REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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x
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Pre‑Effective Amendment No. ___
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¨
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Post‑Effective Amendment No. 586
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x
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and
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REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
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x
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Amendment No. 587
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x
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¨
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immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
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x
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on December 31, 2019 pursuant to paragraph (b)
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¨
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60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
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¨
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on ______________ pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
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¨
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75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
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¨
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on pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.
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|
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Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
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|
Management Fees
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0.80%
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Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
|
None
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Other Expenses
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0.00%
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
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0.80%
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Less Fee Waiver
|
0.21%
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver1
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0.59%
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|
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1
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The Fund’s investment adviser has agreed to waive 21 basis points (0.21%) of its management f ees for the Fund until at least December 31, 2020. This agreement may be terminated only by, or with the consent o f, the Fund’s Board of Trustees.
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1 Year: $60
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3 Years: $234
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5 Years: $424
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10 Years: $970
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The remaining companies are then evaluated based on valuation metrics. The companies within the Index are weighted based on a rules-based assessment of their valuations relative to each other so that, at the time of each reconstitution, the 5 most undervalued companies are each weighted at 7.5%, the next 5 most undervalued companies are each weighted at 4.5% and the next 10 most undervalued companies are each weighted at 4.0%. From time to time, the Index may include more or less than 20 companies as a result of events such as acquisitions, spin-offs and other corporate actions.
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Valuation Metrics
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||
Enterprise Value (EV): A company’s market capitalization adjusted to eliminate any capital structure bias (e.g., by subtracting debt and cash or cash equivalents).
EBITDA: A company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Free Cash Flow (FCF): A company’s cash flow from operations minus capital expenditures. |
•
|
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 or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities, such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including: expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic and banking crises.
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•
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ETF Risks. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks:
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◦
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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, 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.
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◦
|
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
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◦
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Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant.
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◦
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Trading . Although Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares.
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•
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Market Risk. The trading prices of equity 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. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, sector of the economy or the market as a whole. The Fund’s net asset value per share (“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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•
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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.
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•
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Passive Investment Risk . The Fund is not actively managed and the Adviser would not sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution of the Index in accordance with the Index methodology. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, the Index, regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund.
|
•
|
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.
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•
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Sector Risk. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.
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•
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Tax Risk . To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain diversification requirements. In particular, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets or (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. Given the concentration of the Index in a relatively small number of securities, it may not always be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements 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 replicate or represent the Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. If the Fund were to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements, it could incur penalty taxes and be forced to dispose of certain assets, or it could fail to qualify as a regulated investment company. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.
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•
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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.
|
•
|
Value Investing Risk. The Index methodology is based on a “value” style of investing, and consequently, the Fund could suffer losses or produce poor results relative to other funds, even in a rising market, if the methodology used by the Index to determine a company’s “value” or prospects for exceeding earnings expectations or market conditions is wrong. In addition, “value stocks” can continue to be undervalued by the market for long periods of time.
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Deep Value ETF
|
1 Year
|
Since Inception
(9/22/2014) |
Return Before Taxes
|
-5.49%
|
7.83%
|
Return After Taxes on Distributions
|
-6.05%
|
7.10%
|
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares
|
-2.78%
|
6.04%
|
|
|
|
Deep Value Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
|
-4.95%
|
8.56%
|
|
|
|
S&P 500 TR Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
|
-4.38%
|
7.70%
|
(1)
|
Commencement of operations on September 22, 2014.
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(2)
|
Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year/period.
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(3)
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Represents less than $0.005.
|
(4)
|
Not annualized.
|
(5)
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Annualized.
|
(6)
|
Effective January 1, 2019 the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive 21 basis points (0.21%) of its management fees for the Fund until at least December 31, 2019. The Adviser voluntarily waived an additional 33 basis points (0.33%) of its management fee during the period March 6, 2019 through August 31, 2019.
|
(7)
|
Effective January 1, 2018 the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive 21 basis points (0.21%) of its management fees for the Fund until at least December 31, 2018. The Adviser voluntarily waived an additional 8 basis points (0.08%) during the year and voluntarily reimbursed the Fund an additional $30,758.
|
(8)
|
Effective January 1, 2017 the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive 21 basis points (0.21%) of its management fees for the Fund until at least December 31, 2017. The Adviser voluntarily waived an additional 10 basis points (0.10%) of its management fees during the period from January 1, 2017 through August 31, 2017.
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(9)
|
Excludes the impact of in-kind transactions.
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Adviser
|
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC
10900 Hefner Pointe Drive, Suite 207
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120
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Index Provider
|
DVP Holdings, LLC
520 Madison Avenue, 26th Floor
New York, New York 10022
|
Custodian
|
U.S. Bank National Association
1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
|
Transfer Agent,
Fund Accountant
and Fund
Administrator
|
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
d/b/a U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
|
Legal Counsel
|
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004-2541
|
Distributor
|
Quasar Distributors, LLC
777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 6th Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
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Independent
Registered Public
Accounting Firm
|
Cohen & Company, Ltd.
342 North Water Street, Suite 830
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
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|
|
•
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Free of charge from the SEC’s EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov; or
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•
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Free of charge from the Fund’s Internet website at www.dvpfund.com; or
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•
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For a fee, by e-mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov.
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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 stocks 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.
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2.
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Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
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3.
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Make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
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4.
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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.
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5.
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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.
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6.
|
Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
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1.
|
The Fund will not invest in illiquid investments, if, as a result of such investment, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment.
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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.
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Name and
Year of Birth |
Position Held with the Trust
|
Term of Office and Length of Time Served
|
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee
|
Other Directorships Held by Trustee During Past 5 Years
|
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 (wealth management firm) (2000–2011).
|
50
|
Independent Trustee, Managed Portfolio Series (39 portfolios) (since 2011).
|
David A. Massart
Born: 1967 |
Trustee
|
Indefinite term;
since 2012 |
Co-Founder, President, and Chief Investment Strategist, Next Generation Wealth Management, Inc. (since 2005).
|
50
|
Independent Trustee, Managed Portfolio Series (39 portfolios) (since 2011).
|
Janet D. Olsen
Born: 1956 |
Trustee
|
Indefinite term;
since 2018 |
Retired; formerly Managing Director and General Counsel, Artisan Partners Limited Partnership (investment adviser) (2000–2013); Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc. (2012–2013); Vice President and General Counsel, Artisan Funds, Inc. (investment company) (2001–2012).
|
50
|
Independent Trustee, PPM Funds (9 portfolios) (since 2018).
|
Interested Trustee
|
|||||
Michael A. Castino
Born: 1967 |
Trustee and Chairman
|
Indefinite term; Trustee
since 2014; Chairman since 2013 |
Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2013); Managing Director of Index Services, Zacks Investment Management (2011–2013).
|
50
|
None
|
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 |
Kristina R. Nelson
Born: 1982 |
President
|
Indefinite term;
since 2019 |
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2014); Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2013–2014).
|
Michael D. Barolsky
Born: 1981 |
Vice President and Secretary
|
Indefinite term;
since 2014 (other roles since 2013) |
Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2019); Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2012–2019); Associate, Thompson Hine LLP (law firm) (2008–2012).
|
James R. Butz
Born: 1982 |
Chief Compliance Officer
|
Indefinite term;
since 2015 |
Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2015); Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2014–2015); Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2011–2014).
|
Kristen M. Weitzel, CPA
Born: 1977 |
Treasurer
|
Indefinite term;
since 2014 (other roles since 2013) |
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2015); Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2011–2015); Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (accounting firm) (2005–2011).
|
Brett M. Wickmann
Born: 1982 |
Assistant Treasurer
|
Indefinite term;
since 2017 |
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2017); Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2012–2017).
|
Elizabeth A. Winske
Born: 1983 |
Assistant Treasurer
|
Indefinite term;
since 2017 |
Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2016); Officer, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2012–2016).
|
Jason Shlensky
Born: 1987 |
Assistant Treasurer
|
Indefinite term;
since 2019 |
Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2019); Officer, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2014–2019).
|
Name
|
Aggregate Compensation From Fund
|
Total Compensation From Fund Complex Paid to Trustees
|
Interested Trustee
|
||
Michael A. Castino
|
$0
|
$0
|
Independent Trustees
|
||
David A. Massart
|
$0
|
$133,250
|
Janet D. Olsen
|
$0
|
$133,250
|
Leonard M. Rush, CPA
|
$0
|
$148,625
|
Name and Address
|
% Ownership
|
Type of Ownership
|
Tiedemann Advisors, LLC
520 Madison Avenue, 26th Floor
New York, NY 10022
a Delaware limited liability company subsidiary of Tiedemann Wealth Management Holdings, LLC
|
83.24%*
|
Beneficial
|
National Financial Services, LLC
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
|
54.71%
|
Record
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
|
28.22%
|
Record
|
J.P. Morgan Chase Clearing Corporation
3 Chase Metrotech Center, 7th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11245-0001
|
5.06%
|
Record
|
*
|
Based on the percentage of shares owned as of September 30, 2019 (the most recent available date) as reported on Form 13F.
|
|
2019
|
2018
|
2017
|
Deep Value ETF
|
$938,753
|
$608,891
|
$507,818
|
|
2019*
|
2018
|
2017
|
Deep Value ETF
|
$82,476
|
$68,477
|
$45,674
|
|
Registered
Investment Companies*
|
Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles*
|
Other Accounts*
|
|||
Name
|
Number
of Accounts
|
Total Assets
(in millions)
|
Number of
Accounts
|
Total Assets
(in millions)
|
Number of
Accounts
|
Total Assets
(in millions)
|
Andrew Serowik
|
9
|
$513.91
|
0
|
$0
|
0
|
$0
|
Travis Trampe
|
9
|
$513.91
|
0
|
$0
|
0
|
$0
|
|
2019
|
2018
|
2017
|
Deep Value ETF
|
$155,285
|
$117,530
|
$78,789
|
|
2019
|
2018
|
2017
|
Deep Value ETF
|
$9,655
|
$18,514
|
$36,889
|
2019
|
2018
|
97%
|
126%
|
I.
|
Election of Board of Directors
|
n
|
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
|
n
|
Exchange Traded Concepts will support the recommendation of the respective corporation’s board of directors.
|
III.
|
Issues of Corporate Structure and Shareholder Rights
|
n
|
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
|
n
|
Exchange Traded Concepts supports the following types of corporate structure and shareholder rights proposals:
|
◦
|
Management proposals for approval of stock repurchase programs, stock splits (including reverse splits)
|
◦
|
Authorization to increase shares outstanding
|
◦
|
The ability of shareholders to vote on shareholder rights plans (poison pills)
|
◦
|
Shareholder rights to eliminate or remove super majority provisions
|
◦
|
Shareholder rights to call special meetings and to act by written consent
|
n
|
Exchange Traded Concepts votes against management on the following items which have potentially substantial financial or best interest impact:
|
◦
|
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
|
◦
|
Amendments to bylaws which would require super-majority shareholder votes to pass or repeal certain provisions
|
◦
|
Elimination of shareholders’ right to call special meetings
|
◦
|
Establishment of classified boards of directors
|
◦
|
Reincorporation in a state which has more stringent anti-takeover and related provisions
|
◦
|
Shareholder rights plans that allow the board of directors to block appropriate offers to shareholders or which trigger provisions preventing legitimate offers from proceeding
|
◦
|
Excessive compensation
|
◦
|
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
|
◦
|
Adjournment of meeting to solicit additional votes
|
◦
|
“Other business as properly comes before the meeting” proposals which extend “blank check” powers to those acting as proxy
|
◦
|
Proposals requesting re-election of insiders or affiliated directors who serve on audit, compensation, and nominating committees
|
IV.
|
Mergers and Acquisitions
|
n
|
Against offers with potentially damaging consequences for minority shareholders because of illiquid stock, especially in some non-US markets
|
n
|
For offers that concur with index calculators’ treatment and the ability to meet the clients’ return objectives for passive funds
|
n
|
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
|
n
|
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.
|
VI.
|
Corporate Social and Policy Issues
|
n
|
Proposals usually originate from shareholders and may require a revision of certain business practices and policies.
|
FUND SUMMARY – LONCAR CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY ETF
|
|
FUND SUMMARY – LONCAR CHINA BIOPHARMA ETF
|
|
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE INDEXES
|
|
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
|
|
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
|
|
MANAGEMENT
|
|
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES
|
|
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES
|
|
DISTRIBUTION
|
|
PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION
|
|
ADDITIONAL NOTICES
|
|
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
|
FUND SUMMARY – LONCAR CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY ETF
|
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
Management Fees
|
0.79%
|
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
|
0.00%
|
Other Expenses
|
0.00%
|
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
|
0.79%
|
1 Year:
|
$81
|
3 Years:
|
$252
|
5 Years:
|
$439
|
10 Years:
|
$978
|
(i)
|
The company has a cancer immunotherapy drug(s) approved by either the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency;
|
(ii)
|
The company has a cancer immunotherapy drug(s) in the human stage of testing;
|
(iii)
|
The company has announced intentions to begin human stage testing of a cancer immunotherapy drug(s); or
|
(iv)
|
The company has announced an immunotherapy collaboration or partnership with a major pharmaceutical company.
|
•
|
Depositary Receipt Risk. Depositary Receipts involve risks similar to those associated with investments in foreign securities, such as changes in political or economic conditions of other countries and changes in the exchange rates of foreign currencies. Depositary Receipts listed on U.S. exchanges are issued by banks or trust companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares (“Underlying Shares”). When the Fund invests in Depositary Receipts as a substitute for an investment directly in the Underlying Shares, the Fund is exposed to the risk that the Depositary Receipts may not provide a return that corresponds precisely with that of the Underlying Shares.
|
•
|
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, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities, such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers.
|
•
|
ETF Risks. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks:
|
◦
|
Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. 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, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become
|
◦
|
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
|
◦
|
Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines. Because certain 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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Trading . Although Shares are listed for trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”) and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares.
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Foreign Companies Risk. Investments in ADRs that provide exposure to securities traded in foreign markets involve substantial risk due to limited information; different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards; or adverse political or economic developments.
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Immunotherapy Companies Risk. Immunotherapy Companies are highly dependent on the development, procurement and marketing of drugs and the protection and exploitation of intellectual property rights. A company’s valuation can also be greatly affected if one of its products is proven or alleged to be unsafe, ineffective or unprofitable. The stock prices of Immunotherapy Companies have been and will likely continue to be very volatile.
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Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. As a result, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a smaller number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
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Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed, and its sub-adviser would not sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry, or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution or rebalancing of the Index in accordance with the Index methodology.
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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.
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Smaller Companies Risk. The Fund may invest in the securities of smaller-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund may be more volatile than funds that invest in larger, more established companies. The securities of smaller-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. Smaller-capitalization companies may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.
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Tax Risk. To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies (“RICs”), the Fund must satisfy certain diversification requirements. In particular, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets or (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. While the weighting of the Index is not inconsistent with these rules, given the concentration of the Index in a relatively small number of securities, it may not always be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements 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 replicate or represent the Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. If the Fund were to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements, it could incur penalty taxes and be forced to dispose of certain assets, or it could fail to qualify as a RIC. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a RIC, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.
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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.
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Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF
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1 Year
|
Since Inception
(10/13/2015) |
Return Before Taxes
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-20.26%
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-7.78%
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Return After Taxes on Distributions
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-20.26%
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-7.97%
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Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
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-11.99%
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-5.84%
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Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
-19.76%
|
-6.98%
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Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500 Index)
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
-4.38%
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9.44%
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Adviser:
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Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC
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Sub-Adviser:
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Vident Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA”) or the “Sub-Adviser”)
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Portfolio Managers:
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Denise M. Krisko, CFA, President of VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in October, 2015.
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Austin Wen, Portfolio Manager of VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since December, 2018.
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FUND SUMMARY – LONCAR CHINA BIOPHARMA ETF
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1 Year:
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$81
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3 Years:
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$252
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5 Years:
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$439
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10 Years:
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$978
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Market Capitalization (USD$)
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|
Weight Adjustment Factor
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$10 billion or more
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140%
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Between $1 billion and $10 billion
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|
100%
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From $200 million to $1 billion
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|
70%
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•
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China Biopharma Risk. The biopharmaceutical industry in China is strictly regulated and changes in such regulations, including banning or limiting certain products, may have a material adverse effect on the operations, revenues, and profitability of Biopharma Companies. The laws and regulations applicable to the process of administrative approval of medicine and its production in China require entities producing biopharma products to comply strictly with certain standards and specifications promulgated by the government. In the event that a product is discovered to be not compliant with the government’s standards and specifications, the health department may revoke its approval of such product, or otherwise limit the use of such product. Additionally, the process of conducting research and various tests on new products before obtaining a new medicine certificate from the National Medical Products Administration (“NMPA”) and subsequent procedures may take several years, and the price of certain biopharma products may be regulated in China. Changes in these laws and regulations, including banning or limiting certain products, could have a material adverse effect on the operations, revenues, and profitability of Biopharma Companies held by the Fund.
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•
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Currency Exchange Rate Risk. The Fund’s assets include 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 Shares. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile
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Depositary Receipt Risk. Depositary Receipts involve risks similar to those associated with investments in foreign securities, such as changes in political or economic conditions of other countries and changes in the exchange rates of foreign currencies. Depositary Receipts listed on U.S. exchanges are issued by banks or trust companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares (“Underlying Shares”). When the Fund invests in Depositary Receipts as a substitute for an investment directly in the Underlying Shares, the Fund is exposed to the risk that the Depositary Receipts may not provide a return that corresponds precisely with that of the Underlying Shares.
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•
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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, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities, such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers.
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•
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ETF Risks. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, it is exposed to the following risks:
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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, 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.
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Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
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Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines. Because certain 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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Trading . Although Shares are listed for trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”) and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares.
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•
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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, such as China, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region.
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Risks of Investing in China: Investments in Chinese issuers subject the Fund to risks specific to China. China may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability. China is a developing market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility from time to time in comparison to developed markets. Over the past 25 years, the Chinese government has undertaken reform of economic and market practices and is expanding the sphere of private ownership of property in China. However, Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly available information and/or political and social instability. Internal social unrest or confrontations with other neighboring countries, including military conflicts in response to such events, may also disrupt economic development in China and result in a greater risk of currency fluctuations, currency convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation. Export
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•
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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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•
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Limited Operating History. The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with a limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision.
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•
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Market Capitalization Risk
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Large-Capitalization Investing. 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. 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.
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Small-Capitalization Investing. The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of large- or mid-capitalization companies. The securities of small-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than large- or mid-capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. There is typically less publicly available information concerning smaller-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies.
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•
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Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. As a result, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a smaller number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
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•
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Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed, and its sub-adviser would not sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry, or sector, unless that security is removed from the Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution or rebalancing of the Index in accordance with the Index methodology.
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•
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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.
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•
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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’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index is so concentrated. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse occurrences affecting the Fund more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities of a particular industry, group of industries, or sector. A significant portion of the Fund’s assets will be invested in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, which expose the Fund to the risks of the following sector:
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Healthcare 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.
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•
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Tax Risk. To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to a regulated investment company (“RIC”), the Fund must satisfy, among other requirements described in the SAI, certain diversification requirements. Given the concentration of the Index in a relatively small number of securities, it may not always be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to replicate or represent the Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. If the Fund were to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements, it could be eligible for relief provisions if the failure is 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 requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a RIC for a tax year, and the relief provisions are not available, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. In such case, its shareholders would be taxed as if they received ordinary dividends, although corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends received deduction (subject to certain limitations) and individuals may be able to benefit from the lower tax rates available to qualified dividend income. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest, and make substantial distributions before requalifying as a RIC.
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•
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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.
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Adviser:
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Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC
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Sub-Adviser:
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Vident Investment Advisory, LLC (“VIA” or the “Sub-Adviser”)
|
Portfolio Managers:
|
Denise M. Krisko, CFA, President of VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2018
|
|
Habib Moudachirou, FRM, Senior Portfolio Manager of VIA, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2018
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•
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China Biopharma Risk (China BioPharma Fund only). The biopharmaceutical industry in China is strictly regulated and changes in such regulations, including banning or limiting certain products, may have a material adverse effect on the operations, revenues, and profitability of Biopharma Companies. The laws and regulations applicable to the process of administrative approval of medicine and its production in China require entities producing biopharma products to comply strictly with certain standards and specifications promulgated by the government. In the event that a product is discovered
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•
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Currency Exchange Rate Risk (China BioPharma 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 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.
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•
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Depositary Receipt Risk. The China BioPharma Fund may hold the securities of non-U.S. companies in the form of American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), and the Cancer Immunotherapy Fund may hold ADRs. ADRs are negotiable certificates issued by a U.S. financial institution that represent a specified number of shares in a foreign stock and trade on a U.S. national securities exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange. Sponsored ADRs are issued with the support of the issuer of the foreign stock underlying the ADRs and carry all of the rights of common shares, including voting rights. GDRs are similar to ADRs, but may be issued in bearer form and are typically offered for sale globally and held by a foreign branch of an international bank. The underlying issuers of certain depositary receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depositary receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. Issuers of unsponsored depositary receipts are not contractually obligated to disclose material information in the U.S. and, therefore, such information may not correlate to the market value of the unsponsored depositary receipt. The underlying securities of the ADRs and GDRs in the Fund’s portfolio are usually denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. Dollar. As a result, changes in foreign currency exchange rates may affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio. In addition, because the underlying securities of ADRs and GDRs trade on foreign exchanges at times when the U.S. markets are not open for trading, the value of the securities underlying the ADRs and GDRs may change materially at times when the U.S. markets are not open for trading, regardless of whether there is an active U.S. market for Shares.
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•
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Equity Market Risk. Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including: expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic and banking crises. If you held common stock, or common stock equivalents, of any given issuer, you would generally be exposed to greater risk than if you held preferred stocks and debt obligations of the issuer because common stockholders, or holders of equivalent interests, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from issuers in comparison with the rights of preferred stockholders, bondholders, and other creditors of such issuers.
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•
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ETF Risks. Each Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, is exposed to the following risks:
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APs, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
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Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Investors buying or selling Shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell Shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for Shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if Shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
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Shares 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 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) due to supply and demand of the Fund’s shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines. The market price of Fund shares during the trading day, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid/ask” spread charged by the exchange specialist, market makers or other participants that trade the Fund shares. In times of severe market disruption, the bid/ask spread can increase significantly. At those times, Fund shares are most likely to be traded at a discount to NAV, and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of Fund shares is falling fastest, which may be the time that you most want to sell your Fund shares. The Adviser believes that, under normal market conditions, large market price discounts or premiums to NAV will not be sustained because of arbitrage opportunities. Because securities held by the China BioPharma Fund trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the China BioPharma Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of an underlying security and the security’s last quoted price from the closed foreign market. This may result in premiums and discounts that are greater than those experienced by domestic ETFs.
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Trading. Although Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange “circuit breaker” rules, which temporarily halt trading on the Exchange when a decline in the S&P 500 Index during a single day reaches certain thresholds (e.g., 7%, 13%, and 20%). Additional rules applicable to the Exchange may halt trading in Shares when extraordinary volatility causes sudden, significant swings in the market price of Shares. There can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares.
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•
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Foreign Companies Risk (Cancer Immunotherapy Fund only). Investments in ADRs that provide exposure to securities traded in foreign markets involve substantial risk due to limited information; different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards; or adverse political or economic developments. The securities markets of foreign countries may be substantially smaller, less developed, less liquid and more volatile than the major securities markets in the U.S.
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•
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Foreign Securities Risk ( China BioPharma 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 Shares. Conversely, Shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Each of these factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
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•
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Geographic Investment Risk (China BioPharma 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.
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Risks of Investing in China : The Chinese economy is subject to a considerable degree of economic, political and social instability:
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•
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Political and Social Risk: The Chinese government is authoritarian and has periodically used force to suppress civil dissent. Disparities of wealth and the pace of economic liberalization may lead to social turmoil, violence and labor unrest. In addition, China continues to experience disagreements related to integration with Hong Kong and religious and nationalist disputes in Tibet and Xinjiang. There is also a greater risk in China than in many other countries of currency fluctuations, currency convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation as a result of internal social unrest or conflicts with other countries. Unanticipated political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. China’s growing income inequality and worsening environmental conditions also are factors that may affect the Chinese economy.
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▪
|
Government Control and Regulations: The Chinese government has implemented significant economic reforms in order to liberalize trade policy, promote foreign investment in the economy, reduce government control of the economy and develop market mechanisms. There can be no assurance these reforms will continue or that they will be effective. Despite recent reform and privatizations, significant regulation of investment and industry is still pervasive, and the Chinese government may restrict foreign ownership of Chinese corporations and/or repatriate assets. Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies that may be connected to governmental influence, a lack of publicly-available information and/or political and social instability.
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▪
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Economic Risk: The Chinese economy has grown rapidly during the past several years and there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. In fact, the Chinese economy may experience a significant slowdown as a result of, among other things, a deterioration in global demand for Chinese exports, as well as contraction in spending on domestic goods by Chinese consumers. In addition, China may experience substantial rates of inflation or economic recessions, which would have a negative effect on the economy and securities market. Delays in enterprise restructuring, slow development of well-functioning financial markets and widespread corruption have also hindered performance of the Chinese economy. China continues to receive substantial pressure from trading partners to liberalize official currency exchange rates.
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▪
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Expropriation Risk: The Chinese government maintains a major role in economic policymaking, and investing in China involves risk of loss due to expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property, or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and on repatriation of capital invested.
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▪
|
Hong Kong Political Risk: Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997 as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the PRC under the principle of “one country, two systems.” Although China is obligated to maintain the current capitalist economic and social system of Hong Kong through June 30, 2047, the continuation of economic and social freedoms enjoyed in Hong Kong is dependent on the government of China. Any attempt by China to tighten its control over Hong Kong’s political, economic, legal or social policies may result in an adverse effect on Hong Kong’s markets. In addition, the Hong Kong dollar trades at a fixed exchange rate in relation to (or, is “pegged” to) the U.S. dollar, which has contributed to the growth and stability of the Hong Kong economy. However, it is uncertain how long the currency peg will continue or what effect the establishment of an alternative exchange rate system would have on the Hong Kong economy. Because the Fund’s net asset value is denominated in U.S. dollars, the establishment of an alternative exchange rate system could result in a decline in the Fund’s net asset value.
|
•
|
Geopolitical Risk (China BioPharma 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.
|
•
|
Immunotherapy Companies Risk (Cancer Immunotherapy Fund only). The success of Immunotherapy Companies is highly dependent on the development, procurement and marketing of drugs. The values of such companies are also dependent on the development, protection and exploitation of intellectual property rights and other proprietary information, and profitability may be significantly affected by such things as the expiration of patents or the loss of, or the inability to enforce, intellectual property rights. There can be no assurance that the steps taken by Immunotherapy Companies to protect their proprietary rights will be adequate to prevent misappropriation of their proprietary rights or that competitors will not independently develop products that are substantially equivalent or superior to such companies’ products. Immunotherapy Companies also rely on trade secrets, know-how and technology, which are not protected by patents, to maintain their competitive position. If any trade secret, know-how or other technology not protected by a patent were disclosed to, or independently developed by, a competitor, that company’s business and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.
|
◦
|
Market Capitalization Risk.
|
◦
|
Large-Capitalization Investing. 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.
|
◦
|
Mid-Capitalization Investing. 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.
|
◦
|
Small-Capitalization Investing. 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.
|
•
|
Limited Operating History ( China BioPharma Fund only) . The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with a limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision.
|
•
|
Non-Diversification Risk. Each Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. As a result, a Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a smaller number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase a Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on such Fund’s performance.
|
•
|
Passive Investment Risk. The Funds are not actively managed and the Sub-Adviser would not sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is removed from the a Fund’s Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a reconstitution of a Fund’s Index in accordance with the Index methodology. Each Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, their respective Index, regardless of their investment merits. The Funds do not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of such Fund.
|
•
|
Portfolio Turnover Risk . Each 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 a Fund’s expenses. Frequent trading may also cause adverse tax consequences for investors in a Fund due to an increase in short-term capital gains.
|
•
|
Sector Risk (China BioPharma Fund only). 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’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index is so concentrated. The Fund may be susceptible to an increased risk of loss, including losses due to adverse occurrences affecting the Fund more than the market as a whole, to the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in the securities of a particular industry, group of
|
◦
|
Health Care Sector Risk . Companies in the health care sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. Companies in the health care sector are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Healthcare 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.
|
•
|
Tax Risk. To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to RICs, a Fund must satisfy, among other requirements described in the SAI, certain diversification requirements. In particular, at the close of each quarter of a Fund’s taxable year: (A) at least 50% of the value of its total assets must be 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 than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, including the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership, and (B) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested, including through corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or more voting stock interest, in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of another RIC) of two or more issuers that the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships. While the weighting of an Index is not inconsistent with these rules, given the concentration of an Index in a relatively small number of securities, it may not always be possible for a Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. Each Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may affect the Fund’s execution of its investment strategy and may cause the Fund’s return to deviate from that of its Index, and the Fund’s efforts to replicate or represent the Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. If a Fund were to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements, it could be eligible for relief provisions if the failure is 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 requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period.
|
•
|
Tracking Error Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of each Fund and its respective Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Funds incur operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by an Index. In addition, the Funds may not be fully invested in the securities of their respective Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index. A Fund may use a representative sampling strategy to achieve its investment objective, if the Fund’s Sub-Adviser believes it is in the best interest of the Fund, which generally can be expected to produce a greater non-correlation risk.
|
Fund
|
Minimum Annual Fee
|
Asset-Based Fee
|
Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF
|
$15,000
|
0.05%
|
Loncar China BioPharma ETF
|
$25,000
|
0.06%
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
Period Ended
|
|
||||||||
|
August 31,
|
|
August 31,
|
|
August 31,
|
|
August 31,
|
|
||||||||
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
2016(1)
|
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Net asset value,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
beginning of year/period
|
$
|
25.73
|
|
|
$
|
25.69
|
|
|
$
|
24.08
|
|
|
$
|
25.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
INCOME (LOSS) FROM
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Net investment income (loss)(2)
|
(0.05
|
)
|
|
(0.09
|
)
|
|
(0.06
|
)
|
|
0.00
|
|
(3)
|
||||
Net realized and unrealized
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
gain (loss) on investments
|
(6.14
|
)
|
|
0.48
|
|
(7)
|
1.67
|
|
|
(0.81
|
)
|
|
||||
Total from investment operations
|
(6.19
|
)
|
|
0.39
|
|
|
1.61
|
|
|
(0.81
|
)
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Distributions from:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Net investment income
|
—
|
|
|
(0.35
|
)
|
|
—
|
|
|
(0.11
|
)
|
|
||||
Total distributions
|
—
|
|
|
(0.35
|
)
|
|
—
|
|
|
(0.11
|
)
|
|
||||
Net asset value,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
end of year/period
|
$
|
19.54
|
|
|
$
|
25.73
|
|
|
$
|
25.69
|
|
|
$
|
24.08
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Total return
|
-24.05
|
%
|
|
1.63
|
%
|
|
6.65
|
%
|
|
-3.32
|
%
|
(4)
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Net assets at end
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
of year/period (000’s)
|
$
|
34,195
|
|
|
$
|
59,172
|
|
|
$
|
41,097
|
|
|
$
|
21,675
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Expenses to average
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
net assets
|
0.79
|
%
|
|
0.79
|
%
|
|
0.79
|
%
|
|
0.79
|
%
|
(5)
|
||||
Net investment income (loss)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
to average net assets
|
(0.26
|
)%
|
|
(0.34
|
)%
|
|
(0.25
|
)%
|
|
(0.02
|
)%
|
(5)
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate(6)
|
58
|
%
|
|
78
|
%
|
|
34
|
%
|
|
46
|
%
|
(4)
|
(1)
|
Commencement of operations on October 13, 2015.
|
(2)
|
Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.
|
(3)
|
Less than $0.005.
|
(4)
|
Not annualized.
|
(5)
|
Annualized.
|
(6)
|
Excludes the impact of in-kind transactions.
|
(7)
|
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) per share in the caption are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net asset value per share for the period, and may not reconcile with the aggregate gain (loss) in the Statements of Operations due to share transactions for the period.
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
Period Ended
|
|
||||
|
August 31,
|
|
August 31,
|
|
||||
|
2019
|
|
2018(1)
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Net asset value, beginning of year/period
|
$
|
25.00
|
|
|
$
|
25.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Net investment income (loss)(2)
|
0.14
|
|
|
(0.01
|
)
|
|
||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency
|
(2.23
|
)
|
(6)
|
0.01
|
|
|
||
Total from investment operations
|
(2.09
|
)
|
|
—
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
||||
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Distributions from:
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Net investment income
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
||
Total distributions
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
||||
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Transaction fees
|
0.01
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
||
Net asset value, end of year/period
|
$
|
22.92
|
|
|
$
|
25.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Total return
|
-8.33
|
%
|
|
0.01
|
%
|
(3)
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
||||
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Net assets at end of year/period (000’s)
|
$
|
6,875
|
|
|
$
|
2,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS:
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Expenses to average net assets
|
0.79
|
%
|
|
0.79
|
%
|
(4)
|
||
Net investment income (loss) to average net assets
|
0.64
|
%
|
|
(0.78
|
)%
|
(4)
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Portfolio turnover rate(5)
|
35
|
%
|
|
0
|
%
|
(3)
|
(1)
|
Commencement of operations on August 14, 2018.
|
(2)
|
Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.
|
(3)
|
Not annualized.
|
(4)
|
Annualized.
|
(5)
|
Excludes the impact of in-kind transactions.
|
(6)
|
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) per share in this caption are balanced amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net assets value per share for the period, and may not reconcile with the aggregate gain (loss) in the Statement of Operations due to share transactions for the period.
|
Adviser
|
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC
10900 Hefner Pointe Drive, Suite 207
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120
|
Sub-Adviser
|
Vident Investment Advisory, LLC
1125 Sanctuary Parkway, Suite 515
Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
|
Transfer Agent,
Fund Accountant
and Fund
Administrator
|
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
d/b/a U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
|
Index Provider
|
Loncar Investments, LLC
P.O. Box 15072
Lenexa, Kansas 66285
|
Custodian
|
U.S. Bank National Association
1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
|
Distributor
|
Quasar Distributors, LLC
777 E. Wisconsin Avenue, 6th Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
|
Independent
Registered Public
Accounting Firm
|
Cohen & Company, Ltd.
342 North Water Street, Suite 830
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
|
Legal Counsel
|
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
|
•
|
Free of charge from the SEC’s EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov; or
|
•
|
Free of charge from the Funds’ Internet web site at www.LoncarFunds.com; or
|
•
|
For a fee, by e-mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov.
|
Appendix B
|
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 stocks 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.
|
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 tax-exempt securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
|
2.
|
Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
|
3.
|
Make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
|
4.
|
Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate, real estate investment trusts 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.
|
1.
|
The Fund will not hold illiquid investments if, as a result of such investment, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment.
|
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.
|
1.
|
The Fund will not invest in illiquid investments if, as a result of such investment, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment.
|
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 and depositary receipts representing component securities.
|
3.
|
The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investment purposes, in companies in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical sectors and economically tied to China (the “35d-1 Policy”).
|
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 (wealth management firm) (2000–2011).
|
50
|
Independent Trustee, Managed Portfolio Series (39 portfolios) (since 2011).
|
David A. Massart
Born: 1967 |
Trustee
|
Indefinite term;
since 2012 |
Co-Founder, President, and Chief Investment Strategist, Next Generation Wealth Management, Inc. (since 2005).
|
50
|
Independent Trustee, Managed Portfolio Series (39 portfolios) (since 2011).
|
Janet D. Olsen
Born: 1956 |
Trustee
|
Indefinite term;
since 2018 |
Retired; formerly Managing Director and General Counsel, Artisan Partners Limited Partnership (investment adviser) (2000–2013); Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc. (2012–2013); Vice President and General Counsel, Artisan Funds, Inc. (investment company) (2001–2012).
|
50
|
Independent Trustee, PPM Funds (9 portfolios) (since 2018).
|
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 |
Kristina R. Nelson
Born: 1982 |
President
|
Indefinite term;
since 2019 |
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2014); Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2013–2014).
|
Michael D. Barolsky
Born: 1981 |
Vice President and Secretary
|
Indefinite term;
since 2014 (other roles since 2013) |
Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2019); Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2012–2019); Associate, Thompson Hine LLP (law firm) (2008–2012).
|
James R. Butz
Born: 1982 |
Chief Compliance Officer
|
Indefinite term;
since 2015 |
Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2015); Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2014–2015); Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2011–2014).
|
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 |
Kristen M. Weitzel, CPA
Born: 1977 |
Treasurer
|
Indefinite term;
since 2014 (other roles since 2013) |
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2015); Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2011–2015); Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (accounting firm) (2005–2011).
|
Brett M. Wickmann
Born: 1982 |
Assistant Treasurer
|
Indefinite term;
since 2017 |
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2017); Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2012–2017).
|
Elizabeth A. Winske
Born: 1983 |
Assistant Treasurer
|
Indefinite term;
since 2017 |
Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2016); Officer, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2012–2016).
|
Jason Shlensky
Born: 1987 |
Assistant Treasurer
|
Indefinite term;
since 2019 |
Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2019); Officer, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2014–2019).
|
Name
|
Aggregate Compensation From Fund
|
Total Compensation From Fund Complex Paid to Trustees
|
Interested Trustee
|
||
Michael A. Castino
|
$0
|
$0
|
Independent Trustees
|
||
David A. Massart
|
$0
|
$133,250
|
Janet D. Olsen
|
$0
|
$133,250
|
Leonard M. Rush, CPA
|
$0
|
$148,625
|
Name and Address
|
% Ownership
|
Type of Ownership
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
211 Main Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-1905
|
18.01%
|
Record
|
National Financial Services, LLC
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
|
14.40%
|
Record
|
TD Ameritrade
200 S 108th Ave
Omaha, NE 68103
|
11.82%
|
Record
|
Euroclear SA/NV
1 Boulevard du Roi Albert II
1210 Brussels, Belgium
|
8.62%
|
Record
|
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399
|
5.09%
|
Record
|
Name and Address
|
% Ownership
|
Type of Ownership
|
TD Ameritrade
200 S 108th Ave
Omaha, NE 68103
|
34.97%
|
Record
|
Charles Schwab
211 Main Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
|
14.31%
|
Record
|
National Financial Services, LLC
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
|
12.31%
|
Record
|
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
333 West 34th Street
3rd Floor
New York, NY 10001-2402
|
10.78%
|
Record
|
Vanguard Brokerage Services
P.O. Box 1110
Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110
|
5.04%
|
Record
|
Name of Fund
|
Management Fee
|
Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF
|
0.79%
|
Loncar China BioPharma ETF
|
0.79%
|
Name of Fund
|
2019
|
2018
|
2017
|
Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF
|
$332,101
|
$414,521
|
$218,597
|
Loncar China BioPharma ETF
|
$21,994
|
$841(1)
|
N/A
|
Name of Fund
|
2019
|
2018
|
2017
|
Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF
|
$21,019
|
$26,235
|
$15,824
|
Loncar China BioPharma ETF
|
$1,670
|
$1,164(1)
|
N/A
|
Portfolio Manager
|
Type of Accounts
|
Total Number of Accounts
|
Total Assets of Accounts
|
Total Number of Accounts with Performance Based Fees
|
Total Assets of Accounts with Performance Based Fees
|
Denise M. Krisko, CFA
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
33
|
$4.06 billion
|
None
|
None
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
5
|
$106.7 million
|
None
|
None
|
|
Other Accounts
|
0
|
$0
|
None
|
None
|
|
Habib Moudachirou, FRM
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
3
|
$15.46 million
|
None
|
None
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
4
|
$52.1 million
|
None
|
None
|
|
Other Accounts
|
None
|
None
|
None
|
None
|
|
Austin Wen, CFA
|
Registered Investment Companies
|
21
|
$1.54 billion
|
None
|
None
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
1
|
$54.5 million
|
None
|
None
|
|
Other Accounts
|
None
|
None
|
None
|
None
|
Name of Fund
|
2019
|
2018
|
2017
|
Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF
|
$96,984
|
$113,464
|
$93,257
|
Loncar China BioPharma ETF
|
$85,775
|
$12,581(1)
|
N/A
|
|
2019
|
2018
|
2017
|
Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF
|
$37,065
|
$178,946
|
$39,945
|
Loncar China BioPharma ETF
|
$1,389
|
$5(1)
|
N/A
|
Name of Fund
|
2019
|
2018
|
Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF
|
58%
|
78%
|
Loncar China BioPharma ETF
|
35%
|
0%
|
Name of Fund
|
Short-Term Capital Loss Carryforward
|
Long-Term Capital Loss Carryforward
|
Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF
|
$11,530,065
|
$8,278,350
|
Loncar China BioPharma ETF
|
$111,184
|
—
|
I.
|
Election of Board of Directors
|
n
|
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
|
n
|
Exchange Traded Concepts will support the recommendation of the respective corporation’s board of directors.
|
III.
|
Issues of Corporate Structure and Shareholder Rights
|
n
|
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.
|
n
|
Exchange Traded Concepts supports the following types of corporate structure and shareholder rights proposals:
|
◦
|
Management proposals for approval of stock repurchase programs, stock splits (including reverse splits)
|
◦
|
Authorization to increase shares outstanding
|
◦
|
The ability of shareholders to vote on shareholder rights plans (poison pills)
|
◦
|
Shareholder rights to eliminate or remove super majority provisions
|
◦
|
Shareholder rights to call special meetings and to act by written consent
|
n
|
Exchange Traded Concepts votes against management on the following items which have potentially substantial financial or best interest impact:
|
◦
|
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
|
◦
|
Amendments to bylaws which would require super-majority shareholder votes to pass or repeal certain provisions
|
◦
|
Elimination of shareholders’ right to call special meetings
|
◦
|
Establishment of classified boards of directors
|
◦
|
Reincorporation in a state which has more stringent anti-takeover and related provisions
|
◦
|
Shareholder rights plans that allow the board of directors to block appropriate offers to shareholders or which trigger provisions preventing legitimate offers from proceeding
|
◦
|
Excessive compensation
|
◦
|
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
|
◦
|
Adjournment of meeting to solicit additional votes
|
◦
|
“Other business as properly comes before the meeting” proposals which extend “blank check” powers to those acting as proxy
|
◦
|
Proposals requesting re-election of insiders or affiliated directors who serve on audit, compensation, and nominating committees
|
IV.
|
Mergers and Acquisitions
|
n
|
Against offers with potentially damaging consequences for minority shareholders because of illiquid stock, especially in some non-US markets
|
n
|
For offers that concur with index calculators’ treatment and the ability to meet the clients’ return objectives for passive funds
|
n
|
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
|
n
|
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.
|
VI.
|
Corporate Social and Policy Issues
|
n
|
Proposals usually originate from shareholders and may require a revision of certain business practices and policies.
|
HONG KONG
|
|
|
|
January 1
|
April 10
|
May 1
|
October 1
|
January 27
|
April 13
|
June 25
|
October 2
|
January 28
|
April 30
|
July 1
|
October 26
|
|
|
|
December 25
|
|
|
(C)
|
Amended Exhibit B to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement (Loncar ETFs) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 10, 2018.
|
|
(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)
|
Exhibit D 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.
|
|
|
(C)
|
Amended Exhibit B to Transfer Agent Agreement (Loncar ETFs) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 20, 2018.
|
|
(iv)
|
(A)
|
Powers of Attorney dated July 18, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iv)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 3, 2018.
|
|
|
(B)
|
Power of Attorney dated January 10, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iv)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on January 24, 2019.
|
|
(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 and Restated Exhibit A to Compliance Services Agreement dated October 18, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(v)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on November 8, 2019.
|
|
(vi)
|
|
Certificate of Secretary dated January 10, 2019 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 January 24, 2019.
|
|
(viii)
|
|
Fee Waiver Agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC, dated December 19, 2019 – filed herewith.
|
(i)
|
(i)
|
|
Opinion and Consent of Counsel (Deep Value ETF) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on December 21, 2015.
|
|
(ii)
|
|
Opinion and Consent of Counsel (Loncar CNCR ETF) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on September 18, 2015.
|
|
(iii)
|
|
Opinion and Consent of Counsel (Loncar CHNA ETF) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on August 10, 2018.
|
(j)
|
(i)
|
|
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Deep Value ETF) – filed herewith.
|
|
(ii)
|
|
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Loncar ETFs) – 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 October 18, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(i)(B) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on November 8, 2019.
|
(n)
|
|
|
Not applicable.
|
(o)
|
|
|
Reserved.
|
(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 March 15, 2018.
|
|
(ii)
|
|
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.
|
|
(iii)
|
|
Code of Ethics for Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC dated June 2019 - filed herewith.
|
|
(iv)
|
|
Code of Ethics for Vident is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(iii) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed on July 25, 2017.
|
Investment Adviser
|
SEC File No.
|
Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC
|
801-70485
|
Vident Investment Advisory, LLC
|
801-80534
|
Brown Advisory Funds
|
Monetta Trust
|
Buffalo Funds
|
Nicholas Equity Income Fund, Inc.
|
CG Funds Trust
|
Nicholas Family of Funds, Inc.
|
Cushing® Mutual Funds Trust
|
Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds
|
DoubleLine Funds Trust
|
Perritt Funds, Inc.
|
ETF Series Solutions
|
PRIMECAP Odyssey Funds
|
Evermore Funds Trust
|
Professionally Managed Portfolios
|
First American Funds, Inc.
|
Prospector Funds, Inc.
|
FundX Investment Trust
|
Provident Mutual Funds, Inc.
|
Glenmede Fund, Inc.
|
Rainier Investment Management Mutual Funds
|
Glenmede Portfolios
|
RBB Fund, Inc.
|
GoodHaven Funds Trust
|
RBC Funds Trust
|
Greenspring Fund, Inc.
|
Series Portfolios Trust
|
Harding Loevner Funds, Inc.
|
Thompson IM Funds, Inc.
|
Hennessy Funds Trust
|
TigerShares Trust
|
Horizon Funds
|
TrimTabs ETF Trust
|
Hotchkis & Wiley Funds
|
Trust for Professional Managers
|
Intrepid Capital Management Funds Trust
|
Trust for Advised Portfolios
|
IronBridge Funds, Inc.
|
USA Mutuals
|
Jacob Funds, Inc.
|
Wall Street EWM Funds Trust
|
Jensen Quality Growth Fund Inc.
|
Westchester Capital Funds
|
Kirr Marbach Partners Funds, Inc.
|
Wisconsin Capital Funds, Inc.
|
LKCM Funds
|
YCG Funds
|
Signature
|
Title
|
|
|
*/s/ David A. Massart
|
Trustee
|
David A. Massart
|
|
|
|
*/s/ Janet D. Olsen
|
Trustee
|
Janet D. Olsen
|
|
|
|
*/s/ Leonard M. Rush
|
Trustee
|
Leonard M. Rush
|
|
|
|
*/s/ Michael A. Castino
|
Trustee
|
Michael A. Castino
|
|
|
|
*/s/ Kristina R. Nelson
|
President
|
Kristina R. Nelson
|
|
|
|
*/s/ Kristen M. Weitzel
|
Treasurer
|
Kristen M. Weitzel
|
|
|
|
*By: /s/ Michael D. Barolsky
Michael D. Barolsky, Attorney-in-Fact
pursuant to Powers of Attorney
|
Exhibit
Number
|
|
Description
|
(h)(viii)
|
|
Fee Waiver Agreement
|
(j)(i)
|
|
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Deep Value ETF)
|
(j)(ii)
|
|
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Loncar ETFs)
|
(p)(iii)
|
|
Code of Ethics for Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC dated June 2019
|
ETF SERIES SOLUTIONS
on behalf of the Deep Value ETF
/s/ Michael D. Barolsky
Michael D. Barolsky
Secretary and Vice President
|
EXCHANGE TRADED CONCEPTS, LLC
By: /s/ J. Garrett Stevens
Name: J. Garrett Stevens
Title: Chief Executive Officer
|
(a)
|
A direct pecuniary interest is the opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit, or to share the profit, from the transaction.
|
(b)
|
An indirect pecuniary interest is any non-direct financial interest, but is specifically defined in the rules to include securities held by members of your immediate family sharing the same household. An Access Person’s “immediate family” includes a spouse, minor children and adults living in the same household as the Access Person.
|
•
|
Securities held by a partnership of which you are a general partner;
|
•
|
Securities held by a trust of which you are the settlor if you can revoke the trust without the consent of another person, or a beneficiary if you have or share investment control with the trustee;
|
•
|
Equity securities which may be acquired upon exercise of an option or other right, or through conversion.
|
•
|
For interpretive guidance on this test, you should consult counsel.
|
a)
|
Trusts for which an Employee or Access Person acts as trustee, executor, custodian or discretionary manager;
|
b)
|
Accounts for the benefit of the Employee’s or Access Person’s spouse or minor child;
|
c)
|
Accounts for the benefit of a relative living with the Employee or Access Person;
|
d)
|
Accounts for the benefit of any person who receives material financial support from the Employee or Access Person.
|
•
|
Stocks
|
•
|
Bonds
|
•
|
Futures
|
•
|
Exchange Traded Funds
|
•
|
Investment contracts
|
•
|
Options on securities
|
•
|
Options on indexes and options on currencies,
|
•
|
Limited partnerships (of any kind)
|
•
|
Foreign unit trusts
|
•
|
Private Equity
|
•
|
Private investment funds
|
•
|
Hedge funds
|
•
|
Investment clubs
|
•
|
Direct obligations of the U.S. government (e.g. treasury securities)
|
•
|
Bankers acceptances
|
•
|
Bank certificates of deposit
|
•
|
Commercial paper
|
•
|
High quality short-term debt obligations - including repurchase agreements,
|
•
|
Open-End Mutual Funds
|
•
|
Money Market Funds
|
1)
|
to defraud a client in any manner;
|
2)
|
to mislead a client, including by either making an untrue statement of material fact or by making a statement that omits material facts;
|
3)
|
to engage in any act, practice or course of conduct which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon a client;
|
4)
|
to engage in any manipulative practice with respect to a client; or
|
5)
|
to engage in any manipulative practice with respect to securities.
|
•
|
A record of any violations of the Code and any action taken as a result of such violation for five years from the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurred.
|
•
|
A record of all written acknowledgements of receipt of the Code and any amendments thereto for each person who is currently, or was within the past five years, a supervised person (five years from the date employment is terminated).
|
•
|
Holdings and statements/transaction reports made pursuant to the Code must be maintained for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which the report was made (the first two years in an easily accessible place).
|
•
|
A list of names of persons who are currently, or within the past five years were access persons.
|
•
|
A record of any decision and supporting reasons for approving the acquisition of securities by access persons in limited offerings for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which the approval was granted.
|
•
|
A record of the individual(s) responsible for reviewing Access Persons’ reports currently and during the past five years.
|
•
|
A copy of reports provided to the board of trustees regarding the Code for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which it was made, the first two years in an easily accessible place.
|
1.
|
Initial Holdings Report - within ten (10) days of hire, all new Access Persons are required to file a signed and dated Initial Holdings Report, setting forth the title, ticker symbol or CUSIP number, type of security, number of shares, and the principal amount of each covered security (including mutual funds advised or sub-advised by the firm) in which they have any direct or indirect beneficial ownership; and the name of any broker, dealer, or bank with whom an account is maintained in which any Covered Securities are held for their direct or indirect benefit and the date the report is submitted. The information must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the person became an Access Person. Initial Holdings Reports shall be filed through the Firm’s third-party compliance software.
|
2.
|
Annual Holdings Report - on an annual basis, all Access Persons are required to file within thirty (30) days of year-end a signed and dated Annual Holdings Report listing all Covered securities owned as of December 31st. Within this report, all Access Persons must list the title, the number of shares, and the principal amount of each Covered Security (including
|
3.
|
Quarterly Transaction Reports - Within thirty (30) days following the end of each calendar quarter all Access Persons must submit a signed and dated report listing all transactions in Covered Securities executed during that preceding calendar quarter. For each transaction, Access Persons are required to list the date, the title, ticker symbol or CUSIP number, the number of shares, interest rate and maturity date, and the principal amount of each covered security involved; the nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale, or other type of acquisition/disposition); the price at which the transaction was effected; and the name of any broker, dealer, or bank through which the transaction was effected and the date the report is submitted. Also in this report Access Persons are to disclose any brokerage account opened during the calendar quarter. Access Persons are required to list the name of the broker, dealer or bank with whom the access person established the account, the date the account was established and the date the report is submitted. Quarterly Transactions Reports will be filed through the Firm’s third-party compliance software.
|
4.
|
Duplicate brokerage/mutual fund statements/confirms – Access Persons must have duplicate statements and confirms sent to the attention of Exchange Traded Concepts’ CCO. When possible, and in most cases, this shall be accomplished via a direct electronic link or direct feed to the Firm’s third-party compliance software. The CCO or his/her delegate will review them on a quarterly basis, to ensure all policies are being followed. Senior Management or the General Counsel will review the statements and confirms of the CCO. Brokerage, mutual funds advised or sub-advised by Exchange Traded Concepts, IRA's, Rollover IRA's (which are self-directed), ESOP's, private placements, and limited partnerships must all be reported and duplicate statements must be forwarded. Violations detected during the review will be documented and reviewed by the CCO. The CCO will determine appropriate steps depending on the violation, up to and including termination of employee.
|
5.
|
Annual Certification - All Access Persons are required to certify annually to the CCO that: (i) they have read and understand the Code; (ii) they have complied with all requirements of the Code; and (iii) they have reported all transactions required to be reported under the Code. Annual Certification shall be accomplished through the Firm’s third-party compliance software.
|
1.
|
Confidentiality. All reports of securities transactions and any other information filed with ETC pursuant to this Code will be treated as confidential. However, we may disclose copies of reports and information to the Securities and Exchange Commission or as otherwise required by law.
|
2.
|
Interpretation of Provisions. ETC may from time to time adopt interpretations of this Code as it deems appropriate.
|
3.
|
Distribution of Code, Acknowledgement of Receipt and Annual Certification of Compliance. All ETC Access Persons will receive a copy of this Code and any material amendments. Within 10 days of receiving any initial or amended copy of this Code, and each year thereafter, each ETC Access Person will sign and return the compliance certification via the Firm’s third-party compliance software. ETC Access Persons who need any additional copies of the Code should contact the CCO.
|
4.
|
Reporting Violations. Any violation of this Code must be promptly reported to ETC’s Chief Compliance Officer, an Alternate Review Officer, or other member of ETC’s Compliance Department.
|