Filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on December 21, 2016
1933 Act Registration File No. 333-179562
1940 Act File No. 811-22668
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.  20549

FORM N‑1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Pre‑Effective Amendment No.          
Post‑Effective Amendment No. 151
and
 
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
Amendment No. 152
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
ETF SERIES SOLUTIONS
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 (Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code): (414) 765-5586

Michael D. Barolsky, Vice President and Secretary
ETF Series Solutions
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 10 th Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copy to:
W. John McGuire
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004-2541

As soon as practical after the effective date of this Registration Statement
(Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering)
It is proposed that this filing will become effective
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
on December 31, 2016  pursuant to paragraph (b)
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
on ______________ pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
on                                  pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box
[     ] this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
 

PROSPECTUS
December 31, 2016












Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF ® (VBND)
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund ® (VUSE)
Vident International Equity Fund ® (VIDI)

* Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NASDAQ


 
THE SEC HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
Vident International Equity Fund
Table of Contents
 
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INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: n ARE NOT FDIC INSURED n MAY LOSE VALUE n ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED

Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF Summary
Investment Objective
The Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF (the “Fund” or the “U.S. Bond Fund”) seeks to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Vident Core U.S. Bond Index TM (the “Index” or the “U.S. Bond Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. This table and the Example below do not include the brokerage commissions that investors may pay on their purchases and sales of Fund shares.  
   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 
Management Fees
0.45%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
None
Other Expenses
0.00%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 1
0.03%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
0.48%
1 Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets provided in the Financial Highlights section of the Prospectus, which reflects only the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
Expense Example
The following example is intended to help retail investors compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that such investors would incur over various periods if they were to invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of the shares at the end of those periods. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
$49
$154
$269
$604
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. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 440% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Fund employs a “passive management” – or indexing – investment approach designed to track the performance of the Index.
The Vident Core U.S. Bond Index TM
The Vident Core U.S. Bond Index TM   (Bloomberg:VUBDX) seeks to improve the overall mix of credit quality, interest rate and yield as compared to traditional U.S. core bond indices. The Index diversifies interest rate and credit risks across all core U.S. bond sectors, including U.S. Treasuries, U.S. agency securities, mortgage backed securities (“MBS”), and investment-grade corporate bonds, as well as non-core fixed income sectors such as high-yield corporate bonds (also known as “junk bonds”) and Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (“TIPS”). While diversification among sectors is an important factor that will drive the risk/return profile of the strategy, another source of risk management is derived from the rules-based process that systematically over- or under-weights each sector based on valuations of each sector, historical relative valuations across sectors, sector default rates, macroeconomics and other quantitative factors. Within the investment grade and high yield corporate sectors, the strategy seeks to improve corporate bond exposures by screening for companies with relatively stronger leadership, governance, and creditworthiness factors. Within each sector, individual bonds are weighted based on a combination of yield, duration (i.e., interest rate sensitivity), creditworthiness, leadership, and governance factors, rather than amount of debt/bonds outstanding, a common approach of traditional bond indices. The Index also seeks to improve liquidity by eliminating small issues and non-U.S. issuers.
The Index limits exposure to each of the high-yield corporate bonds and TIPS sectors to 20% and 15% of the Index, respectively. The Index will generally have an effective duration of three to seven years and will generally have an average credit quality of investment grade.
All rules are systematized and rely on data available at each rebalancing period. The Index is rebalanced monthly and reconstituted quarterly in January, April, July, and October.
The Index was created in 2015 by Vident Financial, LLC, the Index Provider, for use by the Fund.
The Fund’s Investment Strategy
The Fund attempts to invest all, or substantially all, of its assets in the bonds that make up the Index. The Fund expects to use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment objective, meaning it may invest in all of the component securities of the Index, but may, when the sub-adviser believes it is in the best interests of the Fund, use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning it may invest in a sample of the securities in the Index whose risk, return and other characteristics closely resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of the Index as a whole.
The Fund may utilize the “To Be Announced” (“TBA”) market for MBS investments. The TBA market allows investors to gain exposure to MBS with certain broad characteristics (maturity, coupon, age) without taking delivery of the actual securities until the settlement day which is once every month. In addition, the Fund may utilize the TBA roll market, in which one sells, in the TBA market, the security for current month settlement, while simultaneously committing to buy the same TBA security for next month settlement. The Fund may utilize the TBA roll market for extended periods of time without taking delivery of the physical securities.
Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending) will be invested in the component securities of the Index and investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the economic characteristics of such component securities (such as TBA securities). Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC (“ETC” or the “Adviser”), the Fund’s investment adviser, expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund’s performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better.
To the extent the Index concentrates (i.e., holds more than 25% of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the Index.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. The following risks could affect the value of your investment in the Fund:
n
Call Risk . During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by the Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity, and the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in the Fund's income.
 
n
Cash Redemption Risk . The Fund’s investment strategy may require it to redeem shares for cash or to otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds. The Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
 
n
Credit Risk . Debt issuers and other counterparties may not honor their obligations or may have their debt downgraded by ratings agencies.
 
n
Extension Risk . During periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income and potentially in the value of the Fund’s investments.
 
n
Government Obligations Risk .   No assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities where it is not obligated to do so by law, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”). Securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have historically been supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government. While the U.S. government provides financial support to various U.S. government-sponsored agencies and instrumentalities, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, no assurance can be given that it will always do so. In September 2008, at the direction of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed into conservatorship under the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), an independent regulator, and they remain in such status as of the date of this Prospectus. The U.S. government also took steps to provide additional financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

n
High-Yield Securities Risk . High-yield securities (also known as “junk bonds”) carry a greater degree of risk and are considered speculative by the major credit rating agencies. High-yield securities may be issued by companies that are restructuring, are smaller and less creditworthy, or are more highly indebted than other companies. This means that they may have more difficulty making scheduled payments of principal and interest. Changes in the value of high-yield securities are influenced more by changes in the financial and business position of the issuing company than by changes in interest rates when compared to investment grade securities. High-yield securities have greater volatility because there is less certainty that principal and interest payments will be made as scheduled. The Fund's investments in high-yield securities expose it to a substantial degree of credit risk. These investments are considered speculative under traditional investment standards. Prices of high-yield securities will rise and fall primarily in response to actual or perceived changes in the issuer's financial health, although changes in market interest rates also will affect prices. High-yield securities may experience reduced liquidity and sudden and substantial decreases in price.
 
 
n
Interest Rate Risk . An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed-income securities held by the Fund to decline. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low rates and the effect of potential government fiscal policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives.
 
n
Issuer-Specific Risk . Issuer-specific events, including changes in the financial condition of an issuer, can have a negative impact on the value of the Fund.
 
n
Liquidity Risk . Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. This can reduce the Fund's returns because the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices.
 
n
Market Risk .   The trading prices of debt securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) and market price may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time.
 
n
M ortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk .   The Fund may invest in U.S. government agency-backed mortgage- and asset-backed securities. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk. Modest movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain types of these securities. When interest rates fall, mortgage- and asset-backed securities may be subject to prepayment risk. When interest rates rise, certain types of mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to extension risk. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities can also be subject to the risk of default on the underlying residential or commercial mortgage(s) or other assets.
 
n
Non-Diversification Risk . Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, a decline in the value of an investment in a single issuer could cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than if the Fund held a more diversified portfolio. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
 
n
Passive Investment Risk . The Fund invests in the securities included in, or representative of, its Index regardless of their investment merit. The Fund does not attempt to outperform its Index or take defensive positions in declining markets. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the market segments relating to its Index.
 
n
Portfolio Turnover Risk .   The Fund may trade all or a significant portion of the securities in its portfolio in connection with each rebalance and reconstitution of its Index.   A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.   Frequent trading may also cause adverse tax consequences for investors in the Fund due to an increase in short-term capital gains.
 
n
Prepayment Risk . This is the risk that a borrower will prepay some or the entire principal owed to the Fund. If that happens, the Fund may have to replace the security by investing the proceeds in a security with a lower yield. This could reduce the share price and income distributions of the Fund.
 
n
Sector Risk .   To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.
 
n
Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV .   As with all exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of the shares of the Fund will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
 
n
TBA Securities and Rolls Risk .   TBA transactions are subject to increased credit risk and increased overall investment exposure. TBA rolls involve the risk that the Fund’s counterparty will be unable to deliver the mortgage-backed securities underlying the TBA roll at the fixed time. If the buyer files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the buyer or its representative may ask for and receive an extension of time to decide whether to enforce the Fund’s repurchase obligation. In addition, the Fund earns interest by investing the transaction proceeds during the roll period. TBA roll transactions may have the effect of creating leverage in the Fund’s portfolio.
 
n
Tracking Error Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index.



Performance
The following performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows the Fund’s performance for the calendar year ended December 31, 2015. The table illustrates how the Fund’s average annual returns for the 1‑year and since inception periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance and the Index. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Performance information is also available on the Fund’s website at www.videntfinancialsolutions.com or by calling the Fund toll free at 1‑800‑617‑0004.

Calendar Year Total Return
For the year-to-date period ended September 30, 2016, the Fund’s total return was 6.05%.
During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return was 1.77% for the quarter ended March 31, 2015, and the lowest quarterly return was -1.56% for the quarter ended June 30, 2015.
Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2015
 
 
1 Year
Since Inception
(10/15/2014 )
Return Before Taxes
0.38%
-0.16%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
-0.26%
-0.73%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
0.21%
-0.38%
Vident Core U.S. Bond Index/Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy Index 1
 (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
1.15%
1.01%
Citigroup US Broad Investment-Grade Bond Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
0.53%
0.39%
1   Effective January 6, 2016, the Fund's investment objective changed to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Vident Core U.S. Bond Index. Prior to January 6, 2016, the Fund's investment objective was to track the price and total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy Index. Performance shown for periods prior to January 6, 2016 is that of the Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy Index.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates during the period covered by the table above and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. In certain cases, the figure representing “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares” may be higher than the other return figures for the same period. A higher after-tax return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an assumed tax deduction that benefits the investor. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged accounts.

Management
Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC serves as investment adviser to the Fund.
Vident Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA” or the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as sub-adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Denise M. Krisko, CFA, President of VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since April 2015.
Jim Iredale, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager – Fixed Income at VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since April 2015.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Shares of the Fund are listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (“NASDAQ” or the “Exchange”), and most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because the shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The Fund issues and redeems shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units,” which only Authorized Participants (“APs”) (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. Creation Units generally consist of 100,000 shares, though this may change from time to time. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities closely approximating the holdings of the Fund (the “Deposit Securities”) and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Tax Information
Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged account.  Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or their affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.

Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund (the “Fund” or “U.S. Equity Fund”) seeks to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Vident Core U.S. Stock Index TM (the “Index” or the “U.S. Stock Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. This table and the Example below do not include the brokerage commissions that investors may pay on their purchases and sales of Fund Shares.  
   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 
Management Fees
0.55%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
None
Other Expenses
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
0.55%
Expense Example
The following example is intended to help retail investors compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that such investors would incur over various periods if they were to invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of the shares at the end of those periods. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:  
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
$56
$176
$307
$689
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. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 114% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Fund employs a “passive management” – or indexing – investment approach designed to track the performance of the Index.
The Vident Core U.S. Stock Index TM
The Index is a rules-based, systematic strategy index comprised of equity securities of issuers domiciled and traded in the United States. The starting universe of eligible companies in the Index consists of U.S.-listed common stock of U.S. companies with market capitalizations of at least $1 billion ($800 million for companies already in the Index), meeting certain minimum liquidity requirements, and not structured as master limited partnerships. The universe of eligible companies is then screened to remove companies with significant accounting risks, governance risks, or other extreme risks, as described below.
The Index uses a forensic accounting model to score and rank companies in the Index universe based on a variety of accounting-related metrics (e.g., revenue recognition, earnings quality, changes in accruals, depreciation to capital expenditures, changes in days sales outstanding). The forensic accounting model eliminates the weakest 10% of companies from the Index universe.
The Index also assesses the corporate governance policies and practices of companies in the Index universe and scores such companies based on the number of such risks identified. Companies within each sector with the worst corporate governance scores are eliminated. Up to 10% of the companies in the Index universe may be eliminated by this screen.
Finally, the Index assesses companies in the Index universe for other extreme risks by identifying extraordinary events that may place shareholders’ capital at risk. Such extreme risks may include:
·
A senior executive has been dismissed or faces prosecution for personal misconduct or misrepresentation
·
The company has been late in its U.S. Securities and Exchange filings sometime in the past 12 months
·
The company has come under investigation, or been subject to fine, settlement, or conviction for issues related to securities fraud, misrepresentation, or deficiencies in investor protection sometime in the past two years
·
The company is experiencing difficulties obtaining needed financing or refinancing support
·
The company is in breach of existing debt covenants
·
The company is under threat of exchange delisting
 
Any companies flagged for any of the above extreme risks are removed from the Index universe.
The stocks remaining in the resulting universe are then evaluated, scored and ranked utilizing a proprietary multi-factor model, where each factor seeks to score different stock attributes (such as valuation, quality and momentum). At the time of each reconstitution, the stocks in the Index are weighted based on their relative scores, subject to a maximum allocation of 0.5% for any individual stock and certain liquidity thresholds. Overall sector weights are established based on the market capitalization of the universe of U.S.-listed common stocks of U.S. companies at the time of each reconstitution of the Index. The following are the major market sectors included in the Index: consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, health care, industrials, information technology, materials, telecommunication services, and utilities. A sector is comprised of multiple industries. For example, the energy sector is comprised of companies in, among others, the natural gas, oil, and petroleum industries.
All rules are systematized and rely on data available at each rebalancing period. The Index is reconstituted and rebalanced semi-annually in January and July.
The Index was created in 2015 by Vident Financial, LLC, the Index Provider, for use by the Fund.
The Fund’s Investment Strategy
The Fund attempts to invest all, or substantially all, of its assets in the common stocks that make up the Index. The Fund will generally use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment objective, meaning it may invest in all of the component securities of the Index, but may, when the sub-adviser believes it is in the best interests of the Fund, use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning it may invest in a sample of the securities in the Index whose risk, return and other characteristics closely resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of the Index as a whole.
Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending) will be invested in the component securities of the Index and investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the economic characteristics of such component securities. Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC (“ETC” or the “Adviser”), the Fund’s investment adviser, expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund’s performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better.
To the extent the Index concentrates (i.e., holds more than 25% of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the Index.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. The following risks could affect the value of your investment in the Fund:
n
Equity Market Risk .   The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, sectors, or companies in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities, such as preferred stocks and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers.
 
n
Large-Capitalization Investing .   The Fund invests primarily in the securities of large cap companies. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected if securities of large cap companies underperform securities of smaller-capitalization companies or the market as a whole. The securities of large cap companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion.
 
n
Market Risk .   The trading prices of equity securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) and market price may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time.
 
n
Mid-Capitalization Investing .   The Fund may invest in the securities of mid-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected if securities of mid-capitalization companies underperform securities of other capitalization ranges or the market as a whole. Securities of smaller companies are often more vulnerable to market volatility than securities of larger companies.
 
n
Small-Capitalization Investing . The Fund may invest in the securities of small-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund may be more volatile than funds that invest in larger, more established companies. The securities of small-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Small-capitalization companies may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.
 
n
Passive Investment Risk . The Fund invests in the securities included in, or representative of, its Index regardless of their investment merit. The Fund does not attempt to outperform its Index or take defensive positions in declining markets. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the market segments relating to its Index.
 
n
Portfolio Turnover Risk .   The Fund may trade all or a significant portion of the securities in its portfolio in connection with each rebalance and reconstitution of its Index.   A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.   Frequent trading may also cause adverse tax consequences for investors in the Fund due to an increase in short-term capital gains.
 
n
Sector Risk .   To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in the following sectors and, therefore, the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting each of these sectors.
 
o
Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk . The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates, competition, consumer confidence, changes in demographics and consumer preferences. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector depend heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending, and may be strongly affected by social trends and marketing campaigns. These companies may be subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability.
 
o
Financial Sector Risk . This sector can be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, government regulation, the rate of defaults on corporate, consumer and government debt, the availability and cost of capital, and fallout from the housing and sub-prime mortgage crisis. Insurance companies, in particular, may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, catastrophic events, price and market competition, the imposition of premium rate caps, or other changes in government regulation or tax law and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. This sector has experienced significant losses in the recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses.
 
o
Health Care Sector Risk. Companies in the health care sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services.
 
o
Industrial Sector Risk . The industrial sector may be affected by changes in the supply of and demand for products and services, product obsolescence, claims for environmental damage or product liability and general economic conditions, among other factors.
 
o
Information Technology Sector Risk . Market or economic factors impacting information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund's investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.
 
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Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV .   As with all exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of the shares of the Fund will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.
 
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Tracking Error Risk .   As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index.
 
Performance
The following performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows the Fund’s performance for the calendar year ended December 31, 2015. The table illustrates how the Fund’s average annual returns for the 1‑year and since inception periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance and the Index. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Performance information is also available on the Fund’s website at www.videntfinancialsolutions.com or by calling the Fund toll free at 1-800-617-0004.
Calendar Year Total Return
For the year-to-date period ended September 30, 2016, the Fund’s total return was 9.05%.
During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return was 3.43% for the quarter ended December 31, 2015, and the lowest quarterly return was -10.50% for the quarter ended September 30, 2015.
Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2015
 
 
1 Year
Since Inception
(1/21/2014)
Return Before Taxes
-6.06%
1.07%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
-6.43%
0.71%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
-3.10%
0.84%
Vident Core U.S. Stock Index/Vident Core U.S. Equity Index 1
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
-6.18%
0.74%
MSCI US IMI Index – Net
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
0.03%
5.95%

1   Effective January 6, 2016, the Fund's investment objective changed to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Vident Core U.S. Stock Index. Prior to January 6, 2016, the Fund's investment objective was to track the price and total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Vident Core U.S. Equity Index. Performance shown for periods prior to January 6, 2016 is that of the Vident Core U.S. Equity Index.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates during the period covered by the table above and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. In certain cases, the figure representing “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares” may be higher than the other return figures for the same period. A higher after-tax return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an assumed tax deduction that benefits the investor. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged accounts.

Management
Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC serves as investment adviser to the Fund.
Vident Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA” or the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as sub-adviser to the Fund.


Portfolio Manager
Denise M. Krisko, CFA, President of VIA, has been the Fund’s portfolio manager since December 2014 and was previously the Fund’s portfolio manager from its inception in January 2014 until November 2014 with the Fund’s previous sub-adviser.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Shares of the Fund are listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (“NASDAQ” or the “Exchange”), and most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because the shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The Fund issues and redeems shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units,” which only Authorized Participants (“APs”) (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. Creation Units generally consist of 100,000 shares, though this may change from time to time. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities closely approximating the holdings of the Fund (the “Deposit Securities”) and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Tax Information
Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged account. 
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or their affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.

Vident International Equity Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Vident International Equity Fund (the “Fund” or “International Equity Fund”) seeks to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Vident Core International Equity Index™ (the “Index” or the “International Equity Index”).
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. This table and the Example below do not include the brokerage commissions that investors may pay on their purchases and sales of Fund Shares.
 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 
Management Fees
0.68%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
None
Other Expenses
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
0.68%
Expense Example
The following example is intended to help retail investors compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that such investors would incur over various periods if they were to invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of the shares at the end of those periods. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
$69
$218
$379
$847
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. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 106% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Fund employs a “passive management” – or indexing – investment approach designed to track the performance of the Index.
The Vident Core International Equity Index™
The Index is a rules-based, systematic strategy index comprised of equity securities of issuers in developed and emerging markets outside of the United States. The strategy seeks to apply time-tested investment principles to provide a systematic and optimized investment process that addresses the risks and opportunities of allocating capital in and among international equities.
Country Allocation
Index construction begins by identifying a universe of countries that are deemed to represent the bulk of investable and reliable stock opportunities in the largest and most liquid developed and emerging markets countries located outside of the United States. The Index determines a country’s investability based on factors including the country’s liquidity, accessibility to foreign investors, opportunities for efficient transactions, and capital controls. The Index determines a country’s reliability based on factors including governance, regulatory oversight, market operational efficiency, legal protections for minority and foreign investors and institutional stability. While the number of countries represented in the Index may change from time to time ( e.g., at Index reconstitution or rebalance), the number of countries represented in the Index is expected to generally be between 25 and 40.
Each country within the investable universe is assigned a Country Principles Score (“CPS”), which is calculated utilizing a proprietary scoring methodology that seeks to weigh the relative resilience of a country to economic and financial shocks and the relative attractiveness of its investment opportunities. A country’s resilience reflects the capacity of a country’s equity markets to absorb and recover from economic and financial shocks and is measured based on a variety of economic metrics related to its financial capital resources (e.g., the country’s deficit as a percentage of gross domestic product (“GDP”), physical capital resources (e.g., total investment as a percentage of GDP), human resources (e.g., productivity, GDP per capital), and institutional and organizational resources (i.e., measures of legal and corporate rights). A country’s investment opportunity is measured based on short- and long-term changes in the country’s business and regulatory environment and equity market valuations. Allocation across countries is based on an optimization model that seeks to maximize the Index’s overall CPS while ensuring the Index portfolio is liquid, well diversified across countries and regions, and transaction cost and turnover efficient.

Stock Selection
The Index employs a multi-factor model for scoring and ranking stocks listed on a securities exchange within each country in the Index universe. The model combines 20 factors into three distinct factor composites, each seeking to score different stock attributes:
Component
Examples
Weight
Valuation
 
Price-to-book ratio, cash flow to enterprise
value
 
50%
Quality
Gross profitability, return on invested
capital, margin expansion, leverage, debt
& equity issuance
 
30%
Momentum
Total return for past six months
 
20%
Stocks are excluded from the Index universe if (i) they trade primarily in China, (ii) the stock’s issuer is domiciled in Russia or India and does not have a depositary receipt that meets the Index’s liquidity guidelines, (iii) the stock’s issuer has a market capitalization of less than US$1 billion (US$800 million for stocks already in the Index), or (iv) the stock does not meet certain minimum liquidity requirements.
At the time of each reconstitution, the optimization model weights the remaining stocks to maximize the attractive factor attributes of the stocks subject to the following constraints: (i) a maximum allocation of 0.5% for any individual stock, (ii) certain liquidity thresholds, (iii) a maximum allocation of 7.5% for any individual country, and (iv) sector allocations constrained to remain close to their sector weights in a traditional market capitalization weighted index.
All rules are systematized and rely on data available at each rebalancing period. The Index is reconstituted and rebalanced semi-annually in January and July.
The Index was created in 2015 by Vident Financial, LLC, the Index Provider, for use by the Fund.
The Fund’s Investment Strategy
The Fund attempts to invest all, or substantially all, of its assets in the common stocks that make up the Index. The Fund expects to use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment objective, meaning it will invest in all of the component securities of the Index, but may, when the sub-adviser believes it is in the best interests of the Fund, use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning it may invest in a sample of the securities in the Index whose risk, return and other characteristics closely resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of the Index as a whole.
Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending) will be invested in the component securities of the Index and investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the economic characteristics of such component securities. Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC (“ETC” or the “Adviser”), the Fund’s investment adviser, expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund’s performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better.
To the extent the Index concentrates ( i.e. , holds more than 25% of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the Index.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. The following risks could affect the value of your investment in the Fund:
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Capital Controls and Sanctions Risk . Economic conditions, such as volatile currency exchange rates and interest rates, political events, military action and other conditions may, without prior warning, lead to foreign government intervention (including intervention by the U.S. government with respect to foreign governments, economic sectors, foreign companies and related securities and interests) and the imposition of capital controls and/or sanctions, which may also include retaliatory actions of one government against another government, such as seizure of assets. Capital controls and/or sanctions include the prohibition of, or restrictions on, the ability to transfer currency, securities or other assets. Capital controls and/or sanctions may also impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities or currency, negatively impact the value and/or liquidity of such instruments, adversely affect the trading market and price for shares of the Fund, and cause the Fund to decline in value.
 
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Currency Exchange Rate Risk . The Fund may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in investments denominated in non-U.S. currencies or in securities that provide exposure to such currencies. Changes in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will affect the value of the Fund’s investment and the value of your Fund shares. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the value of an investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning and you may lose money.
 
 
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Emerging Markets Risk . The Fund may invest in companies organized in emerging market nations. Investments in securities and instruments traded in developing or emerging markets, or that provide exposure to such securities or markets, can involve additional risks relating to political, economic, or regulatory conditions not associated with investments in U.S. securities and instruments or investments in more developed international markets. Such conditions may impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities, adversely affect the trading market and price for Fund shares and cause the Fund to decline in value.
 
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Equity Market Risk . The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, sectors or companies in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities, such as preferred stocks and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers.
 
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Foreign Securities Risk . Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. Investments in non-U.S. securities also may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. These and other factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
 
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Geographic Investment Risk . To the extent the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region.
 
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Geopolitical Risk . Some countries and regions in which the Fund invests have experienced security concerns, war or threats of war and aggression, terrorism, economic uncertainty, natural and environmental disasters and/or systemic market dislocations that have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on the U.S. and world economies and markets generally, each of which may negatively impact the Fund’s investments.
 
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Large-Capitalization Investing . The Fund may invest in the securities of large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected if securities of large-capitalization companies underperform securities of smaller-capitalization companies or the market as a whole. The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion.
 
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Market Risk . The trading prices of equity securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) and market price may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time.
 
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Mid-Capitalization Investing . The Fund may invest in the securities of mid-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected if securities of mid-capitalization companies underperform securities of other capitalization ranges or the market as a whole. Securities of smaller companies are often more vulnerable to market volatility than securities of larger companies.
 
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Passive Investment Risk . The Fund invests in the securities included in, or representative of, its Index regardless of their investment merit. The Fund does not attempt to outperform its Index or take defensive positions in declining markets. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the market segments relating to its Index.
 
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Sector Risk .   To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in the following sectors and, therefore, the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting each of these sectors.
 
o
Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk . The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates, competition, consumer confidence, changes in demographics and consumer preferences. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector depend heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending, and may be strongly affected by social trends and marketing campaigns. These companies may be subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability.
 
o
Financial Sector Risk . This sector can be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, government regulation, the rate of defaults on corporate, consumer and government debt, the availability and cost of capital, and fallout from the housing and sub-prime mortgage crisis. Insurance companies, in particular, may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, catastrophic events, price and market competition, the imposition of premium rate caps, or other changes in government regulation or tax law and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. This sector has experienced significant losses in the recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses.
 
 
o
Industrial Sector Risk . The industrial sector may be affected by changes in the supply of and demand for products and services, product obsolescence, claims for environmental damage or product liability and general economic conditions, among other factors.
 
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Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV . As with all exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of the shares of the Fund will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines. Because securities held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, the Fund is likely to experience premiums and discounts greater than those of domestic ETFs.
 
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Small-Capitalization Investing . The Fund may invest in the securities of small-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund may be more volatile than funds that invest in larger, more established companies. The securities of small-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Small-capitalization companies may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.
 
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Tracking Error Risk .   As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index.
Performance
The following performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows the Fund’s performance for calendar years ended December 31. The table illustrates how the Fund’s average annual returns for the 1‑year and since inception periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance and the Index. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is also available on the Fund’s website at www.videntfinancialsolutions.com or by calling the Fund toll free at 1-800-617-0004.

Calendar Year Total Return
For the year-to-date period ended September 30, 2016, the Fund’s total return was 8.90%.
During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return was 5.32% for the quarter ended June 30, 2014, and the lowest quarterly return was -13.57% for the quarter ended September 30, 2015.

Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2015
Vident International Equity Fund
1 Year
Since Inception
(10/29/2013)
Return Before Taxes
-10.78%
-7.17%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
-11.01%
-7.43%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
-5.49%
-5.16%
Vident Core International Equity Index/Vident International Equity Index 1
 (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
-9.71%
-5.98%
MSCI AC World ex USA Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
-5.66%
-4.14%
1   Effective January 6, 2016, the Fund's investment objective changed to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Vident Core International Equity Index. Prior to January 6, 2016, the Fund's investment objective was to track the price and total return performance, before fees and expenses, of the Vident International Equity Index. Performance shown for periods prior to January 6, 2016 is that of the Vident International Equity Index.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates during the period covered by the table above and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. In certain cases, the figure representing “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares” may be higher than the other return figures for the same period. A higher after-tax return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an assumed tax deduction that benefits the investor. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged accounts.

Management
Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC serves as investment adviser to the Fund.
Vident Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA” or the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as sub-adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Denise M. Krisko, CFA, President of VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since April 2015.
Betty S. Tong, Senior Portfolio Manager—International Equity of VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since April 2015.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Shares of the Fund are listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (“NASDAQ” or the “Exchange”), and most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because the shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The Fund issues and redeems shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units,” which only Authorized Participants (“APs”) (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. Creation Units generally consist of 100,000 shares, though this may change from time to time. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities closely approximating the holdings of the Fund (the “Deposit Securities”) and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Tax Information
Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an IRA or other tax-advantaged account.
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or their affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.

Additional Information About the Funds
Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Objectives. Each of the U.S. Bond Fund, U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) seeks to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of an index developed by Vident Financial, LLC (the “Index Provider”). The Indexes consist of securities in the market suggested by the Fund’s name that meet specific criteria developed by the Index Provider. Each Fund’s investment objective has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.
Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies. Each Fund normally will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowing for investment purposes, in the types of securities suggested by its name, including investments that are tied economically to the particular country or geographic region suggested by the Fund’s name. Each Fund generally may invest up to 20% of its total assets in securities not included in the applicable Index, but which the Fund believes will help it track its Index. For example, a Fund may invest in securities that are not components of its Index to reflect various corporate actions and other changes to the Index (such as reconstitutions, additions and deletions). Under normal circumstances, as long as a Fund invests at least 80% of its assets as noted above, it also may invest its other assets in cash and cash equivalents, as well as in shares of other investment companies, futures contracts, and swaps.
Vident Core U.S. Bond Index
Unlike most traditional indices that weight issuers based on market capitalization, the U.S. Bond Index uses a risk-based assessment of issuers, together with factors related to their attractiveness based on evolving economic, market and valuation conditions. The Index also seeks to mitigate some of the risks often associated with market capitalization-weighted indices, including issuer concentration.
Each issuer is determined to be a “U.S. issuer” based primarily on its place of organization or principal place of business. However, issuers with extensive foreign operations may be eliminated from the Index based on a variety of factors, such as the geographic location of the issuer’s assets, revenue sources, manufacturing facilities, employees and customers.
The Index will generally have an effective duration of three to seven years. Duration is a measure of the sensitivity of a security's price to changes in interest rates. The longer a security's duration, the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates. Similarly, a portfolio with a longer average duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a portfolio with a shorter average duration. For example, if interest rates decline by 1%, the market value of a portfolio with a duration of five years would rise by approximately 5%. Conversely, if interest rates increase by 1%, the market value of the portfolio would decline by approximately 5%. For variable and floating rate instruments, the duration calculation incorporates the time to the next coupon reset date.
Vident Core U.S. Stock Index
The Index seeks to mitigate some of the risks often associated with market capitalization-weighted indices, including issuer concentration.
Each issuer is determined to be a “U.S. issuer” based primarily on its place of organization or principal place of business. However, issuers with extensive foreign operations may be eliminated from the Index based on a variety of factors, such as the geographic location of the issuer’s assets, revenue sources, manufacturing facilities, employees and customers.
Vident Core International Equity Index
The Index seeks to mitigate some of the risks often associated with market capitalization-weighted indices, including country, currency and issuer concentration, as well as higher weightings in more developed countries that also exhibit lower structural growth and deteriorating fiscal and/or fundamental risk characteristics.
Each issuer is associated with a country based primarily on its place of organization or the location of its primary listing exchange. However, issuers with multi-national operations may be assigned to an alternate country based on a variety of factors, such as the geographic location of the issuer’s assets, revenue sources, manufacturing facilities, employees and customers.
Each country is assigned a CPS semi-annually that identifies its fundamental risk characteristics (such as fiscal characteristics, monetary policy, political stability, demographics and economic freedom characteristics), while balancing those risks with a country’s respective opportunities. The ranking of stocks are also adjusted semi-annually utilizing a multi-factor model ranking stocks based on valuation, quality and momentum characteristics.
Index/Trademark Licenses/Disclaimers. Vident Financial, LLC TM , the Index Provider, is a financial services company that focuses on structuring investment solutions and indices for institutional clients. The Index Provider is an affiliate of each Fund’s Sub-Adviser.
Management of the Funds’ Sub-Advisers. The Funds and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) permitting the Adviser (subject to certain conditions and the Board’s approval) to select or change sub-advisers without obtaining shareholder approval. The order also permits the Adviser to materially amend the terms of agreements with a sub-adviser (including an increase in its fee) or to continue the employment of a sub-adviser after an event that would otherwise cause the automatic termination of services with Board approval, but without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified of any sub-adviser changes.
Additional Information About the Funds’ Principal Risks. This section provides additional information regarding the principal risks described in each Fund Summary above. Each of the factors below could have a negative impact on the applicable Fund’s performance and trading prices. Each factor applies to each Fund unless otherwise specified. As with all investments, an investment in a Fund is subject to investment risk. Investors in a Fund could lose money, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of an investment, over short or long periods of time. An investment in a Fund is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Call Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by the Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity, which may result in the Fund having to reinvest the proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income.
Capital Controls and Sanctions Risk (International Equity Fund only). Economic conditions, such as volatile currency exchange rates and interest rates, political events, military action and other conditions, may, without prior warning, lead to government intervention (including intervention by the U.S. government with respect to foreign governments, economic sectors, foreign companies and related securities and interests) and the imposition of capital controls and/or sanctions, which may also include retaliatory actions of one government against another government, such as seizure of assets. Capital controls and/or sanctions include the prohibition of, or restrictions on, the ability to transfer currency, securities or other assets. Levies may be placed on profits repatriated by foreign entities (such as the Fund). Capital controls and/or sanctions may also impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities or currency, negatively impact the value and/or liquidity of such instruments, adversely affect the trading market and price for shares of the Fund, and cause the Fund to decline in value.
Cash Redemption Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). When the Fund’s investment strategy requires it to redeem shares for cash or to otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds, it may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind ( i.e. , distribute securities as payment of redemption proceeds). As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
Credit Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). Credit risk is the risk that an issuer or guarantor of debt instruments or the counterparty to a derivatives contract, repurchase agreement or loan of portfolio securities will be unable or unwilling to make its timely interest and/or principal payments or to otherwise honor its obligations. Debt instruments are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, which may be reflected in their credit ratings. There is the chance that the Fund’s portfolio holdings will have their credit ratings downgraded or will default (i.e., fail to make scheduled interest or principal payments), potentially reducing the Fund’s income level or share price.
Currency Exchange Rate Risk (International Equity Fund only). Changes in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will affect the value of the Fund’s investments and the value of your Fund shares. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars, the U.S. dollar value of your investment in the Fund may go down if the value of the local currency of the non-U.S. markets in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar. This is true even if the local currency value of securities in the Fund’s holdings goes up. Conversely, the dollar value of your investment in the Fund may go up if the value of the local currency appreciates against the U.S. dollar. The value of the U.S. dollar measured against other currencies is influenced by a variety of factors. These factors include: national debt levels and trade deficits, changes in balances of payments and trade, domestic and foreign interest and inflation rates, global or regional political, economic or financial events, monetary policies of governments, actual or potential government intervention, and global energy prices. Political instability, the possibility of government intervention and restrictive or opaque business and investment policies may also reduce the value of a country’s currency. Government monetary policies and the buying or selling of currency by a country’s government may also influence exchange rates. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the value of an investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning, and you may lose money.
Emerging Markets Risk (International Equity Fund only). Investments in securities and instruments traded in developing or emerging markets, or that provide exposure to such securities or markets, can involve additional risks relating to political, economic, or regulatory conditions not associated with investments in U.S. securities and instruments. For example, developing and emerging markets may be subject to (i) greater market volatility, (ii) lower trading volume and liquidity, (iii) greater social, political and economic uncertainty, (iv) governmental controls on foreign investments and limitations on repatriation of invested capital, (v) lower disclosure, corporate governance, auditing and financial reporting standards, (vi) fewer protections of property rights, (vii) restrictions on the transfer of securities or currency, and (viii) settlement and trading practices that differ from those in U.S. markets. Each of these factors may impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities, adversely affect the trading market and price for Fund shares and cause the Fund to decline in value.
Equity Market Risk   (U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund only). The equity securities held in a Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, sectors, or companies in which a Fund invests. Common stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities, such as preferred stocks and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers.
Extension Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). During periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income and potentially in the value of the Fund’s investments.
Foreign Securities Risk ( International Equity Fund only). Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers. Investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. With respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of government intervention and expropriation or nationalization of assets. Because legal systems differ, there is also the possibility that it will be difficult to obtain or enforce legal judgments in certain countries. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares. Conversely, Fund shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are close. Each of these factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
Geographic Investment Risk ( International Equity Fund only). To the extent that the Fund’s Index invests a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region. For example, political and economic conditions and changes in regulatory, tax, or economic policy in a country could significantly affect the market in that country and in surrounding or related countries and have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance. Currency developments or restrictions, political and social instability, and changing economic conditions have resulted in significant market volatility.
Geopolitical Risk ( International Equity Fund only). Some countries and regions in which the Fund invests have experienced security concerns, war or threats of war and aggression, terrorism, economic uncertainty, natural and environmental disasters and/or systemic market dislocations that have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on the U.S. and world economies and markets generally. Such geopolitical and other events may also disrupt securities markets and, during such market disruptions, the Fund’s exposure to the other risks described herein will likely increase. Each of the foregoing may negatively impact the Fund’s investments.
Government Obligations Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). The Fund may invest in securities issued, sponsored or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities. However, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities where it is not obligated to do so by law. For instance, securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. Securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have historically been supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government. While the U.S. government provides financial support to various U.S. government-sponsored agencies and instrumentalities, such as those listed above, no assurance can be given that it will always do so. In September 2008, at the direction of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed into conservatorship under the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), an independent regulator, and they remain in such status as of the date of this Prospectus. The U.S. government also took steps to provide additional financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
The total public debt of the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 2008-2009 financial downturn. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high national debt can raise concerns that the U.S. Government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. This increase has also necessitated the need for the U.S. Congress to negotiate adjustments to the statutory debt ceiling to increase the cap on the amount the U.S. government is permitted to borrow to meet its existing obligations and finance current budget deficits. In August 2011, S&P lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. In explaining the downgrade at that time, S&P cited, among other reasons, controversy over raising the statutory debt ceiling and growth in public spending. On November 2, 2015, following passage by Congress, the President of the United States signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, which suspends the statutory debt limit through March 15, 2017.  Any controversy or ongoing uncertainty regarding the statutory debt ceiling negotiations may impact the U.S. long-term sovereign credit rating and may cause market uncertainty. As a result, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may be adversely affected.
High-Yield Securities Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). Below investment grade instruments are commonly referred to as "junk" or high-yield instruments and are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Lower grade instruments may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns. It is likely that a prolonged or deepening economic recession could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such instruments to repay principal and pay interest thereon, increase the incidence of default for such instruments and severely disrupt the market value of such instruments.
Lower grade instruments, though higher yielding, are characterized by higher risk. They may be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing entity and to greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated instruments. The retail secondary market for lower grade instruments may be less liquid than that for higher rated instruments. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may also decrease the value and liquidity of these high-yield securities. Adverse conditions could make it difficult at times for the Fund to sell certain instruments or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Fund's NAV. Because of the substantial risks associated with investments in lower grade instruments, investors could lose money on their investment in the Fund, both in the short-term and the long-term.
The Fund's investments in distressed and defaulted securities may be considered speculative and involve substantial risks in addition to the risks of investing in junk bonds. The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on the distressed securities and the principal may also be at risk. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment, requiring the Fund to incur additional costs.
Interest Rate Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). As interest rates rise, the value of a fixed-income security held by the Fund is likely to decrease. Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. To the extent the Fund invests a substantial portion of its assets in fixed-income securities with longer-term durations, rising interest rates may cause the value of the Fund’s investments to decline significantly.
Issuer-Specific Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). Changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular type of security or issuer, and changes in general economic or political conditions can affect a security’s or instrument’s value. The value of securities of smaller, less well-known issuers can be more volatile than that of larger issuers. Issuer-specific events can have a negative impact on the value of the Fund.
Liquidity Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. To the extent the Fund invests in illiquid securities or securities that become less liquid, such investments may have a negative effect on the returns of the Fund because the Fund may be unable to sell the illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price. To the extent that the Fund’s principal investment strategies involve investing in securities with substantial market and/or credit risk, the Fund will tend to have the greatest exposure to liquidity risk. Liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. Illiquid investments may be harder to value, especially in changing markets, and if the Fund is forced to sell these investments to meet redemption requests or for other cash needs, the Fund may suffer a loss. There can be no assurance that a security that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund.
Market Capitalization Risk
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Large-Capitalization Investing (U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund only) . The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies may also be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
 
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Mid-Capitalization Investing (U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund only) . The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of large-capitalization companies. The securities of mid-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than large capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some medium capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, financial resources, and management personnel and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to large-capitalization companies.
 
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Small-Capitalization Investing ( U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund ). The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of larger-capitalization companies. The securities of small-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some small capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, and financial and managerial resources and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to larger capitalization companies. There is typically less publicly available information concerning smaller-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Small-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.
 
Market Risk. The trading prices of debt securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. These factors include events impacting the entire market or specific market segments, such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. A Fund’s NAV and market price, like security and commodity prices generally, may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are more sensitive to interest rate risk than other types of fixed income securities. Modest movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain types of these securities. When interest rates fall, mortgage- and asset-backed securities may be subject to prepayment risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that the borrower will prepay some or the entire principal owed to the investor. If that happens, the Fund may have to replace the security by investing the proceeds in a security with a lower yield. This could reduce the share price and income distributions of the Fund, which invests in mortgage- and asset-backed securities. When interest rates rise, certain types of mortgage- and asset-backed securities are subject to extension risk. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities can also be subject to the risk of default on the underlying residential or commercial mortgage(s) or other assets. Weakening real estate markets may cause default rates to rise, which would result in a decline in the value of mortgage-backed securities.
Non-Diversification Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only).   Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, a decline in the value of an investment in a single issuer could cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than if the Fund held a more diversified portfolio. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
Passive Investment Risk.   Each Fund invests in the securities included in, or representative of, its Index regardless of their investment merit. Each Fund does not attempt to outperform its Index or take defensive positions in declining markets. As a result, a Fund’s performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the market segments relating to its Index. The returns from the types of securities in which a Fund invests may underperform returns from the various general securities markets or different asset classes. This may cause a Fund to underperform other investment vehicles that invest in different asset classes. Different types of securities (for example, large-, mid- and small-capitalization stocks) tend to go through cycles of doing better – or worse – than the general securities markets. In the past, these periods have lasted for as long as several years.
Portfolio Turnover Risk (U.S. Bond Fund and U.S. Equity Fund only) The Fund may trade all or a significant portion of the securities in its portfolio in connection with each rebalance and reconstitution of its Index.   A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.   Frequent trading may also cause adverse tax consequences for investors in the Fund due to an increase in short-term capital gains.
Prepayment Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). This is the risk that a borrower will prepay some or the entire principal owed to the Fund. If that happens, the Fund may have to replace the security by investing the proceeds in a security with a lower yield. This could reduce the share price and income distributions of the Fund.
Sector Risk .   To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.
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Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk   ( International Equity Fund and U.S. Equity Fund only). The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates, competition, consumer confidence, changes in demographics and consumer preferences. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector depend heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending, and may be strongly affected by social trends and marketing campaigns. These companies may be subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability.
 
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Financial Sector Risk ( International Equity Fund and U.S. Equity Fund only).   Companies in the financial sector of an economy are often subject to extensive governmental regulation and intervention, which may adversely affect the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Governmental regulation may change frequently and may have significant adverse consequences for companies in the financial sector, including effects not intended by such regulation. The impact of recent or future regulation in various countries on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted.
 
Certain risks may impact the value of investments in the financial sector more severely than those of investments outside this sector, including the risks associated with companies that operate with substantial financial leverage. Companies in the financial sector may also be adversely affected by increases in interest rates and loan losses, decreases in the availability of money or asset valuations, credit rating downgrades and adverse conditions in other related markets.
Insurance companies, in particular, may be subject to severe price competition and/or rate regulation, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability. Insurance companies are subject to extensive government regulation in some countries and can be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, general economic conditions, price and marketing competition, the imposition of premium rate caps, or other changes in government regulation or tax law. Different segments of the insurance industry can be significantly affected by mortality and morbidity rates, environmental clean-up costs and catastrophic events such as earthquakes, hurricanes and terrorist acts.
During the financial crisis that began in 2007, the deterioration of the credit markets impacted a broad range of mortgage, asset-backed, auction rate, sovereign debt and other markets, including U.S. and non-U.S. credit and interbank money markets, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. A number of large financial institutions failed during that time, merged with stronger institutions or had significant government infusions of capital. Instability in the financial markets caused certain financial companies to incur large losses. Some financial companies experienced declines in the valuations of their assets, took actions to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or even ceased operations. Some financial companies borrowed significant amounts of capital from government sources and may face future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or increased government intervention. Those actions caused the securities of many financial companies to decline in value.
The financial sector is also a target for cyber attacks and may experience technology malfunctions and disruptions. In recent years, cyber attacks and technology failures have become increasingly frequent and have caused significant losses.
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Health Care Sector Risk ( U.S. Equity Fund only) .   Companies in the health care sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. Companies in the health care sector are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Health care companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies or other market developments. Many new products in the health care sector require significant research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market.
 
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Industrial Sector Risk   ( International Equity Fund and U.S. Equity Fund only) . The industrial sector can be significantly affected by, among other things, worldwide economic growth, supply and demand for specific products and services, rapid technological developments, international political and economic developments, environmental issues, and tax and governmental regulatory policies. As the demand for, or prices of, industrials increase, the value of the Fund’s investments generally would be expected to also increase. Conversely, declines in the demand for, or prices of, industrials generally would be expected to contribute to declines in the value of such securities. Such declines may occur quickly and without warning and may negatively impact the value of the Fund and your investment.
 
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Information Technology Sector Risk ( U.S. Equity Fund only) . Market or economic factors impacting information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund's investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.   Additionally, companies in the technology sector may face dramatic and often unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel.
 
Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of the shares of a Fund will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV intra-day when you buy shares of a Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive more (or less) than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market.
Tracking Error Risk .   As with all index funds, the performance of a Fund and its Index may vary somewhat for a variety of reasons. For example, a Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by its Index. In addition, a Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of its Index at all times or may hold securities not included in its Index. The use of sampling techniques may affect a Fund’s ability to achieve close correlation with its Index. To the extent a Fund uses a Representative Sampling strategy to achieve its investment objective, such strategy generally can be expected to produce a greater tracking error risk.
TBA Securities and Rolls Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only). The Fund may invest in TBA securities. In a TBA transaction, a seller agrees to deliver a security at a future date, but does not specify the particular security to be delivered. Instead, the seller agrees to accept any security that meets specified terms. The principal risks of TBA transactions are increased credit risk and increased overall investment exposure.
The Fund may enter into TBA roll transactions, in which the Fund sells mortgage-backed securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts to purchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date from the same party. The investor may assume some risk because the characteristics of the MBS delivered to the investor may be less favorable than the MBS the investor delivered to the dealer. Because the dealer is not obligated to return the identical MBS collateral that the investor has delivered, both parties usually transact the dollar roll with generic MBS pools that have the same or less value than the average TBA-eligible security.
 
Additional Information About the Funds’ Non-Principal Risks. This section provides additional information regarding certain non-principal risks of investing in the Funds. Each of the factors below could have a negative impact on the applicable Fund’s performance and trading prices. Each factor applies to each Fund unless otherwise specified.

Trading.  Although each Fund’s shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange “circuit breaker” rules , which temporarily halt trading on the Exchange when a decline in the S&P 500 Index during a single day reaches certain thresholds (e.g., 7%, 13% and 20%). Additional rules applicable to the Exchange may halt trading in Fund shares when extraordinary volatility causes sudden, significant swings in the market price of Fund shares. There can be no assurance that Fund shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares.  Investors buying or selling Fund shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Fund shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling Fund shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Fund shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk.  The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Fund shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
Portfolio Holdings Information
Information about the Funds’ daily portfolio holdings is available at www.videntfinancialsolutions.com. A description of the Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).
Management
Investment Adviser
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC serves as the investment adviser and has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Funds. ETC is a registered investment adviser with offices located at 10900 Hefner Pointe Drive, Suite 207, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120, that provides investment advisory services to ETFs, including the Funds. ETC also arranges for sub-advisory, transfer agency, custody, fund administration, securities lending, and all other non-distribution related services necessary for the Funds to operate. For the services it provides to the Funds, each Fund pays the Adviser a unified management fee,   which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate based on a percentage of each Fund’s average daily net assets, as shown in the following table:  
   
Fund
Management Fee
Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
0.45%
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
0.55%
Vident International Equity Fund
0.68%
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, ETC has agreed to pay all expenses of the Funds, except for: the fee paid to ETC pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution (12b‑1) fees and expenses. The Adviser, in turn, compensates the Sub-Adviser from the management fee the Adviser receives.
The basis for the Board’s approval of the Funds’ Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended August 31, 2016.
Sub-Adviser
The Adviser has retained Vident Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA”) to serve as sub-adviser for the Funds. VIA is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds. VIA, a registered investment adviser, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vident Financial, LLC. Its principal office is located at 300 Colonial Center Parkway, Suite 330, Roswell, Georgia 30076. VIA was formed in 2014 and provides investment advisory services to ETFs, including the Funds. The Sub-Adviser is responsible for trading portfolio securities for the Funds, including selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions or in connection with any rebalancing or reconstitution of the Indexes, subject to the supervision of the Adviser and the Board. For its services, the Sub-Adviser is paid a fee by the Adviser, which fee is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate based on the average daily net assets of each Fund and subject to a minimum annual fee as follows:
Fund
Minimum Annual Fee
Asset-Based Fee
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
$50,000
0.05%
Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
$75,000
7 bps (0.07%) on the first $250 million
6 bps (0.06%) on the next $250 million
5 bps (0.05%) on the next $500 million
4 bps (0.04%) on the balance over $1 billion
Vident International Equity Fund
$75,000*
9 bps (0.09%) on the first $500 million*
8 bps (0.08%) on the next $500 million
6 bps (0.06%) on the balance over $1 billion
*Once assets in the Vident International Equity Fund exceed $1 billion dollars, the Fund will be charged 8 basis points (0.08%) for the first $500 million dollars of assets.
The basis for the Board’s approval of the Funds’ Sub-Advisory agreement is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended August 31, 2016.
Portfolio Managers
The Funds are managed by VIA’s portfolio management team. The individual members of the team responsible for the day to day management of the Funds’ portfolios are listed below.
Ms. Krisko is a portfolio manager for each Fund. Ms. Krisko became the President of Vident in November 2014 and has over nineteen years of investment management experience. Ms. Krisko was previously the Chief Investment Officer at Index Management Solutions, LLC (“IMS”). Prior to joining IMS, she was a Managing Director and Co-Head of the Equity Index Management and Head of East Coast Equity Index Strategies for Mellon Capital Management. She was also a Managing Director of The Bank of New York and Head of Equity Index Strategies for BNY Investment Advisors from August 2005 until the merger of The Bank of New York with Mellon Bank in 2007, when she assumed her role with Mellon Capital Management. Ms. Krisko attained the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2000. Ms. Krisko graduated with a BS from Pennsylvania State University and obtained her MBA from Villanova University.
Mr. Iredale is a portfolio manager for the U.S. Bond Fund. Mr. Iredale became a Senior Portfolio Manager – Fixed Income at Vident in 2015 and has over 15 years of experience managing fixed income products. Prior to joining Vident, Mr. Iredale was a Manager – Fixed Income with Ronald Blue & Co., one of the largest independent wealth management firms in the U.S., where he started in 1999. Mr. Iredale graduated with a BBA from the University of Georgia, Terry College of Business and obtained his JD from the University of Georgia School of Law.
Ms. Tong is a portfolio manager for the International Equity Fund. Ms. Tong became a Senior Portfolio Manager – International Equity at Vident in 2015 and has over 20 years of experience that includes managing international equity portfolios. Prior to joining Vident, she was a Senior Investment Associate at Quantitative Management Associates LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Investment Management, Inc., where she co-managed the firm’s global index portfolios and was responsible for trading foreign and domestic equities, foreign exchange, and derivative instruments. Ms. Tong graduated with an AB from Princeton University and obtained her MBA in Finance from Rutgers University.
The Funds’ SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation structure, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers, and the Portfolio Managers’ ownership of shares in each Fund.
Related Investment Companies
The Funds are part of a group of related investment companies (the “Vident Funds”), which currently includes the Funds and the WeatherStorm Forensic Accounting Long-Short ETF. Each of the Vident Funds is advised by ETC, sub-advised by VIA, and tracks an index for which an affiliate of VIA is the index provider.
Each Fund may invest in another of the Vident Funds to the extent VIA believes that doing so will help the applicable Fund achieve its investment objective. VIA may be subject to potential conflicts of interest in selecting other Vident Funds as investments for a Fund because (i) the fees paid by ETC to VIA for sub-advising some Vident Funds may be higher than the fees paid by the applicable Fund or another of the Vident Funds and (ii) the fees received by VIA and its affiliates as index provider may be higher for some Vident Funds than for the applicable Fund or another of the Vident Funds.
How to Buy and Sell Shares
Each Fund issues and redeems shares at NAV only in Creation Units. Only APs may acquire shares directly from a Fund, and only APs may tender their shares for redemption directly to a Fund, at NAV. APs must be (i) a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC, a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC participant (as discussed below). In addition, each AP must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Transfer Agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Once created, Fund shares trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.
Most investors buy and sell Fund shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares of the Funds are listed for trading on the secondary market on the Exchange and can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded securities.
When buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offer price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. In addition, because secondary market transactions occur at market prices, you may pay more than NAV when you buy Fund shares, and receive less than NAV when you sell those shares.
Book Entry
Fund shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of a Fund.
Investors owning Fund shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all shares of the Funds. DTC’s participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of Fund shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of Fund shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Fund shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” through your brokerage account.
Share Trading Prices   on the Exchange
Trading prices of shares of a Fund on the Exchange may differ from the applicable Fund’s daily NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of Fund shares. To provide additional information regarding the indicative value of Fund shares, the Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates information every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other widely disseminated means an updated “intraday indicative value” (“IIV”) for Fund shares as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Funds are not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIVs and make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIVs. The basket of Deposit Securities does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current Fund portfolios at a particular point in time and the IIV based on that basket may not represent the best possible valuation of a Fund’s portfolio. Therefore, the IIV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of a Fund’s NAV, which is computed only once a day, typically at the end of the business day. The IIV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the Deposit Securities.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
The Funds impose no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of shares. In determining not to approve a written, established policy, the Board evaluated the risks of market timing activities by Fund shareholders. Purchases and redemptions by APs, who are the only parties that may purchase or redeem shares directly with a Fund, are an essential part of the ETF process and help keep share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, the Funds accommodate frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, the Board has also determined that frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase tracking error and portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains. To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions, the Funds employ fair value pricing and impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by a Fund in effective trades. In addition, the Funds and the Adviser reserve the right to reject any purchase order at any time.
Determination of Net Asset Value
Each Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, each day the NYSE is open for business. Each NAV for a Fund is calculated by dividing the applicable Fund’s net assets by its shares outstanding.
In calculating its NAV, each Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments. Debt obligations with maturities of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost. If such information is not available for a security held by a Fund or is determined to be unreliable, the security will be valued at fair value estimates under guidelines established by the Board (as described below).
Fair Value Pricing
The Board has adopted procedures and methodologies to fair value Fund securities whose market prices are not “readily available” or are deemed to be unreliable. For example, such circumstances may arise when: (i) a security has been de-listed or has had its trading halted or suspended; (ii) a security’s primary pricing source is unable or unwilling to provide a price; (iii) when a security’s primary trading market is closed during regular market hours; or (iv) when a security’s value is materially affected by events occurring after the close of the security’s primary trading market. Generally, when fair valuing a security, the Funds will take into account all reasonably available information that may be relevant to a particular valuation including, but not limited to, fundamental analytical data regarding the issuer, information relating to the issuer’s business, recent trades or offers of the security, general and/or specific market conditions and the specific facts giving rise to the need to fair value the security. Fair value determinations are made in good faith and in accordance with the fair value methodologies included in the Board-adopted valuation procedures. Due to the subjective and variable nature of fair value pricing, there can be no assurance that the Adviser or Sub-Adviser will be able to obtain the fair value assigned to the security upon the sale of such security.
Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding
Householding is an option available to certain investors of the Funds. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Householding for the Funds is available through certain broker-dealers. If you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, please contact your broker-dealer. If you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status, please contact your broker-dealer.
Investments by Registered Investment Companies
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Funds. The SEC has granted an exemptive order to the Trust permitting registered investment companies that enter into an agreement with the Trust (“Investing Funds”) to invest in the Funds, and certain other series of the Trust, beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions. However, to the extent a Fund invests in securities of another investment company, including other Vident Funds, in excess of the limits contained in section 12(d)(1)(A), such exemptive relief will not be applicable to such Fund. Accordingly, Investing Funds must adhere to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) when investing in such Fund.
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
Dividends and Distributions
The U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund intend to pay out dividends, if any, quarterly. The U.S. Bond Fund intends to pay out dividends on a monthly basis; n onetheless, the U.S. Bond Fund may not make a dividend payment every month. Each Fund intends to distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders at least annually. Each Fund will declare and pay capital gain distributions in cash. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares of the Fund only if the broker through whom you purchased Fund shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.
Taxes
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Fund shares will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in Fund shares.
Unless your investment in Fund shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when: (i) a Fund makes distributions; (ii) you sell your Fund shares listed on the Exchange; and (iii) you purchase or redeem Creation Units.
Taxes on Distributions
Each Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains income. For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long a Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Fund shares. Sales of assets held by a Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by a Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of a Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by such Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains, which for noncorporate shareholders are subject to tax at reduced rates. Distributions of short-term capital gain will generally be taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional shares.
Distributions reported by a Fund as “qualified dividend income” are generally taxed to noncorporate shareholders at rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided holding period and other requirements are met. “Qualified dividend income” generally is income derived from dividends paid by U.S. corporations or certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In addition, dividends that the Fund received in respect of stock of certain foreign corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market. Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from a Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. Since the U.S. Bond Fund’s income is derived primarily from interest income, it is not expected that the Fund will distribute “qualified dividend income” or income that would qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders. In addition, since the International Equity Fund invests primarily in securities of non-U.S. issuers, it is not expected that a significant portion of the dividends received from such Fund will qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations.
Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the character of any distributions received from a Fund.
U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (including capital gains distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Fund shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, however, may be treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year. Distributions are generally taxable even if they are paid from income or gains earned by a Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the Fund shares’ NAV when you purchased your Fund shares).
You may wish to avoid investing in a Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment.
If you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the United States or if you are a foreign entity, distributions (other than Capital Gain Dividends) paid to you by a Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. A Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met.
Under legislation generally known as “FATCA” (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), a Fund is required to withhold 30% of certain ordinary dividends it pays, and, after December 31, 2018, 30% of the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain dividends it pays, to shareholders that are foreign entities and that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.
Each Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns Fund shares) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has underreported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that he, she or it is not subject to such withholding.
Taxes When Shares are Sold on the Exchange
Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares generally is treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares have been held for one year or less. However, any capital loss on a sale of Fund shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of Capital Gain Dividends paid with respect to such Fund shares. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent shares of a Fund are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the sale of Fund shares.
Taxes on Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units
An AP having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally recognizes a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the exchanging AP’s aggregate basis in the securities delivered plus the amount of any cash paid for the Creation Units. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanging AP’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of the securities received, plus any cash received for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service may assert, however, that an AP who does not mark-to-market its holdings may not be permitted to currently deduct losses upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
Any capital gain or loss realized upon redemption of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares have been held for one year or less.
A Fund may include a payment of cash in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities upon the redemption of Creation Units. A Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause a Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the redemption in-kind. As a result, a Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.
Foreign Investments by the Fund
Interest and other income received by a Fund with respect to foreign securities may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If as of the close of a taxable year more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s assets consists of certain foreign stock or securities, each such Fund will be eligible to elect to “pass through” to investors the amount of foreign income and similar taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by such Fund during that taxable year. This means that investors would be considered to have received as additional income their respective shares of such foreign taxes, but may be entitled to either a corresponding tax deduction in calculating taxable income, or, subject to certain limitations, a credit in calculating federal income tax. If a Fund does not so elect, each such Fund will be entitled to claim a deduction for certain foreign taxes incurred by such Fund. A Fund (or its administrative agent) will notify you if it makes such an election and provide you with the information necessary to reflect foreign taxes paid on your income tax return.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in each Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You also may be subject to state and local tax on Fund distributions and sales of Fund shares. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Fund shares   under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “Federal Income Taxes” in the SAI.
Distribution
The Distributor, Quasar Distributors, LLC, is a broker-dealer registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Funds on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in Fund shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Funds or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Funds. The Distributor’s principal address is 615 East Michigan Street, 4th Floor, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Plan, each Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities and shareholder services.
No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Funds, and there are no plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because the fees are paid out of Fund assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
Premium/Discount Information
Information regarding how often shares of each Fund trade on the Exchange at a price above ( i.e. , at a premium) or below ( i.e. , at a discount) the NAV of such Fund is available, free of charge, on the Funds’ website at www.videntfinancialsolutions.com.
Additional Notices
Shares of the Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the ability of the Funds to track the total return performance of their respective Index or the ability of the Indexes identified herein to track the performance of their constituent securities. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the compilation or the calculation of the Indexes, nor in the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the shares of the Funds to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Funds in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares of the Funds.
The Exchange does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Indexes or the data included therein. The Exchange makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Funds, owners of the shares, or any other person or entity from the use of the Indexes or the data included therein. The Exchange makes no express or implied warranties, and hereby expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the Indexes or the data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.
The Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Index Provider, and the Funds make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Fund shares or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly. The Index Provider is a licensor of certain trademarks, service marks and trade names of each Fund. The Index Provider has no obligation to take the needs of the Funds or the owners of Fund shares into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating the Indexes. The Index Provider is not responsible for, and has not participated in, the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of shares of the Funds to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares of the Funds are redeemable. Each Fund, the Index Provider and the Adviser do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or performance of the Indexes or the data included therein and shall have no liability in connection with the Indexes or Index calculations. The Index Provider owns the Indexes and the Index methodologies and is the licensor of the Indexes to the Adviser, the licensees and the Index receipt agents. The Index Provider has contracted with each Index calculation agent to maintain and calculate the Indexes used by the Funds. Each Index calculation agent shall have no liability for any errors or omissions in calculating the Index.
Citigroup Index LLC (“CitiIndex”) is the calculation agent for the Index Provider with respect to the U.S. Bond Index. The U.S. Bond Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by CitiIndex or any of its affiliates. CitiIndex makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners or prospective owners of shares of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly, or the ability of the Fund to track the price and yield performance of the Index or the ability of the Index to track general bond market performance. CitiIndex has no obligation to take the needs of the Index Provider or the owners or prospective owners of the Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Index. CitiIndex is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the shares to be issued by the Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of the shares to be issued by the Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares to be issued by the Fund are to be converted into cash. CitiIndex has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund.
CITIGROUP INDEX DOES NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY INDEX CALCULATIONS, AND CITIINDEX SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR DELAYS THEREIN. CITIINDEX MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY VIDENT, OWNERS OR PROSPECTIVE OWNERS OF SHARES OF THE FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEX, INDEX CALCULATIONS OR ANY DATA RELATING THERETO. CITIINDEX MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDEX, INDEX CALCULATIONS OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL CITIINDEX HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE.
Financial Highlights
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Funds’ financial performance for the period of the Funds’ operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in a Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been audited by Cohen & Company , Ltd., the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Funds’ financial statements, is included in the Funds’ annual report, which is available upon request.


Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
For a capital share outstanding throughout each period
 
 
Year Ended
 
 
Period Ended
 
 
 
August 31, 2016
 
 
August 31, 2015 (1)
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period 
 
 
$49.57
 
 
 
$50.00
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INCOME (LOSS) FROM
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Investment Income (2)  
 
 
0.86
 
 
 
0.63
 
Net Realized and Unrealized
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Gain (Loss) on Investments 
 
 
1.96
 
 
 
(0.67
)
Total from Investment Operations 
 
 
2.82
 
 
 
(0.04
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Distributions from
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Net Investment Income 
 
 
(0.74
)
 
 
(0.39
)
Total Distributions 
 
 
(0.74
)
 
 
(0.39
)
Net Asset Value, End of Period 
 
 
$51.65
 
 
 
$49.57
 
Total Return 
 
 
5.76
%
 
 
-0.08
% (3)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s) 
 
 
$480,334
 
 
 
$426,297
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
RATIOS TO AVERAGE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  NET ASSETS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Expenses to Average Net Assets 
 
 
0.45
%
 
 
0.45
% (4)
Net Investment Income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  to Average Net Assets 
 
 
1.72
%
 
 
1.43
% (4)
Portfolio Turnover Rate (5) 
 
 
440
%
 
 
409
% (3)

(1)
Commencement of operations on October 15, 2014.
(2)
Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(3)
Not annualized.
(4)
Annualized.
(5)
Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.

Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
For a capital share outstanding throughout each period
 
 
Year
 
 
Year
 
 
Period
 
 
 
Ended
 
 
Ended
 
 
Ended
 
 
 
August 31,
 
 
August 31,
 
 
August 31,
 
 
 
2016
 
 
2015
 
 
2014 (1)
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period 
 
 
$25.37
 
 
 
$26.77
 
   
$25.00
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INCOME (LOSS) FROM
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Investment Income (2)  
 
 
0.47
 
 
 
0.46
 
 
 
0.27
 
Net Realized and Unrealized
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Gain (Loss) on Investments 
 
 
1.17
 
 
 
(1.43
)
   
1.63
 
Total from Investment Operations 
 
 
1.64
 
 
 
(0.97
)
   
1.90
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Distributions from
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Net Investment Income 
 
 
(0.46
)
 
 
(0.43
)
 
 
(0.13
)
  Net Realized Gains 
 
 
     —
 
 
 
     —
(6)  
 
 
      —
 
Total Distributions 
 
 
(0.46
)
   
(0.43
)
 
 
(0.13
)
Net Asset Value, End of Period 
 
 
$26.55
 
   
$25.37
 
   
$26.77
 
Total Return 
 
 
6.61
%
 
 
-3.70
%
 
 
7.60
% (3)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s) 
 
 
$467,248
 
 
 
$400,787
 
 
 
$182,014
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
RATIOS TO AVERAGE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  NET ASSETS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Expenses to Average Net Assets 
 
 
0.55
%
 
 
0.55
%
 
 
0.55
% (4)
Net Investment Income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  to Average Net Assets 
 
 
1.87
%
 
 
1.72
%
 
 
1.62
% (4)
Portfolio Turnover Rate (5) 
 
 
114
%
 
 
90
%
 
 
1
% (3)

(1)
Commencement of operations on January 21, 2014.
(2)
Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(3)
Not annualized.
(4)
Annualized.
(5)
Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.
(6)
Less than $0.005.


 
Vident International Equity Fund
For a capital share outstanding throughout each period
 
 
Year
 
 
Year
 
 
Period
 
 
 
Ended
 
 
Ended
 
 
Ended
 
 
 
August 31,
 
 
August 31,
 
 
August 31,
 
 
 
2016
 
 
2015
 
 
2014 (1)
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period 
 
 
$20.82
 
$25.70
 
$25.00
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INCOME (LOSS) FROM
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Investment Income (2)  
 
 
0.46
 
 
 
0.44
 
 
 
0.54
 
Net Realized and Unrealized
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Gain (Loss) on Investments 
 
 
0.70
 
 
 
(4.89
)
 
 
0.55
 
Total from Investment Operations 
 
 
1.16
 
 
 
(4.45
)
 
 
1.09
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Distributions from
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Net Investment Income 
 
 
(0.38
)
 
 
(0.43
)
 
 
(0.39
)
Total Distributions 
 
 
(0.38
)
 
 
(0.43
)
 
 
(0.39
)
Net Asset Value, End of Period 
 
 
$21.60
 
 
$20.82
 
 
$25.70
 
Total Return 
 
 
5.68
%
 
 
-17.60
%
 
 
4.54
% (3)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Assets at End of Period (000’s) 
 
 
$583,078
 
 
 
$616,410
 
 
 
$758,098
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
RATIOS TO AVERAGE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  NET ASSETS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Expenses to Average Net Assets 
 
 
0.68
%
 
 
0.71
%
 
 
0.75
% (4)
Net Investment Income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  to Average Net Assets 
 
 
2.25
%
 
 
1.85
%
 
 
2.59
% (4)
Portfolio Turnover Rate (5)  
 
 
106
%
 
 
43
%
 
 
59
% (3)

(1)
Commencement of operations on October 29, 2013.
(2)
Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(3)
Not annualized.
(4)
Annualized.
(5)
Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.



Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
Vident International Equity Fund

Adviser
 
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC
10900 Hefner Pointe Drive
Suite 207
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120
 
Sub-Adviser
 
Vident Investment Advisory, LLC
300 Colonial Center Parkway, Suite 330
Roswell, GA 30076
Custodian
 
U.S. Bank National Association
1555 N. Rivercenter Dr. 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
 
Distributor
 
Quasar Distributors, LLC
615 East Michigan Street 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
 
Legal Counsel
 
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004-2541
 
Index Provider
 
Vident Financial, LLC
300 Colonial Center Parkway, Suite 150
Roswell, GA 30076
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 
Cohen & Company, Ltd.
1350 Euclid Ave, Suite 800
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
Transfer Agent, Fund Accountant and Administrator
 
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

Investors may find more information about the Funds in the following documents:
Statement of Additional Information: The Funds’ SAI provides additional details about the investments of the Funds and certain other additional information. A current SAI dated December 31, 2016 is on file with the SEC and is herein incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. It is legally considered a part of this Prospectus.
Annual/Semi-Annual Reports: Additional information about each Fund’s investments will be available in the Funds’ annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the annual report you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Funds’ performance.
To make shareholder inquiries, for more detailed information on the Funds, or to request the SAI or annual or semi-annual shareholder reports (once available) free of charge, please:
 
Call:
1-800-617-0004
Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Central time)
 
Write:
Vident Funds
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Visit:
www.videntfinancialsolutions.com
 
 
 
Information about the Funds (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520.
No person is authorized to give any information or to make any representations about the Funds and their shares not contained in this Prospectus and you should not rely on any other information. Read and keep this Prospectus for future reference.

(SEC Investment Company Act File No. 811-22668)
 
 
 

Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF ® (VBND)
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund ® (VUSE)
Vident International Equity Fund ® (VIDI)

Each a series of ETF Series Solutions
Listed on NASDAQ
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
December 31, 2016

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the prospectus dated December 31, 2016, as may be supplemented from time to time (“Prospectus”), of the Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF (“U.S. Bond Fund”), Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund (“U.S. Equity Fund”) and Vident International Equity Fund (“International Equity Fund”) (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), each a series of ETF Series Solutions (the “Trust”). Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted.
A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained, without charge by calling 1-800-617-0004, visiting www.videntfinancialsolutions.com, or writing to Vident Funds, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
The Funds’ audited financial statements for their most recent fiscal year are incorporated into this SAI by reference to the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders (File No. 811-22668). You may obtain a copy of the Funds’ Annual Report at no charge by request to the Funds at the address or phone number noted above.
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
 
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24
24
24
25
25
27
27
33
33
33
40
A-1
B-1

 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND THE FUNDS
The Trust is an open-end management investment company consisting of multiple investment series. This SAI relates to the Funds. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on February 9, 2012. The Trust is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (together with the rules and regulations adopted thereunder, as amended, the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company and the offering ‘of the Fund shares (“Shares”) is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Trust is governed by its Board of Trustees (the “Board”). Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Funds. Vident Investment Advisory, LLC (the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as sub-adviser to the Funds. The investment objective of the Funds is to seek to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of an applicable underlying Index.
Each Fund offers and issues Shares at its net asset value (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each, a “Creation Unit”). The U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund each generally offer and issue Shares in exchange for a basket of securities included in the applicable Fund’s Index (“Deposit Securities”) together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (“Cash Component”). The U.S. Bond Fund generally offers and issues Shares in exchange for cash. The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount (“Deposit Cash”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. The Shares are listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (“NASDAQ” or the “Exchange”) and trade on the Exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the Shares’ NAV. A Creation Unit of a Fund generally consists of 100,000 Shares, though this may change from time to time. Creation units are not expected to consist of less than 25,000 Shares. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares of the Funds are not redeemable securities.
Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the value of the missing Deposit Securities, as set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement (as defined below). The Trust may impose a transaction fee for each creation or redemption. In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the SEC applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions in the secondary market will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND RELATED RISKS
Each Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described in the Prospectus. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus. For a description of certain permitted investments, see “ Description of Permitted Investments ” in this SAI.
With respect to each Fund’s investments, unless otherwise noted, if a percentage limitation on investment is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a subsequent increase or decrease as a result of market movement or redemption will not result in a violation of such investment limitation.
Diversification
The U.S. Bond Fund is classified as a non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act. A “non-diversified” classification means that the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. This means that the U.S. Bond Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. The securities of a particular issuer may constitute a greater portion of the Fund’s Index and, therefore, those securities may constitute a greater portion of the Fund’s portfolio. This may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s performance or subject the Fund’s Shares to greater price volatility than more diversified investment companies. Moreover, in pursuing its objective, a non-diversified Fund may hold the securities of a single issuer in an amount exceeding 10% of the value of the outstanding securities of the issuer, subject to restrictions imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In particular, as the Fund’s size grows and its assets increase, it will be more likely to hold more than 10% of the securities of a single issuer if the issuer has a relatively small public float as compared to other components in the applicable Index.
Although the U.S. Bond Fund is non-diversified for purposes of the 1940 Act, the Fund intends to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a “regulated investment company” (“RIC”) for purposes of the Code. Compliance with the diversification requirements of the Code may limit the investment flexibility of the Fund and may make it less likely that the Fund will meet its investment objective. See “ Federal Income Taxes ” in this SAI for further discussion.
The U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund are each “diversified” within the meaning of the 1940 Act. Under applicable federal laws, to qualify as a diversified fund, each Fund, with respect to 75% of its total assets, may not invest greater than 5% of its total assets in any one issuer and may not hold greater than 10% of the securities of one issuer. The remaining 25% of each Fund’s total assets does not need to be “diversified” and may be invested in securities of a single issuer, subject to other applicable laws. The diversification of a fund’s holdings is measured at the time the Fund purchases a security. However, if a fund purchases a security and holds it for a period of time, the security may become a larger percentage of the fund’s total assets due to movements in the financial markets. If the market affects several securities held by a fund, the fund may have a greater percentage of its assets invested in securities of fewer issuers.
General Risks
The value of a Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate with changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular security or issuer and changes in general economic or political conditions. An investor in a Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
There can be no guarantee that a liquid market for the securities held by a Fund will be maintained. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of a Fund’s Shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid/ask spreads are wide.
Events in the financial sector have resulted, and may continue to result, in an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign. Domestic and foreign fixed income and equity markets experienced extreme volatility and turmoil in late 2008, throughout much of 2009, and more recently in 2015. Issuers that have exposure to the real estate, mortgage and credit markets have been particularly affected, and well-known financial institutions have experienced significant liquidity and other problems. Some of these institutions have declared bankruptcy or defaulted on their debt. It is uncertain whether or for how long these conditions will continue. These events and possible continuing market turbulence may have an adverse effect on Fund performance.
Cyber Security Risk
Investment companies, such as the Funds, and their service providers may be subject to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber attacks. Cyber attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber attacks affecting a Fund or the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact a Fund. For instance, cyber attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact a Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject a Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause reputational damage. A Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause a Fund’s investments in such portfolio companies to lose value.
DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS
The following are descriptions of the Funds’ permitted investments and investment practices and the associated risk factors. The Funds will only invest in any of the following instruments or engage in any of the following investment practices if such investment or activity is consistent with such Fund’s investment objective and permitted by such Fund’s stated investment policies. Each of the permitted investments described below applies to each Fund unless otherwise noted.
Corporate Debt Securities (U.S. Bond Fund only) . Corporate debt securities are long- and short-term debt obligations issued by companies (such as publicly issued and privately placed bonds, notes and commercial paper). The Adviser considers corporate debt securities to be of investment grade quality if they are rated BBB or higher by Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”), a division of the McGraw Hill Companies, or Baa or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or if unrated, determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Investment grade debt securities generally have adequate to strong protection of principal and interest payments. In the lower end of this category, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal than in higher rated categories.
Currency Transactions (International Equity Fund only). The Fund may enter into foreign currency forward and foreign currency futures contracts to facilitate local securities settlements or to protect against currency exposure in connection with distributions to shareholders. The Fund does not expect to engage in currency transactions for the purpose of hedging against declines in the value of the Fund’s total assets that are denominated in one or more foreign currencies.
Forward Foreign Currency Contracts. A forward foreign currency exchange contract (“forward contract”) involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are principally traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. Forward contracts are contracts between parties in which one party agrees to make a payment to the other party (the counterparty) based on the market value or level of a specified currency. In return, the counterparty agrees to make payment to the first party based on the return of a different specified currency. A forward contract generally has no margin deposit requirement, and no commissions are charged at any stage for trades. These contracts typically are settled by physical delivery of the underlying currency or currencies in the amount of the full contract value.
A non-deliverable forward contract is a forward contract where there is no physical settlement of two currencies at maturity. Non-deliverable forward contracts will usually be done on a net basis, with the Fund receiving or paying 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 non-deliverable forward contract is accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or highly liquid securities having an aggregate value at least equal to the accrued excess is maintained in an account at the Fund’s custodian bank. The risk of loss with respect to non-deliverable forward contracts generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make or receive.
Foreign Currency Futures Contracts. A foreign currency futures contract is a contract involving an obligation to deliver or acquire the specified amount of a specific currency, at a specified price and at a specified future time. Futures contracts may be settled on a net cash payment basis rather than by the sale and delivery of the underlying currency.
Currency exchange transactions involve a significant degree of risk and the markets in which currency exchange transactions are effected are highly volatile, highly specialized and highly technical. Significant changes, including changes in liquidity and prices, can occur in such markets within very short periods of time, often within minutes. Currency exchange trading risks include, but are not limited to, exchange rate risk, maturity gap, interest rate risk, and potential interference by foreign governments through regulation of local exchange markets, foreign investment or particular transactions in foreign currency. If the Fund utilizes foreign currency transactions at an inappropriate time, such transactions may not serve their intended purpose of improving the correlation of the Fund’s return with the performance of its underlying Index and may lower the Fund’s return. The Fund could experience losses if the value of any currency forwards and futures positions is poorly correlated with its other investments or if it could not close out its positions because of an illiquid market. Such contracts are subject to the risk that the counterparty will default on its obligations. In addition, the Fund will incur transaction costs, including trading commissions, in connection with certain foreign currency transactions.
Depositary Receipts (International Equity Fund only). To the extent the Fund invests in stocks of foreign corporations, the Fund’s investment in such stocks may be in the form of Depositary Receipts or other similar 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. American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) are receipts typically issued by an American bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) are receipts issued in Europe that evidence a similar ownership arrangement. Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement. Non-Voting Depository Receipts (“NVDRs”) are receipts issued in Thailand that evidence a similar arrangement. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. 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. NVDRs are tradable on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
The Fund will not invest in any unlisted Depositary Receipts or any Depositary Receipt that ETC or the Sub-Adviser deems to be illiquid or for which pricing information is not readily available. In addition, all Depositary Receipts generally must be sponsored; however, the Fund may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts under certain limited circumstances. 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. The use of Depositary Receipts may increase tracking error relative to an underlying Index.
Derivatives. The Funds may use derivative instruments as part of their investment strategies. Generally, derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index, and may relate to bonds, interest rates, currencies, commodities, and related indexes. Examples of derivative instruments include forward contracts, currency and interest rate swaps, currency options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts and swap agreements. A Fund’s use of derivative instruments will be underpinned by investments in short-term, high-quality instruments, such as U.S. money market securities.
With respect to certain kinds of derivative transactions that involve obligations to make future payments to third parties, including, but not limited to, futures contracts, forward contracts, swap contracts, the purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, or reverse repurchase agreements, under applicable federal securities laws, rules, and interpretations thereof, a Fund must “set aside” liquid assets, or engage in other measures to “cover” open positions with respect to such transactions. For example, with respect to forward contracts and futures contracts that are not contractually required to “cash-settle,” a Fund must cover its open positions by setting aside liquid assets equal to the contracts’ full, notional value. A Fund treats deliverable forward contracts for currencies that are liquid as the equivalent of “cash-settled” contracts. As such, a Fund may set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market (net) obligation (i.e., the Fund’s daily net liability if any) rather than the full notional amount under such deliverable forward contracts. Similarly, with respect to futures contracts that are contractually required to “cash-settle” a Fund may set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market (net) obligation rather than the notional value. Each Fund reserves the right to modify these policies in the future.
Swap Agreements . A Fund may enter into swap agreements, including interest rate swaps. A typical interest rate swap involves the exchange of a floating interest rate payment for a fixed interest payment. Swap agreements may be used to hedge or achieve exposure to, for example, interest rates, and money market securities without actually purchasing such securities. A Fund may use swap agreements to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of the underlying securities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. Swap agreements will tend to shift a Fund’s investment exposure from one type of investment to another or from one payment stream to another. Depending on their structure, swap agreements may increase or decrease a Fund’s exposure to long- or short-term interest rates (in the United States or abroad), corporate borrowing rates, or other factors, and may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the Fund’s investments and its share price.
Futures, Options and Options on Futures Contracts . A Fund may enter into U.S. options and options on futures contracts. When a Fund purchases a futures contract, it agrees to purchase a specified underlying instrument at a specified future date. When a Fund sells a futures contract, it agrees to sell the underlying instrument at a specified future date. The price at which the purchase and sale will take place is fixed when a Fund enters into the contract. Futures can be held until their delivery dates, or can be closed out before then if a liquid secondary market is available. To the extent a Fund uses futures and options, it will do so only in accordance with applicable requirements of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and the rules thereunder.
With regard to the Funds, ETC will continue to claim relief from the definition of commodity pool operator (“CPO”) under revised U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) Rule 4.5. Specifically, pursuant to CFTC Rule 4.5, ETC may claim exclusion from the definition of CPO, and thus from having to register as a CPO, with regard to a Fund that enters into commodity futures, commodity options or swaps solely for “bona fide hedging purposes,” or that limits its investment in commodities to a “de minimis” amount, as defined in CFTC rules, so long as the Shares of the Fund are not marketed as interests in a commodity pool or other vehicle for trading in commodity futures, commodity options or swaps. It is expected that a Fund will be able to operate pursuant to the limitations under the revised CFTC Rule 4.5 without materially adversely affecting its ability to achieve its investment objective. If, however, these limitations were to make it difficult for a Fund to achieve its investment objective in the future, the Trust may determine to operate the Fund as a regulated commodity pool pursuant to ETC’s CPO registration or to reorganize or close a Fund or to materially change the Fund’s investment objective and strategy.
The risk of loss in trading futures contracts or uncovered call options in some strategies (e.g., selling uncovered stock index futures contracts) is potentially unlimited. The Funds do not plan to use futures and options contracts in this way. The risk of a futures position may still be large as traditionally measured due to the low margin deposits required. In many cases, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss or gain to the investor relative to the size of a required margin deposit. The Funds, however, intend to utilize futures and options contracts in a manner designed to limit their risk exposure to levels comparable to direct investment in stocks.
Utilization of futures and options on futures by a Fund involves the risk of imperfect or even negative correlation to the underlying Index if the index underlying the futures contract differs from the Fund’s underlying Index. There is also the risk of loss by a Fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the Fund has an open position in the futures contract or option. The purchase of put or call options will be based upon predictions by a Fund as to anticipated trends, which predictions could prove to be incorrect.
The potential for loss related to the purchase of an option on a futures contract is limited to the premium paid for the option plus transaction costs. Because the value of the option is fixed at the point of sale, there are no daily cash payments by the purchaser to reflect changes in the value of the underlying contract; however, the value of the option changes daily and that change would be reflected in the NAV of a Fund. The potential for loss related to writing options may be unlimited.
Although the Funds intend to enter into futures contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will exist for the contracts at any particular time.
Equity Securities (U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund only). Equity securities, such as the common stocks of an issuer, are subject to stock market fluctuations and therefore may experience volatile changes in value as market conditions, consumer sentiment or the financial condition of the issuers change. A decrease in value of the equity securities in a Fund’s portfolio may also cause the value of a Fund’s Shares to decline.
An investment in the Funds should be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in equity securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the stock market may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities and therefore a decrease in the value of Shares of the Fund). Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and perceptions change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic or banking crises.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Further, unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. Common stock values are subject to market fluctuations as long as the common stock remains outstanding.
When-Issued Securities A when-issued security is one whose terms are available and for which a market exists, but which has not been issued. When a Fund engages in when-issued transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the sale. If the other party fails to complete the sale, a Fund may miss the opportunity to obtain the security at a favorable price or yield.
When purchasing a security on a when-issued basis, a Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield changes. At the time of settlement, the value of the security may be more or less than the purchase price. The yield available in the market when the delivery takes place also may be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. Because a Fund does not pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with its other investments.
Decisions to enter into “when-issued” transactions will be considered on a case-by-case basis when necessary to maintain continuity in a company’s index membership. A Fund will segregate cash or liquid securities equal in value to commitments for the when-issued transactions. A Fund will segregate additional liquid assets daily so that the value of such assets is equal to the amount of the commitments.
Types of Equity Securities:
Common Stocks — Common stocks represent units of ownership in a company. Common stocks usually carry voting rights and earn dividends. Unlike preferred stocks, which are described below, dividends on common stocks are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the company’s board of directors.
Preferred Stocks — Preferred stocks are also units of ownership in a company. Preferred stocks normally have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of the company. However, in all other respects, preferred stocks are subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer. Unlike common stocks, preferred stocks are generally not entitled to vote on corporate matters. Types of preferred stocks include adjustable-rate preferred stock, fixed dividend preferred stock, perpetual preferred stock, and sinking fund preferred stock.
Generally, the market values of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element vary inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk.
Rights and Warrants — A right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock before it is issued. Rights normally have a short life of usually two to four weeks, are freely transferable and entitle the holder to buy the new common stock at a lower price than the public offering price. Warrants are securities that are usually issued together with a debt security or preferred stock and that give the holder the right to buy proportionate amount of common stock at a specified price. Warrants are freely transferable and are traded on major exchanges. Unlike rights, warrants normally have a life that is measured in years and entitles the holder to buy common stock of a company at a price that is usually higher than the market price at the time the warrant is issued. Corporations often issue warrants to make the accompanying debt security more attractive.
An investment in warrants and rights may entail greater risks than certain other types of investments. Generally, rights and warrants do not carry the right to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. In addition, their value does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and they cease to have value if they are not exercised on or before their expiration date. Investing in rights and warrants increases the potential profit or loss to be realized from the investment as compared with investing the same amount in the underlying securities.
Exchange-Traded Notes. A Fund may invest in exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”). ETNs generally are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities issued by a sponsor, such as an investment bank. ETNs are traded on exchanges and the returns are linked to the performance of market indexes. In addition to trading ETNs on exchanges, investors may redeem ETNs directly with the issuer on a periodic basis, typically in a minimum amount of 50,000 units, or hold the ETNs until maturity. The value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying market, changes in the applicable interest rates, and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the referenced market. Because ETNs are debt securities, they are subject to credit risk. If the issuer has financial difficulties or goes bankrupt, a Fund may not receive the return it was promised. If a rating agency lowers an issuer’s credit rating, the value of the ETN may decline and a lower credit rating reflects a greater risk that the issuer will default on its obligation. There may be restrictions on a Fund’s right to redeem its investment in an ETN. There are no periodic interest payments for ETNs, and principal is not protected. A Fund’s decision to sell its ETN holdings may be limited by the availability of a secondary market.
Fixed Income Securities .   The Funds may invest in fixed income securities. Even though interest-bearing securities are investments that promise a stable stream of income, the prices of such securities are affected by changes in interest rates. In general, fixed income security prices rise when interest rates fall and fall when interest rates rise. Securities with shorter maturities, while offering lower yields, generally provide greater price stability than longer term securities and are less affected by changes in interest rates. The values of fixed income securities also may be affected by changes in the credit rating or financial condition of the issuing entities. Once the rating of a portfolio security has been changed, the Funds will consider all circumstances deemed relevant in determining whether to continue to hold the security.
Fixed income investments bear certain risks, including credit risk, or the ability of an issuer to pay interest and principal as they become due. Generally, higher yielding bonds are subject to more credit risk than lower yielding bonds. Interest rate risk refers to the fluctuations in value of fixed income securities resulting from the inverse relationship between the market value of outstanding fixed income securities and changes in interest rates. An increase in interest rates will generally reduce the market value of fixed income investments and a decline in interest rates will tend to increase their value.
Call risk is the risk that an issuer will pay principal on an obligation earlier than scheduled or expected, which would accelerate cash flows from, and shorten the average life of, the security. Bonds are typically called when interest rates have declined. In the event of a bond being called, the Adviser may have to reinvest the proceeds in lower yielding securities to the detriment of the Funds.
Extension risk is the risk that an issuer may pay principal on an obligation slower than expected, having the effect of extending the average life and duration of the obligation. This typically happens when interest rates have increased.
A number of factors, including changes in a central bank’s monetary policies or general improvements in the economy, may cause interest rates to rise. Fixed income securities with longer durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with shorter durations, making them more volatile. This means their prices are more likely to experience a considerable reduction in response to a rise in interest rates.
When investing in fixed income securities, the Funds may purchase securities regardless of their rating, including fixed income securities rated below investment grade – securities rated below investment grade are often referred to as high yield securities or “junk bonds”. High yield securities or “junk bonds,” involve special risks in addition to the risks associated with investments in higher rated fixed income securities. While offering a greater potential opportunity for capital appreciation and higher yields, high yield securities may be subject to greater levels of interest rate, credit and liquidity risk, may entail greater potential price volatility, and may be less liquid than higher rated fixed income securities. High yield securities may be regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. They may also be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher rated securities. Fixed income securities rated in the lowest investment grade categories by the rating agencies may also possess speculative characteristics. If securities are in default with respect to the payment of interest or the repayment of principal, or present an imminent risk of default with respect to such payments, the issuer of such securities may fail to resume principal or interest payments, in which case a Fund may lose its entire investment in the high yield security. In addition, to the extent that there is no established retail secondary market, there may be thin trading of high yield securities, and this may have an impact on a Fund’s ability to accurately value high yield securities and the Fund’s assets and on the Fund’s ability to dispose of the securities. Adverse publicity and investor perception, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high yield securities especially in a thinly traded market.
Fixed-Income Securities Ratings (U.S. Bond Fund only).   The NRSROs publish ratings based upon their assessment of the relative creditworthiness of the rated fixed-income securities. Generally, a lower rating indicates higher credit risk, and higher yields are ordinarily available from fixed-income securities in the lower rating categories to compensate investors for the increased credit risk. Any use of credit ratings in evaluating fixed-income securities can involve certain risks. For example, ratings assigned by the rating agencies are based upon an analysis completed at the time of the rating of the obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal, typically relying to a large extent on historical data. Rating agencies typically rely to a large extent on historical data which may not accurately represent present or future circumstances. Ratings do not purport to reflect to risk of fluctuations in market value of the fixed-income security and are not absolute standards of quality and only express the rating agency’s current opinion of an obligor’s overall financial capacity to pay its financial obligations. A credit rating is not a statement of fact or a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a fixed-income obligation. Also, credit quality can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and credit ratings may not reflect the issuer’s current financial condition or events since the security was last rated. Rating agencies may have a financial interest in generating business, including the arranger or issuer of the security that normally pays for that rating, and a low rating might affect future business. While rating agencies have policies and procedures to address this potential conflict of interest, there is a risk that these policies will fail to prevent a conflict of interest from impacting the rating. Additionally, legislation has been enacted in an effort to reform rating agencies. Rules have also been adopted by the SEC to require rating agencies to provide additional disclosure and reduce conflicts of interest, and further reform has been proposed. It is uncertain how such legislation or additional regulation might impact the ratings agencies business and the Sub-Adviser’s investment process.
Prepayment risk occurs when a fixed-income investment held by the Fund may be repaid in whole or in part prior to its maturity. The amount of prepayable obligations the Fund invests in from time to time may be affected by general business conditions, market interest rates, borrowers’ financial conditions and competitive conditions among lenders. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may repay investments more quickly than anticipated, reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the relevant investment. Moreover, when the Fund reinvests the proceeds of a prepayment in these circumstances, it will likely receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid. To the extent that the Fund purchases a relevant investment at a premium, prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If the Fund buys such investments at a discount, both scheduled payments and unscheduled prepayments will increase current and total returns and unscheduled prepayments will also accelerate the recognition of income. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of investments may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This particular risk may effectively change an investment that was considered short- or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a longer-term investment. Since the value of longer-term investments generally fluctuates more widely in response to changes in interest rates than short-term investments, maturity extension risk could increase the volatility of the Fund. When interest rates decline, the value of an investment with prepayment features may not increase as much as that of other fixed-income securities and, as noted above, changes in market rates of interest may accelerate or delay prepayments and thus affect maturities.
High Yield and Unrated Securities Risk (U.S. Bond Fund only).   The Fund may invest in high yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality (commonly known as “junk bonds”). High yield securities generally pay higher yields (greater income) than investment in higher quality securities; however, high yield securities may be subject to greater levels of interest rate, credit and liquidity risk than funds that do not invest in such securities, and are considered predominantly speculative with respect to an issuer’s continuing ability to make principal and interest payments. Successful investment in high yield securities and unrated securities of similar quality involves greater investment risk and is highly dependent on the applicable investment adviser’s credit analysis. The value of these securities often fluctuates in response to company, political or economic developments and declines significantly over short periods of time or during periods of general economic difficulty. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates could adversely affect the market for these securities and reduce the ability to sell these securities (liquidity risk). These securities can also be thinly traded or have restrictions on resale, making them difficult to sell at an acceptable price. Because objective pricing data may be less available, judgment may play a greater role in the valuation process. If the issuer of a security is in default with respect to interest or principal payments, the Fund may lose its entire investment.
Illiquid Securities Each Fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets. The inability of a Fund to dispose of illiquid or not readily marketable investments readily or at a reasonable price could impair such Fund’s ability to raise cash for redemptions or other purposes. The liquidity of securities purchased by a Fund which are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, except for certain 144A bonds, will be monitored by such Fund on an ongoing basis. In the event that such a security is deemed to be no longer liquid, a Fund’s holdings will be reviewed to determine what action, if any, is required to ensure that the retention of such security does not result in such Fund having more than 15% of its net assets invested in illiquid or not readily marketable securities.
Investment Company Securities. A Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies. The 1940 Act generally prohibits a fund from acquiring more than 3% of the outstanding voting shares of an investment company and limits such investments to no more than 5% of the fund’s total assets in any single investment company and no more than 10% in any combination of two or more investment companies. A Fund may purchase or otherwise invest in shares of affiliated or non-affiliated exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and money market funds.
A Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, closed-end funds and open-end (mutual) funds (also called underlying funds). Such underlying funds may include affiliated or non-affiliated investment companies and may include underlying funds pursuing 130/30 investment strategies or other long/short investment strategies (“Long/Short Funds”).
To the extent such underlying funds are index-based, these underlying funds will generally attempt to replicate the performance of a particular index. An underlying fund may not always hold all of the same securities as the index it attempts to track. An underlying fund may use statistical sampling techniques to attempt to replicate the returns of an index. Statistical sampling techniques attempt to match the investment characteristics of the index and the fund by taking into account such factors as capitalization, industry exposures, dividend yield, price/earnings (P/E) ratio, price/book (P/B) ratio, and earnings growth. An underlying fund may not track the index perfectly because differences between the index and the fund’s portfolio can cause differences in performance. In addition, expenses and transaction costs, the size and frequency of cash flow into and out of the underlying fund, and differences between how and when the underlying fund and the index are valued can cause differences in performance.
When a Fund invests in underlying funds it will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses payable directly by the underlying fund. In connection with its investments in other investment companies, a Fund will incur higher expenses, many of which may be duplicative. Furthermore, to the extent a Fund invests in shares of ETFs and underlying funds, its performance will be directly related to the ability of the ETFs and underlying funds to meet their respective investment objectives, as well as the allocation of such Fund’s assets among the ETFs and underlying funds by the Sub-Adviser. Accordingly, a Fund’s investment performance will be influenced by the investment strategies of and risks associated with the ETFs and underlying funds in direct proportion to the amount of assets such Fund allocates to the ETFs and underlying funds utilizing such strategies.
Investments in ETFs involve certain inherent risks generally associated with investments in a broadly-based portfolio of stocks, including the following risks: (1) the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of each unit of the ETF or other instrument; (2) an ETF, to the extent such ETF is index-based, may not fully replicate the performance of its benchmark index because of the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weightings of securities or number of stocks held; (3) an ETF may also be adversely affected by the performance of the specific index, market sector or group of industries on which it is based; and (4) an ETF, to the extent such ETF is index-based, may not track an index as well as a traditional index mutual fund because ETFs are valued by the market and, therefore, there may be a difference between the market value and the ETF’s net asset value. Additionally, investments in fixed income ETFs involve certain inherent risks generally associated with investments in fixed income securities, including the risk of fluctuation in market value based on interest rates rising or declining and risks of a decrease in liquidity, such that no assurances can be made that an active trading market for underlying ETFs will be maintained.
There is also a risk that the underlying funds or ETFs may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to the underlying fund or ETF, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the underlying fund or ETF, and the underlying fund or ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the underlying fund or ETF may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, the respective underlying fund or ETF may also terminate. In addition, an underlying fund or ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.
Long/Short Funds may make short sales as part of their   overall portfolio management strategies or to offset a potential decline in value. Long/Short Funds may engage in short sales with respect to individual equity securities or shares of ETFs. A short sale involves the sale of a security that is borrowed from a broker or other institution to complete the sale. Long/Short Funds may engage in short sales with respect to securities they own, as well as securities that they do not own. Short sales expose a Long/Short Fund, and consequently the investing Fund, to the risk that the Long/Short Fund will be required to acquire, convert or exchange securities to replace the borrowed securities (also known as “covering” the short position) at a time when the securities sold short have appreciated in value, thus resulting in a loss to the Long/Short Fund. A Long/Short Fund’s investment performance, and consequently the investing Fund’s performance, may also suffer if the Long/Short Fund is required to close out a short position earlier than it had intended. Each Long/Short Fund must segregate assets determined to be liquid, or otherwise cover its positions in a permissible manner. Each Long/Short Fund will be required to pledge its liquid assets to the broker to secure its performance on short sales. As a result, the assets pledged may not be available to meet a Long/Short Fund’s needs for immediate cash or other liquidity. In addition, Long/Short Funds may be subject to expenses related to short sales that are not typically associated with investing in securities directly, such as costs of borrowing and margin account maintenance costs associated with the applicable Long/Short Fund’s open short positions. These types of short sales expenses are sometimes referred to as the “negative cost of carry,” and will tend to cause a Long/Short Fund, and consequently an investing Fund, to lose money on a short sale even in instances where the price of the securities sold short does not change over the duration of the short sale. Dividend expenses on securities sold short will be borne by the shareholders of the applicable Long/Short Fund, and consequently by the investing Fund.
Generally, under the 1940 Act, a fund may not acquire shares of another investment company (including ETFs) if, immediately after such acquisition, (i) such fund would hold more than 3% of the other investment company’s total outstanding shares, (ii) if such fund’s investment in securities of the other investment company would be more than 5% of the value of the total assets of the fund, or (iii) if more than 10% of such fund’s total assets would be invested in investment companies. The SEC has granted orders for exemptive relief to certain ETFs that permit investments in those ETFs by other investment companies (such as the Funds) in excess of these limits. The Funds may invest in ETFs that have received such exemptive orders from the SEC, pursuant to the conditions specified in such orders. In accordance with Section 12(d)(1)(F)(i) of the 1940 Act, the Funds may also invest in ETFs that have not received such exemptive orders as long as the Funds (and all of their affiliated persons, including the Adviser) do not acquire more than 3% of the total outstanding stock of such underlying ETF, unless otherwise permitted to do so pursuant to permission granted by the SEC. If a Fund seeks to redeem shares of an underlying ETF purchased in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F), the underlying ETF is not obligated to redeem an amount exceeding 1% of the underlying ETF’s outstanding shares during a period of less than 30 days. In accordance with Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act, the Funds may also invest without limitation in shares of other investment companies that are part of the same group of investment companies and that meet certain additional requirements.
Money Market Instruments. A Fund may invest a portion of its assets in high-quality money market instruments on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. The instruments in which a Fund may invest include: (i) short-term obligations issued by the U.S. Government; (ii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), fixed time deposits and bankers’ acceptances of U.S. and foreign banks and similar institutions; (iii) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s or “A-1+” or “A-1” by S&P or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Fund; and (iv) repurchase agreements. CDs are short-term negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Banker’s acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.
Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities ( U.S. Bond Fund only ). The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. MBS in which the Fund may invest are mortgage-related securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities. Mortgage-related securities represent ownership in pools of mortgage loans assembled for sale to investors by various government agencies such as the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) and government-related organizations such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), as well as by nongovernment issuers such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers and private mortgage insurance companies. Although certain mortgage-related securities are guaranteed by a third party or otherwise similarly secured, the market value of the security, which may fluctuate, is not so secured. These securities differ from conventional bonds in that the principal is paid back to the investor as payments are made on the underlying mortgages in the pool. Accordingly, the investing Fund receives monthly scheduled payments of principal and interest along with any unscheduled principal prepayments on the underlying mortgages. Because these scheduled and unscheduled principal payments must be reinvested at prevailing interest rates, mortgage-backed securities do not provide an effective means of locking in long-term interest rates for the investor.
In addition, there are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities they issue. Mortgage-related securities issued by GNMA include GNMA Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as Ginnie Maes) which are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest. That guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. GNMA is a corporation wholly owned by the U.S. government within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mortgage-related securities issued by FNMA include FNMA Guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as Fannie Maes) and are guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by FNMA itself and backed by a line of credit with the U.S. Treasury. FNMA is a government-sponsored entity wholly owned by public stockholders. Mortgage-related securities issued by FHLMC include FHLMC Mortgage Participation Certificates (also known as Freddie Macs) guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by FHLMC itself and backed by a line of credit with the U.S. Treasury. FHLMC is a government-sponsored entity wholly owned by public stockholders.
In September 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) placed FNMA and FHLMC into conservatorship, and FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of FNMA and FHLMC. The U.S. Treasury entered into a Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement with each of FNMA and FHLMC pursuant to which the U.S. Treasury will disburse up to an aggregate of $200 billion to each of FNMA and FHLMC to maintain a positive net worth in each enterprise; this agreement contains various covenants that severely limit each enterprise’s operation. The U.S. Treasury also announced the creation of a new secured lending facility that is available to FNMA and FHLMC as a liquidity backstop and announced the creation of a temporary program to purchase mortgage-backed securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC. FHFA has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by FNMA or FHLMC prior to FHFA’s appointment if FHFA determines that performance of the contract is burdensome and the repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of FNMA’s or FHLMC’s affairs. FHFA has indicated that it has no intention to repudiate the guaranty obligations of FNMA or FHLMC. FHFA also has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of FNMA or FHLMC without any approval, assignment or consent, although FHFA has stated that is has no present intention to do so. In addition, holders of mortgage-backed securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC may not enforce certain rights related to such securities against FHFA, or the enforcement of such rights may be delayed, during the conservatorship. While the actions of the U.S. Treasury are intended to support the operations of FNMA and FHLMC, there is no guarantee that such actions will be successful. Furthermore, the U.S. Congress has recently considered proposals to wind down or restructure the operations of both FNMA and FHLMC. The passage of any such proposal has the potential to impact the value of securities issued by FNMA or FHLMC, which could adversely affect the Fund.
Asset-backed securities are structured like MBS, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales contracts or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, and receivables from credit card agreements and from sales of personal property. Regular payments received on asset-backed securities include both interest and principal. Asset-backed securities typically have no U.S. government backing. Additionally, the ability of an issuer of asset-backed securities to enforce its security interest in the underlying assets may be limited.
If the Fund purchases a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security at a premium, the premium may be lost if there is a decline in the market value of the security whether resulting from changes in interest rates or prepayments in the underlying collateral. As with other interest-bearing securities, the prices of such securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates. Although the value of a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security may decline when interest rates rise, the converse is not necessarily true, since in periods of declining interest rates the mortgages and loans underlying the securities are prone to prepayment, thereby shortening the average life of the security and shortening the period of time over which income at the higher rate is received. When interest rates are rising, the rate of prepayment tends to decrease, thereby lengthening the period of time over which income at the lower rate is received. For these and other reasons, a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security’s average maturity may be shortened or lengthened as a result of interest rate fluctuations and, therefore, it is not possible to predict accurately the security’s return. In addition, while the trading market for short-term mortgages and asset-backed securities is ordinarily quite liquid, in times of financial stress the trading market for these securities may become restricted.

Non-U.S. Securities (International Equity Fund only). The Fund invests primarily in non-U.S. equity securities. Investments in non-U.S. equity securities involve certain risks that may not be present in investments in U.S. securities. For example, non-U.S. securities may be subject to currency risks or to foreign government taxes. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and a foreign issuer may or may not be subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those in the U.S. Other risks of investing in such securities include political or economic instability in the country involved, the difficulty of predicting international trade patterns and the possibility of imposition of exchange controls. The prices of such securities may be more volatile than those of domestic securities. With respect to certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of expropriation of assets or nationalization, imposition of withholding taxes on dividend or interest payments, difficulty in obtaining and enforcing judgments against foreign entities or diplomatic developments which could affect investment in these countries. Losses and other expenses may be incurred in converting between various currencies in connection with purchases and sales of foreign securities.
Non-U.S. stock markets may not be as developed or efficient as, and may be more volatile than, those in the U.S. While the volume of shares traded on non-U.S. stock markets generally has been growing, such markets usually have substantially less volume than U.S. markets. Therefore, the Fund’s investment in non-U.S. equity securities may be less liquid and subject to more rapid and erratic price movements than comparable securities listed for trading on U.S. exchanges. Non-U.S. equity securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. There may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, banks and listed companies abroad than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences may include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, that increase the likelihood of a failed settlement, which can result in losses to the Fund. The value of non-U.S. investments and the investment income derived from them may also be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange control regulations. Foreign brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees are also generally higher than for securities traded in the U.S. This may cause the Fund to incur higher portfolio transaction costs than domestic equity funds. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing a security, even one denominated in U.S. dollars. Dividend and interest payments may be repatriated based on the exchange rate at the time of disbursement, and restrictions on capital flows may be imposed.
Set forth below for certain markets in which the Fund may invest are brief descriptions of some of the conditions and risks in each such market.
Investments in Emerging Markets Securities. Investments in securities listed and traded in emerging markets are subject to additional risks that may not be present for U.S. investments or investments in more developed non-U.S. markets. Such risks may include: (i) greater market volatility; (ii) lower trading volume; (iii) greater social, political and economic uncertainty; (iv) governmental controls on foreign investments and limitations on repatriation of invested capital; (v) the risk that companies may be held to lower disclosure, corporate governance, auditing and financial reporting standards than companies in more developed markets; and (vi) the risk that there may be less protection of property rights than in other countries. Emerging markets are generally less liquid and less efficient than developed securities markets.
Investments in Europe. Most developed countries in Western Europe are members of the European Union (EU), and many are also members of the European Monetary Union (EMU), which requires compliance with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, and debt levels. Unemployment in certain European nations is historically high and several countries face significant debt problems. These conditions can significantly affect every country in Europe. The euro is the official currency of the EU. Funds that invest in Europe may have significant exposure to the euro and events affecting the euro. Recent market events affecting several of the EU member countries have adversely affected the sovereign debt issued by those countries, and ultimately may lead to a decline in the value of the euro. A significant decline in the value of the euro may produce unpredictable effects on trade and commerce generally and could lead to increased volatility in financial markets worldwide.
In a referendum held in June 2016 (known as “Brexit”), the United Kingdom (“UK”) voted to leave the EU. It is expected that the UK will invoke article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to withdraw from the EU in due course. However, there is a significant degree of uncertainty about how negotiations relating to the UK’s withdrawal will be conducted, as well as the potential consequences and precise timeframe for “Brexit”. It is expected that the UK’s exit from the EU will take place within two years of the UK notifying the European Council that it intends to withdraw from the EU. During this period and beyond, the impact on the UK and European economies and the broader global economy could be significant, resulting in negative impacts, such as increased volatility and illiquidity, and potentially lower economic growth on markets in the UK, Europe and globally, which may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund only). A Fund may invest in the securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) to the extent allowed by law. Risks associated with investments in securities of REITs include decline in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, variations in rental income, changes in neighborhood values, the appeal of properties to tenants, and increases in interest rates. In addition, equity REITs may be affected by changes in the values of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs are also subject to heavy cash-flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for the favorable United States federal income tax treatment generally available to REITs under the Code, and failing to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act. If an issuer of debt securities collateralized by real estate defaults, it is conceivable that the REITs could end up holding the underlying real estate.
Repurchase Agreements. A Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with counterparties that are deemed to present acceptable credit risks. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which a Fund purchases securities or other obligations from a bank or securities dealer (or its affiliate) and simultaneously commits to resell them to a counterparty at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased obligations. A Fund maintains custody of the underlying obligations prior to their repurchase, either through its regular custodian or through a special “tri-party” custodian or sub-custodian that maintains separate accounts for both the Fund and its counterparty. Thus, the obligation of the counterparty to pay the repurchase price on the date agreed to or upon demand is, in effect, secured by such obligations.
Repurchase agreements carry certain risks not associated with direct investments in securities, including a possible decline in the market value of the underlying obligations. If their value becomes less than the repurchase price, plus any agreed-upon additional amount, the counterparty must provide additional collateral so that at all times the collateral is at least equal to the repurchase price plus any agreed-upon additional amount. The difference between the total amount to be received upon repurchase of the obligations and the price that was paid by a Fund upon acquisition is accrued as interest and included in its net investment income. Repurchase agreements involving obligations other than U.S. Government securities (such as commercial paper and corporate bonds) may be subject to special risks and may not have the benefit of certain protections in the event of the counterparty’s insolvency. If the seller or guarantor becomes insolvent, a Fund may suffer delays, costs and possible losses in connection with the disposition of collateral.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. A Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which involve the sale of securities held by the Fund subject to its agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest. Reverse repurchase agreements are subject to a Fund’s limitation on borrowings and may be entered into only with banks or securities dealers or their affiliates. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, a Fund will maintain the segregation, either on its records or with the Trust’s custodian, of cash or other liquid securities, marked-to-market daily, in an amount at least equal to its obligations under the reverse repurchase agreement.
Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the buyer of the securities sold by a Fund might be unable to deliver them when that Fund seeks to repurchase. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the buyer or trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce a Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities, and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision.
Securities Lending. Each Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to one-third of its total assets to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. In a portfolio securities lending transaction, a Fund receives from the borrower an amount equal to the interest paid or the dividends declared on the loaned securities during the term of the loan as well as the interest on the collateral securities, less any fees (such as finders or administrative fees) the Fund pays in arranging the loan. A Fund may share the interest it receives on the collateral securities with the borrower. The terms of each Fund’s loans permit each Fund to reacquire loaned securities on five business days’ notice or in time to vote on any important matter. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the applicable Fund or borrower at any time, and the borrowed securities must be returned when the loan is terminated. The Funds may pay fees to arrange for securities loans.
The SEC currently requires that the following conditions must be met whenever a Fund’s portfolio securities are loaned: (1) the Fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral from the borrower; (2) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (3) the Fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (4) the Fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (5) the Fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees approved by the Board in connection with the loan; (6) while voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower, the Board must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs, and (7) the Fund may not loan its portfolio securities so that the value of the loaned securities is more than one-third of its total asset value, including collateral received from such loans. These conditions may be subject to future modification. Such loans will be terminable at any time upon specified notice. A Fund might experience the risk of loss if the institution with which it has engaged in a portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with the Fund. In addition, the Funds will not enter into any portfolio security lending arrangement having a duration of longer than one year. The principal risk of portfolio lending is potential default or insolvency of the borrower. In either of these cases, a Fund could experience delays in recovering securities or collateral or could lose all or part of the value of the loaned securities. As part of participating in a lending program, the applicable Fund may be required to invest in collateralized debt or other securities that bear the risk of loss of principal. In addition, all investments made with the collateral received are subject to the risks associated with such investments. If such investments lose value, a Fund will have to cover the loss when repaying the collateral.
Any loans of portfolio securities are fully collateralized based on values that are marked-to-market daily. Any securities that a Fund may receive as collateral will not become part of the Fund’s investment portfolio at the time of the loan and, in the event of a default by the borrower, the Fund will, if permitted by law, dispose of such collateral except for such part thereof that is a security in which the Fund is permitted to invest. During the time securities are on loan, the borrower will pay a Fund any accrued income on those securities, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral and earn income or receive an agreed-upon fee from a borrower that has delivered cash-equivalent collateral.
TBA Transactions (U.S. Bond Fund only).   The Fund may invest in U.S. agency MBS. In the basic MBS structure, mortgages with similar issuer, term and coupon characteristics are collected and aggregated into a “pool” consisting of multiple mortgage loans. The pool is assigned a CUSIP number and undivided interests in the pool are traded and sold as pass-through securities. The holder of the security is entitled to a pro rata share of principal and interest payments (including unscheduled prepayments) from the pool of mortgage loans.
An investment in a specific pool of pass-through securities requires an analysis of the specific prepayment risk of mortgages within the covered pool (since mortgagors typically have the option to prepay their loans). The level of prepayments on a pool of mortgage securities is difficult to predict and can impact the subsequent cash flows and value of the mortgage pool. In addition, when trading specific mortgage pools, precise execution, delivery and settlement arrangements must be negotiated for each transaction. These factors combine to make trading in mortgage pools somewhat cumbersome.
For the foregoing and other reasons, the Fund may seek to obtain exposure to U.S. agency MBS through the use of “to-be-announced” or “TBA transactions.” “TBA” refers to a commonly used mechanism for the forward settlement of U.S. agency MBS, and not to a separate type of MBS. Most transactions in MBS occur through the use of TBA transactions. TBA transactions generally are conducted in accordance with widely-accepted guidelines which establish commonly observed terms and conditions for execution, settlement and delivery. In a TBA transaction, the buyer and seller decide on general trade parameters, such as agency, settlement date, paramount, and price. The actual pools delivered generally are determined two days prior to settlement date. The Fund intends to use TBA transactions in several ways. For example, the Fund expects that it will regularly enter into TBA agreements and “roll over” such agreements prior to the settlement date stipulated in such agreements. This type of TBA transaction is sometimes known as a “TBA roll.” In a “TBA roll” the Fund generally will sell the obligation to purchase the pools stipulated in the TBA agreement prior to the stipulated settlement date and will enter into a new TBA agreement for future delivery of pools of MBS. In addition, the Fund may enter into TBA agreements and settle such transactions on the stipulated settlement date by accepting actual receipt or delivery of the pools of MBS stipulated in the TBA agreement.
Default by or bankruptcy of a counterparty to a TBA transaction would expose the Fund to possible loss because of adverse market action, expenses or delays in connection with the purchase or sale of the pools of MBS specified in the TBA transaction. To minimize this risk, the Fund will enter into TBA transactions only with established counterparties (such as major broker-dealers) and the Sub-Adviser will monitor the creditworthiness of such counterparties. In addition, the Fund may accept assignments of TBA transactions from Authorized Participants (as defined below) from time to time. The Fund’s use of “TBA rolls” may cause the Fund to experience higher portfolio turnover, higher transaction costs and to pay higher capital gain distributions to shareholders (which may be taxable) than other funds.
The Fund intends to invest cash pending settlement of any TBA transactions in money market instruments, repurchase agreements, commercial paper (including asset-backed commercial paper) or other high-quality, liquid short-term instruments, which may include money market funds affiliated with the Sub-Adviser.
Tracking Stocks (U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund only). A Fund may invest in tracking stocks. A tracking stock is a separate class of common stock whose value is linked to a specific business unit or operating division within a larger company and which is designed to “track” the performance of such business unit or division. The tracking stock may pay dividends to shareholders independent of the parent company. The parent company, rather than the business unit or division, generally is the issuer of tracking stock. However, holders of the tracking stock may not have the same rights as holders of the company’s common stock.
Future Developments. The Board may, in the future, authorize a Fund to invest in securities contracts and investments other than those listed in this SAI and in the Fund Prospectus, provided they are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and do not violate any investment restrictions or policies.
ADDITIONAL INDEX INFORMATION
Additional information about each Index, including the components and weightings of each Index, as well as the rules that govern inclusion and weighting in each Index, is available at www.videntfinancial.com.
During each reconstitution, securities are screened to determine whether they comply with the index methodologies and are eligible to be included in the Index. The date of the determination is sometimes referred to as the “Index measurement date” or the “Screening Point.” Based on this screening, securities that meet the Index requirements are added to the Index, and securities that do not meet such requirements are dropped from the Index.
Index Maintenance. Index maintenance for each Index occurs throughout the year and includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, stock splits, corporate restructurings and other corporate actions. Corporate actions are generally implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions. To the extent reasonably practicable, such changes will be announced at least two days prior to their implementation.
Index Availability. The Indexes are calculated and disseminated throughout each day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for trading.
Changes to the Index Methodologies. The Indexes are governed by a published, rules-based methodology. Changes to the methodologies will be publicly disclosed at www.videntfinancial.com prior to implementation. Sixty days’ notice will be given prior to the implementation of any such change.
Index Calculation Agent. To minimize any potential for conflicts caused by side-by-side management of each Fund’s underlying index by Vident Financial, LLC (the “Index Provider”) and each Fund by the Sub-Adviser, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Index Provider, the Index Provider has retained an unaffiliated third party service provider to calculate each Index (the “Calculation Agent”). The Calculation Agent, using the applicable rules-based methodology, will calculate, maintain and disseminate the applicable Index(es) on a daily basis. The Index Provider will monitor the results produced by each Calculation Agent to help ensure that the Indexes are being calculated in accordance with their applicable rules-based methodology. In addition, the Index Provider has established policies and procedures designed to prevent non-public information regarding pending changes to the Indexes from being used or disseminated in an improper manner. Furthermore, the Sub-Adviser has established policies and procedures designed to prevent improper use and dissemination of non-public information about the Funds’ portfolio strategies and to prevent the Funds’ portfolio managers from having sole influence on the construction of the Index methodologies.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The Trust has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Funds. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to a Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. For the purposes of the 1940 Act, a “majority of outstanding shares” means the vote of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the voting securities of the Fund present at the meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the U.S. Bond Fund may not:
1.
Concentrate its investments ( i.e. , hold more than 25% of its total assets) in any industry or group of related industries, except that the Fund will concentrate to approximately the same extent that the Index concentrates in the securities of such particular industry or group of related industries. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
 
2.
Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
 
3.
Make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
 
4.
Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate, real estate investment trusts or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
 
5.
Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities.
 
6.
Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund may not:
1.
Purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of companies whose principal business activities are in the same industry, except that the Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities of the same industry to approximately the same extent that the Fund’s underlying Index concentrates in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries.
 
2.
Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
 
3.
Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
 
4.
Lend any security or make any other loan except as permitted under the 1940 Act. This means that no more than 33  1 / 3 % of its total assets would be lent to other parties. This limitation does not apply to purchases of debt securities or to repurchase agreements, or to acquisitions of loans, loan participations or other forms of debt instruments, permissible under the Fund’s investment policies.
 
5.
Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate, real estate investment trusts or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business).
 
6.
Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).
 
7.
Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act in the disposition of portfolio securities.
In addition to the investment restrictions adopted as fundamental policies as set forth above, the U.S. Bond Fund observes the following restrictions, which may be changed without a shareholder vote.
1.
The Fund will not hold illiquid assets in excess of 15% of its net assets. An illiquid asset is any asset which may not be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the investment.
 
2.
The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending), in the component securities of the Index.
In addition to the investment restrictions adopted as fundamental policies as set forth above, the U.S. Equity Fund and International Equity Fund observe the following restrictions, which may be changed without a shareholder vote.
1.
Each Fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy in accordance with Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the types of securities suggested by the Fund’s name, including investments that are tied economically to the particular country or geographic region suggested by the Fund’s name. If, subsequent to an investment, the 80% requirement is no longer met, the Fund’s future investments will be made in a manner that will bring the Fund into compliance with this policy.
 
2.
Each Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets, computed at the time of investment, in illiquid securities. An illiquid asset is any asset that may not be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the investment.
If a percentage limitation is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any change in value or total or net assets will not result in a violation of such restriction, except that the percentage limitations with respect to the borrowing of money and illiquid securities will be observed continuously.
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
Shares of each Fund are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Exchange.
There can be no assurance that a Fund will continue to meet the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund’s Shares. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the Shares of a Fund from listing if: (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the Shares of the Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days; (ii) the value of the Fund’s underlying index no longer is calculated or available; or (iii) such other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the Shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the price levels of the Shares in the future to help maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the applicable Fund.
To provide additional information regarding the indicative value of Shares of a Fund, the Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates information every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other widely disseminated means an updated “intraday indicative value” (“IIV”) for each Fund as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Trust is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIVs and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIVs.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and its series are overseen by the Board, which elects the officers of the Trust who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Trust and the Funds. The Board has approved contracts, as described below, under which certain companies provide essential services to the Trust.
The day-to-day business of the Trust, including the management of risk, is performed by third-party service providers, such as the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Distributor and the Administrator. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, has oversight responsibility with respect to risk management performed by those service providers. Risk management seeks to identify and address risks, i.e. , events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of a Fund. The Funds and their service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various of those possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust’s business ( e.g., the Sub-Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund’s portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that business. The Board has emphasized to the Funds’ service providers the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management.
The Board’s role in risk oversight begins before the inception of the Funds, at which time certain of the Funds’ service providers present the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies and risks of the Funds as well as proposed investment limitations for the Funds. Additionally, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser provide the Board with an overview of, among other things, their investment philosophy, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the Sub-Adviser and other service providers such as the Funds’ independent accountants, make periodic reports to the Audit Committee or to the Board with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which the Funds may be exposed.
The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Funds by the Adviser and Sub-Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis (following the initial two-year period), in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Adviser and Sub-Advisory Agreement with the Sub-Adviser, the Board or its designee meets with the Adviser and Sub-Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser and Sub-Adviser’s adherence to each Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about each Fund’s performance and investments, including, for example, portfolio holdings schedules.
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues and Fund and Adviser or Sub-Adviser risk assessments. At least annually, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including the Adviser and Sub-Adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; any material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and any material compliance matters since the date of the last report.
The Board receives reports from the Funds’ service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. Annually, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of the Funds’ financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Funds and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Funds’ internal controls. Additionally, in connection with its oversight function, the Board oversees Fund management’s implementation of disclosure controls and procedures, which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in its periodic reports with the SEC are recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the required time periods. The Board also oversees the Trust’s internal controls over financial reporting, which comprise policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Trust’s financial reporting and the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements.
From their review of these reports and discussions with the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, the Chief Compliance Officer, independent registered public accounting firm and other service providers, the Board and the Audit Committee learn in detail about the material risks of each Fund, thereby facilitating a dialogue about how management and service providers identify and mitigate those risks.
The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect a Fund can be identified and/or quantified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve a Fund’s goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Board as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the Funds’ investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Adviser and Sub-Adviser and other service providers, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and the methods by which one or more risk management functions are carried out may differ from the Funds’ and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s ability to monitor and manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
Members of the Board. There are four members of the Board, three of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”). Mr. Michael A. Castino serves as Chairman of the Board and is an interested person of the Trust, and Mr. Leonard M. Rush serves as the Trust’s Lead Independent Trustee. As Lead Independent Trustee, Mr. Rush acts as a spokesperson for the Independent Trustees in between meetings of the Board, serves as a liaison for the Independent Trustees with the Trust’s service providers, officers, and legal counsel to discuss ideas informally, and participates in setting the agenda for meetings of the Board and separate meetings or executive sessions of the Independent Trustees.
The Board is comprised of a super-majority (75 percent) of Independent Trustees. There is an Audit Committee of the Board that is chaired by an Independent Trustee and comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee chair presides at the Audit Committee meetings, participates in formulating agendas for Audit Committee meetings, and coordinates with management to serve as a liaison between the Independent Trustees and management on matters within the scope of responsibilities of the Audit Committee as set forth in its Board-approved charter. The Trust has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees of the Trust constitute a super-majority of the Board, the number of Independent Trustees that constitute the Board, the amount of assets under management in the Trust, and the number of funds overseen by the Board. The Board also believes that its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent Trustees from Fund management.
Additional information about each Trustee of the Trust is set forth below. The address of each Trustee of the Trust is c/o USBFS, 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
Name and
Year of Birth
Position
Held with
the Trust
Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee
Other Directorships
Held by Trustee  
During Past 5 Years
Independent Trustees
Leonard M. Rush, CPA
Born: 1946
Lead Independent Trustee and Audit Committee Chairman
Indefinite term;
since 2012
Retired; formerly Chief Financial Officer, Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated (2000–2011).
15
Independent Trustee, Managed Portfolio Series (36 portfolios); Director, Anchor Bancorp Wisconsin, Inc. (2011–2013).
Ronald T. Beckman, CPA
Born: 1947
Trustee and Nominating Committee Chairman
Indefinite term;
since 2012
Retired; formerly Audit Partner specializing in investment management, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (1972–2004).
 
15
None
David A. Massart
Born: 1967
Trustee
Indefinite term;
since 2012
Co-Founder and Chief Investment Strategist, Next Generation Wealth Management, Inc. (since 2005).
15
Independent Trustee, Managed Portfolio Series (36 portfolios).
Interested Trustee
Michael A. Castino
Born: 1967
Trustee and Chairman
Indefinite term; Trustee since 2014; Chairman since 2013
Senior Vice President, USBFS (since 2013); Managing Director of Index Services, Zacks Investment Management (2011–2013).
15
None
Individual Trustee Qualifications. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of their ability to review and understand information about the Funds provided to them by management, to identify and request other information they may deem relevant to the performance of their duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Funds, and to exercise their business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of each Fund’s shareholders. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on their own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Castino should serve as Trustee because of the experience he gained as Chairman of the Trust since 2013, as a senior officer of USBFS since 2012, and in his past roles with investment management firms and indexing firms involved with ETFs, as well as his experience in and knowledge of the financial services industry.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Beckman should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial investment management industry experience through his prior service as a business assurance (audit) partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for over 15 years.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Massart should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial industry experience, including over 15 years working with high net worth individuals, families, trusts and retirement accounts to make strategic and tactical asset allocation decisions, evaluate and select investment managers and manage client relationships, and the experience he has gained as serving as trustee of another investment company trust since 2011. He is currently the Chief Investment Strategist and lead member of the investment management committee of the SEC registered investment advisory firm he co-founded. Previously, he served as Managing Director of Strong Private Client and as a Manager of Wells Fargo Investments, LLC.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Rush should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial industry experience, including serving in several different senior executive roles at various global financial services firms, and the experience he has gained as serving as trustee of another investment company trust since 2011. He most recently served as Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated and several other affiliated entities and served as the Treasurer for Baird Funds. He also served as the Chief Financial Officer for Fidelity Investments’ four broker-dealers and has substantial experience with mutual fund and investment advisory organizations and related businesses, including Vice President and Head of Compliance for Fidelity Investments, a Vice President at Credit Suisse First Boston, a Manager with Goldman Sachs, & Co. and a Senior Manager with Deloitte & Touche. Mr. Rush has been determined to qualify as an Audit Committee Financial Expert for the Trust.
In its periodic assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the funds.
Board Committees . The Board has established the following standing committees of the Board:
Audit Committee . The Board has a standing Audit Committee that is composed of each of the Independent Trustees of the Trust. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee include: recommending which firm to engage as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm and whether to terminate this relationship; reviewing the independent registered public accounting firm’s compensation, the proposed scope and terms of its engagement, and the firm’s independence; pre-approving audit and non-audit services provided by the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm to the Trust and certain other affiliated entities; serving as a channel of communication between the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trustees; reviewing the results of each external audit, including any qualifications in the independent registered public accounting firm’s opinion, any related management letter, management’s responses to recommendations made by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with the audit, reports submitted to the Committee by the internal auditing department of the Trust’s Administrator that are material to the Trust as a whole, if any, and management’s responses to any such reports; reviewing the Funds’ audited financial statements and considering any significant disputes between the Trust’s management and the independent registered public accounting firm that arose in connection with the preparation of those financial statements; considering, in consultation with the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trust’s senior internal accounting executive, if any, the independent registered public accounting firms’ report on the adequacy of the Trust’s internal financial controls; reviewing, in consultation with the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, major changes regarding auditing and accounting principles and practices to be followed when preparing the Funds’ financial statements; and other audit related matters. Each Independent Trustee currently serves as a member of the Audit Committee. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the Audit Committee met twice with respect to the Funds.
The Audit Committee also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee (“QLCC”) for the Trust for the purpose of compliance with Rules 205.2(k) and 205.3(c) of the Code of Federal Regulations, regarding alternative reporting procedures for attorneys retained or employed by an issuer who appear and practice before the SEC on behalf of the issuer (the “issuer attorneys”). An issuer attorney who becomes aware of evidence of a material violation by the Trust, or by any officer, director, employee, or agent of the Trust, may report evidence of such material violation to the QLCC as an alternative to the reporting requirements of Rule 205.3(b) (which requires reporting to the chief legal officer and potentially “up the ladder” to other entities).
Nominating Committee . The Board has a standing Nominating Committee that is composed of each of the Independent Trustees of the Trust. The Nominating Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibility of the Nominating Committee is to consider, recommend and nominate candidates to fill vacancies on the Trust’s Board, if any. The Nominating Committee generally will not consider nominees recommended by shareholders. The Nominating Committee meets periodically, as necessary. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the Nominating Committee did not meet.
Valuation Committee . The Board has delegated day-to-day valuation issues to a Valuation Committee that is comprised of certain officers of the Trust and certain employees of USBFS. Although the Valuation Committee is not a committee of the Board (i.e., no Trustee is a member of Valuation Committee), the Valuation Committee’s membership is appointed by the Board and its charter and applicable procedures are approved by the Board. The function of the Valuation Committee is to value securities held by any series of the Trust for which current and reliable market quotations are not readily available. Such securities are valued at their respective fair values as determined in good faith by the Valuation Committee and the actions of the Valuation Committee are subsequently reviewed and ratified by the Board. The Valuation Committee meets as necessary.
Principal Officers of the Trust
The officers of the Trust conduct and supervise its daily business. The address of each officer of the Trust is c/o USBFS, 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Additional information about the Trust’s officers is as follows:
Name and
Year of Birth
Position(s) Held with
the Trust
Term of Office
and Length of Time
Served
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
Paul R. Fearday, CPA
Born: 1979
President and Assistant
Treasurer
Indefinite term; President and Assistant Treasurer since 2014 (other roles since 2013)
Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2008); Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (accounting firm) (2002–2008).
Michael D. Barolsky, Esq.
Born: 1981
Vice President and
Secretary
 
Indefinite term; since 2014 (other roles since 2013)
Vice President, USBFS (since 2012); Associate, Thompson Hine LLP (law firm) (2008–2012).
James R. Butz
Born: 1982
 
Chief Compliance
Officer
Indefinite term; since 2015
Senior Vice President, USBFS (since 2015); Vice President, USBFS (2014-2015); Assistant Vice President, USBFS (2011-2014).
Kristen M. Weitzel, CPA
Born: 1977
 
Treasurer
Indefinite term; since 2014 (other roles since 2013)
Vice President, USBFS (since 2015); Assistant Vice President, USBFS (2011-2015); Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (accounting firm) (2005–2011).
Stacie L. Lamb, Esq.
Born: 1982
Assistant Secretary
Indefinite term; since 2015
Assistant Vice President, USBFS (since 2013); Compliance Representative, Quasar Distributors, LLC (2011-2013).
Trustee Ownership of Shares . The Funds are required to show the dollar amount ranges of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of Shares of each Fund and each other series of the Trust as of the end of the most recently completely calendar year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the 1934 Act.
As of December 31, 2015, no Trustee owned Shares of the Funds or any other series of the Trust.
Board Compensation. The Independent Trustees each receive an annual trustee fee of $50,000 for attendance at the four regularly scheduled quarterly meetings and one annual meeting, if necessary, and receive additional compensation for each additional meeting attended of $2,000, as well as reimbursement for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attendance at Board meetings. The Lead Independent Trustee receives an additional annual fee of $6,000. The Chairman of the Audit Committee receives an additional annual fee of $3,500. The Trust has no pension or retirement plan. The following table shows the compensation earned by each Trustee during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016. Independent Trustee fees are paid by the Adviser to each series of the Trust and not by the Funds. Trustee compensation does not include reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses in connection with attendance at meetings.
  Name
Aggregate Compensation
From Fund
Total Compensation From Fund
Complex Paid to Trustees
Interested Trustee
Michael A. Castino
$0
$0
Independent Trustees
Ronald T. Beckman, CPA
$0
$39,500
David A. Massart
$0
$39,500
Leonard M. Rush, CPA
$0
$44,500
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS, CONTROL PERSONS, AND MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP
A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a fund. A control person is a shareholder that owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. Shareholders owning voting securities in excess of 25% may determine the outcome of any matter affecting and voted on by shareholders of a Fund.
As of December 1, 2016, the Trustees and officers, as a group, owned less than 1% of the Shares of each Fund, and the following shareholders were considered to be principal shareholders and control persons of each Fund:
U.S. Equity Fund
Name and Address
Number of Shares
% Ownership
Type of Ownership
National Financial Services, LLC
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
17,173,302
97.58%
Record
Ronald Blue & Company, LLC
300 Colonial Center Parkway
Suite 300
Roswell, GA 30076
(a Georgia Limited Liability Company)
17,138,184
97.38%
Beneficial

International Equity Fund
Name and Address
Number of Shares
% Ownership
Type of Ownership
National Financial Services, LLC
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
25,076,691
95.71%
Record
Ronald Blue & Company, LLC
300 Colonial Center Parkway
Suite 300
Roswell, GA 30076
(a Georgia Limited Liability Company)
24,926,853
95.14%
Beneficial

U.S. Bond Fund
Name and Address
Number of Shares
% Ownership
Type of Ownership
National Financial Services, LLC
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
9,462,708
97.55%
Record
Ronald Blue & Company, LLC
300 Colonial Center Parkway
Suite 300
Roswell, GA 30076
(a Georgia Limited Liability Company)
9,455,893
97.48%
Beneficial
CODES OF ETHICS
The Trust, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, and the Distributor (as defined under “ The Distributor ”) have each adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics are designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Trust, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser and the Distributor from engaging in deceptive, manipulative or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Funds (which may also be held by persons subject to the codes of ethics). Each Code of Ethics permits personnel subject to that Code of Ethics to invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, subject to certain limitations, including limitations related to securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds.
There can be no assurance that the codes of ethics will be effective in preventing such activities. Each code of ethics may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C. or on the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
The Funds have delegated proxy voting responsibilities to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s oversight. In delegating proxy responsibilities, the Board has directed that proxies be voted consistent with each Fund’s and its shareholders’ best interests and in compliance with all applicable proxy voting rules and regulations. The Adviser has adopted proxy voting policies and guidelines for this purpose (“Proxy Voting Policies”) and has engaged a third-party proxy solicitation firm to assist with voting proxies in a timely manner. A copy of the Proxy Voting Policies is set forth in Appendix B to this SAI. The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the Proxy Voting Policies. The Proxy Voting Policies have been adopted by the Trust as the policies and procedures that the Adviser will use when voting proxies on behalf of a Fund.
The Proxy Voting Policies address, among other things, material conflicts of interest that may arise between the interests of the Funds and the interests of the Adviser. The Proxy Voting Policies will ensure that all issues brought to shareholders are analyzed in light of the Adviser’s fiduciary responsibilities.
When available, information on how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12 month period ended June 30 will be available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1‑800‑617‑0004 and (2) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
INVESTMENT ADVISER AND SUB-ADVISER
Investment Adviser
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC, an Oklahoma limited liability company located at 10900 Hefner Pointe Drive, Suite 207, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120, serves as the investment adviser to the Funds. The Adviser is majority owned by Cottonwood ETF Holdings LLC.
Pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and the Adviser, the Adviser provides investment advice to the Funds and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Funds, subject to the direction and control of the Board and the officers of the Trust. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is also responsible for arranging transfer agency, custody, fund administration, securities lending, accounting, and other non-distribution related services necessary for the Funds to operate. The Adviser administers the Funds’ business affairs, provides office facilities and equipment and certain clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services. The Adviser bears the costs of all advisory and non-advisory services required to operate the Funds, in exchange for a single unitary management fee from each Fund. For services provided to each Fund, the applicable Fund pays the Adviser the following unitary management fee at an annual rate based on the Fund’s average daily net assets:

   
Name of Fund
Management Fee
Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
0.45%
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
0.55%
Vident International Equity Fund
0.68%
The Advisory Agreement with respect to the Funds will continue in force for an initial period of two years. Thereafter, the Advisory Agreement will be renewable from year to year with respect to a Fund, so long as its continuance is approved at least annually (1) by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose, of a majority of those Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Adviser or the Trust; and (2) by the majority vote of either the full Board or the vote of a majority of the outstanding Shares of the applicable Fund. The Advisory Agreement automatically terminates on assignment and is terminable on a 60-day written notice either by the Trust or the Adviser.
The Adviser shall not be liable to the Trust or any shareholder for anything done or omitted by it, except acts or omissions involving willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence or reckless disregard of the duties imposed upon it by its agreement with the Trust or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security.
The table below shows advisory fees paid by the Funds for the fiscal years ended August 31, as applicable to each Fund:
Name of Fund
2016
2015
2014
Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
$1,900,061
$1,430,972 (1)
N/A
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
$2,349,122
$1,694,140
$ 322,007 (2)
Vident International Equity Fund
$3,846,212
$5,214,393
$ 3,782,395 (3)
(1) For the fiscal period October 15, 2014 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2015.
(2) For the fiscal period January 21, 2014 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2014.
(3) For the fiscal period October 29, 2013 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2014.
Sub-Adviser
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and the Adviser have retained Vident Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA” or the “Sub-Adviser”), 300 Colonial Center Parkway, Suite 330, Roswell, Georgia 30076, to serve as sub-adviser for the Funds. The Sub-Adviser was established in 2014 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vident Financial, LLC. Vident Financial, LLC was formed in 2013 to develop and license investment market solutions (indices and funds) based on strategies that combine sophisticated risk-balancing methodologies, economic freedom metrics, valuation, and investor behavior. Vident Financial, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Vident Investors’ Oversight Trust. Andrew T. Schmuhl and Vince L. Birley serve as the trustees of the Vident Investors’ Oversight Trust.
Pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Sub-Adviser is responsible for trading portfolio securities on behalf of the Funds, including selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions as instructed by the Adviser or in connection with any rebalancing or reconstitution of a Fund’s respective Index, subject to the supervision of the Adviser and the Board. For the services it provides to the Funds, the Sub-Adviser is compensated by the Adviser from the management fees paid by the Funds to the Adviser.
The Sub-Advisory Agreement will continue in force for an initial period of two years. Thereafter, the Sub-Advisory Agreement is renewable from year to year with respect to a Fund, so long as its continuance is approved at least annually (1) by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose, of a majority of those Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust; and (2) by the majority vote of either the full Board or the vote of a majority of the outstanding Shares of the applicable Fund. The Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment, and is terminable at any time without penalty by the Board or, with respect to a Fund, by a majority of the outstanding Shares of the Fund, on not less than 30 days’ nor more than 60 days’ written notice to the Sub-Adviser, or by the Sub-Adviser on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser and the Trust. The Sub-Advisory Agreement provides that the Sub-Adviser shall not be protected against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard of its obligations or duties thereunder.
Prior to December 9, 2014, Index Management Solutions, LLC (“IMS”), One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, Suite 2020, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, served as sub-adviser to the U.S. Equity Fund. Prior to April 8, 2015 and April 15, 2015, Mellon Capital Management Corporation (“Mellon Capital”), 50 Fremont Street, San Francisco, California 94105, served as sub-adviser to the International Equity Fund and U.S. Bond Fund, respectively.
The Adviser was responsible for paying the following sub-advisory fees for the fiscal years ended August 31, as applicable to each Fund:
Name of Fund
2016
2015
2014
Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
$276,510
$211,587 (1)
N/A
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
$210,412
$140,150 (2)
$16,949 (3)
Vident International Equity Fund
$509,942
$634,101 (4)
$442,051 (5)
(1) For the fiscal period October 15, 2014 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2015. For the period October 15, 2014 through April 14, 2015, Mellon Capital earned $105,321, and for the period April 15, 2015 through August 31, 2015, VIA earned $106,266.
(2) For the period September 1, 2014 through December 8, 2014, IMS earned $19,658, and for the period December 9, 2015 through August 31, 2015, VIA earned $120,492.
(3) For the fiscal period January 21, 2014 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2014, IMS earned $16,949.
(4) For the period September 1, 2014 through April 7, 2015, Mellon Capital earned $376,969, and for the period April 8, 2015 through August 31, 2015, VIA earned $257,132.
(5) For the fiscal period October 29, 2013 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2014, Mellon Capital earned $442,051.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Share Ownership
The Funds are required to show the dollar ranges of the portfolio managers’ “beneficial ownership” of Shares of the Fund as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year or a more recent date for a new portfolio manager. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the 1934 Act. As of August 31, 2016, the Portfolio Managers did not beneficially own Shares of the Funds.
Other Accounts  
In addition to the Funds, the portfolio managers managed the following other accounts as of August 31, 2016, none of which were subject to a performance fee:
Portfolio Manager
Registered
Investment Companies
Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles
Other Accounts
Number of
Accounts
Total Assets in
the Accounts
Number of
Accounts
Total Assets in
the Accounts
Number of
Accounts
Total Assets in
the Accounts
Denise M. Krisko, CFA
16
$417,630,000
1
$12,940,000
0
$0
Jim Iredale
0
$0
0
$0
50
$103,588,000
Betty S. Tong
1
$96,900,000
0
$0
0
$0
Compensation
The Funds’ portfolio managers receive a fixed base salary and discretionary bonus that are not tied to the performance of the Funds.
Conflicts of Interest
A portfolio manager’s management of “other accounts” may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with her management of the Funds’ investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other. The other accounts may have the same investment objectives as a Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the identical investment objectives, whereby a portfolio manager could favor one account over another. Another potential conflict could include a portfolio manager’s knowledge about the size, timing and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby a portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Funds she manages. However, the Sub-Adviser has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts the Sub-Adviser manages are fairly and equitably allocated.
Conflicts may also arise because portfolio decisions regarding a Fund may benefit other accounts managed by the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates. For example, the sale of a long position or establishment of a short position by a fund sub-advised by the Sub-Adviser may impair the price of the same security sold short by (and therefore benefit) one or more other funds sub-advised by the Sub-Adviser, and the purchase of a security or covering of a short position in a security by a Fund may increase the price of the same security held by (and therefore benefit) one or more other funds sub-advised by the Sub-Adviser.
Conflicts may also arise when selecting other funds sub-advised by the Sub-Adviser as investments for a Fund because (i) the fees paid by the Adviser to the Sub-Adviser for sub-advising certain other funds may be higher than the fees paid by the applicable Fund or another fund and (ii) the fees received by the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates as index provider may be higher for some funds than for the applicable Fund or another fund.
THE DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust and   Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp, and an affiliate of the Administrator, are parties to a distribution agreement (“Distribution Agreement”), whereby the Distributor acts as principal underwriter for the Trust and distributes the Shares of the Funds. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit. The principal business address of the Distributor is 615 East Michigan Street, 4 th Floor, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Trust, will receive orders for the purchase of the Shares, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Trust until accepted by the Trust. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of FINRA.
The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Creation of Creation Units” below) or DTC participants (as defined below).
The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the applicable Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Agreement or any related agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by majority vote of its outstanding voting Shares or by a vote of a majority of its Board (including a majority of the Independent Trustees), or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Distribution Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Distributor, or reckless disregard by it of its obligations thereunder, the Distributor shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.
Intermediary Compensation.   ETC, VIA or their affiliates, out of their own resources and not out of Fund assets (i.e., without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders), may pay certain broker dealers, banks and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) for certain activities related to a Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing and educational training or support. These arrangements are not financed by a Fund and, thus, do not result in increased Fund expenses. They are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fees and expenses sections of a Fund’s Prospectus and they do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of Fund Shares or the amount received by a shareholder as proceeds from the redemption of Fund Shares.
Such compensation may be paid to Intermediaries that provide services to a Fund, including marketing and education support (such as through conferences, webinars and printed communications). ETC and VIA will periodically assess the advisability of continuing to make these payments. Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the Intermediary, and amounts that Intermediaries pay to your adviser, broker or other investment professional, if any, may also be significant to such adviser, broker or investment professional. Because an Intermediary may make decisions about what investment options it will make available or recommend, and what services to provide in connection with various products, based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive, such payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients. For example, these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend a Fund over other investments. The same conflict of interest exists with respect to your financial adviser, broker or investment professionals if he or she receives similar payments from his or her Intermediary firm.
Intermediary information is current only as of the date of this SAI. Please contact your adviser, broker or other investment professional for more information regarding any payments his or her Intermediary firm may receive. Any payments made by ETC, VIA, or their affiliates to an Intermediary may create the incentive for an Intermediary to encourage customers to buy Shares of the Fund.
If you have any additional questions, please call 1-800-617-0004.
THE ADMINISTRATOR, CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Funds’ transfer agent, administrator and index receipt agent.
Pursuant to a Fund Administration Servicing Agreement and a Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between the Trust and USBFS, USBFS provides the Trust with administrative and management services (other than investment advisory services) and accounting services, including portfolio accounting services, tax accounting services and furnishing financial reports. In this capacity, USBFS does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Funds, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Fund Shares. As compensation for the administration, accounting and management services, the Adviser pays USBFS a fee based on each Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee. USBFS also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses for the services mentioned above, including pricing expenses.
Pursuant to a Custody Agreement, U.S. Bank National Association, 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the custodian of the Funds’ assets. The custodian holds and administers the assets in each Fund’s portfolios. Pursuant to the Custody Agreement, the custodian receives an annual fee from the Adviser based on the Trust’s total average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee, and certain settlement charges. The custodian also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses.
The table below shows fees paid by the Adviser to USBFS for the fiscal years ended August 31, as applicable to each Fund:
Name of Fund
2016
2015
2014
Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
$270,798
$223,601 (1)
N/A
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
$267,245
$223,002
$52,564 (2)
Vident International Equity Fund
$344,800
$443,135
$281,384 (3)
(1) For the fiscal period October 15, 2014 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2015.
(2) For the fiscal period January 21, 2014 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2014.
(3) For the fiscal period October 29, 2013 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2014.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004-2541, serves as legal counsel for the Trust.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Cohen & Company, Ltd., 1350 Euclid Ave, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Trust’s Board of Trustees has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about each Fund’s security holdings. Each Fund’s entire portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day a Fund is open for business and may be available through financial reporting and news services, including publicly available internet web sites. In addition, the composition of the Deposit Securities is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of the Exchange via the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“ NSCC”).
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of funds and Shares of the Funds. Each Share of a Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in the applicable Fund with each other Share. Shares are entitled upon liquidation to a pro rata share in the net assets of the applicable Fund. Shareholders have no preemptive rights. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees may create additional series or classes of shares. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any additional funds and all assets in which such consideration is invested would belong to that fund and would be subject to the liabilities related thereto. Share certificates representing shares will not be issued. A Fund’s Shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.
Each Share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required, consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all funds of the Trust vote together as a single class, except that if the matter being voted on affects only a particular fund it will be voted on only by that fund and if a matter affects a particular fund differently from other funds, that fund will vote separately on such matter. As a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust is not required, and does not intend, to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Approval of shareholders will be sought, however, for certain changes in the operation of the Trust and for the election of Trustees under certain circumstances. Upon the written request of shareholders owning at least 10% of the Trust’s shares, the Trust will call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more Trustees and other certain matters. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting.
Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power to liquidate a Fund without shareholder approval. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising this power, they may do so if a Fund fails to reach a viable size within a reasonable amount of time or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board.
LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES’ LIABILITY
The Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee shall be liable only for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrong-doing of any officer, agent, employee, adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall indemnify each person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, any person who is serving or has served at the Trust’s request as a Trustee, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise to the extent and in the manner provided in the Amended and Restated By-laws. However, nothing in the Declaration of Trust shall protect or indemnify a Trustee against any liability for his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee. Nothing contained in this section attempts to disclaim a Trustee’s individual liability in any manner inconsistent with the federal securities laws.
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
The policy of the Trust regarding purchases and sales of securities for a Fund is that primary consideration will be given to obtaining the most favorable prices and efficient executions of transactions. Consistent with this policy, when securities transactions are effected on a stock exchange, the Trust’s policy is to pay commissions which are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. The Trust believes that a requirement always to seek the lowest possible commission cost could impede effective portfolio management and preclude the Funds and the Sub-Adviser from obtaining a high quality of brokerage and research services. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Sub-Adviser will rely upon its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage services received from the broker effecting the transaction. Such determinations are necessarily subjective and imprecise, as in most cases, an exact dollar value for those services is not ascertainable. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of a Fund’s Shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.
The Sub-Adviser owes a fiduciary duty to its clients to seek to provide best execution on trades effected. In selecting a broker/dealer for each specific transaction, the Sub-Adviser chooses the broker/dealer deemed most capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable execution. “Best execution” is generally understood to mean the most favorable cost or net proceeds reasonably obtainable under the circumstances. The full range of brokerage services applicable to a particular transaction may be considered when making this judgment, which may include, but is not limited to: liquidity, price, commission, timing, aggregated trades, capable floor brokers or traders, competent block trading coverage, ability to position, capital strength and stability, reliable and accurate communications and settlement processing, use of automation, knowledge of other buyers or sellers, arbitrage skills, administrative ability, underwriting and provision of information on a particular security or market in which the transaction is to occur. The specific criteria will vary depending upon the nature of the transaction, the market in which it is executed, and the extent to which it is possible to select from among multiple broker/dealers. The Sub-Adviser will also use electronic crossing networks (“ECNs”) when appropriate.
The Sub-Adviser may use a Fund’s assets for, or participate in, third-party soft dollar arrangements, in addition to receiving proprietary research from various full service brokers, the cost of which is bundled with the cost of the broker’s execution services. The Sub-Adviser does not “pay up” for the value of any such proprietary research. Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act permits the Sub-Adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause a Fund to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by the broker or dealer. The Sub-Adviser may receive a variety of research services and information on many topics, which it can use in connection with its management responsibilities with respect to the various accounts over which it exercises investment discretion or otherwise provides investment advice. The research services may include qualifying order management systems, portfolio attribution and monitoring services and computer software and access charges which are directly related to investment research. Accordingly, a Fund may pay a broker commission higher than the lowest available in recognition of the broker’s provision of such services to the Sub-Adviser, but only if the Sub-Adviser determines the total commission (including the soft dollar benefit) is comparable to the best commission rate that could be expected to be received from other brokers. The amount of soft dollar benefits received depends on the amount of brokerage transactions effected with the brokers. A conflict of interest exists because there is an incentive to: 1) cause clients to pay a higher commission than the firm might otherwise be able to negotiate; 2) cause clients to engage in more securities transactions than would otherwise be optimal; and 3) only recommend brokers that provide soft dollar benefits.
The Sub-Adviser faces a potential conflict of interest when it uses client trades to obtain brokerage or research services. This conflict exists because the Sub-Adviser is able to use the brokerage or research services to manage client accounts without paying cash for such services, which reduces the Sub-Adviser’s expenses to the extent that the Sub-Adviser would have purchased such products had they not been provided by brokers. Section 28(e) permits the Sub-Adviser to use brokerage or research services for the benefit of any account it manages. Certain accounts managed by the Sub-Adviser may generate soft dollars used to purchase brokerage or research services that ultimately benefit other accounts managed by the Sub-Adviser, effectively cross subsidizing the other accounts managed by the Sub-Adviser that benefit directly from the product. The Sub-Adviser may not necessarily use all of the brokerage or research services in connection with managing a Fund whose trades generated the soft dollars used to purchase such products.
A Fund may deal with affiliates in principal transactions to the extent permitted by exemptive order or applicable rule or regulation.
The table below shows brokerage commissions paid by the Funds for the fiscal years ended August 31, as applicable to each Fund:
Name of Fund
2016
2015
2014
Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
$0
           $732 (1)
N/A
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
$651,277
$507,818
$44,193 (2)
Vident International Equity Fund
$723,300
$309,266
$92,336 (3)
(1) For the fiscal period October 15, 2014 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2015.
(2) For the fiscal period January 21, 2014 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2014.
(3) For the fiscal period October 29, 2013 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2014.
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the U.S. Bond Fund and International Equity Fund did not direct brokerage transactions to a broker because of research services provided. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the U.S. Equity Fund directed $280,333 in commissions for $1,053,016,878 in aggregate transactions to a broker   because of research services provided.
Brokerage with Fund Affiliates . A Fund may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Funds, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or the Distributor for a commission in conformity with the 1940 Act, the 1934 Act and rules promulgated by the SEC. These rules require that commissions paid to the affiliate by the Funds for exchange transactions not exceed “usual and customary” brokerage commissions. The rules define “usual and customary” commissions to include amounts which are “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received or to be received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time.” The Trustees, including those who are not “interested persons” of the Funds, have adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and review these procedures periodically.
Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers . Each Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) that it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers or dealers” of a Fund are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Fund’s portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Fund; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of the Fund’s Shares.
The table below shows each Fund’s regular brokers or dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or their parent, the securities of which the applicable Fund acquired during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, and the amount of such securities held by the applicable Fund as of August 31, 2016.
Name of Fund
Name of Regular Broker or
Dealer (or Parent)
Value of Securities Owned as of
August 31, 2016
Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
N/A
N/A
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
KCG Holdings, Inc.
$1,601,320
Vident International Equity Fund
N/A
N/A
Portfolio Turnover Rate. Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions is evaluated by the Sub-Adviser based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by other institutional investors for comparable services.
The difference in turnover rates for the International Equity Fund for the fiscal periods ended August 31, 2015 and August 31, 2016 was primarily due to the change in the Fund’s investment objective and underlying index during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016.
BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM
The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) acts as securities depositary for the Shares of the Funds. Shares are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC. Except in limited circumstances set forth below, certificates will not be issued for Shares.
DTC is a limited-purpose trust company that was created to hold securities of its participants (the “DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the NYSE and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers, and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).
Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants, and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of Shares. The Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the record owner of all shares for all purposes. Beneficial Owners of Shares are not entitled to have Shares registered in their names, and will not receive or be entitled to physical delivery of Share certificates. Each Beneficial Owner must rely on the procedures of DTC and any DTC Participant and/or Indirect Participant through which such Beneficial Owner holds its interests, to exercise any rights of a holder of Shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements, and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. DTC will make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee a listing of Shares held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall obtain from each such DTC Participant the number of Beneficial Owners holding Shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement, or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all Shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in a Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a Fund’s Shares, or for maintaining, supervising, or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.
DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to a Fund at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Fund and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the applicable Fund shall take action either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost or, if such replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of Shares, unless the Trust makes other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Exchange.
PURCHASE AND ISSUANCE OF SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
The Trust issues and sells Shares of the Funds only: (i) in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), at their NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day, in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”); or (ii) pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Service (defined below). The NAV of each Fund’s Shares is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The Funds will not issue fractional Creation Units. A “Business Day” is any day on which the Exchange is open for business.
Fund Deposit. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the U.S. Equity Fund or International Equity Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) per each Creation Unit, constituting a substantial replication, or a portfolio sampling representation, of the securities included in the Fund’s Index and the Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount (“Deposit Cash”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for all or a portion of Deposit Cash, a Fund may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the U.S. Bond Fund generally consists of the deposit of cash (“Deposit Cash” with respect to the U.S. Bond Fund).
Together, the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of a Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the Shares (per Creation Unit) and the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Component is a positive number ( i.e. , the net asset value per Creation Unit exceeds the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number ( i.e. , the net asset value per Creation Unit is less than the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such negative amount and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Component. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. Computation of the Cash Component excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).
The Funds, through NSCC, make available on each Business Day, immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the list of the names and the required number of Shares of each Deposit Security or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for a Fund. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, to effect purchases of Creation Units of a Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.
The identity and number of Shares of the Deposit Securities or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for a Fund Deposit for a Fund changes as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser with a view to the investment objective of the applicable Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities of a Fund’s Index.
The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Cash Component, including, without limitation, in situations where the Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws or where the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws; or (v) in certain other situations (collectively, “custom orders”). The Trust also reserves the right to include or remove Deposit Securities from the basket in anticipation of Index rebalancing changes. The adjustments described above will reflect changes, known to the Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Fund Deposit, in the composition of the subject Index being tracked by a Fund or resulting from certain corporate actions.
Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor to purchase a Creation Unit of a Fund, an entity must be (i) a “Participating Party”, i.e. , a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC Participant (see “Book Entry Only System”). In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an “Authorized Participant”) must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Transfer Agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of a Participant Agreement, on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that it will pay to the Trust, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the Creation Transaction Fee (defined below) and any other applicable fees and taxes. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent the Adviser bears the expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Trust or its Custodian in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover.
All orders to purchase Shares directly from the International Equity Fund on the next Business Day must be submitted as a “Future Dated Trade” for one or more Creation Units between 4:30 p.m. Eastern time and 5:30 p.m. Eastern time on the prior Business Day and in the manner set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. With respect to the International Equity Fund, the Business Day following the day on which such an order is submitted to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) is referred to as the “Order Placement Date.”
All orders to purchase Shares directly from the U.S. Equity Fund or U.S. Bond Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by the time set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. With respect to the U.S. Equity Fund and U.S. Bond Fund, the date on which an order to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) is received and accepted is referred to as the “Order Placement Date.”

An Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, ( e.g. , to provide for payments of cash, when required). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to purchase Shares directly from a Fund in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement and only a small number of such Authorized Participants may have international capabilities.
On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, a Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which a Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed, the applicable Fund will also generally not accept orders on such day(s). Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. On behalf of the Funds, the Distributor will notify the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to the appropriate local sub-custodian(s). Those placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor by the cut-off time on such Business Day. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant.
Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a subcustody agent for (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian shall cause the subcustodian of the Funds to maintain an account into which the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, such Deposit Securities (or Deposit Cash for all or a part of such securities, as permitted or required), with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local subcustodian. A Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the Fund or its agents by no later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If a Fund or its agents do not receive all of the Deposit Securities, or the required Deposit Cash in lieu thereof, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. The “Settlement Date” for a Fund is generally the third Business Day after the Order Placement Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash to be delivered, as applicable, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities or cash, as applicable, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash represented by the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received by in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the applicable Fund.
The order shall be deemed to be received on the Business Day on which the order is placed provided that the order is placed in proper form prior to the applicable cut-off time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited by 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time (as set forth on the applicable order form), with the Custodian on the Settlement Date. If the order is not placed in proper form as required, or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received by 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time (as set forth on the applicable order form) on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, order form and this SAI are properly followed.
Issuance of a Creation Unit. Except as provided herein, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Distributor and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor. However, as discussed in Appendix A, the International Equity Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.
Creation Units may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of the Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since, in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which shall be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. The Authorized Participant must deposit with the Custodian the Additional Cash Deposit, as applicable, by 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If a Fund or its agents do not receive the Additional Cash Deposit in the appropriate amount, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily marked to value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Trust to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a Transaction Fee, as set forth below under “Creation Transaction Fee” will be charged in all cases. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.
Acceptance of Orders of Creation Units. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Distributor with respect to a Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the applicable Fund; (d) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the applicable Fund; (e) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (f) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Trust or the rights of beneficial owners; (g) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (h) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent and/or the Adviser make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process orders for Creation Units.
Examples of such circumstances include acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, the Custodian, a sub-custodian, the Transfer Agent, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of the creator of a Creation Unit of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Distributor shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units.
All questions as to the number of Shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
Creation Transaction Fee. A purchase ( i.e. , creation) transaction fee, payable to the Funds’ custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units, and investors may be required to pay a creation transaction fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. A Fund may adjust the creation transaction fee from time to time. The standard fixed creation transaction fee for the Funds can be found in the table below, which also shows the maximum variable fee that will be charged on all cash transactions or substitutes for Creation Units as a percentage of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction.
Name of Fund
Fixed Creation Transaction Fee
Maximum Variable Transaction Fee
Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
$750
3%
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
$750
2%
Vident International Equity Fund
$5,000
2%
The variable charge may be imposed for cash purchases, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases incurred by a Fund, primarily designed to cover expenses related to broker commissions. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Trust.
Risks of Purchasing Creation Units. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from a Fund. Because a Fund’s Shares may be issued on an ongoing basis, a “distribution” of Shares could be occurring at any time. Certain activities that a shareholder performs as a dealer could, depending on the circumstances, result in the shareholder being deemed a participant in the distribution in a manner that could render the shareholder a statutory underwriter and subject to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a shareholder could be deemed a statutory underwriter if it purchases Creation Units from a Fund, breaks them down into the constituent Shares, and sells those Shares directly to customers, or if a shareholder chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary-market demand for Shares. Whether a person is an underwriter depends upon all of the facts and circumstances pertaining to that person’s activities, and the examples mentioned here should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could cause you to be deemed an underwriter.
Dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as opposed to engaging in ordinary secondary-market transactions), and thus dealing with a Fund’s Shares as part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act.
Redemption. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by a Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF A FUND, THE TRUST WILL NOT REDEEM SHARES IN AMOUNTS LESS THAN CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.
With respect to the Funds, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and Share quantities of each Fund’s portfolio securities that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”). Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities.
Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit are paid either in-kind or in cash, or combination thereof, as determined by the Trust. With respect to in-kind redemptions of a Fund, redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of Fund Securities -- as announced by the Custodian on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper form plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less a fixed redemption transaction fee as set forth below. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Trust’s discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more Fund Securities.
Redemption Transaction Fee. A redemption transaction fee, payable to the Funds’ custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units, and investors may be required to pay a fixed redemption transaction fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction, as set forth in the Funds’ Prospectus, as may be revised from time to time. The redemption transaction fee is the same no matter how many Creation Units are being redeemed pursuant to any one redemption request. A Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time. The standard fixed redemption transaction fee for the Funds can be found in the table below, which also shows the maximum variable fee that will be charged on all cash transactions or substitutes for Creation Units as a percentage of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction.
Name of Fund
Fixed Redemption Transaction Fee
Maximum Variable Transaction Fee
Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF
$750
3%
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
$750
2%
Vident International Equity Fund
$5,000
2%
 
The variable charge may be imposed for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available) incurred by a Fund, primarily designed to cover expenses related to broker commissions. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order.
Procedures for Redemption of Creation Units. Orders to redeem Creation Units of the International Equity Fund on the next Business Day must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent as a “Future Dated Trade” for one or more Creation Units between 4:30 p.m. Eastern time and 5:30 p.m. Eastern time on the prior Business Day and in the manner set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. Orders to redeem Creation Units of the U.S. Equity Fund or U.S. Bond Fund must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Trust’s Transfer Agent the Creation Unit(s) being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement and (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Trust is received by the Transfer Agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified in the Participant Agreement. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s Shares through DTC’s facilities by the times and pursuant to the other terms and conditions set forth in the Participant Agreement, the redemption request shall be rejected.
The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Trust, to the Transfer Agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement, and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the Shares to the Trust’s Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
Additional Redemption Procedures. In connection with taking delivery of Shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, the Authorized Participant must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded, to which account such Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within three business days of the trade date. However, due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, the different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (that is the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold), and in certain other circumstances, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds with respect to the International Equity Fund may take longer than three Business Days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. Appendix A identifies the instances where more than seven days would be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Pursuant to an order of the SEC, on behalf of the Funds, the International Equity Fund will make delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds within the number of days stated in Appendix A to be the maximum number of days necessary to deliver redemption proceeds. If neither the redeeming Shareholder nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Shareholder has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Trust may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming Shareholders will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.
The Trust may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming investor will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that a Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Shares based on the NAV of Shares of the applicable Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). A Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in net asset value. A Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in net asset value.
Redemptions of Shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Funds (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserve the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming investor of the Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” (“QIB”) as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive Fund Securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. An Authorized Participant may be required by the Trust to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status to receive Fund Securities.
Because the portfolio securities of the Funds may trade on other exchanges on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for such Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their Shares of the Fund, or to purchase or sell Shares of the Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the applicable Fund could be significantly affecting by events in the relevant foreign markets.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to a Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares of the applicable Fund or determination of the NAV of the Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
Required Early Acceptance of Orders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, as described in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form, a Fund may require orders to be placed up to one or more business days prior to the trade date, as described in the Participant Agreement or the applicable order form, in order to receive the trade date’s NAV. Orders to purchase Shares of a Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) that the equity markets in the relevant foreign market are closed will not be accepted. Authorized Participants may be notified that the cut-off time for an order may be earlier on a particular business day, as described in the Participant Agreement and the order form.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
NAV per Share for a Fund is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the applicable Fund ( i.e. , the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Shares outstanding, rounded to the nearest cent. Expenses and fees, including the management fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. The NAV of a Fund is calculated by the Custodian and determined at the close of the regular trading session (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day that the Exchange is open, provided that fixed-income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for trading in fixed-income instruments on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) announces an early closing time.
In calculating a Fund’s NAV per Share, the Fund’s investments are generally valued using market valuations. A market valuation generally means a valuation (i) obtained from an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer), (ii) based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of value supplied by an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer) or (iii) based on amortized cost. In the case of shares of other funds that are not traded on an exchange, a market valuation means such fund’s published NAV per share. A Fund may use various pricing services, or discontinue the use of any pricing service, as approved by the Board from time to time. A price obtained from a pricing service based on such pricing service’s valuation matrix may be considered a market valuation. Any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars at the current market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more sources.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes.”
General Policies . Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid at least annually by each Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but a Fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis to improve index tracking or to comply with the distribution requirements of the Code, in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act.
Dividends and other distributions on Shares are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such Shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Trust.
Each Fund makes additional distributions to the extent necessary (i) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the applicable Fund, plus any net capital gains and (ii) to avoid imposition of the excise tax imposed by Section 4982 of the Code. Management of the Trust reserves the right to declare special dividends if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve a Fund’s eligibility for treatment as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
Dividend Reinvestment Service . The Trust will not make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available for use by Beneficial Owners for reinvestment of their cash proceeds, but certain individual broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Funds through DTC Participants for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Investors should contact their brokers to ascertain the availability and description of these services. Beneficial Owners should be aware that each broker may require investors to adhere to specific procedures and timetables to participate in the dividend reinvestment service and investors should ascertain from their brokers such necessary details. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole Shares issued by the Trust of the applicable Fund at NAV per Share. Distributions reinvested in additional Shares of a Fund will nevertheless be taxable to Beneficial Owners acquiring such additional Shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.
FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
The following is only a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations generally affecting the Funds and their shareholders that supplements the discussion in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a comprehensive explanation of the federal, state, local or foreign tax treatment of the Funds or their shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended to be a substitute for careful tax planning.
The following general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences is based on provisions of the Code and the regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI. New legislation, as well as administrative changes or court decisions, may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.
Shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of the provisions of tax law described in this SAI in light of the particular tax situations of the shareholders and regarding specific questions as to federal, state, foreign or local taxes.
Taxation of the Fund . Each fund has elected and intends to continue to qualify each year to be treated as a separate RIC under the Code. As such, a Fund should not be subject to federal income taxes on its net investment income and capital gains, if any, to the extent that it timely distributes such income and capital gains to its shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a RIC, each Fund must distribute annually to its shareholders at least the sum of 90% of its net investment income (generally including the excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income, if any (the “Distribution Requirement”) and also must meet several additional requirements. Among these requirements are the following: (i) at least 90% of a Fund’s gross income each taxable year must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies, and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Qualifying Income Requirement”); and (ii) at the end of each quarter of a Fund’s taxable year, the Fund’s assets must be diversified so that (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, the securities (other than securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Diversification Requirement”).
It may not be possible for the Fund to fully implement a representative sampling strategy while satisfying the Diversification Requirement. The Fund’s effort to satisfy the Diversification Requirement may affect the Fund’s execution of its investment strategy and may cause the Fund’s return to deviate from that of the Index, and the Fund’s efforts to represent the Index using a sampling strategy, if such a strategy is used at any point, may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the Diversification Requirement.
To the extent a Fund makes investments that may generate income that is not qualifying income, including certain derivatives, the Fund will seek to restrict the resulting income from such investments so that the Fund’s non-qualifying income does not exceed 10% of its gross income.
Although the Funds intend to distribute substantially all of their net investment income and may distribute their capital gains for any taxable year, the Funds will be subject to federal income taxation to the extent any such income or gains are not distributed. Each Fund is treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes. A Fund therefore is considered to be a separate entity in determining its treatment under the rules for RICs described herein. Losses in one Fund do not offset gains in another and the requirements (other than certain organizational requirements) for qualifying RIC status are determined at the Fund level rather than at the Trust level.
If a Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the Diversification Requirement where a Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. In order to be eligible for the relief provisions with respect to a failure to meet the Diversification Requirement, a Fund may be required to dispose of certain assets. If these relief provisions were not available to a Fund and it were to fail to qualify for treatment as a RIC for a taxable year, all of its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and its distributions (including capital gains distributions) generally would be taxable to the shareholders of the Fund as ordinary income dividends, subject to the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the lower tax rates on qualified dividend income received by noncorporate shareholders, subject to certain limitations. To requalify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, a Fund would be required to satisfy the RIC qualification requirements for that year and to distribute any earnings and profits from any year in which the Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. If a Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, it would generally be required to pay a Fund-level tax on certain net built in gains recognized with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year. The Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of a Fund for treatment as a RIC if it determines such course of action to be beneficial to shareholders. If a Fund determines that it will not qualify as a RIC, the Fund will establish procedures to reflect the anticipated tax liability in the Fund’s NAV.
A Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in characterizing Fund distributions for any calendar year. A “qualified late year loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year (commonly referred to as “post-October losses”) and certain other late-year losses.
Capital losses in excess of capital gains (“net capital losses”) are not permitted to be deducted against a RIC’s net investment income. Instead, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, potentially subject to certain limitations, a Fund may carry a net capital loss from any taxable year forward indefinitely to offset its capital gains, if any, in years following the year of the loss. To the extent subsequent capital gains are offset by such losses, they will not result in U.S. federal income tax liability to a Fund and may not be distributed as capital gains to its shareholders. Generally, a Fund may not carry forward any losses other than net capital losses. The carryover of capital losses may be limited under the general loss limitation rules if a Fund experiences an ownership change as defined in the Code.
The Funds will be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax on certain undistributed income if it does not distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year an amount at least equal to 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, subject to an increase for any shortfall in the prior year’s distribution. The Funds intend to declare and distribute dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of the excise tax, but can make no assurances that all such tax liability will be eliminated.
If a Fund meets the Distribution Requirement but retains some or all of its income or gains, it will be subject to federal income tax to the extent any such income or gains are not distributed. A Fund may designate certain amounts retained as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who (i) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount so designated, (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the income tax paid by a Fund on that undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities and to claim refunds to the extent such credits exceed their tax liabilities, and (iii) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for federal income tax purposes, in their Shares in a Fund by an amount equal to the excess of the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in their respective income over their respective income tax credits.
Taxation of Shareholders—Distributions . The Funds intend to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the deduction for dividends paid), its net tax-exempt income, if any, and any net capital gain (net recognized long-term capital gains in excess of net recognized short-term capital losses, taking into account any capital loss carryforwards). The distribution of investment company taxable income (as so computed) and net capital gain will be taxable to Fund shareholders regardless of whether the shareholder receives these distributions in cash or reinvests them in additional Shares.
The Funds (or your broker) will report to shareholders annually the amounts of dividends paid from ordinary income, the amount of distributions of net capital gain, the portion, if any, of dividends which may qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations, and the portion, if any, of dividends which may qualify for treatment as qualified dividend income, which is taxable to noncorporate shareholders at rates of up to 20%. It is not expected that dividends paid by the U.S. Bond Fund or the International Equity Fund will qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations. It is also not expected that the dividends paid by the U.S. Bond Fund will qualify for any favorable U.S. federal income tax rate available to noncorporate shareholders on “qualified dividend income.”
Distributions from a Fund’s net capital gain will be taxable to shareholders at long-term capital gains rates, regardless of how long shareholders have held their Shares. Distributions may be subject to state and local taxes.
Qualified dividend income includes, in general, subject to certain holding period and other requirements, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations. Subject to certain limitations, eligible foreign corporations include those incorporated in possessions of the United States, those incorporated in certain countries with comprehensive tax treaties with the United States, and other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividends are paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. Dividends received by the Fund from an ETF or an underlying fund taxable as a RIC or a REIT may be treated as qualified dividend income generally only to the extent so reported by such ETF, underlying fund or REIT. If 95% or more of the Fund’s gross income (calculated without taking into account net capital gain derived from sales or other dispositions of stock or securities) consists of qualified dividend income, the Fund may report all distributions of such income as qualified dividend income.
Fund dividends will not be treated as qualified dividend income if the Fund does not meet holding period and other requirements with respect to dividend paying stocks in its portfolio, and the shareholder does not meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund Shares on which the dividends were paid. Distributions by the Funds of their net short-term capital gains will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions from the Fund’s net capital gain will be taxable to shareholders at long-term capital gains rates, regardless of how long shareholders have held their Shares. Distributions may be subject to state and local taxes.
In the case of corporate shareholders, certain dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations (generally, dividends received by the Fund in respect of any share of stock (1) with a tax holding period of at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend and (2) that is held in an unleveraged position) and distributed and appropriately so reported by the Fund may be eligible for the 70% dividends-received deduction. Certain preferred stock must have a holding period of at least 91 days during the 181-day period beginning on the date that is 90 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend in order to be eligible. Capital gain dividends distributed to the Fund from other RICs are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction. In order to qualify for the deduction, corporate shareholders must meet the minimum holding period requirement stated above with respect to their Shares, taking into account any holding period reductions from certain hedging or other transactions or positions that diminish their risk of loss with respect to their Shares, and, if they borrow to acquire or otherwise incur debt attributable to Shares, they may be denied a portion of the dividends-received deduction with respect to those Shares.
Although dividends generally will be treated as distributed when paid, any dividend declared by a Fund in October, November or December and payable to shareholders of record in such a month that is paid during the following January will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as received by shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which it was declared.
U.S. individuals with adjusted gross income (subject to certain adjustments) exceeding certain threshold amounts ($250,000 if married filing jointly or if considered a “surviving spouse” for federal income tax purposes, $125,000 if married filing separately, and $200,000 in other cases) are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes taxable interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gain distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares of a Fund). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
Shareholders who have not held Fund Shares for a full year should be aware that a Fund may report and distribute, as ordinary dividends or capital gain dividends, a percentage of income that is not equal to the percentage of the Fund’s ordinary income or net capital gain, respectively, actually earned during the applicable shareholder’s period of investment in the Fund. A taxable shareholder may wish to avoid investing in a Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because the distribution will generally be taxable even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of the shareholder’s investment.
To the extent that a Fund makes a distribution of income received by such Fund in lieu of dividends (a “substitute payment”) with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders
If a Fund’s distributions exceed its earnings and profits, all or a portion of the distributions made for a taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable, but will reduce each shareholder’s cost basis in a Fund and result in a higher capital gain or lower capital loss when the Shares on which the distribution was received are sold. After a shareholder’s basis in the Shares has been reduced to zero, distributions in excess of earnings and profits will be treated as gain from the sale of the shareholder’s Shares.
Taxation of Shareholders—Sale of Shares . A sale, redemption or exchange of Shares of a Fund may give rise to a gain or loss. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of Shares will generally be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss, rather than short-term capital loss, to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the shareholder of long-term capital gain (including any amounts credited to the shareholder as undistributed capital gains). All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares may be disallowed if substantially identical Shares of a Fund are acquired (through the reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly acquired Shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
The cost basis of Shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the Shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of Shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), however, may assert that an Authorized Participant who does not mark-to-market its portfolio upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot currently deduct a loss under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will generally be treated as short-term capital gains or losses. Any loss upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable Authorized Participant of long-term capital gain with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the Authorized Participant as undistributed capital gains).
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require the provision of information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If a Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund, the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.
Taxation of Fund Investments. The Funds may invest in debt obligations that are in the lowest rating categories or that are unrated, including debt obligations of issuers not currently paying interest or that are in default. Investments in debt obligations that are at risk of or are in default present special tax issues for a Fund. Federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when a Fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless securities, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and interest and whether certain exchanges of debt obligations in a workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by a Fund, in the event it invests in or holds such securities, in order to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to preserve its status as a RIC and does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.
Investments by a Fund in zero coupon or other discount securities will result in income to the Fund equal to a portion of the excess face value of the securities over their issue price (the “original issue discount” or “OID”) each year that the securities are held, even though the Fund may receive no cash interest payments or may receive cash interest payments that are less than the income recognized for tax purposes. In other circumstances, whether pursuant to the terms of a security or as a result of other factors outside the control of a Fund, the Fund may recognize income without receiving a commensurate amount of cash. Such income is included in determining the amount of income that a Fund must distribute to maintain its eligibility for treatment as a RIC and to avoid the payment of federal income tax, including the nondeductible 4% excise tax described above.
Any market discount recognized on a market discount bond is taxable as ordinary income. A market discount bond is a bond acquired in the secondary market at a price below redemption value or below adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Absent a Fund’s election to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on the Fund’s disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount. Where the income required to be recognized as a result of the OID and/or market discount rules is not matched by a corresponding cash receipt by a Fund, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of securities to enable the Fund to make distributions to its shareholders in order to qualify for treatment as a RIC and eliminate taxes at the Fund level.
Special rules apply to any investments by the Funds in inflation-indexed bonds. Generally, all stated interest on inflation-indexed bonds is taken into income by a Fund under its regular method of accounting for interest income. The amount of any positive inflation adjustment for a taxable year, which results from an increase in the inflation-adjusted principal amount of the bond, is treated as OID. The amount of a Fund’s OID in a taxable year with respect to a bond will increase the Fund’s taxable income for such year without a corresponding receipt of cash, until the bond matures. As a result, a Fund may need to use other sources of cash to satisfy its distribution requirements for its applicable year. The amount of any negative inflation adjustments, which result from a decrease in the inflation-adjusted principal amount of the bond, first reduces the amount of interest (including stated interest, OID, and market discount, if any) otherwise includable in a Fund’s taxable income with respect to the bond for the taxable year; any remaining negative adjustments will be either treated as ordinary loss or, in certain circumstances, will be carried forward to reduce the amount of interest income taken into account with respect to the bond in future taxable years .
Certain of a Fund’s investments may be subject to complex provisions of the Code (including provisions relating to hedging transactions, straddles, integrated transactions, foreign currency contracts, forward foreign currency contracts, and notional principal contracts) that, among other things, may affect a Fund’s ability to qualify as a RIC, affect the character of gains and losses realized by the Fund (e.g., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and defer losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also may require a Fund to mark to market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out) which may cause the Fund to recognize income without the Fund receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts sufficient to enable the Fund to satisfy the RIC distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. A Fund intends to monitor its transactions, intends to make appropriate tax elections, and intends to make appropriate entries in its books and records in order to mitigate the effect of these rules and preserve the Fund’s qualification for treatment as a RIC. To the extent a Fund invests in an underlying fund that is taxable as a RIC, the rules applicable to the tax treatment of complex securities will also apply to the underlying funds that also invest in such complex securities and investments.
Each Fund is required for federal income tax purposes to mark to market and recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses on certain futures and options contracts as of the end of the year as well as those actually realized during the year. Gain or loss from futures and options contracts on broad-based indexes required to be marked to market will be 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Application of this rule may alter the timing and character of distributions to shareholders. A Fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, options contracts and swaps to the extent of any unrecognized gains on offsetting positions held by a Fund. These provisions may also require the Funds to mark-to-market certain types of positions in their portfolios (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out), which may cause a Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirement and for avoiding the excise tax discussed above. Accordingly, in order to avoid certain income and excise taxes, a Fund may be required to liquidate its investments at a time when the investment adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so.
Foreign Investments. Dividends and interest received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes.
If more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s assets at the close of any taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign corporations, which for this purpose may include obligations of foreign governmental issuers, the Fund may elect, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to treat any foreign income or withholding taxes paid by the Fund as paid by its shareholders. For any year that the Fund is eligible for and makes such an election, each shareholder of the Fund will be required to include in income an amount equal to his or her allocable share of qualified foreign income taxes paid by the Fund, and shareholders will be entitled, subject to certain holding period requirements and other limitations, to credit their portions of these amounts against their U.S. federal income tax due, if any, or to deduct their portions from their U.S. taxable income, if any. No deductions for foreign taxes paid by the Fund may be claimed, however, by non-corporate shareholders who do not itemize deductions. No deduction for such taxes will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability. Foreign taxes paid by a Fund will reduce the return from the Fund’s investments.
If a Fund holds shares in a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the Fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.
A Fund may be eligible to treat a PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code in which case, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the Fund will be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the Fund, and such amounts will be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, the Fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain. Alternatively, the Fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in such Fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the Fund would report any gains resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary income and would deduct any losses resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the Fund and, once made, is effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the IRS. By making the election, the Fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The Fund may have to distribute this excess income to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax. In order to distribute this income and avoid a tax at the Fund level, the Fund might be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss.
Backup Withholding . Each Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold (as “backup withholding”) on amounts payable to any shareholder who (1) fails to provide a correct taxpayer identification number certified under penalty of perjury; (2) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report all payments of interest or dividends; (3) fails to provide a certified statement that he or she is not subject to “backup withholding;” or (4) fails to provide a certified statement that he or she is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is 28%. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s ultimate U.S. tax liability. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the U.S.
Foreign Shareholders . Any non-U.S. investors in the Funds may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are encouraged to consult their tax advisors prior to investing in the Funds. Foreign shareholders ( i.e. , nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates) are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate) on distributions derived from taxable ordinary income. A Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Short-term capital gain dividends received by a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year are not exempt from this 30% withholding tax. Gains realized by foreign shareholders from the sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless the recipient is an individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. Foreign shareholders who fail to provide an applicable IRS form may be subject to backup withholding on certain payments from a Fund. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that are subject to the 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) withholding tax described in this paragraph. Different tax consequences may result if the foreign shareholder is engaged in a trade or business within the United States. In addition, the tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of a tax treaty may be different than those described above.
Unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold Fund Shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to Fund distributions payable to such entities and with respect to redemptions and certain capital gain dividends payable to such entities after December 31, 2018. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of the agreement.
For foreign shareholders to qualify for an exemption from backup withholding, described above, the foreign shareholder must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Foreign shareholders in the Fund should consult their tax advisors in this regard.
Tax-Exempt Shareholders . Certain tax-exempt shareholders, including qualified pension plans, individual retirement accounts, salary deferral arrangements, 401(k) plans, and other tax-exempt entities, generally are exempt from federal income taxation except with respect to their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). Under current law, a Fund generally serves to block UBTI from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders with respect to their shares of Fund income. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, tax-exempt shareholders could realize UBTI by virtue of their investment in a Fund if, for example, (i) the Fund invests in residual interests of Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”), (ii) the Fund invests in a REIT that is a taxable mortgage pool (“TMP”) or that has a subsidiary that is a TMP or that invests in the residual interest of a REMIC, or (iii) Shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholders within the meaning of section 514(b) of the Code. Charitable remainder trusts are subject to special rules and should consult their tax advisers. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these issues and prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are strongly encouraged to consult with their tax advisers regarding these issues.
Certain Potential Tax Reporting Requirements . Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss on disposition of a Fund’s Shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Significant penalties may be imposed for the failure to comply with the reporting requirements. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Additional Tax Information Concerning REITs.   A Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require a Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, a Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. A Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in a Fund’s receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings; if a Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to such Fund’s shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends paid by a REIT, other than capital gain distributions, will be taxable as ordinary income up to the amount of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Capital gain dividends paid by a REIT to a Fund will be treated as long-term capital gains by the Fund and, in turn, may be distributed by the Fund to its shareholders as a capital gain distribution. Dividends received by a Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income or qualify for the dividends received deduction. If a REIT is operated in a manner such that it fails to qualify as a REIT, an investment in the REIT would become subject to double taxation, meaning the taxable income of the REIT would be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders and the dividends would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to the extent of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.
REITs in which a Fund invests often do not provide complete and final tax information to the Funds until after the time that the Funds issue a tax reporting statement. As a result, a Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify the amount and character of its distributions to you after it issues your tax reporting statement. When such reclassification is necessary, a Fund (or its administrative agent) will send you a corrected, final Form 1099-DIV to reflect the reclassified information. If you receive a corrected Form 1099-DIV, use the information on this corrected form, and not the information on the previously issued tax reporting statement, in completing your tax returns.
Certain Foreign Currency Tax Issues. A Fund's transactions in foreign currencies and forward foreign currency contracts will generally be subject to special provisions of the Code that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the Fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and defer losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also may require a Fund to mark-to-market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out) which may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the Distribution Requirements and for avoiding the excise tax described above. The Funds intend to monitor their transactions, intend to make the appropriate tax elections, and intend to make the appropriate entries in their books and records when they acquire any foreign currency or forward foreign currency contract in order to mitigate the effect of these rules so as to prevent disqualification of a Fund as a RIC and minimize the imposition of income and excise taxes.
Other Issues . In those states which have income tax laws, the tax treatment of a Fund and of Fund shareholders with respect to distributions by the Fund may differ from federal tax treatment .
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The annual report for the Funds for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016 is a separate document and the financial statements and accompanying notes appearing therein are incorporated by reference into this SAI. You may request a copy of the Funds’ Annual Report at no charge by calling 1-800-617-0004 or through the Funds’ website at www.videntfinancialsolutions.com.
Appendix A
The International Equity Fund generally intends to effect deliveries of Creation Units and portfolio securities on a basis of “T plus three” business days. The Fund may effect deliveries of Creation Units and portfolio securities on a basis other than T plus three to accommodate local holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates, or under certain other circumstances. The ability of the Fund to effect in-kind creations and redemptions within three business days of receipt of an order in good form is subject, among other things, to the condition that, within the time period from the date of the order to the date of delivery of the securities, there are no days that are holidays in the applicable foreign market. For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Fund from delivering securities within the normal settlement period. The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with foreign market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days in certain circumstances.
The holidays applicable to the Fund during such periods are listed below, as are instances where more than seven days will be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Although certain holidays may occur on different dates in subsequent years, the number of days required to deliver redemption proceeds in any given year is not expected to exceed the maximum number of days listed below for the Fund. 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.
The dates of the Regular Holidays in the United States in calendar year 2017 are:

New Year’s Day
January 2, 2017
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 16, 2017
Washington’s Birthday (Presidents’ Day)
February 20, 2017
Good Friday
April 14, 2017
Memorial Day
May 29, 2017
Independence Day *
July 4, 2017
Labor Day
September 4, 2017
Thanksgiving Day *
November 23, 2017*
Christmas Day
December 25, 2017
* The NYSE, NYSE AMEX and NASDAQ will close trading early (at 1:00 PM ET) on Monday, July 3, 2017 and Friday November 24, 2017 (the day after Thanksgiving).

Listed below are the dates in calendar year 2017 in which the regular holidays in non-U.S. markets may impact Fund settlement. This list is based on information available to the Fund. The list may not be accurate or complete and is subject to change:
Australia
 
 
 
January 1
April 12
August 1
December 27
January 26
April 25
September 26
December 28
March 7
May 2
October 3
December 30
March 8
May 16
November 1
 
March 14
June 6
November 2
 
March 25
June 13
December 23
 
March 28
June 14
December 26
 
 
 
 
 
Austria
 
 
 
January 1
May 5
October 26
December 30
January 6
May 16
November 1
 
March 25
May 26
December 8
 
March 28
August 15
December 26
 
 
 
 
 
Belgium
 
 
 
January 1
May 5
July 21
November 11
March 25
May 6
August 15
December 26
March 28
May 16
November 1
 
 
 
 
 
Brazil
     
January 1
April 14
June 15
November 2
February 27
April 21
September 7
November 15
February 28
May 1
October 12
December 25
       
Canada
 
 
 
January 1
May 23
September 5
December 27
January 4
June 24
October 10
 
February 15
July 1
November 11
 
March 25
August 1
December 26
 
 
 
 
 
Chile
     
January 1
May 1
August 15
October 27
April 14
May 21
September 18
November 1
April 15
June 26
September 19
December 8
April 16
July 16
October 9
December 25
       
China
     
January 1
January 30
May 30
October 4
January 27
January 31
October 1
October 5
January 28
April 5
October 2
October 6
January 29
May 1
October 3
 
       
Columbia
     
January 1
May 1
July 20
November 13
 
January 9
May 29
August 7
December 8
March 20
June 19
August 21
December 25
April 13
June 26
October 16
 
April 14
July 3
November 6
 
       
Denmark
 
 
 
January 1
March 28
May 6
 
March 24
April 22
May 16
 
March 25
May 5
December 26
 
 
 
 
 
Finland
 
 
 
January 1
March 25
May 5
December 6
January 6
March 28
June 24
December 26
 
 
 
 
France
 
 
 
January 1
May 16
July 15
November 11
March 25
May 20
August 15
December 26
March 28
May 31
October 31
 
May 5
July 14
November 1
 
 
 
 
 
Germany
 
 
 
January 1
March 28
August 15
December 30
January 6
May 5
October 3
 
February 8
May 16
November 1
 
March 25
May 26
December 26
 
       
Hong Kong
 
 
 
January 1
March 25
June 9
December 26
February 8
March 28
July 1
December 27
February 9
April 4
September 16
 
February 10
May 2
October 19
 
 
 
 
 
India
     
January 26
May 1
October 2
December 25
April 24
August 15
   
       
Indonesia
     
January 1
August 17
December 25
 
       
Ireland
 
 
 
January 1
May 2
December 23
December 30
March 17
June 6
December 26
 
March 25
August 1
December 27
 
March 28
October 31
December 28
 
 
       
Israel
 
 
 
March 24
May 12
October 11
October 23
April 25
May 13
October 12
October 24
April 26
June 12
October 16
December 25
April 27
August 14
October 17
 
April 28
October 2
October 18
 
April 29
October 3
October 19
 
May 11
October 4
October 20
 
The Israeli market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
Italy
 
 
 
January 1
March 28
June 9
December 8
January 6
April 25
August 15
December 26
March 25
June 2
November 1
 
 
 
 
 
Japan
 
 
 
January 1
April 29
July 18
October 10
January 11
May 3
August 11
November 23
February 11
May 4
September 19
December 23
March 21
May 5
September 22
 
 
 
 
 
Malaysia
     
January 1
May 1
September 16
December 25
February 1
August 31
   
       
Mexico
     
January 1
April 13
September 16
December 12
February 6
April 15
November 2
December 25
March 20
May 1
November 20
 
       
Netherlands
 
 
 
January 1
March 28
May 5
May 16
March 25
April 27
May 12
December 26
 
 
 
 
New Zealand
 
 
 
January 1
February 1
March 28
December 26
January 4
March 24
May 5
 
January 25
March 25
October 21
 
 
   
 
Norway
 
 
 
January 1
March 25
May 5
May 17
March 23
March 28
May 16
December 26
March 24
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Peru
     
January 1
May 1
July 29
November 1
April 13
June 29
August 30
December 8
 
April 14
July 28
October 8
December 25
       
Philippines
     
January 1
April 14
August 28
December 25
April 9
May 1
November 1
December 30
April 13
June 12
November 30
December 31
       
Poland
     
January 1
May 1
November 1
December 26
January 6
May 3
November 11
 
April 14
June 15
December 24
 
April 17
August 15
December 25
 
       
Portugal
     
January 1
April 25
August 15
December 8
February 9
May 26
October 5
December 26
March 25
June 10
November 1
 
March 28
June 13
December 1
 
       
Russia
     
January 1
February 23
May 9
November 6
January 2
March 8
June 12
 
January 7
May 1
   
       
Singapore
 
 
 
January 1
May 2
July 7
October 29
February 8
May 21
August 9
October 31
February 9
May 23
September 12
December 26
March 25
July 6
September 13
 
 
 
 
 
South Africa
     
January 1
April 17
August 9
December 25
January 2
April 27
September 24
December 26
March 21
May 1
September 25
 
April 14
June 16
December 16
 
       
South Korea
 
 
 
January 1
March 1
June 6
October 3
January 4
April 5
August 15
November 10
February 8
April 13
September 14
December 30
February 9
April 14
September 15
 
February 10
May 5
September 16
 
       
 
       
Spain
 
 
 
January 1
April 8
July 25
November 1
January 6
April 12
August 15
November 9
March 24
May 2
August 16
December 6
March 25
May 3
September 9
December 8
March 28
May 26
October 12
December 26
 
 
 
 
Sweden
 
 
 
January 1
March 24
May 4
June 24
January 5
March 25
May 5
November 4
January 6
March 28
June 6
December 26
 
 
 
 
Switzerland
 
 
 
January 1
May 5
August 1
December 8
January 6
May 16
August 15
December 26
March 25
May 26
September 8
 
March 28
June 29
November 1
 
 
 
 
 
Taiwan
     
January 2
January 31
April 3
June 3
January 25
February 1
April 4
September 30
January 26
February 18
May 1
October 4
January 27
February 27
May 29
October 10
January 30
February 28
May 30
 
       
Thailand
     
January 2
April 14
May 10
October 23
February 11
April 15
July 1
December 5
April 6
May 1
July 10
December 11
April 13
May 5
August 14
 
       
Turkey
     
January 1
May 1
August 30
October 29
April 23
May 19
   
       
United Kingdom
 
 
 
January 1
May 2
December 23
December 30
March 25
May 30
December 26
 
March 28
August 29
December 27
 

 
 
SETTLEMENT PERIODS GREATER THAN SEVEN DAYS FOR YEAR 2017

 
Beginning of Settlement Period
End of Settlement Period
Number of Days in Settlement Period
Japan
04/28/2017
05/08/2017
9
 
5/1/2017
5/9/2017
8
 
5/2/2017
5/10/2017
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.

Appendix B
 
EXCHANGE TRADED CONCEPTS, LLC

PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Exchange Traded Concepts (“Exchange Traded Concepts”) recognizes its obligation to vote proxies for investments held by clients over which it exercises discretionary voting authority in the clients’ best interest. Accordingly, Exchange Traded Concepts will vote all proxies and act on all other corporate actions in a timely manner in accordance with these proxy voting policies and procedures (the “Proxy Voting Policies”).

Exchange Traded Concepts acts as fiduciary in relation to the portfolios of ETF Series Solutions (each, a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”) and any other clients that it may manage in the future and the assets entrusted by such clients to Exchange Traded Concepts for their management. Except where the client has expressly, in writing, reserved to itself or another party the duty to vote proxies, or where a sub-adviser votes proxies on behalf of a Fund, it is Exchange Traded Concepts’ duty as a fiduciary to vote all proxies relating to such shares.

In order to carry out its responsibilities in regard to voting proxies, Exchange Traded Concepts must track all shareholder meetings convened by companies whose shares are held in Exchange Traded Concepts’ client accounts, including the Funds, identify all issues presented to shareholders at such meetings, formulate a principled position on each such issue and ensure that proxies pertaining to all shares owned in client accounts are voted in accordance with such determinations.

Pursuant to Rule 206(4)-6 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”), Exchange Traded Concepts: (a) has adopted and implemented these Proxy Voting Policies that are reasonably designed to ensure that Exchange Traded Concepts votes client securities in the best interests of its clients (which includes how Exchange Traded Concepts addresses material conflicts of interests); (b) will disclose to clients how they may obtain information on how Exchange Traded concepts voted their proxies; (c) will describe to clients its Proxy Voting Policies and, upon their request, furnish a copy to its clients; and (d) will maintain certain records relating to the proxy voting activities when the adviser does have proxy voting authority.

Exchange Traded Concepts shall utilize the formal proxy guidelines (set forth below) to appropriately assess each proxy issue. Generally, Exchange Traded Concepts seeks to vote proxies in the best interests of its clients, including the Funds. In the ordinary course, this entails voting proxies in a way which Exchange Traded Concepts believes will maximize the monetary value of each portfolio’s holdings. Exchange Traded Concepts’ Management Committee, which oversees proxy voting, will address any unusual or undefined voting issues that may arise during the year.
 
In addition, Exchange Traded Concepts may engage the services of an independent third party (“Proxy Firm”) to cast proxy votes according to Exchange Traded Concepts’ established guidelines. When Exchange Traded Concepts deems it in the best interest of clients, they may permit a sub-adviser to a Fund the authority to cast proxy votes either in accordance with Exchange Traded Concepts’ established guidelines or in accordance with the proxy voting policies submitted by that firm to and approved by the Board of Trustees of ETF Series Solutions. The Proxy Firm or sub-adviser will promptly notify Exchange Traded Concepts of any proxy issues that do not fall under the guidelines set forth below. Exchange Traded Concepts does not believe that conflicts of interest will generally arise in connection with its proxy voting policies.

Generally, Exchange Traded Concepts views that proxy proposals can be grouped into six broad categories as follows:

I.
Election of Board of Directors
 
 
·
Exchange Traded Concepts will generally vote in support of management’s nominees for the board of directors; however, Exchange Traded Concepts may choose not to support management’s proposed board if circumstances warrant such consideration.

II.
Appointment of Independent Auditors
 
 
·
Exchange Traded Concepts will support the recommendation of the respective corporation’s board of directors.

III.
Issues of Corporate Structure and Shareholder Rights
 
 
·
Proposals may originate from either management or shareholders, and among other things, may request revisions to the corporate bylaws that will affect shareholder ownership rights. Exchange Traded Concepts does not generally support obstacles erected by corporations to prevent mergers or takeovers with the view that such actions may depress the corporation’s marketplace value.

 
·
Exchange Traded Concepts supports the following types of corporate structure and shareholder rights proposals:
 
 
o
Management proposals for approval of stock repurchase programs, stock splits (including reverse splits)
 
o
Authorization to increase shares outstanding
 
o
The ability of shareholders to vote on shareholder rights plans (poison pills)
 
o
Shareholder rights to eliminate or remove supermajority provisions
 
o
Shareholder rights to call special meetings and to act by written consent

 
·
Exchange Traded Concepts votes against management on the following items which have potentially substantial financial or best interest impact:
 
 
o
Capitalization changes that add “blank check” classes of stock or classes that dilute the voting interests of existing shareholders which are contrary to the best interest of existing shareholders, anti-takeover and related provisions that serve to prevent the majority of shareholders from exercising their rights or effectively deter appropriate tender offers and other offers
 
o
Amendments to bylaws which would require super-majority shareholder votes to pass or repeal certain provisions
 
o
Elimination of shareholders’ right to call special meetings
 
o
Establishment of classified boards of directors
 
o
Reincorporation in a state which has more stringent anti-takeover and related provisions
 
o
Shareholder rights plans that allow the board of directors to block appropriate offers to shareholders or which trigger provisions preventing legitimate offers from proceeding
 
o
Excessive compensation
 
o
Change-in-control provisions in non-salary compensation plans, employment contracts, and severance agreements which benefit management and would be costly to shareholders if triggered
 
o
Adjournment of meeting to solicit additional votes
 
o
“Other business as properly comes before the meeting” proposals which extend “blank check” powers to those acting as proxy
 
o
Proposals requesting re-election of insiders or affiliated directors who serve on audit, compensation, and nominating committees

IV.
Mergers and Acquisitions

Exchange Traded Concepts evaluates mergers and acquisitions on a case-by-case basis. Exchange Traded Concepts uses its discretion in order to maximize shareholder value. Exchange Traded Concepts generally votes:
 
 
·
Against offers with potentially damaging consequences for minority shareholders because of illiquid stock, especially in some non-US markets
 
 
·
For offers that concur with index calculators’ treatment and the ability to meet the clients’ return objectives for passive funds
 
 
·
For proposals to restructure or liquidate closed end investment funds in which the secondary market price is substantially lower than the net asset value
 
V.
Executive and Director Equity-Based Compensation
 
 
·
Exchange Traded Concepts is generally in favor of properly constructed equity-based compensation arrangements. Exchange Traded Concepts will support proposals that provide management with the ability to implement compensation arrangements that are both fair and competitive.

However, Exchange Traded Concepts may oppose management proposals that could potentially significantly dilute shareholders’ ownership interests in the corporation.

VI.
Corporate Social and Policy Issues
 
 
·
Proposals usually originate from shareholders and may require a revision of certain business practices and policies.

Exchange Traded Concepts is of the view that typical business matters that directly or indirectly affect corporate profitability are primarily the responsibility of management. Exchange Traded Concepts believes it is inappropriate to use client assets to address socio-political issues. Therefore, social and policy issues reflected in shareholder proposals should be subject to the approval of the corporation’s board of directors.

Conflicts

From time to time, Exchange Traded Concepts will review a proxy which presents a potential material conflict. As a fiduciary to its clients, Exchange Traded Concepts takes these potential conflicts very seriously. Exchange Traded Concepts’ duty is to ensure that proxy votes are cast in the clients’, including the Funds’, best interests and are not affected by Exchange Traded Concepts’ potential conflict. If a potential conflict of interest exists, and the matter falls clearly within one of the proposals enumerated above, Exchange Traded Concepts will vote proxies in accordance with the pre-determined guidelines set forth in these Proxy Voting Policies.

In other cases, where the matter presents a potential material conflict and is not clearly within one of the enumerated proposals, or is of such a nature that Exchange Traded Concepts believes more active involvement is necessary, Exchange Traded Concepts may employ the services of a Proxy Firm, wholly independent of Exchange Traded Concepts, to determine the appropriate vote.

In certain situations, Exchange Traded Concepts’ Management Committee may determine that the employment of a Proxy Firm is unfeasible, impractical or unnecessary. In such situations, the Management Committee shall decide how to vote the proxy. The basis for the voting decision, including the basis for the determination that the decision is in the best interests of Exchange Traded Concepts’ clients, shall be formalized in writing. Which action is appropriate in any given scenario would be the decision of the Management Committee in carrying out its duty to ensure that the proxies are voted in the clients’ best interests.
 
 

PART C:  OTHER INFORMATION

Item 28.  Exhibits

(a)
(i)
 
Certificate of Trust dated February 9, 2012 of ETF Series Solutions (the “Trust” or the “Registrant”) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(i) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on February 17, 2012.
 
(ii)
 
Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated February 17, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(ii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on February 17, 2012.
(b)
   
Registrant’s Amended and Restated Bylaws dated August 18, 2014, are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (b) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 8, 2014.
(c)
   
Not applicable.
(d)
(i)
(A)
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC dated December 23, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(i)(A) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 6, 2015.
   
(B)
Amended Schedule A to Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(i)( B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 18, 2015.
   
(C)
Amended Schedule A to Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC (for Aerospace & Defense ETF, Drone ETF and Whetstone Energy Infrastructure ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
  (ii)   Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC and Mellon Capital Management Corporation dated December 23, 2014 – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
 
(iii)
 
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC and Penserra Capital Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(v) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 31, 2014.
 
(iv)
(A)
Sub-Advisory Agreement between Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC and Vident Investment Advisory, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(iv)(A) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 6, 2015.
   
(B)
Amended Schedule A to Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC and Vident Investment Advisory, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(iv)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 18, 2015.
   
(C)
Amended Schedule A to Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC and Vident Investment Advisory, LLC (for Aerospace & Defense ETF and Drone ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
 
(v)
 
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and Validea Capital Management, LLC, dated November 17, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(vii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 5, 2014.
 
(vi)
 
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc., dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(vii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on March 17, 2015.
 
(vii)
(A)
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Global Investors, Inc. dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(vii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 22, 2015.
   
(B)
Amended Schedule A to Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Global Investors, Inc. – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
 
(viii)
 
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and AlphaMark Advisors, LLC dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(viii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 20, 2015.
 
(ix)
(A)
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and AlphaClone, Inc. dated September 28, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(x) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on October 23, 2015.
   
(B)
Amended Schedule A to Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and AlphaClone, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(ix)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 26, 2016.
C-1

 
 
(x)
 
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between AlphaClone, Inc. and Vident Investment Advisory, LLC dated September 28, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(xi) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on October 23, 2015.
 
(xi)
 
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC dated February 18, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(xi) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on June 21, 2016.
 
(xii)
 
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC and Penserra Capital Management LLC dated February 18, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(xii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on June 21, 2016.
 
(xiii)
 
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and Premise Capital, LLC dated April 14, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(xiii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 22, 2016.
 
(xiv)
 
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and CSat Investment Advisory, L.P., d/b/a ACSI Funds, dated July 14, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(xiv) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 5, 2016.
 
(xv)
 
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and SerenityShares Investments LLC – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
 
(xvi)
 
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between SerenityShares Investments LLC and Vident Investment Advisory, LLC – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
(e)
(i)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (AlphaClone Alternative Alpha ETF) dated May 16, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(i) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on May 23, 2012.
 
(ii)
(A)
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Vident ETFs) dated August 22, 2013 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(ii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 5, 2013.
   
(B)
Amended Schedule A to Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Vident ETFs) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(ii)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on October 14, 2014.
 
(iii)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Deep Value ETF) dated July 31, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(iii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 8, 2014.
 
(iv)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Validea Market Legends ETF) dated November 17, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(v) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 5, 2014.
 
(v)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Master Income ETF) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(vii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 31, 2014.
 
(vi)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Diamond Hill Valuation-Weighted 500 ETF) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(vii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on March 17, 2015.
 
(vii)
(A)
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (U.S. Global Jets ETF) dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(vii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 22, 2015.
   
(B)
Amended Schedule A to Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (U.S. Global ETFs) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
 
(viii)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(ix) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 20, 2015.
 
(ix)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(xi) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 18, 2015.
 
(x)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (AlphaClone ETFs) dated August 17, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(xii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on October 23, 2015.
 
(xi)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Aerospace & Defense ETF and Drone ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
C-2

 
 
(xii)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Whetstone Energy Infrastructure ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
 
(xiii)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Aptus Behavioral Momentum ETF) dated February 18, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(xiv) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on June 21, 2016.
 
(xiv)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Premise Capital Frontier Advantage Diversified Tactical ETF) dated April 14, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(xv) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 22, 2016.
 
(xv)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (American Customer Satisfaction Index ETF) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(xv) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 5, 2016.
 
(xvi)
 
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (SerenityShares ETFs) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
 
(xvii)
 
Form of Authorized Participant Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(iii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on May 23, 2012.
(f)
   
Not applicable.
(g)
(i)
(A)
Custody Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bank National Association dated May 16, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on May 23, 2012.
   
(B)
Amended Exhibit C (AlphaClone ETFs) and Amended Exhibit D (Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF) to Custody Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 18, 2015.
   
(C)
Amended Exhibit E (Vident Funds) to Custody Agreement – is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on October 14, 2014.
   
(D)
Exhibit F (Deep Value ETF) to Custody Agreement, dated July 31, 2014 are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(C) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 8, 2014.
   
(E)
Exhibit H (Validea Market Legends ETF) to Custody Agreement dated November 17, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(D) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 5, 2014.
   
(F)
Exhibit I (Diamond Hill Valuation-Weighted 500 ETF) to Custody Agreement dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(E) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on March 17, 2015.
   
(G)
Exhibit J (Master Income ETF) to Custody Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(F) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 31, 2014.
   
(H)(1)
Exhibit K (U.S. Global ETFs) to Custody Agreement dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(G) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 22, 2015.
   
(H)(2)
Amended Exhibit K (U.S. Global ETFs) to Custody Agreement – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(I)
Exhibit L (AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF) to Custody Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(H) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 20, 2015.
   
(J)
Exhibit N (Aptus Behavioral Momentum ETF) to Custody Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(J) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on June 21, 2016.
   
(K)
Exhibit P (Premise Capital Frontier Advantage Diversified Tactical ETF) to Custody Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(K) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 22, 2016.
   
(L)
Exhibit O (American Customer Satisfaction Index ETF) to Custody Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(L) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 5, 2016.
   
(M)
Exhibit to Custody Agreement (Aerospace & Defense ETF and Drone ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(N)
Exhibit to Custody Agreement (Whetstone Energy Infrastructure ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(O)
Exhibit to Custody Agreement (SerenityShares ETFs) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
C-3

 
(h)
(i)
(A)
Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC dated May 16, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on May 23, 2012.
   
(B)
Amended Exhibit B (AlphaClone ETFs) and Exhibit C (Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 18, 2015.
   
(C)
Amended Exhibit D (Vident Funds) to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on October 14, 2014.
   
(D)
Exhibit E (Deep Value ETF) to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement, dated July 31, 2014 are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(C) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 8, 2014.
   
(E)
Exhibit G (Validea Market Legends ETF) to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement dated November 17, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(D) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 5, 2014.
   
(F)
Exhibit H (Diamond Hill Valuation-Weighted 500 ETF) to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(E) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on March 17, 2015.
   
(G)
Exhibit I (Master Income ETF) to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(F) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 31, 2014.
   
(H)(1)
Exhibit J (U.S. Global ETFs) to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(G) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 22, 2015.
   
(H)(2)
Amended Exhibit J (U.S. Global ETFs) to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(I)
Exhibit K (AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF) to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(H) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 20, 2015.
   
 (J)
Exhibit M (Aptus Behavioral Momentum ETF) to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(J) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on June 21, 2016.
   
(K)
Exhibit O (Premise Capital Frontier Advantage Diversified Tactical ETF) to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(K) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 22, 2016.
   
(L)
Exhibit N (American Customer Satisfaction Index ETF) to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(L) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 5, 2016.
   
(M)
Exhibit to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement (Aerospace & Defense ETF and Drone ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(N)
Exhibit to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement (Whetstone Energy Infrastructure ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(O)
Exhibit to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement (SerenityShares ETFs) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
 
(ii)
(A)
Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC dated May 16, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on May 23, 2012.
   
(B)
Amended Exhibit A (AlphaClone ETFs) and Amended Exhibit B (Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 18, 2015.
   
(C)
Amended Exhibit C (Vident Funds) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on October 14, 2014.
   
(D)
Exhibit D (Deep Value ETF) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement, dated July 31, 2014 are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(C) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 8, 2014.
 
C-4

 
   
(E)
Exhibit F (Validea Market Legends ETF) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement dated November 17, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(D) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 5, 2014.
   
(F)
Exhibit G (Diamond Hill Valuation-Weighted 500 ETF) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(E) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on March 17, 2015.
   
(G)
Exhibit H (Master Income ETF) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(F) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 31, 2014.
   
(H)(1)
Amended Exhibit I (U.S. Global ETFs) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(G) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 22, 2015.
   
(H)(2)
Amended Exhibit I (U.S. Global ETFs) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(I)
Exhibit J (AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(H) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 20, 2015.
   
(J)
Exhibit L (Aptus Behavioral Momentum ETF) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(J) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on June 21, 2016.
   
(K)
Exhibit N (Premise Capital Frontier Advantage Diversified Tactical ETF) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(K) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 22, 2016.
   
(L)
Exhibit M (American Customer Satisfaction Index ETF) to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(L) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 5, 2016.
   
(M)
Exhibit to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement (Aerospace & Defense ETF and Drone ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(N)
Exhibit to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement (Whetstone Energy Infrastructure ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(O)
Exhibit to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement (SerenityShares ETFs) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
 
(iii)
(A)
Transfer Agent Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC dated May 16, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(ii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on May 23, 2012.
   
(B)
Amendment dated July 1, 2015 to Transfer Agent Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 6, 2015.
   
(C)
Amended Exhibit A (AlphaClone ETFs) and Amended Exhibit B (Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF) to Transfer Agent Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(C) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 18, 2015.
   
(D)
Amended Exhibit C (Vident Funds) to Transfer Agent Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on October 14, 2014.
   
(E)
Exhibit D (Deep Value ETF) to Transfer Agent Agreement, dated July 31, 2014 are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(C) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 8, 2014.
   
(F)
Exhibit F (Validea Market Legends ETF) to Transfer Agent Agreement dated November 17, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(D) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 5, 2014.
   
(G)
Exhibit G (Diamond Hill Valuation-Weighted 500 ETF) to Transfer Agent Agreement dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(E) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on March 17, 2015.
   
(H)
Exhibit H (Master Income ETF) to Transfer Agent Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(F) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 31, 2014.
C-5

 
   
(I)(1)
Amended Exhibit I (U.S. Global ETFs) to Transfer Agent Agreement dated February 19, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(G) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 22, 2015.
   
(I)(2)
Amended Exhibit I (U.S. Global ETFs) to Transfer Agent Agreement – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(J)
Exhibit J (AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF) to Transfer Agent Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(H) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 20, 2015.
   
(K)
Exhibit L (Aptus Behavioral Momentum ETF) to Transfer Agent Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(K) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on June 21, 2016.
   
(L)
Exhibit N (Premise Capital Frontier Advantage Diversified Tactical ETF) to Transfer Agent Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(L)to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 22, 2016.
   
(M)
Exhibit M (American Customer Satisfaction Index ETF) to Transfer Agent Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(M) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 5, 2016.
   
(N)
Exhibit to Transfer Agent Agreement (Aerospace & Defense ETF and Drone ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(O)
Exhibit to Transfer Agent Agreement (Whetstone Energy Infrastructure ETF) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(P)
Exhibit to Transfer Agent Agreement (SerenityShares ETFs) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
 
(iv)
(A)
Powers of Attorney dated May 21, 2014 are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iv) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on June 9, 2014.
   
(B)
Powers of Attorney dated August 22, 2014 are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iv)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 8, 2014.
 
(v)
(A)
Compliance Services Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC dated August 17, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(v)(A) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 18, 2015.
   
(B)
Amended Exhibit A to Compliance Services Agreement dated December 8, 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(v)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 20, 2016.
   
(C)
Amended Exhibit A to Compliance Services Agreement (New Series) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
 
(vi)
 
Certificate of Secretary dated September 1, 2015 with respect to powers of attorney is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(vi) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 3, 2015.
 
(vii)
 
Securities Lending Agreement between the U.S. Bank National Association and the Trust dated February 29, 2016 – filed herewith.
(i)
   
Opinion and Consent of Counsel is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 30 , 2015.
(j)
   
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – filed herewith.
(k)
   
Not applicable.
(l)
(i)
 
Initial Capital Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC dated April 23, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (l)(i) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on May 23, 2012.
 
(ii)
 
Letter of Representations between the Trust and Depository Trust Company dated May 21, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (l)(ii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on May 23, 2012.
(m)
(i)
(A)
Rule 12b-1 Plan is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on May 23, 2012.
   
(B)
Amended Schedule A to Rule 12b-1 Plan dated August 3, 2016 – is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 5, 2016.
   
(C)
Amended Schedule A to Rule 12b-1 Plan (New Series) – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
(n)
   
Not applicable.
(o)
   
Reserved.
C-6

 
(p)
(i)
 
Code of Ethics for the Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(i) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on May 23, 2012.
 
(ii)
 
Code of Ethics for Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC dated December 2016 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(ii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 20, 2016.
 
(iii)
 
Code of Ethics for Quasar Distributors, LLC dated March 17, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(iv) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on May 23, 2014.
 
(iv)
 
Code of Ethics for Mellon Capital Management Corporation dated March 12, 2013 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(iv) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 5, 2013.
 
(v)
 
Code of Ethics for Validea Capital Management, LLC – is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(v) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on March 14, 2016.
 
(vi)
 
Code of Ethics for Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(vi) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on March 17, 2015.
 
(vii)
 
Code of Ethics for Penserra Capital Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(viii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 31, 2014.
 
(viii)
 
Code of Ethics for Vident Investment Advisory, LLC dated October 31, 2014 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(ix) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 30, 2014.
 
(ix)
 
Code of Ethics for U.S. Global Investors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(ix) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on April 22, 2015.
 
(x)
 
Code of Ethics for AlphaMark Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(x) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed April 20, 2015.
 
(xi)
 
Code of Ethics for AlphaClone, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(xii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on October 23, 2015.
 
(xii)
 
Code of Ethics for Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(xii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on March 17, 2016.
 
(xiii)
 
Code of Ethics for Premise Capital, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(xiii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 22, 2016.
 
(xiv)
 
Code of Ethics for CSat Investment Advisory L.P., d/b/a ACSI Funds is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(xiv) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 5, 2016.
 
(xiv)
 
Code of Ethics for SerenityShares Investments, LLC – to be filed by subsequent amendment.

Item 29.  Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant

No person is directly or indirectly controlled by or under common control with the Registrant.

Item 30.  Indemnification

The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee, and, subject to the provisions of the By-Laws, the Trust out of its assets may indemnify and hold harmless each and every Trustee and officer of the Trust from and against any and all claims, demands, costs, losses, expenses, and damages whatsoever arising out of or related to such Trustee’s or officer’s performance of his or her duties as a Trustee or officer of the Trust; provided that nothing herein contained shall indemnify, hold harmless or protect any Trustee or officer from or against any liability to the Trust or any Shareholder to which he or she would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in or with respect to their or his or her capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or Trustee shall not be personally liable thereon.

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such Trustee, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

C-7

Item 31.  Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser

This Item incorporated by reference each investment adviser’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (“Form ADV”) on file with the SEC, as listed below. Each Form ADV may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.  Additional information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by each officer and director of the below-listed investment advisers is included in the Trust’s Statement of Additional Information.

Investment Adviser
SEC File No.
AlphaClone, Inc.
801-70889
AlphaMark Advisors, LLC
801-58156
Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC
801-107723
CSat Investment Advisory L.P.
801-74619
Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc.
801-32176
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC
801-70485
Mellon Capital Management Corporation
801-19785
Penserra Capital Management, LLC
801-80466
Premise Capital, LLC
801-74819
SerenityShares Investments, LLC
801-[ ]
U.S. Global Investors, Inc.
801-4868
Validea Capital Management, LLC
801-66767
Vident Investment Advisory, LLC
801-80534

Item 32.  Principal Underwriter.

(a)   Quasar Distributors, LLC, the Registrant’s principal underwriter, acts as principal underwriter for the following investment companies:

Academy Funds Trust
Kirr Marbach Partners Funds, Inc.
Advisors Series Trust
LKCM Funds
Aegis Funds
LoCorr Investment Trust
Allied Asset Advisors Funds
Lord Asset Management Trust
Alpha Architect ETF Trust
MainGate Trust
Alpine Equity Trust
Managed Portfolio Series
Alpine Income Trust
Manager Directed Portfolios
Alpine Series Trust
Matrix Advisors Value Fund, Inc.
Angel Oak Funds Trust
Matrix Advisors Funds Trust
Appleton Funds
Merger Fund
Barrett Opportunity Fund, Inc.
Monetta Trust
Bridge Builder Trust
Nicholas Family of Funds, Inc.
Bridges Investment Fund, Inc.
Oaktree Funds
Brookfield Investment Funds
Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds, Inc.
Brown Advisory Funds
Perritt Funds, Inc.
Buffalo Funds
PRIMECAP Odyssey Funds
CG Funds Trust
Professionally Managed Portfolios
DoubleLine Funds Trust
Prospector Funds, Inc.
ETF Managers Trust
Provident Mutual Funds, Inc.
ETF Series Solutions
Rainier Investment Management Mutual Funds
Evermore Funds Trust
RBC Funds Trust
First American Funds, Inc.
Series Portfolio Trust
C-8

 
FundX Investment Trust
Stone Ridge Trust
Glenmede Fund, Inc.
Stone Ridge Trust II
Glenmede Portfolios
Stone Ridge Trust III
GoodHaven Funds Trust
Stone Ridge Trust V
Greenspring Fund, Inc.
Thompson IM Funds, Inc.
Guinness Atkinson Funds
Trust for Professional Managers
Harding Loevner Funds, Inc.
Trust for Advised Portfolios
Hennessy Funds Trust
USA Mutuals
Horizon Funds
Victory Portfolios II
Hotchkis & Wiley Funds
Wall Street EWM Funds Trust
Intrepid Capital Management Funds Trust
Westchester Capital Funds
IronBridge Funds, Inc.
Wisconsin Capital Funds, Inc.
Jacob Funds, Inc.
YCG Funds
Jensen Portfolio, Inc.
 

(b)
To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the directors and executive officers of Quasar Distributors, LLC are as follows:

Name and Principal
Business Address
Position and Offices with Quasar Distributors, LLC
Positions and Offices with Registrant
James R. Schoenike (1)
President, Board Member
None
Andrew M. Strnad (2)
Vice President, Secretary
None
Joseph C. Neuberger (1)
Board Member
None
Robert Kern (1)
Board Member
None
Susan LaFond (1)
Vice President, Treasurer
None
Peter A. Hovel (1)
Chief Financial Officer
None
Teresa Cowan (1)
Senior Vice President, Assistant Secretary
None
Brett Scribner (3)
Assistant Treasurer
None
(1)   This individual is located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53202.
(2)   This individual is located at 6602 East 75th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46250.
(3)   This individual is located at 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55402.

(c)   Not applicable.

Item 33.  Location of Accounts and Records

The books and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 are maintained at the following locations:
Records Relating to:
Are located at:
Registrant’s Fund Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street, 3 rd Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53202
Registrant’s Custodian
U.S. Bank, National Association
1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
Registrant’s Principal Underwriter
Quasar Distributors, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53202
C-9

 
Records Relating to:
Are located at:
Registrant’s Investment Advisers
AlphaClone, Inc.
One Market Street, Steuart Tower
Suite 1208
San Francisco, California 94105
AlphaMark Advisors, LLC
250 Grandview Drive, Suite 175
Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky 41017
Aptus Capital Advisors, LLC
407 Johnson Avenue
Fairhope, Alabama 36532
CSat Investment Advisory L.P.
625 Avis Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Diamond Hill Capital Management, Inc.
325 John H. McConnell Boulevard, Suite 200
Columbus, Ohio 43215
 
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC
10900 Hefner Pointe Drive, Suite 207
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120
 
Premise Capital, LLC
300 E. 5th Avenue, Suite 265
Naperville, IL 60563
 
SerenityShares Investments, LLC
6615 Hillandale Road
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
 
U.S. Global Investors, Inc.
7900 Callaghan Road
San Antonio, Texas 78229
 
Validea Capital Management LLC
363 Ridgewood Road
West Hartford, Connecticut 06107
 
Registrant’s Investment Sub-Advisers
Mellon Capital Management Corporation
50 Fremont Street
San Francisco, California 94105
Penserra Capital Management, LLC
140 Broadway, 26 th Floor
New York, New York 10005
Vident Investment Advisory, LLC
300 Colonial Center Parkway, Suite 330
Roswell, Georgia 30076

Item 34.  Management Services
Not applicable.

Item 35.  Undertakings
Not applicable.
C-10

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this registration statement under rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A to be signed below on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, on December 21, 2016.

ETF Series Solutions

By: /s/ Michael D. Barolsky      
Michael D. Barolsky, Esq.
Vice President and Secretary

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on December 21, 2016.


Signature
Title
   
* /s/ Ronald T. Beckman  
Trustee
Ronald T. Beckman
 
   
*/s/ David A. Massart  
Trustee
David A. Massart
 
   
* /s/ Leonard M. Rush  
Trustee
Leonard M. Rush
 
   
*/s/ Michael A. Castino  
Trustee
Michael A. Castino
 
   
*/s/ Paul R. Fearday  
President
Paul R. Fearday
 
   
*/s/ Kristen M. Weitzel  
Treasurer
Kristen M. Weitzel
 
   
*By:       /s/ Michael D. Barolsky                   
Michael D. Barolsky, Attorney-in-Fact
pursuant to Powers of Attorney





INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit
Number
 
 
Description
( h)(vii )
 
Securities Lending Agreement
(j)
 
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm





SECURITIES LENDING AGREEMENT

THIS SECURITIES LENDING AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is made and entered into effective as of February 29, 2016, by and between U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION ("Bank") and ETF SERIES SOLUTIONS, a Delaware statutory trust, on behalf of each respective series identified in Exhibit A attached hereto and made a part hereof (each such series hereinafter referred to as a separate "Customer"), as such Exhibit A may be amended by the parties from time to time.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, Customer is an open-end management investment company registered under  the Investment Company Act which offers its shares in one or more  separate  series,  with  each  such series representing a separate and distinct pool of cash, securities and other assets; and

WHEREAS, the Customer desires to have the Bank engage in securities lending as Customer's agent with respect to certain Securities; and

WHEREAS, the Bank and the Customer desire to specify the terms and conditions under which such securities lending will be performed.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual premises, covenants and undertakings set forth herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.
                Definitions .  For purposes hereof:

(a)
      "Borrower" shall be, subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, one or more (i) broker-dealers registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"); (ii) broker-dealers exempt from registration under 15(a)(l) of the 1934 Act as a dealer in exempted Government Securities, or (iii) bank(s), with which the Bank or one of its agents has established a securities lending agreement whereby Borrower may borrow Securities and which the Customer has expressly approved in accordance with the last sentence of this paragraph. Such potential Borrowers are listed in Exhibit B attached hereto and made a part hereof.  Borrowers may be added to or deleted from Exhibit B by (i) the Customer by means of written notice delivered by the Customer to the Bank, or (ii) written notice delivered by the Bank to the Customer  which  is  confirmed  by  the  Customer  via letter, fax or e-mail.
 
(b)
       "Borrower Agreement" shall have the meaning provided such term in Section 3(a) hereof.

(c)
        "Borrower Rebate Fee" shall have the meaning provided such term in Section 3(b) hereof.

(d)
        "Business Day" shall mean, with respect to any Loan hereunder, a day on which regular trading occurs in the principal market for the Loaned Securities  subject to  such Loan, provided, however, that for purposes of determining the Market Value of any Securities  hereunder,  such term  shall  mean a day  on which  regular trading  occurs  in the


F-I



principal market for the Securities whose value is being determined. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall a Saturday or Sunday be considered a Business Day.

(e)
            "Cash Collateral" shall mean cash denominated in United States dollars.

(f)
              "Close of Trading" shall mean, with respect to any Security, the end of the primary trading session established by the principal market for such Security on a Business Day.

(g)
              "Collateral" shall be assets which the Bank shall receive from Borrower(s) to secure Loans on behalf of a Customer in the form of (i) Cash Collateral, which may be conve1ied into Collateral Investments upon the direction of Customer, and any Proceeds derived therefrom, (ii) securities issued or guaranteed by the United States Government or its agencies, or (iii) irrevocable bank letters of credit issued by a person other than the Borrower or an affiliate thereof, or equivalent obligation denominated in United States dollars.

(h)
              "Collateral Account" shall mean the segregated account with U.S. Bank managed and maintained by U.S. Bank on behalf of the Customers and designated as a collateral account for the benefit of the Customers on the records of U.S. Bank for the purpose of holding uninvested Collateral and Proceeds and Collateral Investments for Customers. Each Customer's specific interest in the Collateral Account shall at all times be separately calculable in the records of U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank may pool the Collateral received on behalf of its separate Customers, but may not commingle the Collateral of the Customers with the assets of any other clients or customers of U.S. Bank.

(i)
                "Collateral Investments" shall mean any investment instrument, as agreed upon in writing by Bank and Customer from time to time, in which Collateral and Proceeds may be invested under this Agreement.

G)                "Customer Information Sheet" shall have the meaning provided such term in Section 9(d) hereof.

(k)
            "Foreign Securities" shall mean Securities that are principally cleared and settled outside the United States.

(l)
            "Investment Company Act" shall mean the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(m)
           "Government Securities" shall mean government securities as defined in Section 3(a)(42)(A)-(C) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(n)
           "Loaned Securities" shall be those Securities which are loaned to the Borrower(s) by the Bank, securities identical to such Securities, or securities equivalent to such loaned securities in the event of a reorganization, recapitalization or merger affecting the originally loaned securities.

(o)
          "Loans" shall be the lending of Securities to Borrower(s).

2

 
(p)
      "Margin Percentage" shall mean, with respect to any Loan as of any date, a percentage agreed to by the Borrower and the Bank, provided that in no event shall the Margin Percentage be less than (i) 105% of the Market Value of any Loaned Securities that are Foreign Securities and (ii) 102% of the Market Value of any other Loaned Securities.

(q)
       "Mark to Market" shall be the procedure whereby the Bank determines the Market Value of Collateral and Loaned Securities.

(r)
        "Market Value" shall be:

 
(i)
             If the principal market for the securities to be valued is a national securities exchange in the United States, their Market Value shall be determined by their last sale price on such exchange at the most recent Close of Trading or, if there was no sale on the Business Day of the most recent Close of Trading, by the last sale price at the Close of Trading on the next preceding Business Day on which there was a sale on such exchange, all as quoted on the Consolidated Tape or, if not quoted on the Consolidated Tape, then as quoted by such exchange, including where applicable, accrued interest to the extent not already included therein, unless market practice with respect to the valuation of such securities in connection with securities loans is to the contrary.

(ii)
            If the principal market for the securities to be valued is the over- the-counter market, and the securities are quoted on The Nasdaq Stock Market ("Nasdaq"), their Market Value shall be the Nasdaq Official Closing Price or, if the securities are issues for which Official Closing Prices are not quoted on Nasdaq, the last bid price at such Close of Trading. If the relevant quotation is  not available at such Close of Trading, then the Market Value shall be the relevant quotation on the next preceding Close of Trading at which there was such a quotation, including where applicable, accrued interest to the extent not already included therein, unless market practice with respect to the valuation of such securities in connection with securities loans is to the contrary.

(iii)
            If  the  principal  market  for the  securities  is not  identified  in either
(i)
or (ii) above, their Market Value shall be determined in accordance with market practice for such securities, based on the price for such securities as of the most recent Close of Trading obtained from a generally recognized source agreed to by the Bank and the Borrower(s) or the closing bid quotation at the most recent Close of Trading obtained from such a source. If the relevant quotation is not available at such Close of Trading, then the Market Value shall be the relevant quotation on the next preceding Close of Trading at which there was such a quotation, including where applicable, accrued interest to the extent not already included therein, unless market practice with respect to the valuation of such securities in connection with securities loans is to the contrary.

(iv)
            The Market Value of a letter of credit shall be the outstanding amount thereof.


3

 


(s)
                 "Net Income" shall mean net income denominated in United States dollars received as proceeds from securities lending transactions (after payment of any applicable Borrower Rebate Fees).

(t)
                "Person" shall be any natural person, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, firm, association, trust, unincorporated organization, government or governmental agency or political subdivision or any other entity, whether acting in an individual, fiduciary or other capacity.

(u)
                 "Proceeds" shall mean interest, dividends and other payments and distributions received by Bank in connection with a Customer's Collateral Investments.

(v)
                   "Securities" shall be securities, of any type, that are owned or controlled by the Customer and that have been hereby approved for use in securities lending by the Customer.

(w) "Substitute Payments" shall mean payments in amounts equal to all distributions made to holders of Loaned Securities during the term of the loan, including, but not limited to, cash dividends, interest payments, shares of stock as a result of stock splits, and rights to purchase additional securities.

2.
           Appointment and Acceptance . The Customer hereby appoints the Bank as its agent for the purpose of lending Securities; and the Bank hereby agrees to accept such appointment and act in such capacity.

3.
         Delivery of Securities; Receipt of Collateral; Return of Collateral . · Until given written notice of termination pursuant to Section 15, the Customer hereby authorizes the Bank, and the Bank agrees, to undertake the following:

(a)
            To enter into securities loan agreements with Borrower(s) which set forth terms consistent with this Agreement. The Customer acknowledges that the standard form(s) of Borrower Agreement(s) entered or to be entered with Borrowers will be substantially in the form of the most current Master Securities Loan Agreement produced by the Securities Industry and Financial Market Association and the Customer authorizes the Bank to lend Securities to Borrowers pursuant to agreements substantially in the form thereof ( each such agreement referred to herein as a "Borrower Agreement"). The Customer may from time to time direct the Bank not to enter into loans with a Borrower,  as the Customer specifies by written notice to the Bank, in each case notwithstanding the Customer's prior approval of such Borrower in accordance with the terms  contained herein.

(b)
             To negotiate fees with Borrowers in connection with securities lending, subject to the following requirements: In the case of a Loan for which the Collateral is Cash Collateral, the Bank shall negotiate a fee denominated in United States dollars ("Borrower Rebate Fee") to be paid by the Bank to the Borrower on behalf of the Customer. In the case of a Loan for which the Collateral is non-cash, the Bank shall negotiate a loan fee denominated in United States dollars to be paid by the Borrower.

4


(c)
                To deliver to Borrowers, from time to time, such Securities as the Bank may in its discretion select for securities lending in accordance with this Agreement.

(d)
                To use the securities lending services and custodial services of other financial institutions, including, without limitation, U.S. Bancorp Asset Management, Inc. and other financial institutions that are agents or affiliates of the Bank as agents of the Bank, for the benefit of the Customer, as the Bank in its sole discretion shall determine to be necessary or desirable to perform securities lending on behalf of the Customer.

(e)
                 In connection with each Loan, to receive from the Borrower, at the time the Securities are loaned, Collateral of a value at least equal to (i) 105% of the then current Market Value of any Loaned Securities that are Foreign Securities, or (ii) 102% of the then current Market Value of any other Loaned Securities. Such Collateral shall be held as security by the Bank on behalf of the Customer for the due and punctual performance by the Borrower of any and all of the Borrower's obligations under the Borrower Agreement. Customer's uninvested Collateral and Proceeds and Collateral Investments shall be held in the Collateral Account.

(f)
                To hold and safekeep the Collateral on behalf of the Customer with other securities lending collateral held by the Bank, provided that the Customer's specific interest in the Customer's Collateral shall at all times be noted in the records of the Bank, provided further, however, that all Collateral shall be held separate from any other securities held by the Bank on behalf of an other person or entity.

(g)
               To invest Cash Collateral for the benefit of the Customer.

(h)
               Upon termination of any Loan, to liquidate Collateral Investments and to return the Collateral to the Borrower in accordance with the Borrower Agreement so long as the Borrower is not in default and the Bank receives the Loaned Securities from the Borrower.

(i)
                 To receive from the Borrower Substitute Payments and to forward such Substitute Payments to the Customer.
G) To pay to the Borrower all interest and  dividend  payments  received  on Securities which are held as Collateral, provided that there is no material default by the Borrower of the terms and conditions of the Borrower Agreement, in cases where the Borrower  has provided  non-cash  Collateral  in the form of securities,  in whole or in part.

(k)
                To originate or terminate any Loan at any time as the Bank may in its sole discretion determine pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, without prior notice to the Customer.

(1)
                 In connection with the Customer's Loaned Securities, to collect loan fees owed by Borrowers and income earned on Collateral Investments, and to dispose of such monies pursuant to Sections 3(b) and 8 of this Agreement.

5


(m)
              To disclose to any Borrower, or to any Person pa1iy to an investment entered into pursuant to Section 3(g) above, the name of the Customer and such other information required by such Borrower or such Person to enable such Borrower or such Person to comply with applicable federal or state law, as the Bank may in its sole discretion deem necessary.

(n)
                To group the Customer's securities together with the securities of other securities lending customers for the purposes of facilitating Loans to Borrowers. The Customer acknowledges that whether particular securities are loaned depends on many variables, including, but not limited to, the demand for a particular security by Borrowers, the Bank's automated queuing system for efficient utilization of all available securities for lending transactions, and the quantity of a particular security that is held in the lendable pool, and that the Bank cannot ensure that the Customer's Securities will become the subject of any particular Loan or that the Customer's Securities will be loaned.

4.
               Voting Rights . Customer shall not retain voting rights of Loaned Securities while loaned to any Borrower.
 
5.
                Mark to Market. The Bank shall on a daily basis (a) Mark to Market Loaned Securities and Collateral. If the Market Value of the Collateral at the close of trading on a Business Day is less than the Margin Percentage of the Market Value of the Loaned Securities at the close of trading on that day, the Bank shall seek to obtain from the Borrower, by the close of business on the following Business Day, an additional amount of Collateral the Market Value of which, together with the Market Value of all previously delivered collateral, equals at least the Margin Percentage of the Market Value of the Loaned Securities as of such preceding day. In the event that the Market Value of the Collateral exceeds the Margin Percentage of the Market Value of the Loaned Securities, the Bank may return part of the Collateral to the Borrower as long as the Market Value of the remaining Collateral equals at least the Margin Percentage of the Market Value of the Loaned Securities.

6.
              Accountings . The Bank shall include in a monthly report to the Customer daily information concerning all securities loans outstanding, including an accounting of all securities lending transactions.

7.
            Loan Termination by Customer.
 
 
(a)
         Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the Customer may, in its sole discretion, elect to terminate a Loan on a termination date established by notice given to the Bank prior to the close of business on a Business Day. The termination date established by a termination notice shall be a date no earlier than the standard settlement date that would apply to a purchase or sale of the Loaned Securities, which date shall be determined in accordance with the terms of the Borrower Agreement. Upon receipt of such notice, the Bank shall notify the appropriate Borrower for return of the Loaned Securities in accordance with the terms of the Borrower Agreement.


6

 

(b)
            The Bank shall be deemed to have received appropriate notice as required by this Section 7 upon receipt of written or oral directions (i) signed or given by any person whose name and signature is listed on the most recent ce1tificate delivered by the Customer to the Bank which lists those persons authorized to give directions in the name and on behalf of the Customer or (ii) signed or given by any other person(s), duly authorized by the Customer to give directions to the Bank hereunder or whom the Bank reasonably believes to be so authorized. Appropriate notice as required by this Section 7 shall include notice sent to the Bank by letter, memorandum, telegram, cable, telex, telecopy facsimile, e-mail, video (CRT) terminal or other online system, or similar means of communication, or given over the telephone or in person.

8.
Fees .

(a)
              The Customer shall pay fees to the Bank in the amount and at such times set forth on Exhibit C attached hereto and made a part hereof as though fully set f01ih herein. The provisions of Exhibit C may be renegotiated at any time upon five days written notice by either party hereto and may be amended by a separate writing between the Bank and the Customer. The Bank shall charge such fees against Net Income; provided, however, that if not so charged, the Customer shall pay such fees.

(b)
              Any Borrower Rebate Fee incurred by a Customer arising from the receipt of cash as Collateral for Loaned Securities shall be charged against the gross income received by the Customer as proceeds from securities lending transactions and the Bank shall pay such Borrower Rebate Fee to the appropriate Borrower on behalf of the Customer; provided, however, that if not so charged, the Customer shall pay such Borrower Rebate Fee.

9.
Customer Representations and Warranties .
(a)
               The Customer represents and warrants that: (i) the Customer has the legal right, power and authority to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to carry out all of the transactions contemplated hereby; (ii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Customer will not violate any provision of its charter, bylaws or any other governing documents, or any law, or any regulation, interpretation or order or any court or other government agency, or judgment, applicable to the Customer; (iii) the Customer has obtained all necessary authorizations, including those from any persons who may have an interest in the Securities, including the consent or approval of any governmental agency or instrumentality; (iv) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the carrying out of any of the transactions contemplated hereby will not be in conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute a default under any agreement or other instrument to which the Customer is a party or which is otherwise known to the Customer, including but not limited to, liens against and/or pledges of Securities; and (v) all persons executing this Agreement on behalf of the Customer and carrying out the transactions contemplated hereby on behalf of the Customer are duly authorized to do so.

(b)
                The Customer represents and warrants that it is an "investment company" as defined in the Investment  Company  Act and that it will  indicate  each "affiliate"  as

defined in the Investment Company Act by instructing the  Bank  not  to  lend  the Customer's Securities to such Borrower, or to enter into repurchase agreements on Customer's behalf with such Borrower and/or its affiliates, by completion of Exhibit  B hereto.

7

(c)
       The Customer is aware that it is possible to loan portfolio securities without incurring the loan fees payable pursuant hereto by administering such a program itself, rather than hiring the Bank.

(d)
           The Customer represents and warrants that each Person who owns, controls or possesses securities which may be lent pursuant to this agreement is identified in the Customer Information Sheet attached hereto as Exhibit D and made a part hereof, such Customer Information Sheet to be updated from time to time upon written notice to the Bank from the Customer ("Customer Information Sheet") and that the tax identification number of such Person is set f01ih opposite such Person's name on such Customer Information Sheet.

(e)
         The Customer represents and warrants that (i) it has reviewed and  understands the offering memorandum or similar materials relating to Customer's initial Collateral Investment; (ii) it will review and develop an understanding of the offering memorandum or similar materials in connection with any future  Collateral  Investments;  and (iii) it will provide a Collateral Investment letter for acceptance by  Bank  in  substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit E and  made a part hereof  in connection with  each Collateral Investment.

(:f)     The  Customer  represents  and  warrants  that  the  information  contained  in the attached Customer Information Sheet is complete and accurate in all respects as of the date hereof and the Customer acknowledges and affirms that the Bank may rely upon the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in  the  Customer  Information Sheet  in complying  with its obligations  under applicable  laws and regulations.

(g) The Customer represents and warrants that all recitals contained herein are true and correct in all respects.

10.
Bank Responsibilities . The Bank's duties and responsibilities shall only be those expressly set fo1th in this Agreement. The Bank hereby agrees that it shall at all times during the term of this Agreement exercise its reasonable care and efforts in performing its obligations hereunder. The Bank will perform such obligations and responsibilities in accordance with all applicable laws, including, but not limited to, Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations. The Bank intends to rely on the Securities and Exchange Commission no-action letters entitled Sife Trust Fund (Feb. 17, 1982), Norwest Bank Minnesota. N.A. (May 25, 1995) and The Chase Manhattan Bank (July 24, 2001) in performing its responsibilities under this Agreement. Neither the Bank nor its agents shall be responsible for any loss or liability arising from their performance of the Bank's duties under this Agreement, except for direct loss or liability (including reasonable fees a nd expenses of counsel incurred by the Customer but not consequential or punitive damages) arising from the Bank's, or its agent's, willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of the Bank's duties under this Agreement.  In no event shall the Bank be liable for special, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits or loss of business, arising under or in connection with this Agreement, even if previously informed of the possibility of such damages and regardless of the form of action. The foregoing shall be a continuing obligation of the Bank and the Bank's successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of any Loans hereunder or of this Agreement.
 

8


11.
Customer Responsibilities .
 
(a)
              The Customer agrees to (i) promptly notify the Bank of any change that the Customer wishes to make to Exhibit B, (ii) promptly notify the Bank if any information contained in the Customer Information Sheet becomes inaccurate or untrue and (iii) indemnify the Bank for any losses resulting from the Customer's failure to adhere to the provisions of Subsection (a) of this Section 11.

(b)
             The Customer agrees that, to the extent any loss arising out of investments of Cash Collateral results in a deficiency in the amount of Collateral available for return to a Borrower, the Customer shall pay to the Bank, on demand, cash in an amount equal to such deficiency.

 
(c)
            The Customer acknowledges that the Bank is acting as an agent on the Customer's behalf in connection with the lending of the Customer's assets and the investment of cash received as Collateral for such Loans. The Customer understands that it bears the risks of investment loss, including (i) any decline in value of Cash Collateral investments and (ii) subject to Section 12, loss resulting from any securities lending default by a Borrower.

(d)
            The Customer acknowledges that it is responsible for paying any taxes that are incurred as a result of Loans made on behalf of the Customer, and the Customer agrees that it shall reimburse the Bank for any taxes paid on Customer's behalf by the Bank.

(e)
              The Customer agrees to reimburse the Bank and to hold the Bank harmless from and against any and all direct costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel incurred by the Bank (but not consequential or punitive damages) which the Bank may sustain or incur or which may  be asserted against the Bank by reason of or as a result of any action taken or omitted by the Bank in connection with operating under this Agreement (including, but not limited to, actions or omissions related to the lending of Securities to Borrowers or the holding or investment of Collateral or resulting from the Customer's failure to comply with its obligations under Section 1l(a) hereof, other than those costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims arising out of the Bank's gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, as adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction. The foregoing shall be a continuing obligation of the Customer and the Customer's successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of any Loans hereunder or of this Agreement. After a claim has been adjudicated, the Bank may charge any amounts to which it is entitled hereunder based on such adjudication against the account in which the Customer's Securities are held.

9

 

12.
Indemnification .

(a)
In the event of a Borrower's material default of the terms and conditions of the Borrower Agreement, the Bank shall:

(i)
take all actions the Bank deems appropriate, in its sole discretion, to liquidate the Collateral,

(ii)
at its own expense, but subject to the Customer's obligations pursuant to Section 11(c) hereto, replace as soon as reasonably practicable such Loaned Securities with identical securities or the equivalent thereof in the event of a reorganization, recapitalization or merger of the issuer of the Loaned Securities, or

(iii)
if the Bank is unable to obtain replacement securities, the Bank shall provide the Customer with immediately available funds in an amount equal to the Market Value of such Loaned Securities. The Market Value shall be calculated (1) in the case of a Borrower insolvency, on the date of such insolvency, or (2) in the case of a Borrower's failure to return Loaned Securities, on the date that the Bank deposits funds to the Customer's account.

(b)
If the Market Value of the Collateral on the date of such replacement or credit is less than that which is required to purchase replacement securities or to provide equivalent funds to the Customer as a result of a decrease in the Market Value of investments of Cash Collateral, the Bank will not be responsible for such decrease. In such event, the Bank shall purchase and deposit replacement securities, or deposit cash to the Customer's account, in an amount equal to the then current Market Value of Cash Collateral investments. If the Market Value of the Collateral on the date of such replacement or credit is less than that which is required to purchase replacement securities or to credit equivalent funds to Customer's account as a result of any reason other than a decrease in the Market Value of investments of Cash Collateral, Bank shall pay such additional amounts as are necessary to purchase replacement securities in an amount equal to the Market Value of such Loaned Securities or credit equivalent funds to Customer's account as of the date of such replacement. The Bank shall not be liable for any appreciation in the Market Value of the Loaned Securities subsequent to such date.

(c)
The Customer agrees that the Bank shall be subrogated to the rights of the Customer in the Collateral and against the Borrower to the extent of any amount paid by the Bank to the Customer hereunder.

(d)
Except as provided for  herein,  the Bank  shall  have  no additional  liability to the Customer relating to any Borrower's  failure  to  return  Loaned  Securities  and  no duty or obligation to take action to effect payment  by  a Borrower  of any  amounts  owed  by such Borrower  pursuant to the Borrower Agreement.

(e)
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Bank shall not be required to act inconsistently with (i) any court or government agency order regarding such Collateral or
(ii)
the Borrower Agreement.

10

 
(f)
With respect to its use in this Section 12, a Borrower's "insolvency" is defined to mean any of the following: (i) the Borrower shall commence any case or proceeding under any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, liquidation, dissolution or similar law, or seek the appointment of a receiver, conservator, trustee, custodian or similar official for such party or any substantial part of its property; (ii) any case, proceeding or appointment referred to in the preceding Clause (i) shall be commenced against the Borrower, or any application shall be filed against the Borrower for a protective decree under the provisions of the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970 as amended, any of which (A) is consented to or not timely contested  by the Borrower, (B) results in the entry of any order for relief, such an appointment, the issuance of such a protective decree or the entry of any order having a similar effect, or (C) is not dismissed within 15 days; (iii) the Borrower shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (iv) the Borrower shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts as they become due.

13.
Agreement Modification . This Agreement, together with the Exhibits hereto, contains a complete statement of the parties with respect to its subject matter, supersedes all existing agreements between them concerning the subject and cannot be amended or modified in any manner except by a written agreement executed by all parties hereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Exhibit A may be amended in a writing executed by all parties hereto to add or remove series of the Customer, Exhibit B may be amended in the manner set forth in the definition of "Borrower" contained in Section 1, the fee schedule set forth in Exhibit C may be amended and renegotiated in the manner set forth in Section 8(a), and Exhibit E may be amended as set forth in Section 9(e).

14.
Notice . Any notice required to be given in writing under this Agreement shall be delivered by hand or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to U.S. Bancorp Asset Management, Inc., 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, Attention: Securities Lending, or such other address provided by the Bank, and to the Customer at the most recent address of such party provided to the Bank.

15.
Termination . This Agreement may be terminated at any time by the Bank or the Customer upon thirty (30) days' prior written notice to the other party. All outstanding Loans, unless a Customer shall specify otherwise, shall remain outstanding until such Loans terminate pursuant to the securities loan agreement with Borrower, even if such date is past the termination date established by either party pursuant to this Section 15 (but subject to Section 7 and to any other agreement between the Customer and the Bank).

16.
Assignment. This Agreement shall not be assignable by the Bank or the Customer without the written consent of the other party, except that the Bank may assign this Agreement to an affiliate of the Bank. Subject to the preceding sentence hereof, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns.

17.
Governing Law . This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota without reference to its conflicts or choice of law principles.

11

18.
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

12


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have entered into this Securities Lending Agreement effective as of the day and year first above written.

ETF SERIES SOLUTIONS


By: /s/ Michael D. Barolsky
Name: Michael D. Barolsky
Title: Vice President and Secretary
Date:   February 29, 2016

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION


By: /s/ Kenneth L. Delecki
Name: Kenneth L. Delecki
Title: Head of Securities Lending
Date: February 29, 2016


13

 

EXHIBIT  A
 
LIST OF CUSTOMERS
 
as of February 29, 2016

AlphaClone Alternative Alpha ETF
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
 
 
 




EXHIBITB
 
APPROVED BORROWERS
 
The following entities are pre-approved as "Borrowers" pursuant to Section 1 of the Agreement unless the Customer places an "X" on the line across from a Borrower name.

The Bank of Nova Scotia
_____________________
Bank of Montreal
_____________________
Barclays Capital, Inc.
_____________________
BMO Capital Markets Corp
_____________________
BNP Paribas Prime Brokerage, Inc
_____________________
BNP Paribas Securities Corp
_____________________
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.
_____________________
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
_____________________
Commerz Markets LLC
_____________________
Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc.
_____________________
Credit Suisse Securities (USA), LLC
_____________________
Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.
_____________________
First Clearing, LLC
_____________________
Goldman Sachs & Co.
_____________________
HSBC Securities (USA), Inc.
_____________________
ING Financial Markets, LLC
_____________________
Jefferies & Company, Inc.
_____________________
J.P. Morgan Clearing Corp
_____________________
J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc.
_____________________
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc.
_____________________
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc.
_____________________
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
_____________________
National Financial Services LLC
_____________________
Pershing, LLC
_____________________
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
_____________________
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
_____________________
RBS Securities, Inc.
_____________________
Scotia Capital (USA), Inc.
_____________________
SG Americas Securities, LLC
_____________________
Societe Generale, New York Branch
_____________________
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
_____________________
TD Securities (USA) LLC
_____________________
UBS Securities, LLC
_____________________
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
_____________________
   


ETF SERIES SOLUTIONS on behalf of its series listed in Exhibit A as may be amended from time to time

By: /s/ Michael D. Barolsky
Name: Michael D. Barolsky
Title: Vice President and Secretary
Date: February 29, 2016




EXHIBITC
 LOAN FEE SCHEDULE
 
In consideration of existing prohibitions under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and rules thereunder, solely arising from Bank's affiliation with Customer's current principal underwriter ("Underwriter"), Customer and Bank agree that Bank shall not receive any portion of Customer's Net Income or any other form of direct compensation from Customer for services performed under the Agreement. Customer and Bank agree to renegotiate this Loan Fee Schedule should such existing prohibitions change or should Bank and/or Underwriter be granted relief from such prohibitions.

Customer acknowledges that it may elect to invest its Cash Collateral in one or more series of First American Funds, Inc. (each a "Fund"), for which Bank, Underwriter, or other affiliates of Bank may provide management, administrative, distribution, custodial, transfer agency, accounting, shareholder servicing and other services. Customer further acknowledges that Bank, Underwriter, or other affiliates of Bank may receive fees for providing services to any Fund, as disclosed in such Fund's prospectus ("Prospectus"). As stated in Exhibit E of the Agreement, Customer represents and warrants that it has reviewed and understands the Prospectus.



EXHIBIT D
CUSTOMER INFORMATION SHEET
 
 
Please provide the Bank with the following information: Name: ETF Series Solutions
Tax identification number: see below (for multiple tax identification numbers, please use the bottom half of this page)

Principal place of business: 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202 State and nation of incorporation or organization:  Delaware, U.S.
Address (or the address of our registered agent) within state of incorporation or organization: The Corporation Trust Company, Corporation Trust Center 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, Delaware 19801.

If multiple legal entities will be lending securities under this Customer Agreement, please list the name of each entity and its unique tax identification number below (attach additional pages if necessary):
 
Name
Tax ID
AlphaClone Alternative Alpha ETF
45-4712863
Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund
46-4068095

 

EXHIBIT E

ELECTION OF COLLATERAL INVESTMENT

U.S. Bank, N.A.
800 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55402 Ladies and Gentlemen:
 
Pursuant to the Securities Lending Agreement ("Agreement") between U.S. Bank,  N.A. and ETF Series Solutions ("Customer"), Customer desires to elect the Collateral Investment into which Cash Collateral  and Proceeds  are invested  (as such terms are defined  in the Agreement).

Customer hereby requests that the following be designated as a Collateral Investment pursuant to Section 1 of the Agreement through August 31, 2016: First American Prime Obligations Fund, Class Z, a series of First American Funds, Inc. ("Fund"). Customer hereby requests that the following be designated as a Collateral Investment pursuant to Section 1 effective September 1, 2016: First American Government Obligations Fund, Class Z. This election to use the Fund does not otherwise amend the terms of the Agreement.

Customer represents and warrants that it is familiar with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and that it has reviewed and understands the prospectus dated October 30, 2015 relating to the Fund.

Please acknowledge your agreement to the terms set out above by signing and dating where indicated below.
 
Signed for and on behalf of the Customer:
Acceptance:
 
 
ETF Series Solutions
U.S. Bank, N.A. hereby confirms acceptance
of the terms set out above.
 
 
By: /s/ Michael D. Barolsky
By: /s/ Kenneth L. Delecki
 
 
 Name: Michael D. Barolsky Name: Kenneth L. Delecki
   
 Title: Vice President and Secretary Title: Head of Securities Lending
   
Date:   February 29, 2016  Date: February 29, 2016

   
 



 
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated October 28, 2016, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights of   Vident International Equity Fund, Vident Core U.S. Equity Fund, and Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy ETF, each a series of ETF Series Solutions, for the year ended August 31, 2016, and to the references to our firm under the headings “Financial Highlights” in the Prospectus and “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” in the Statement of Additional Information.


/s/Cohen & Company, Ltd.

Cohen & Company, Ltd.
Cleveland, Ohio
December 20, 2016