and among any Series or Class, and may impose account fees on (which may be satisfied by involuntarily redeeming the requisite number of Shares in any such account in the amount of such fee), and/or require the involuntary redemption of Shares held in, those accounts the net asset value of which for any reason falls below such established minimum investment amounts, or may authorize the Trust to convert any such Shares in such account to Shares of another Series or Class (whether of the same or a different Series), or take any other such action with respect to minimum investment amounts as may be deemed necessary or appropriate by the Trustees or their authorized agents, in each case upon such terms as shall be established by the Trustees or their authorized agents.

Article V

Shareholders’ Voting Powers and Meetings

The Shareholders shall have power to vote only (i) for the election or removal of Trustees as and to the extent provided in Section 1 of Article IV hereof, (ii) with respect to such additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by federal law including the 1940 Act, or any registration of the Trust with the Commission (or any successor agency) or any state, and (iii) as the Trustees may otherwise consider necessary

 
 

or desirable. Provisions relating to meetings, quorum, required vote, record date and other matters relating to Shareholder voting rights are as provided in the By-Laws.

Article VI

Net Asset Value, Distributions and Redemptions

Section 1.                 Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income, and Distributions

. Subject to applicable federal law including the 1940 Act and Section 6 of Article III hereof, the Trustees may prescribe (and delegate to any officer of the Trust or any other Person or Persons the right and obligation to prescribe) such bases and time (including any methodology or plan) for determining the per Share or net asset value of the Shares of the Trust or any Series (or Class) or net income attributable to the Shares of the Trust or any Series (or Class), or the declaration and payment of dividends and distributions on the Shares of the Trust or any Series (or Class) and the method of determining the Shareholders to whom dividends and distributions are payable, as they may deem necessary or desirable. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, but subject to applicable federal law including the 1940 Act, any dividend or distribution may be paid in cash and/or securities or other property, and the composition of any such distribution shall be determined by the Trustees (or by any officer of the Trust or any other Person or Persons to whom such authority has been delegated by the Trustees) and may be different among Shareholders including differences among Shareholders of the same Series or Class.

Section 2.                 Redemptions and Repurchases

.

 
 

(a) The Trust shall purchase such Shares as are offered by any Shareholder for redemption, upon the presentation of a proper instrument of transfer together with a request directed to the Trust or a Person designated by the Trust that the Trust purchase such Shares or in accordance with such other procedures for redemption as the Trustees may from time to time authorize; and the Trust will pay therefor the net asset value thereof as determined by the Trustees (or by such Person or Persons to whom such determination has been delegated), in accordance with any applicable provisions of this Declaration of Trust and applicable law, less any fees imposed on such redemption. Unless extraordinary circumstances exist, payment for said Shares shall be made by the Trust to the Shareholder within seven (7) days (or any other period as permitted under applicable law) after the date on which the request is made in proper form. The obligation set forth in this Section 2 is subject to the provision that in the event that any time the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) is closed for other than weekends or holidays, or if permitted by the rules and regulations or an order of the Commission during periods when trading on the Exchange is restricted or during any emergency which makes it impracticable for the Trust to dispose of the investments of the Trust or any applicable Series or to determine fairly the value of the net assets held with respect to the Trust or such Series or during any other period permitted by order of the Commission for the protection of investors, such obligations may be suspended or postponed by the Trustees. In the case of a suspension of the right of redemption as provided herein, a Shareholder may either withdraw the request for redemption or receive payment based on the net asset value per Share next determined after the termination of such suspension, less any fees imposed on such redemption.

 
 

(b) Subject to applicable federal law including the 1940 Act, the redemption price may in any case or cases be paid wholly or partly in kind if the Trustees determine that such payment is advisable in the interest of the remaining Shareholders of the Trust or any applicable Series for which the Shares are being redeemed. Subject to the foregoing, the fair value, selection and quantity of securities or other property so paid or delivered as all or part of the redemption price may be determined by or under authority of the Trustees. To the extent permitted by law, the Trustees may retain the proceeds of any redemption of Shares required by them for payment of amounts due and owing by a Shareholder to the Trust or any Series or Class. In no case shall the Trust be liable for any delay of any corporation or other Person in transferring securities selected for delivery as all or part of any payment in kind.

(c) The Trustees may require any Shareholder or group of Shareholders (including some or all of the Shareholders of any Series or Class) to redeem Shares for any reason as determined by the Trustees, including (i) the determination of the Trustees that direct or indirect ownership of Shares of the Trust or any Series has or may become concentrated in such Shareholder to an extent that would disqualify any Series as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor statute thereto), (ii) the failure of a Shareholder to supply a tax identification number if required to do so, or to have the minimum investment required (which may vary by Series or Class), (iii) if the Share activity of the account or ownership of Shares by a particular Shareholder is deemed by the Trustees either to affect adversely the management of the Trust or any Series or Class or not to be in the best interests of the remaining Shareholders of the Trust or any Series or Class, or (iv) the failure of a

 
 

Shareholder to pay when due for the purchase of Shares issued to him. Any such redemption shall be effected at the redemption price and in the manner provided in this Article VI.

(d) The Shareholders shall upon demand disclose to the Trustees in writing such information with respect to direct and indirect ownership of Shares as the Trustees deem necessary to comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor statute thereto), or to comply with the requirements of any other taxing authority.

(e) Subject to applicable federal law including the 1940 Act, and except as otherwise determined by the Trustees, upon redemption, Shares shall no longer be deemed outstanding or carry any voting rights irrespective of whether a record date for any matter on which such Shares were entitled to vote had been set on a date prior to the date on which such Shares were redeemed. In making a determination as to whether redeemed Shares shall be deemed outstanding and carry any voting rights with respect to any matter on which such Shares were entitled to vote prior to redemption, subject to applicable federal law including the 1940 Act, the Trustees may, among other things, determine that Shares redeemed either before or after a date specified by the Trustees between the record date for such matter and the meeting date for such matter shall be deemed outstanding and retain voting rights, which determination may be made for any reason including that it would not be reasonably practicable to obtain a quorum if all of the Shares redeemed after the record date for such matter and before the voting date no longer were deemed outstanding and carried any voting rights.

Article VII

 
 



Compensation and Limitation of
Liability of Trustees

Section 1.                 Compensation

. Any Trustee, whether or not he or she is a salaried officer or employee of the Trust, may be compensated for his or her services as Trustee or as a member of a committee of Trustees or as chairman of a committee by fixed periodic payments or by fees for attendance at meetings, by both or otherwise, and in addition may be reimbursed for transportation and other expenses, all in such manner and amounts as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine. Nothing herein shall in any way prevent the employment of any Trustee for advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other services and payment for the same by the Trust.

Section 2.                 Limitation of Liability

. To the fullest extent permitted by law, a Trustee shall be liable to the Trust and to any Shareholder solely for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, Manager, adviser, sub-adviser or Principal Underwriter of the Trust.

All Persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the Trust or any Series shall look only to the assets of the Trust or any applicable Series that such Person extended credit to, contracted with or has a claim against; and neither the

 
 

Trustees nor the Shareholders, nor any of the Trust’s officers, employees or agents, whether past, present or future, shall be personally liable therefor.

Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees by any of them in connection with the Trust shall conclusively be deemed to have been executed or done only in or with respect to his or their capacity as Trustee or Trustees, and such Trustee or Trustees shall not be personally liable thereon. At the Trustees’ discretion, any note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking made or issued by the Trustees or by any officer or officers may give notice that the Certificate of Trust is on file in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and that a limitation on liability of Series exists and such note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking may, if the Trustees so determine, recite that the same was executed or made on behalf of the Trust by a Trustee or Trustees in such capacity and not individually or by an officer or officers in such capacity and not individually and that the obligations of such instrument are not binding upon any of them or the Shareholders individually but are binding only on the assets and property of the Trust or a Series thereof, and may contain such further recital as such Person or Persons may deem appropriate. The omission of any such notice or recital shall in no way operate to bind any Trustees, officers or Shareholders individually.

Section 3.                 Trustee’s Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety

. The exercise in good faith by the Trustees of their powers and discretions hereunder shall be binding upon everyone interested. The Trustees may rely in good faith upon advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the meaning and operation of this

 
 

Declaration of Trust and their duties as Trustees hereunder, and shall be under no liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice; provided the Trustees shall be under no liability for failing to follow such advice. A Trustee shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Trust and upon information, opinions, reports or statements presented by another Trustee or any officer, employee or other agent of the Trust, or by any other Person as to matters the Trustee reasonably believes are within such other Person’s professional or expert competence, including information, opinions, reports or statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits or losses of the Trust or any Series or Class, or the value and amount of assets or reserves or contracts, agreements or other undertakings that would be sufficient to pay claims and obligations of the Trust or any Series or Class or to make reasonable provision to pay such claims and obligations, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from which distributions to Shareholders or creditors of the Trust might properly be paid. The appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee as chair of the Trustees, a member or chair of a committee of the Trustees, an expert on any topic or in any area (including an audit committee financial expert), or the lead independent Trustee, or any other special appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee, shall not impose on that person any standard of care or liability that is greater than that imposed on that person as a Trustee in the absence of the appointment, designation or identification, and no Trustee who has special skills or expertise, or is appointed, designated or identified as aforesaid, shall be held to a higher standard of care by virtue thereof. In addition, no appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee as aforesaid shall affect in any way that Trustee's rights or entitlement to indemnification or advancement

 
 

of expenses. The Trustees shall not be required to give any bond as such, nor any surety if a bond is obtained.

Section 4.                 Insurance

. The Trustees shall be entitled and empowered to the fullest extent permitted by law to purchase with Trust assets insurance for liability and for all expenses reasonably incurred or paid or expected to be paid by a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he or she becomes involved by virtue of his or her capacity or former capacity with the Trust.

Article VIII

Miscellaneous

Section 1.                 Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees

. No Person dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction made or to be made by the Trustees or to see to the application of any payments made or property transferred to the Trust or upon its order.

Section 2.                 Termination of the Trust or Any Series or Class

.

(a) Unless terminated as provided herein, the Trust shall continue without limitation of time. The Trust may be dissolved at any time by the Trustees (without Shareholder approval or prior notice). Any Series of Shares may be dissolved at any time by the Trustees (without Shareholder approval or prior notice). Any Class may be terminated at any time by the Trustees (without Shareholder approval or prior notice).

 
 

Any action to dissolve the Trust shall be deemed to also be an action to dissolve each Series and to terminate each Class.

(b) Upon the requisite action by the Trustees to dissolve the Trust or any one or more Series of Shares, after paying or otherwise making reasonable provision to pay for all claims and obligations, of the Trust or Series, as applicable, including all contingent, conditional or unmatured claims and obligations, in accordance with Section 3808 of the Delaware Act, the Trust shall in accordance with such procedures as the Trustees consider appropriate reduce the remaining assets of the Trust (if it has dissolved) and/or of the affected Series to distributable form in cash or Shares (if any Series remain) or other securities, or any combination thereof, and distribute the proceeds to the Shareholders of the Trust (if it has dissolved) and/or any applicable Series ratably according to the number of Shares of the Trust or such Series, as applicable, held by the several Shareholders of the Trust or such Series on the date of distribution. Thereupon, the Trust (if it has dissolved) and/or any affected Series shall be discharged of any and all further liabilities and duties relating thereto or arising therefrom, and the right, title and interest of all parties with respect to the Trust and/or such Series, as applicable, shall be canceled and discharged and such Series shall terminate and/or if the Trust has dissolved the Trustees shall cause a certificate of cancellation of the Trust’s Certificate of Trust to be filed in accordance with the Delaware Act, which certificate of cancellation may be signed by any one Trustee, and upon the filing of such certificate of cancellation, the Trust shall terminate. Upon the requisite action by the Trustees to terminate any Class, the Trustees may, to the extent they deem it appropriate, follow the procedures set forth in this Section 2(b) with respect to such Class that are specified in connection with the

 
 

dissolution and winding up of the Trust or any Series of Shares. Alternatively, in connection with the termination of any Class, the Trustees may treat such termination as a redemption of the Shareholders of such Class effected pursuant to Section 2(c) of Article VI of this Declaration of Trust provided that the costs relating to the termination of such Class shall be included in the determination of the net asset value of the Shares of such Class for purposes of determining the redemption price to be paid to the Shareholders of such Class (to the extent not otherwise included in such determination).

(c) In connection with the dissolution and liquidation of the Trust or any Series and in connection with the termination of any Class, the Trustees may provide for the establishment of a liquidating trust or similar vehicle. If after the termination of the Trust or any Series, the existence of any assets of the Trust or such Series becomes known to the officers or other agents or representatives of the Trust or such Series, such officers, agents or representatives may dispose of such assets as they shall determine in their sole discretion.

Section 3.                 Reorganization and Master/Feeder

.

(a) Notwithstanding anything else herein, the Trustees may, without Shareholder approval unless such approval is required by the 1940 Act, (i) cause the Trust to convert or merge, reorganize or consolidate with or into one or more trusts, partnerships, limited liability companies, associations, corporations or other business entities (or a series of any of the foregoing to the extent permitted by law) (including trusts, partnerships, limited liability companies, associations, corporations or other business entities created by the Trustees to accomplish such conversion, merger, reorganization or consolidation) so long

 
 

as the surviving or resulting entity is an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, or is a series thereof, to the extent permitted by law, and that, in the case of any trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation or other business entity created by the Trustees to accomplish such conversion, merger, reorganization or consolidation, may (but need not) succeed to or assume the Trust’s registration under the 1940 Act and that, in any case, is formed, organized or existing under the laws of the United States or of a state, commonwealth, possession or colony of the United States, (ii) cause the Shares to be exchanged under or pursuant to any state or federal statute to the extent permitted by law, (iii) cause the Trust to incorporate under the laws of a state, commonwealth, possession or colony of the United States (iv) sell or convey all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust or any Series or Class to another Series or Class of the Trust or to another trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation or other business entity (or a series of any of the foregoing to the extent permitted by law) (including a trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation or other business entity created by the Trustees to accomplish such sale and conveyance), organized under the laws of the United States or of any state, commonwealth, possession or colony of the United States so long as such trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation or other business entity is an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act and, in the case of any trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation or other business entity created by the Trustees to accomplish such sale and conveyance, may (but need not) succeed to or assume the Trust’s registration under the 1940 Act, for adequate consideration as determined by the Trustees which may include the assumption of all

 
 

outstanding obligations, taxes and other liabilities, accrued or contingent of the Trust or any affected Series or Class, and which may include Shares of such other Series or Class of the Trust or shares of beneficial interest, stock or other ownership interest of such trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation or other business entity (or series thereof) or (v) at any time sell or convert into money all or any part of the assets of the Trust or any Series or Class. Any certificate of merger, certificate of conversion or other applicable certificate may be signed by any one Trustee and facsimile signatures conveyed by electronic or telecommunication means shall be valid.

(b) Pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3815(f) of the Delaware Act, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Declaration of Trust, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved by the Trustees in accordance with this Section 3 may effect any amendment to this Declaration of Trust or effect the adoption of a new governing instrument of the Trust if the Trust is the surviving or resulting entity in the merger or consolidation.

(c) Notwithstanding anything else herein, the Trustees may, without Shareholder approval unless such approval is required by the 1940 Act, invest all or a portion of the Trust Property or the Trust Property of any Series, or dispose of all or a portion of the Trust Property or the Trust Property of any Series, and invest the proceeds of such disposition in interests issued by one or more other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. Any such other investment company may (but need not) be a trust (formed under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state or jurisdiction) (or subtrust thereof) which is classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. Notwithstanding anything else herein, the Trustees may, without Shareholder approval

 
 

unless such approval is required by the 1940 Act, cause the Trust or any Series that is organized in the master/feeder fund structure to withdraw or redeem its Trust Property from the master fund and cause the Trust or such Series to invest its Trust Property directly in securities and other financial instruments or in another master fund.

Section 4.                 Amendments

. This Declaration of Trust may be restated and/or amended at any time by (i) an instrument in writing signed by a majority of the Trustees then holding office or (ii) adoption by a majority of the Trustees then holding office of a resolution specifying the restatement and/or amendment. Any such restatement and/or amendment hereto shall be effective immediately upon such execution or adoption. No vote or consent of any Shareholder shall be required for any amendment to this Declaration of Trust except (i) as determined by the Trustees or (ii) as required by federal law including the 1940 Act, but only to the extent so required. Any officer of the Trust is authorized from time to time to restate this Declaration of Trust into a single instrument to reflect all amendments hereto made in accordance with the terms hereof. The Certificate of Trust of the Trust may be restated and/or amended by any Trustee as necessary or desirable to reflect any change in the information set forth therein, and any such restatement and/or amendment shall be effective immediately upon filing with the Office of the Secretary of the State of Delaware or upon such future date as may be stated therein. Notwithstanding anything else herein, no amendment hereof shall limit the rights to insurance provided by Article VII of this Declaration of Trust with respect to any acts or omissions of Persons covered thereby prior to such amendment nor shall any such amendment limit the rights to

 
 

indemnification and advancement referenced in Article XI of the By-Laws with respect to any actions or omissions of Persons covered thereby prior to such amendment.

Section 5.                 Filing of Copies, References, Headings, Rules of Construction

. The original or a copy of this Declaration of Trust shall be kept at the office of the Trust where it may be inspected by any Shareholder. Anyone dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of the Trust as to any matters in connection with the Trust hereunder; and, with the same effect as if it were the original, may rely on a copy certified by an officer of the Trust to be a copy of this Declaration of Trust. In this Declaration of Trust, references to this Declaration of Trust, and all expressions such as “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, shall be deemed to refer to this Declaration of Trust as a whole and not to any particular article or section unless the context requires otherwise. Headings are placed herein for convenience of reference only and shall not be taken as a part hereof or control or affect the meaning, construction or effect of this Declaration of Trust. Whenever the singular number is used herein, the same shall include the plural; and the neuter, masculine and feminine genders shall include each other, as applicable. This Declaration of Trust and any document, consent or instrument referenced in or contemplated by this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument. To the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, (i) any document, consent, instrument or notice referenced in or contemplated by this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws that is to be executed by one or more Trustees may be executed by means of original, facsimile or electronic signature and (ii) any document, consent, instrument or notice referenced in or contemplated by this

 
 

Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws that is to be delivered by one or more Trustees may be delivered by facsimile or electronic means (including e-mail), unless, in the case of either clause (i) or (ii), otherwise expressly provided herein or in the By-Laws or determined by the Trustees. The terms “include,” “includes” and “including” and any comparable terms shall be deemed to mean “including, without limitation.” Any reference to any statute, law, code, rule or regulation shall be deemed to refer to such statute, law, code, rule or regulation as amended or restated from time to time and any successor thereto.

Section 6.                 Applicable Law

.

(a) The Trust is created under, and this Declaration of Trust is to be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware. The Trust shall be a Delaware statutory trust pursuant to the Delaware Act, and without limiting the provisions hereof, the Trust specifically reserves the right to exercise any of the powers or privileges afforded to statutory trusts or actions that may be engaged in by statutory trusts under the Delaware Act, and the absence of a specific reference herein to any such power, privilege or action shall not imply that the Trust may not exercise such power or privilege or take such actions.

(b) Notwithstanding the first sentence of Section 6(a) of this Article VIII, there shall not be applicable to the Trust, the Trustees or this Declaration of Trust, the provisions of Section 3540 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code or any provisions of the laws (statutory or common) of the State of Delaware (other than the Delaware Act) pertaining to trusts that relate to or regulate: (i) the filing with any court or governmental body or

 
 

agency of trustee accounts or schedules of trustee fees and charges, (ii) affirmative requirements to post bonds for trustees, officers, agents or employees of a trust, (iii) the necessity for obtaining a court or other governmental approval concerning the acquisition, holding or disposition of real or personal property, (iv) fees or other sums applicable to trustees, officers, agents or employees of a trust, (v) the allocation of receipts and expenditures to income or principal, (vi) restrictions or limitations on the permissible nature, amount or concentration of trust investments or requirements relating to the titling, storage or other manner of holding of trust assets, or (vii) the establishment of fiduciary or other standards or responsibilities or limitations on the acts or powers of trustees that are inconsistent with the limitations or liabilities or authorities and powers of the Trustees set forth or referenced in this Declaration of Trust.

Section 7.                 Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations

.

(a) The provisions of the Declaration of Trust are severable, and if the Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any of such provision is in conflict with the 1940 Act, the regulated investment company provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor statute thereto), and the regulations thereunder, the Delaware Act or with other applicable federal laws and regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of the Declaration of Trust; provided, however, that such determination shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of the Declaration of Trust or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination.

 
 

(b) If any provision of the Declaration of Trust shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall attach only to such provision in such jurisdiction and shall not in any manner affect such provision in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of the Declaration of Trust in any jurisdiction.

Section 8.                 Statutory Trust Only

. It is the intention of the Trustees to create a statutory trust pursuant to the Delaware Act. It is not the intention of the Trustees to create a general partnership, limited partnership, joint stock association, corporation, bailment, or any form of legal relationship other than a statutory trust pursuant to the Delaware Act. Nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall be construed to make the Shareholders, either by themselves or with the Trustees, partners or members of a joint stock association.

Section 9.                 Derivative Actions

. In addition to the requirements set forth in Section 3816 of the Delaware Act, a Shareholder may bring a derivative action on behalf of the Trust only if the following conditions are met:

(a) The Shareholder or Shareholders must make a pre-suit demand upon the Trustees to bring the subject action unless an effort to cause the Trustees to bring such an action is not likely to succeed. For purposes of this Section 9(a), a demand on the Trustees shall only be deemed not likely to succeed and therefore excused if a majority of the Board of Trustees, or a majority of any committee established to consider the merits of such action, is composed of Trustees who are not “independent trustees” (as that term is defined in the Delaware Act).

 
 

(b) Unless a demand is not required under paragraph (a) of this Section 9, Shareholders eligible to bring such derivative action under the Delaware Act who collectively hold Shares representing ten percent (10%) or more of the total combined net asset value of all Shares issued and outstanding or of the Series or Classes to which such action relates if it does not relate to all Series and Classes, shall join in the request for the Trustees to commence such action; and

(c) Unless a demand is not required under paragraph (a) of this Section 9, the Trustees must be afforded a reasonable amount of time to consider such Shareholder request and to investigate the basis of such claim. The Trustees shall be entitled to retain counsel or other advisers in considering the merits of the request and may require an undertaking by the Shareholders making such request to reimburse the Trust for the expense of any such advisers in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action.

(d) In addition to all suits, claims or other actions (collectively, “claims”) that under applicable law must be brought as derivative claims, each Shareholder of the Trust or any Series or Class agrees that any claim that affects all Shareholders of a Series or Class equally, that is, proportionately based on their number of Shares in such Series or Class, must be brought as a derivative claim subject to this Section 9 irrespective of whether such claim involves a violation of the Shareholders’ rights under this Declaration of Trust or any other alleged violation of contractual or individual rights that might otherwise give rise to a direct claim.

For purposes of this Section 9, the Board of Trustees may designate a committee of one Trustee to consider a Shareholder demand if necessary to create a committee with

 
 

a majority of Trustees who are “independent trustees” (as that term is defined in the Delaware Act).

Section 10.             Inspection of Records and Reports

. Every Trustee shall have the right at any reasonable time to inspect all books, records, and documents of every kind and the physical properties of the Trust. This inspection by a Trustee may be made in person or by an agent or attorney and the right of inspection includes the right to copy and make extracts of documents. No Shareholder shall have any right to inspect any account, book or document of the Trust that is not publicly available, except as conferred by the Trustees. The books and records of the Trust may be kept at such place or places as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine, except as otherwise required by law.

Section 11.             Jurisdiction and Waiver of Jury Trial

. In accordance with Section 3804(e) of the Delaware Act, any suit, action or proceeding brought by or in the right of any Shareholder or any person claiming any interest in any Shares seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of, or in connection with, this Declaration of Trust or the Trust, any Series or Class or any Shares, including any claim of any nature against the Trust, any Series or Class, the Trustees or officers of the Trust, shall be brought exclusively in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware to the extent there is subject matter jurisdiction in such court for the claims asserted or, if not, then in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, and all Shareholders and other such Persons hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of such courts (and the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection

 
 

they may make now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum and further, IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION, OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN THE SUPERIOR COURT IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, ALL SHAREHOLDERS AND ALL OTHER SUCH PERSONS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. All Shareholders and other such Persons agree that service of summons, complaint or other process in connection with any proceedings may be made by registered or certified mail or by overnight courier addressed to such Person at the address shown on the books and records of the Trust for such Person or at the address of the Person shown on the books and records of the Trust with respect to the Shares that such Person claims an interest in. Service of process in any such suit, action or proceeding against the Trust or any Trustee or officer of the Trust may be made at the address of the Trust’s registered agent in the State of Delaware. Any service so made shall be effective as if personally made in the State of Delaware.

 
 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trustees named below do hereby make and enter into this Agreement and Declaration of Trust of PGIM ETF Trust as of the date first written above.

 

 

_/s/ Joel Sauber ___________________

Joel Sauber

 

 

 

_/s/ Keshav Rajagopalan ____________

Keshav Rajagopalan

 

 

 

_/s/ Claudia DiGiacomo ____________

Claudia DiGiacomo

 

 

THE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS OF THE TRUST IS:

 

655 Broad Street, 17 th Floor

Newark, NJ 07102

 

 

11208592.10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BY-LAWS

 

OF

 

PGIM ETF TRUST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

ARTICLE I - AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST 1

Section 1. Agreement and Declaration of Trust 1

Section 2. Definitions 1

 

ARTICLE II - OFFICES 1

Section 1. Principal Office 1

Section 2. Registered Office and Other Offices 1

 

ARTICLE III – SHAREHOLDER VOTING 2

Section 1. Voting Powers 2

Section 2. Quorum and Required Vote 3

Section 3. Notice of Meetings 4

Section 4. Meetings 5

Section 5. Record Date for Meetings 7

Section 6. Proxies 7

Section 7. Concerning Validity of Proxies, Ballots, Etc. 9

Section 8. Action Without Meeting 10

Section 9. Abstentions and Broker Non-Votes. 10

Section 10. Organization 11

Section 11. Record Date for Distributions 11

Section 12. Application of this Article 12

 

ARTICLE IV - TRUSTEES 12

Section 1. Meetings of the Trustees 12

Section 2. Quorum and Manner of Acting 14

 

ARTICLE V - COMMITTEES…………………………………………………….…… 15

Section 1. Executive Committees………………..……………………………...…. 15

Section 2. Other Committees……………………………..…………………….…. 15

Section 3. Meetings, Quorum and Manner of Acting…………………………….. 16

 

ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS……………………………………………………………. 16

Section 1. General Provisions 16

Section 2. Term of Office and Qualifications 17

Section 3. Resignation 17

Section 4. Removal 17

Section 5. Powers and Duties of the Chairman 17

Section 6. Powers and Duties of the President 18

Section 7. Powers and Duties of the Vice President 18

Section 8. Powers and Duties of the Treasurer 18

 
 

Section 9. Powers and Duties of the Secretary 19

Section 10. Powers and Duties of Assistant Treasurers 19

Section 11. Powers and Duties of Assistant Secretaries 20

Section 12. Compensation of Officers and Trustees 20

Section 13. Surety Bond 20

 

ARTICLE VII - FISCAL YEAR 21

 

ARTICLE VIII - SEAL 21

 

ARTICLE IX - WAIVERS OF NOTICE .21

 

ARTICLE X - CUSTODY OF SECURITIES 21

Section 1. Employment of a Custodian 21

Section 2. Provisions of Custodian Contract 22

Section 3. Central Certificate System 23

 

ARTICLE XI – INDEMNIFICATION 23

Section 1. Indemnification 23

Section 2. Further Indemnification 26

 

ARTICLE XII – EXECUTION OF INSTRUMENTS; VOTING SECURITIES 27

Section 1. Execution of Instruments 27

Section 2. Voting of Securities 27

 

ARTICLE XIII - AMENDMENTS 28

 

 

 

 

 
 

BY-LAWS

OF

PGIM ETF TRUST

ARTICLE I

Agreement and Declaration of Trust

Section 1. Agreement and Declaration of Trust . These By-Laws shall be subject to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as from time to time amended, supplemented or restated (the “Declaration of Trust”), of PGIM ETF Trust (the “Trust”).

Section 2. Definitions . Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms used herein have the respective meanings given them in the Declaration of Trust and the provisions of Sections 5, 6, 7 and 11 of Article VIII of the Declaration of Trust shall apply to these By-Laws mutatis mutandis . In the event of any inconsistency between the terms hereof and the terms of the Declaration of Trust, the terms of the Declaration of Trust control.

ARTICLE II

Offices

Section 1. Principal Office . The principal office of the Trust, and such additional offices as the Board of Trustees or the officers of the Trust may establish, shall be located in such places as the Board of Trustees or the officers may from time to time determine.

Section 2. Registered Office and Other Offices . The registered office of the Trust shall be located in the City of Wilmington, State of Delaware or such other location within the State of Delaware as the Trustees may from time to time determine. The Trust may establish and maintain such other offices and places of business as the Trustees may from time to time determine.

 
 

ARTICLE III

Shareholder Voting

Section 1. Voting Powers . As determined by the Trustees without the vote or consent of Shareholders (except as required by the 1940 Act), on any matter submitted to a vote of Shareholders, either (i) each whole Share shall be entitled to one vote as to any matter on which it is entitled to vote and each fractional Share shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote or (ii) each dollar of Net Asset Value (number of Shares owned times Net Asset Value per share of such Series or Class, as applicable) shall be entitled to one vote on any matter on which such Shares are entitled to vote and each fractional dollar amount shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote. Without limiting the power of the Trustees in any way to designate otherwise in accordance with the preceding sentence, the Trustees hereby establish that each whole Share shall be entitled to one vote as to any matter on which it is entitled to vote and each fractional Share shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote.

Notwithstanding any other provision of these By-Laws, on any matter submitted to a vote of the Shareholders, all Shares then entitled to vote shall be voted in the aggregate, except (i) when required by the 1940 Act, Shares shall be voted by individual Series; (ii) when the matter involves any action that the Trustees have determined will affect only the interests of one or more Series, then only Shareholders of such Series shall be entitled to vote thereon; and (iii) when the matter involves any action that the Trustees have determined will affect only the interests of one or more Classes, then only the Shareholders of such Class or Classes shall be entitled to vote thereon. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of Trustees. Notwithstanding anything contained in

 
 

these By-Laws, in the event a proposal by anyone other than the officers or Trustees of the Trust is submitted to a vote of the Shareholders of one or more Series or Classes thereof or of the Trust, or in the event of any proxy contest or proxy solicitation or proposal in opposition to any proposal by the officers or Trustees of the Trust, Shares may be voted only in person or by written proxy at a meeting. Until Shares of a Series are issued, the Trustees may exercise all rights of Shareholders and may take any action required by law, the Declaration of Trust or these By-Laws to be taken by the Shareholders.

Section 2. Quorum and Required Vote . Except when a larger quorum is required by federal law, including the 1940 Act, by these By-Laws or by the Declaration of Trust, one-third of the Shares entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at a Shareholders’ meeting. When any one or more Series (or Classes) is to vote as a single class separate from any other Shares, one-third of the Shares of all such Series (or Classes) entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at a Shareholders’ meeting of such Series (or Classes). Except when a larger vote is required by any provision of the Declaration of Trust or these By-Laws or by federal law, including the 1940 Act, when a quorum is present at any meeting, a plurality of the Shares voted shall elect a Trustee and a majority of the Shares voted shall decide any other matters, provided that where any provision of federal law, including the 1940 Act, or of these By-Laws requires or permits the Shareholders of any one or more Series (or Classes) to vote as a single class separate from any other Shares, then, when a quorum is present with respect to such Series (or Classes), a majority of the Shares of all such Series (or Classes) voted on the matter (or a plurality

 
 

with respect to the election of a Trustee) shall decide that matter insofar as such Series (or Classes) are concerned.

Section 3. Notice of Meetings . Notice of all meetings of the Shareholders, stating the time, place and purposes of the meeting, shall be given by the Secretary to each Shareholder entitled to vote at said meeting at least ten (10) days (or such other greater or lesser number of days as the Board of Trustees shall determine) and not more than one hundred twenty (120) days (or such other greater or lesser number of days as the Board of Trustees shall determine) before the meeting. Notice of any meeting of Shareholders shall be (i) given either by hand delivery, telephone, overnight courier, telegram, facsimile, telex, telecopier, electronic mail or other electronic means or by mail, postage prepaid, and (ii) given or addressed to the Shareholder at the phone number, address, facsimile number, e-mail address or other contact information of that Shareholder appearing on the books of the Trust or its transfer agent. Notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when made by telephone, delivered personally, deposited in the mail or with an overnight courier or sent by telegram, facsimile, telex, telecopier, electronic mail or other means of communication. Only the business stated in the notice of the meeting shall be considered at such meeting. Notice of adjournment of a Shareholders’ meeting to another time or place need not be given, if such time and place are announced at the meeting. No notice need be given to any Shareholder who attends a meeting in person or if a written waiver of notice, executed before or after the meeting by the Shareholder or his or her attorney thereunto authorized, is filed with the records of the meeting. In the absence of fraud, any irregularities in the notice of any meeting or the

 
 

nonreceipt of any such notice by any of the Shareholders shall not invalidate any action otherwise properly taken at any such meeting.

Section 4. Meetings . There shall be no annual meetings of Shareholders for the election of Trustees or the transaction of any other business except as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable federal law. Special meetings of the Shareholders shall be held at the principal executive office of the Trust or at such other place within the United States of America as the Trustees shall designate. Special meetings of Shareholders shall be held as provided herein or as otherwise required by the 1940 Act or other applicable federal law. Except as required by federal law including the 1940 Act, Shareholders shall not be entitled to call, or to have the secretary call, special meetings of the Shareholders. Special meetings of the Shareholders shall be called by the secretary whenever ordered by the Trustees. To the extent required by federal law including the 1940 Act, special meetings of the Shareholders shall be called upon the request of the Shareholders owning Shares representing at least the percentage of the total combined votes of all Shares of the Trust issued and outstanding required by federal law including the 1940 Act, provided that (a) such request shall state the purposes of such meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on, and (b) the Shareholders requesting such meeting shall have paid to the Trust the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing the notice thereof, which the secretary shall determine and specify to such Shareholders; provided, further, that a special meeting called for the purpose of voting on the removal of any Trustee shall be requested in writing by Shareholders holding at least ten percent (10%) of the outstanding Shares entitled to vote.

 
 

If the Secretary, when so ordered or requested, refuses or neglects for more than 10 days to call such meetings, the Trustees or the Shareholders so requesting, may, in the name of the Secretary, call the meeting by giving notice thereof in the manner required when notice is given by the Secretary.

Prior to the date upon which any meeting of Shareholders is to be held, the Board of Trustees may postpone such meeting one or more times for any reason, including the failure of a quorum to be present at the meeting with respect to any proposal or the failure of any proposal to receive sufficient votes for approval, and for such period (without regard to the period before the meeting that notice was required to be given in accordance with Section 3 hereof) as the Board of Trustees shall determine by giving notice to each Shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting so postponed of the place, date and hour at which such meeting will be held. Such notice shall be given not fewer than two (2) days before the date of such meeting and otherwise in accordance with Section 3. Any meeting of Shareholders may be adjourned one or more times from time to time by the chairman of the meeting to another time or place for any reason, including the failure of a quorum to be present at the meeting with respect to any proposal or the failure of any proposal to receive sufficient votes for approval, for such period (without regard to the period before the meeting that notice was required to be given in accordance with Section 3 hereof) as the chairman shall determine, and as to one or more proposals regardless of whether action has been taken on other matters. No Shareholder vote shall be required for any adjournment.

Any adjourned meeting may be held at such time and place as determined by the Board of Trustees. Any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting

 
 

may be transacted at any adjourned meeting. If, after a postponement or adjournment, a new record date is fixed for the postponed or adjourned meeting, the secretary shall give notice of the postponed or adjourned meeting to Shareholders of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If a quorum is present with respect to any one or more proposals, the chairman of the meeting may, but shall not be required to, cause a vote to be taken with respect to any such proposal or proposals which vote can be certified as final and effective notwithstanding the adjournment of the meeting with respect to any other proposal or proposals.

Section 5. Record Date for Meetings . For the purpose of determining the Shareholders who are entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting, the Trustees may from time to time close the transfer books for such period, not exceeding thirty (30) days, as the Trustees may determine; or without closing the transfer books the Trustees may fix a date not more than one hundred twenty (120) days (or such other greater or lesser number of days as the Board of Trustees shall determine) prior to the date of any meeting of Shareholders as a record date for the determination of the persons to be treated as Shareholders of record for such purpose (subject to the provisions of Section 2(e) of Article VI of the Declaration of Trust with respect to redeemed Shares). Subject to the provisions of Section 2(e) of Article VI of the Declaration of Trust with respect to redeemed Shares, the Shareholders of record entitled to vote at a Shareholders’ meeting shall be deemed the Shareholders of record at any meeting that has been postponed or reconvened after one or more adjournments, unless the Trustees have fixed a new record date

 
 

Section 6. Proxies . At any meeting of Shareholders, any holder of Shares entitled to vote thereat shall be entitled to vote either in person or by proxy, which term shall include proxies provided by such Shareholder, or his duly authorized attorney, through written, electronic, telephonic, computerized, facsimile, telecommunications, telex or oral communication or by any other form of communication, each pursuant to such voting procedures and through such systems as are authorized by the Board of Trustees or any officer of the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a proposal is submitted to a vote of the Shareholders of the Trust or any Series or Class by anyone other than the officers or Trustees, or if there is a proxy contest or proxy solicitation or proposal in opposition to any proposal by the officers or Trustees, shares may be voted only in person or by written proxy. Proxies may be solicited in the name of one or more Trustees or one or more officers of the Trust. Only Shareholders of record shall be entitled to vote.

Unless the proxy provides otherwise, it shall not be valid for more than eleven (11) months before the date of the meeting. All proxies shall be delivered to the secretary or other person responsible for recording the proceedings before being voted. A valid proxy that does not state that it is irrevocable shall continue in full force and effect unless (i) revoked by the person executing it before the vote pursuant to that proxy is taken by (a) a writing delivered to the Trust stating that the proxy is revoked, (b) a subsequent proxy executed by such person, (c) attendance at the meeting and voting in person by the person executing that proxy, or (d) revocation by such person using any electronic, telephonic, computerized or other alternative means authorized by the Trustees for authorizing the proxy to act; or (ii) written notice of the death or incapacity of the maker of that proxy is received by the Trust before the vote pursuant to that proxy is counted.

 
 

Unless revoked, any proxy given in connection with a postponed or adjourned meeting for which a new record date is fixed shall continue to be valid so long as the Shareholder giving such proxy is a Shareholder of record on such new such record date.

A proxy with respect to Shares held in the name of two or more persons shall be valid if executed by one of them unless at or prior to exercise of such proxy the Trust receives a specific written notice to the contrary from any one of them in which case such proxy shall not be valid and no vote shall be received in respect of such Shares unless all persons holding such Shares shall agree on their manner of voting. Unless otherwise specifically limited by their terms, proxies shall entitle the Shareholder to vote at any adjournment of a Shareholders’ meeting.

Section 7. Concerning Validity of Proxies, Ballots, etc. . At every meeting of the Shareholders, all proxies shall be received and taken in charge of and all ballots shall be received and canvassed by the secretary of the meeting, who shall decide all questions touching the qualification of voters, the validity of proxies, and the acceptance or rejection of votes, unless inspectors of election shall have been appointed as provided below in this section, in which event such inspectors of election shall decide all such questions.

A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise, and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger. Subject to the provisions of the Delaware Act, the Declaration of Trust, or these By-laws, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware relating to proxies, and judicial interpretations thereunder, shall govern all

 
 

matters concerning the giving, voting or validity of proxies, as if the Trust were a Delaware corporation and the Shareholders were stockholders of a Delaware corporation.

At any election of Trustees, the Board of Trustees prior thereto may, or, if they have not so acted, the chairman of the meeting may, appoint one or more inspectors of election who shall first subscribe an oath or affirmation to execute faithfully the duties of inspector at such election with strict impartiality and according to the best of their ability, and shall after the election make a certificate of the result of the vote taken. No candidate for the office of Trustee shall be appointed as an inspector.

The chairman of the meeting may cause a vote by ballot to be taken upon any election or matter, and, to the extent required by federal law including the 1940 Act, but only to such extent, such vote shall be taken upon the request of the Shareholders owning Shares representing ten percent (10%) or more of the total combined votes of all Shares of the Trust issued and outstanding and entitled to vote on such election or matter.

Section 8. Action Without Meeting . Any action that may be taken at any meeting of Shareholders may be taken without a meeting and without prior notice if a consent in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by the Shareholders holding outstanding Shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting at which all Shares entitled to vote on that action were present and voted. All such consents shall be filed with the records of Shareholder meetings. Such consents shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of Shareholders.

Section 9. Abstentions and Broker Non-Votes . Subject to the provisions of Section 2(e) of Article VI of the Declaration of Trust with respect to redeemed Shares,

 
 

(A) Shares that abstain or do not vote with respect to one or more of any proposals presented for Shareholder approval and (B) Shares held in “street name” as to which the broker or nominee with respect thereto indicates on the proxy that it does not have discretionary authority to vote with respect to a particular proposal will be counted as present and outstanding and entitled to vote for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at a meeting, but will not be counted as Shares voted (votes cast) with respect to such proposal or proposals.

Section 10. Organization . At every meeting of Shareholders, the chairman or, in his or her absence, the President or, in his or her absence, a Vice President or, in the absence of any of the foregoing officers, a chairman chosen by majority vote of the Shareholders present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereat, shall act as chairman. The secretary or, in his or her absence, an assistant secretary, or, in the absence of either of the foregoing officers, a secretary of the meeting chosen by the chairman shall act as secretary at all meetings of Shareholders.

Subject to these By-laws, the Board of Trustees of the Trust shall be entitled to make such rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings of Shareholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient, and, subject to these By-laws and such rules and regulations of the Board of Trustees, if any, the chairman of any meeting of the Shareholders shall determine the order of business and the procedures for conduct of business at the meeting, including regulation of the manner of voting, the conduct of discussion, the appointment of inspectors, the adjournment of the meeting, and the determination of all questions relating to the qualifications of voters, the validity of proxies, and the acceptance or rejection of votes

 
 

Section 11. Record Date for Distributions . For the purpose of determining the Shareholders of any Series (or Class) who are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or of any other distribution, the Trustees may from time to time fix a date, which shall be before the date for the payment of such dividend or such other payment, as the record date for determining the Shareholders of such Series (or Class) having the right to receive such dividend or distribution. Without fixing a record date, the Trustees may for distribution purposes close the register or transfer books for one or more Series (or Classes) at any time prior to the payment of a distribution. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as precluding the Trustees from setting different record dates for different Series (or Classes).

Section 12. Application of this Article . Meetings of Shareholders shall consist of Shareholders of the Trust or any Series (or Class) or of all Shareholders, and this Article shall be construed accordingly.

ARTICLE IV

Trustees

Section 1. Meetings of the Trustees . The Trustees may in their discretion provide for regular or stated meetings of the Trustees. Notice of regular or stated meetings need not be given. Meetings of the Trustees other than regular or stated meetings shall be held whenever called by the Chairman, the President, or by any two of the Trustees, at the time being in office. Notice of the time and place of each meeting other than regular or stated meetings shall be given by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or by the officer or Trustee calling the meeting and shall be delivered or mailed, postage prepaid, to each Trustee at least two days before the meeting, or shall be telegraphed, cabled, or wired to

 
 

each Trustee at his or her business address, or personally delivered to him or her, at least one day before the meeting, or by telephone, facsimile, telex, telecopier, electronic mail or other electronic means to him or her at least 24 hours before the meeting; provided, however, that if in the judgment of the Chairman of the Board or the President, when either is calling a stated meeting, the action proposed to be taken at the meeting is of such an urgent nature that 24 hours’ notice cannot reasonably be given, then notice may be given to each Trustee by telephone, facsimile, telex, telecopy, electronic mail or other electronic means at least two hours before the meeting provided that each Trustee is afforded the opportunity to participate in such meeting by conference telephone or similar communications equipment. Such notice may, however, be waived by any Trustee. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Trustee if a written waiver of notice, executed by him or her before or after the meeting, is filed with the records of the meeting, or to any Trustee who attends the meeting without protesting prior thereto or at its commencement the lack of notice to him or her. A notice or waiver of notice need not specify the purpose of any meeting. At any meeting of Trustees, any Trustee may vote either in person or by written proxy signed by the Trustee, provided that no proxy shall be voted at any meeting unless it shall have been placed on file with the Secretary, or with such other officer or agent of the Trust as the Secretary may direct, for verification prior to the time at which such vote shall be taken. To the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the Trustees may execute and/or deliver any proxy, consent, and any other instrument by means of electronic, telecommunication, telephonic, computerized or other similar means (including by means of e-mail and facsimile), unless the Trustees otherwise determine at any time. The Trustees may meet by means of a telephone

 
 

conference circuit or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting are connected, which meeting shall be deemed to have been held at a place designated by the Trustees at the meeting. Participation in a telephone conference meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Trustees may be taken by the Trustees without a meeting if a majority of the Trustees then in office (or such higher number of Trustees as would be required to act on the matter under the Declaration of Trust, these By-Laws or applicable law if a meeting were held) consent to the action in writing and the written consents are filed with the records of the Trustees’ meetings. Such consents shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of the Trustees. If any action is so taken by the Trustees by the written consent of less than all of the Trustees, prompt notice of the taking of such action shall be furnished to each Trustee who did not execute such written consent, provided that the effectiveness of such action shall not be impaired by any delay or failure to furnish such notice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all actions of the Trustees shall be taken in compliance with the provisions of the 1940 Act.

Section 2. Quorum and Manner of Acting . A majority of the Trustees then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If at any meeting of the Trustees there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum shall be obtained. Notice of an adjourned meeting need not be given. The act of the majority of the Trustees present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Trustees, except as may be

 
 

otherwise specifically provided by law or by the Declaration of Trust or by these By-Laws.

ARTICLE V

Committees

Section 1. Executive Committees . The Trustees by vote of a majority of all the Trustees may elect from their own number an Executive Committee to consist of not less than three (3) Trustees to hold office at the pleasure of the Trustees, which shall have the power to conduct the current and ordinary business of the Trust while the Trustees are not in session, including the purchase and sale of securities and the designation of securities to be delivered upon redemption of Shares of the Trust, and such other powers of the Trustees as the Trustees may, from time to time, delegate to them except those powers by law, the Declaration of Trust or these By-Laws they are prohibited from delegating.

Section 2. Other Committees . The Trustees may elect from their own number other Committees from time to time to hold office at the pleasure of the Trustees, which shall have such number, power and duties as the Board of Trustees may, by resolution, prescribe, subject to the same limitations as with respect to the Executive Committee. The terms of membership on such Committees and the termination or circumstances giving rise to the termination of such Committees shall be determined by the Trustees. The Trustees may designate a chairman of any such Committee. In the absence of such designation the Committee may elect its own chairman. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article V, and in addition to such provisions or any other provisions of these By-Laws or of the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees may by resolution appoint a Committee consisting of fewer than the whole number of the Trustees then in office, which

 
 

Committee may be empowered to act for and bind the Trustees and the Trust, as if the acts of such Committee were the acts of all the Trustees then in office, with respect to any matter including the institution, prosecution, dismissal, settlement, review or investigation of any action, suit or proceeding that may be pending or threatened to be brought before any court, administrative agency or other adjudicatory body.

Section 3. Meetings, Quorum and Manner of Acting . The Trustees may (1) provide for stated meetings of any Committees, (2) specify the manner of calling and notice required for special meetings of any Committee, (3) specify the number of members of a Committee required to constitute a quorum and the number of members of a Committee required to exercise specified powers delegated to such Committee, (4) authorize the making of decisions to exercise specified powers by written assent of the requisite number of members of a Committee without a meeting, and (5) authorize the members of a Committee to meet by means of a telephone conference circuit. Each Committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and records of decisions taken without a meeting and cause them to be recorded in a book designated for that purpose and kept at the principal executive offices of the Trust.

ARTICLE VI

Officers

Section 1. General Provisions . The officers of the Trust shall be a President, a Treasurer and a Secretary, who shall be elected by the Trustees. The Trustees may elect such other officers or agents as the business of the Trust may require, including a Chairman of the Board (“Chairman”), one or more Vice Presidents, one or more

 
 

Assistant Secretaries, and one or more Assistant Treasurers. The Trustees may delegate to any officer or Committee the power to appoint any subordinate officers or agents.

Section 2. Term of Office and Qualifications . Except as otherwise provided by law, the Declaration of Trust or these By-Laws, the President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and all other officers shall hold office at the pleasure of the Trustees. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. The Chairman, if there be one, shall be a Trustee and may but need not be a Shareholder. Any other officer may be but none need be a Trustee or Shareholder.

Section 3. Resignation . Any officer may resign his or her office at any time by delivering a written resignation to the Board of Trustees, the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Secretary, or any Assistant Secretary. Unless otherwise specified therein, such resignation shall take effect upon delivery. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Trust under any contract to which the officer is a party.

Section 4. Removal . The Trustees, at any regular or special meeting of the Trustees, may remove any officer, with or without cause, by a vote of a majority of the Trustees then in office. Any officer or agent appointed by an officer or Committee may be removed, with or without cause, by such appointing officer or Committee.

Section 5. Powers and Duties of the Chairman . The Chairman, if such an officer is elected, shall if present preside at meetings of the Shareholders and the Trustees, shall be the chief executive officer of the Trust and shall, subject to the control of the Trustees, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and the officers of the Trust and exercise and perform such other powers and duties as may be from time to time

 
 

assigned to him by the Trustees or prescribed by the Declaration of Trust or these By-Laws.

Section 6. Powers and Duties of the President . Subject to the powers of the Chairman, if there be such an officer, the President shall be the principal executive officer of the Trust. He or she may call meetings of the Trustees and of any Committee thereof when he or she deems it necessary and, in the absence of the Chairman, shall preside at all meetings of the Shareholders and the Trustees. Subject to the control of the Trustees, the Chairman and any Committees of the Trustees, within their respective spheres, as provided by the Trustees, the President shall at all times exercise a general supervision and direction over the affairs of the Trust. The President shall have the power to employ and terminate attorneys, accountants and other advisers and agents for the Trust and to employ and terminate such subordinate officers, agents, clerks and employees as he or she may find necessary to transact the business of the Trust. He or she shall also have the power to grant, issue, execute or sign such powers of attorney, proxies or other documents as may be deemed advisable or necessary in furtherance of the interests of the Trust. The President shall have such other powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred upon or assigned to him or her by the Trustees.

Section 7. Powers and Duties of the Vice President . In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice President or, if there be more than one Vice President, any Vice President designated by the Trustees shall perform all the duties and may exercise any of the powers of the President, subject to the control of the Trustees. Each Vice President shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the Trustees or the President.

 
 

Section 8. Powers and Duties of the Treasurer . The Treasurer shall be the principal financial and accounting officer of the Trust. The Treasurer shall deliver all funds of the Trust which may come into his or her hands to such Custodian as the Trustees may employ pursuant to Article X of these By-Laws. He or she shall render a statement of condition of the finances of the Trust to the Trustees as often as the Trustees shall require the same and he or she shall in general perform all the duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the Trustees. The Treasurer shall give a bond for the faithful discharge of his or her duties, if required so to do by the Trustees, in such sum and with such surety or sureties as the Trustees shall require.

Section 9. Powers and Duties of the Secretary . The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the Trustees and of the Shareholders in proper books provided for that purpose; he or she shall have custody of the seal of the Trust; he or she shall have charge of the Share transfer books, lists and records unless the same are in the charge of the Transfer Agent. The Secretary shall attend to the giving and serving of all notices by the Trust in accordance with the provisions of these By-Laws and as required by law; and subject to these By-Laws, he or she shall in general perform all duties incident to the office of the Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the Trustees.

Section 10. Powers and Duties of Assistant Treasurers . In the absence or disability of the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer designated by the Trustees shall perform all the duties, and may exercise any of the powers, of the Treasurer. Each Assistant Treasurer shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the

 
 

Trustees. Each Assistant Treasurer shall give a bond for the faithful discharge of his or her duties, if required so to do by the Trustees, in such sum and with such surety or sureties as the Trustees shall require.

Section 11. Powers and Duties of Assistant Secretaries . In the absence or disability of the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary designated by the Trustees shall perform all the duties, and may exercise any of the powers, of the Secretary. Each Assistant Secretary shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the Trustees.

Section 12. Compensation of Officers and Trustees . Subject to any applicable provisions of the Declaration of Trust, the compensation of the officers and Trustees shall be fixed from time to time by the Trustees or, in the case of officers, by any Committee or officer upon whom such power may be conferred by the Trustees. No officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation as such officer by reason of the fact that he or she is also a Trustee.

Section 13. Surety Bond . The Trustees may require any officer or agent of the Trust to execute a bond (including, without limitation, any bond required by the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission) to the Trust in such sum and with such surety or sureties as the Trustees may determine, conditioned upon the faithful performance of his or her duties to the Trust, including responsibility for negligence and for the accounting of any of the Trust’s property, funds or securities that may come into his or her hands.

 
 

ARTICLE VII

Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Trust shall end on such date as the Trustees shall from time to time determine.

ARTICLE VIII

Seal

The Board of Trustees may adopt a seal for the Trust in such form and with such inscription as the Trustees determine. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile to be impressed or affixed or printed or otherwise reproduced. Any Trustee or officer of the Trust shall have authority to affix the seal of the Trust to any document requiring the same.

ARTICLE IX

Waivers of Notice

Whenever any notice is permitted or required to be given by these By-laws or the Declaration of Trust or the laws of the State of Delaware, a waiver thereof provided or delivered to the Trust by mail, overnight courier, telegram, facsimile, telex, telecopier, electronic mail or other electronic means by the person or persons entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time such notice was to be given, shall be deemed equivalent thereto.

ARTICLE X

Custody of Securities

Section 1. Employment of a Custodian . The Trust shall place and at all times maintain in the custody of a Custodian (including any sub-custodian for the Custodian)

 
 

all funds, securities and similar investments included in the Trust Property. The Custodian (and any sub-custodian) shall be appointed from time to time by the Trustees, who shall fix its remuneration.

Section 2. Provisions of Custodian Contract . The following provisions shall apply to the employment of a Custodian and to any contract entered into with the Custodian so employed: The Trustees shall cause to be delivered to the Custodian all securities included in the Trust Property or to which the Trust may become entitled, and shall order the same to be delivered by the Custodian only in completion of a sale, exchange, transfer, pledge, loan of portfolio securities to another person, or other disposition thereof, all as the Trustees may generally or from time to time require or approve or to a successor Custodian; and the Trustees shall cause all funds included in the Trust Property or to which it may become entitled to be paid to the Custodian, and shall order the same disbursed only for investment against delivery of the securities acquired (including securities acquired under a repurchase agreement), or the return of cash held as collateral for loans of portfolio securities, or in payment of expenses, including management compensation, and liabilities of the Trust, including distributions to Shareholders, or to a successor Custodian. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary to these By-Laws, upon receipt of proper instructions, which may be standing instructions, the Custodian may deliver funds in the following cases: In connection with repurchase agreements, the Custodian shall transmit prior to receipt on behalf of the Trust of any securities or other property, funds from the Trust’s custodian account to a special custodian approved by the Trustees of the Trust, which funds shall be used to pay for securities to be purchased by the Trust subject to the Trust’s obligation to sell and the seller’s obligation to repurchase

 
 

such securities (in such case, the securities shall be held in the custody of the special custodian); in connection with the Trust’s purchase or sale of financial futures contracts, the Custodian shall transmit, prior to receipt on behalf of the Trust of any securities or other property, funds from the Trust’s custodian account in order to furnish and to maintain funds with brokers as margin to guarantee the performance of the Trust’s futures obligations in accordance with the applicable requirements of commodities exchanges and brokers.

Section 3. Central Certificate System . Subject to applicable rules, regulations and orders adopted by the Commission, the Trustees may direct the Custodian to deposit all or any part of the securities owned by the Trust in a system for the central handling of securities established by a national securities exchange or a national securities association registered with the Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or such other person as may be permitted by the Commission, or otherwise in accordance with the 1940 Act, pursuant to which system all securities of any particular class or series of any issuer deposited within the system are treated as fungible and may be transferred or pledged by bookkeeping entry without physical delivery of such securities, provided that all such deposits shall be subject to withdrawal only upon the order of the Trust or its Custodian (or sub-custodians).

ARTICLE XI

Indemnification

Section 1. Indemnification .

(a)       Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in subsection (b) below:

 
 

(i)       every person who is, or has been, a Trustee or an officer or employee of the Trust or is or was serving at the request of the Trust as a trustee, director, officer, employee or agent of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise (“Covered Person”) shall be indemnified by the Trust and each Series to the fullest extent permitted by law, including the 1940 Act, against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him or her in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he or she becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his or her being or having been a Covered Person and against amounts paid or incurred by him or her in the settlement thereof.

(ii)       as used herein, the words “claim,” “action,” “suit” or “proceeding” shall apply to all claims, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal, investigative or other, including appeals), actual or threatened, and the words “liability” and “expenses” shall include, without limitation, attorney’s fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities whatsoever.

(b)       To the extent required under the 1940 Act, but only to such extent, no indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person:

(i)       who shall have been adjudicated by a court or body before which the proceeding was brought to be liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office; or

(ii)       in the event of a settlement, unless there has been a determination that such Covered Person did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office:

 
 

(A) by the court or other body approving the settlement; (B) by at least a majority of those Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of the Trust nor are parties to the matter based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry); or (C) by written opinion of independent legal counsel based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry).

(c)       The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of a Covered Person.

(d)       To the extent that any determination is required to be made as to whether a Covered Person engaged in conduct for which indemnification is not provided as described herein, or as to whether there is reason to believe that a Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification, the Person or Persons making the determination shall afford the Covered Person a rebuttable presumption that the Covered Person has not engaged in such conduct and that there is reason to believe that the Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

(e)       To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the 1940 Act, expenses in connection with the preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding of the character described in subsection (a) of this Section 1 shall be paid by the Trust and each Series from time to time prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person that such amount will be paid over by him or her to the Trust or applicable Series if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification under this Section; provided,

 
 

however, that any such advancement will be made in accordance with any conditions required by the Commission. The advancement of any expenses pursuant to this Section 1(e) shall under no circumstances be considered a “loan” under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended from time to time, or for any other reason.

(f)       Any repeal or modification of this Article XI or adoption or modification of any other provision of these By-Laws inconsistent with this Article shall be prospective only to the extent that such repeal or modification would, if applied retrospectively, adversely affect any limitation on the liability of any Covered Person or indemnification or right to advancement of expenses available to any Covered Person with respect to any act or omission that occurred prior to such repeal, modification or adoption.

(g)       Notwithstanding any other provision in these By-Laws to the contrary, any liability and/or expense against which any Covered Person is indemnified under this Section 1 and any advancement of expenses that any Covered Person is entitled to be paid under Section 1(e) shall be deemed to be joint and several obligations of the Trust and each Series, and the assets of the Trust and each Series shall be subject to the claims of any Covered Person therefor under this Article XI; provided that any such liability, expense or obligation may be allocated and charged by the Trustees between or among the Trust and/or any one or more Series (and Classes) in such manner as the Trustees deem fair and equitable.

Section 2. Further Indemnification . Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which any Covered Person or other Person may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law or prevent the Trust from entering into any contract to

 
 

provide indemnification to any Covered Person or other Person. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trust may, in connection with any transaction permitted by this Declaration of Trust, including the acquisition of assets subject to liabilities or a merger or consolidation pursuant to Section 7 of Article III of the Declaration of Trust, assume the obligation to indemnify any Person including a Covered Person or otherwise contract to provide such indemnification, and such indemnification shall not be subject to the terms of this Article XI.

ARTICLE XII

Execution of Instruments; Voting of Securities

Section 1. Execution of Instruments . All deeds, documents, transfers, contracts, agreements and other instruments requiring execution by the Trust shall be signed by the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or Secretary or an Assistant Treasurer or an assistant secretary, or as the Board of Trustees may otherwise, from time to time, authorize. Any such authorization may be general or confined to specific instances.

Section 2. Voting of Securities . Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Trustees, the President or any Vice President shall have full power and authority on behalf of the Trust to attend and to act and to vote, or in the name of the Trust to execute proxies to vote, at any meeting of shareholders of any company in which the Trust may hold stock. At any such meeting such officer shall possess and may exercise (in person or by proxy) any and all rights, powers and privileges incident to the ownership of such stock. The Board of Trustees may by resolution from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.

 
 

ARTICLE XIII

Amendments

These By-laws may only be amended by the Trustees of the Trust, and no Shareholder vote shall be required for any such amendment.

 

Adopted as of October 23, 2017.

 

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