485BPOS12/31/20220001540305false6.280.7022.2522.0900015403052023-04-302023-04-300001540305ck0001540305:S000067502Member2023-04-302023-04-300001540305ck0001540305:S000067502Memberck0001540305:C000217044Member2023-04-302023-04-300001540305ck0001540305:S000069542Member2023-04-302023-04-300001540305ck0001540305:S000069542Memberck0001540305:C000221894Member2023-04-302023-04-300001540305ck0001540305:S000075031Member2023-04-302023-04-300001540305ck0001540305:S000075031Memberck0001540305:C000233733Member2023-04-302023-04-30xbrli:pureiso4217:USD0001540305ck0001540305:S000067502Memberck0001540305:SP500TotalReturnreflectsnodeductionforfeesexpensesortaxesIndexMember2023-04-302023-04-300001540305rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMemberck0001540305:S000067502Memberck0001540305:C000217044Member2023-04-302023-04-300001540305ck0001540305:S000067502Memberck0001540305:C000217044Memberrr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember2023-04-302023-04-300001540305ck0001540305:S000069542Memberck0001540305:SP500TotalReturnreflectsnodeductionforfeesexpensesortaxesIndexMember2023-04-302023-04-300001540305ck0001540305:S000069542Memberrr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMemberck0001540305:C000221894Member2023-04-302023-04-300001540305ck0001540305:S000069542Memberck0001540305:C000221894Memberrr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember2023-04-302023-04-30

Filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 26, 2023
1933 Act Registration File No. 333-179562
1940 Act File No. 811-22668
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

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

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

 (Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code): (414) 516-1645

Kristina R. Nelson, President
ETF Series Solutions
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 10th Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copy to:
Christopher D. Menconi
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004-2541

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practical after the effective date of this Registration Statement
It is proposed that this filing will become effective
[ ]immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[X]
on April 30, 2023 pursuant to paragraph (b)
[ ]60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ]
on pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ]75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[ ]
on pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box

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






LHA Market StateAlpha Seeker ETF (MSVX)
LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF (MSTB)
LHA Market StateTactical Q ETF (MSTQ)
Listed on Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.



PROSPECTUS
April 30, 2023














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



LHA Market StateAlpha Seeker ETF
LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF
LHA Market StateTactical Q ETF


TABLE OF CONTENTS
LHA Market StateAlpha Seeker ETF - Fund Summary
LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF - Fund Summary
LHA Market State Tactical Q ETF - Fund Summary





LHA MARKET STATE ALPHA SEEKER ETF - FUND SUMMARY
Investment Objective
The LHA Market State Alpha Seeker ETF (the “Alpha Seeker ETF” or the “Fund”) seeks to provide positive returns across multiple market cycles that are generally not correlated to the U.S. equity or fixed income markets.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees1.10%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees0.00%
Other Expenses0.03%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1
0.10%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1.23%
1 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (“AFFE”) are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the expense ratios in the Fund’s Financial Highlights because the Financial Highlights include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund and exclude AFFE.
Expense Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then continue to hold or redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year3 Years5 Years10 Years
$125$390$676$1,489
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 11,063% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund is an actively-managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) and seeks to achieve its objective principally by investing long or short in instruments linked directly or indirectly to the performance and/or volatility of the S&P 500® Index based on statistical analyses, described below, that seek to estimate the direction of the U.S. equity market. Such instruments may include index-based and other actively-managed ETFs; leveraged, inverse, and inverse-leveraged ETFs; exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”); options; and futures contracts. The Fund may also invest the remainder of its portfolio directly or indirectly in cash and cash equivalents.
The Fund seeks to achieve its objective by estimating the direction of the U.S. equity market and then using those estimates to select the Fund’s investments in long or short S&P 500 Index linked instruments and CBOE Volatility Index® (the “VIX® Index”) linked instruments. The Fund’s strategy primarily relies on proprietary statistical analyses of the volatility of the S&P 500. Thompson Capital Management LLC (“Thompson Capital”) developed, owns, and maintains these statistical analyses. Little Harbor Advisors, LLC, the Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”), has an exclusive license to employ the Thompson Capital statistical analyses. Portfolio net exposure is based on a proprietary process to quantify market risk by comparing volatility expectations across various time frames, as expressed by 30-day and 90-day implied volatility indexes and VIX futures. In general, a “long volatility” environment is one in which near-term volatility expectations are above longer-term volatility expectations. Similarly, a “short volatility” environment is characterized by lower near-term volatility expectations relative to longer-term expectations. 
2


Each day, Thompson Capital’s quantitative analyses seek to estimate the direction and magnitude of U.S. equity market volatility based on the movement of the VIX® Index, which utilizes real-time prices of options on the S&P 500 to reflect investors’ consensus view of future (30-day) expected stock market volatility, and VIX Index futures and options prices. Such estimates are used by the Fund’s investment adviser to determine the extent to which the Fund’s exposure to the S&P 500 Index and/or the VIX Index will be long or short, or in cash. Based on the direction and strength of signals from Thompson Capital’s quantitative analyses, the investment adviser determines on a discretionary basis in which instrument(s) to invest.
The Fund may invest in derivative instruments, such as options or futures contracts, to gain long or short exposure to the S&P 500 or VIX Index. Specifically, the Fund may invest in ETFs, ETNs, or derivative instruments linked to the returns of the S&P 500 or in VIX Index options or futures contracts (long or short). A futures contract is a standardized agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument (e.g., the S&P 500 or VIX Index) at a specific price at a specific future time. Investments in derivative instruments, such as futures contracts, have the economic effect of creating financial leverage in the Fund’s portfolio because such investments may give rise to losses that exceed the amount the Fund has invested in those instruments. Financial leverage will magnify, sometimes significantly, the Fund’s exposure to any increase or decrease in prices associated with a particular reference asset resulting in increased volatility in the value of the Fund’s portfolio. The Fund’s strategy may result in returns for a single day or longer periods of time that are significantly higher or lower than the returns of the broader U.S. equity market.
The Fund may also purchase put or call options (or option spreads) on the VIX Index, the S&P 500, or in ETNs or ETFs that seek exposure to short-term VIX Index futures contracts. An ETN is an exchange-traded debt obligation of an investment bank, and the returns of an ETN are linked to the performance of a market index or derivatives linked to such index, such as VIX Index futures contracts. Because the Fund only purchases options and option spreads and does not sell (write) uncovered (naked) options, losses from the Fund’s investments in options or option spreads are limited to the amount of the net premiums paid. The Fund’s investments in such options or option spreads will generally involve premiums of less than 2% of the Fund’s net assets during a given month.
Purchasing a call option gives the buyer the right to purchase shares of the reference asset at a specified price (“strike price”) until a specified date (“expiration date”) (American-style options) or at the expiration date (European-style options). The buyer of the call option pays an amount (premium) for buying the option. In the event the reference asset appreciates above the strike price, the buyer can exercise the option and receive the reference asset (for American-style options) or receive the difference between the value of the reference asset and the strike price (for European-style options) (which gain is offset by the premium initially paid), and in the event the reference asset declines in value, the call option may end up worthless and the Fund’s loss is limited to the amount of premium it paid. The Fund’s investments in call options and put options (described below) on the S&P 500 or the VIX Index are generally expected to be European-style options.
Purchasing a put option gives the buyer the right to sell shares of a reference asset at a strike price until the expiration date (American-style options) or at the expiration date (European-style options). The buyer of the put option pays an amount (premium) for buying the option. In the event the reference asset declines in value below the strike price and the Fund exercises its put option, the Fund will be entitled to deliver the reference asset (for American-style options) or receive the difference between the strike price and the value of the reference asset (for European-style options) (which gain is offset by the premium originally paid by the Fund), and in the event the reference asset closes above the strike price as of the expiration date, the put option may end up worthless and the Fund’s loss is limited to the amount of premium it paid.
A call spread entails the purchase of a call option and the sale of a call option on the same reference asset with the same expiration date but a higher strike price. A put spread entails the purchase of a put option and the sale of a put option on the same reference asset with the same expiration date but a lower strike price. The premium received from the sale of the call or put options is generally expected to offset the cost to the Fund of the purchased options in exchange for limiting the maximum return from such options.
The Fund may also invest in leveraged, inverse, and inverse-leveraged ETFs. Leveraged ETFs seek to provide investment results that match a multiple of the performance of an underlying index (e.g., three times the performance) for a single day. Inverse ETFs seek to provide investment results that match a negative (i.e., the opposite) of the performance of an underlying index for a single day. Inverse-leveraged ETFs seek to provide investment results that match a negative multiple of the performance of an underlying index for a single day. Leveraged, inverse, and inverse-leveraged ETFs typically rely on derivative instruments to seek to obtain their investment objectives.
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. The Fund’s strategy may result in the active and frequent trading of the Fund’s investments, which may result in significant portfolio turnover.
3


Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its objectives. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “Additional Information About the Fund.”
Active Management Risk. The Fund is actively managed and may not meet its investment objective if the statistical analyses fail to identify the direction or strength of market movements or based on the Adviser’s success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund. The Fund may invest in complex instruments (each described below), including options and futures contracts. Such instruments may create enhanced risks for the Fund, and the Adviser’s ability to control the Fund’s level of risk will depend on the Adviser’s skill in managing such instruments.
Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk. Holding cash or cash equivalents rather than securities or other instruments in which the Fund primarily invests, even strategically, may cause the Fund to risk losing opportunities to participate in market appreciation, and may cause the Fund to experience potentially lower returns than the Fund’s benchmark or other funds that remain fully invested. In rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents will negatively affect the Fund’s performance relative to its benchmark.
Data Risk. The Fund’s investments are heavily dependent on proprietary statistical analyses that include the use of information and data supplied by third parties (“Data”). When Data proves to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon may lead to the inclusion or exclusion of investments that would have been excluded or included had the Data been correct and complete.
Derivatives Risks. The Fund’s derivative investments have risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets or index; the loss of principal, including the potential loss of amounts greater than the initial amount invested in the derivative instrument; and illiquidity of the derivative investments. The derivatives used by the Fund may give rise to a form of leverage. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and may result in greater losses, which in some cases may cause the Fund to liquidate other portfolio investments at inopportune times (e.g., at a loss to comply with limits on leverage and asset segregation requirements imposed by the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) or when the Adviser otherwise would have preferred to hold the investment) or to meet redemption requests. Certain of the Fund’s transactions in derivatives could also affect the amount, timing, and character of distributions to shareholders, which may result in the Fund realizing more short-term capital gain and ordinary income subject to tax at ordinary income tax rates than it would if it did not engage in such transactions, which may adversely impact the Fund’s after-tax returns. To the extent the Fund invests in such derivative instruments, the value of the Fund’s portfolio is likely to experience greater volatility over short-term periods.
Equity Market Risk. The Fund has exposure to common stocks through its investments in S&P 500-linked instruments. 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 specific issuers. Equity securities 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 industries, sectors, or companies in which the Fund directly or indirectly invests. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues, recessions, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant negative impact on the Fund and its investments. For example, the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, and the aggressive responses taken by many governments, including closing borders, restricting international and domestic travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe impacts, on markets worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused prolonged disruptions to the normal business operations of companies around the world and the impact of such disruptions is hard to predict. Such events may affect certain geographic regions, countries, sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such events could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio securities or other instruments and could result in disruptions in the trading markets.
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
4


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.
Cash Redemption Risk. The Fund’s investment strategy may require it to redeem shares for cash or to otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds. The Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
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, 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.
Trading. Although Shares are listed for trading on Cboe BZX Exchange, 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, and this could lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.
ETN Risk. ETNs may be riskier than ordinary debt securities and may have no principal protection. The Fund’s investment in an ETN may be influenced by many unpredictable factors, including highly volatile commodities prices, changes in interest rates, and monetary and other governmental policies, action, and inaction. Investing in ETNs is not equivalent to investing directly in index components or the relevant index itself. Because ETNs are debt securities, they possess credit risk; if the issuer has financial difficulties or goes bankrupt, the investor may not receive the return it was promised.
Fixed Income Securities Risk. The value of the Fund’s investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned indirectly by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low rates and the effect of potential government fiscal policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities.
Futures Contracts Risks. A decision as to whether, when, and how to use futures involves the exercise of skill and judgment and even a well-conceived futures transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. In addition to the risks associated with all derivatives, the prices of futures can be highly volatile, using futures can lower total return, and the potential loss from futures can exceed the Fund’s initial investment in such contracts and could be unlimited.
Government Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest in securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities. There can be no guarantee that the United States will be able to meet its payment obligations with respect to such securities. Additionally, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government or other countries may decline or be negative for short or long periods of time.
High Portfolio Turnover Risk. Because the Fund may “turn over” some or all of its positions as frequently as daily, the Fund may incur high levels of transaction costs from commissions or mark-ups in the bid/offer spread. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the Fund paying higher levels of transaction costs and generating greater tax liabilities for shareholders. Portfolio turnover risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than you expect.
Investment Company Risk. The risks of investing in other investment companies typically reflect the risks of the types of instruments in which the investment companies invest. By investing in another investment company, the Fund becomes a shareholder of that investment company and bears its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the other
5


investment company. The Fund may be subject to statutory limits with respect to the amount it can invest in other ETFs, which may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Investments in ETFs are subject to the “ETF Risks” described above.
Leveraged, Inverse, and Inverse-Leveraged ETFs Risk. Leveraged, inverse, and inverse-leveraged ETFs (collectively, “Leveraged ETFs”) expose the Fund to all of the risks that traditional ETFs present (see “ETF Risks” above). All Leveraged ETFs rely to some degree, often extensively, on derivatives to achieve their objectives and, thus, the Fund is indirectly exposed to derivatives risk through its investments in Leveraged ETFs. Further, investments in Leveraged ETFs are subject to the risk that the performance of such ETF will not correlate with the underlying index as intended. Leveraged ETFs often “reset” daily, meaning that they are designed to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis. Due to the effect of compounding, their performance over longer periods of time can differ significantly from the performance (or inverse of the performance) of their underlying index or benchmark during the same period of time. This effect can be magnified in volatile markets. Consequently, these investment vehicles may be extremely volatile and can potentially expose a Fund to complete loss of its investment.
Leverage Risk. The Fund obtains investment exposure in excess of its net assets by utilizing leverage and may lose more money in market conditions that are adverse to its investment objective than a fund that does not utilize leverage.
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. However, the Fund intends to satisfy the diversification requirements for qualifying as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
Options Risk. Buying options is a speculative activity and entails greater than ordinary investment risks. Options enable the Fund to purchase exposure that is significantly greater than the premium paid. Consequently, the value of such options can be volatile, and a small investment in options can have a large impact on the performance of the Fund. The Fund risks losing all or part of the cash paid (premium) for purchasing options. Even a small decline in the value of a reference asset underlying call options or a small increase in the value of a reference asset underlying put options can result in the entire investment in such options being lost. Additionally, the value of the option may be lost if the Adviser fails to exercise such option at or prior to its expiration.  
Short Position Risk. The Fund may engage in short position derivative activities, which are significantly different from the investment activities commonly associated with conservative stock or bond funds. Short positions in derivatives are speculative and more-risky than “long” positions (purchases) because the upside of the underlying index is, in theory, unlimited. Therefore, the potential loss on an uncovered short derivative, such as a call option, is, in theory, unlimited; whereas the potential loss on long positions is limited to the original purchase price. You should be aware that any strategy that includes short positions could suffer significant losses. Shorting will also result in higher transaction costs (such as interest and dividends), which reduce the Fund’s return, and may result in higher taxes. When the Fund is selling a position short, it must maintain a segregated account of cash or high-grade securities equal to the margin requirement. As a result, the Fund may maintain high levels of cash or other liquid assets.
Tax Risk. The Fund must meet certain requirements regarding the source of its income and the diversification of its assets, among other requirements, to qualify as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. The Fund’s investments in certain VIX derivatives, including VIX futures contracts, may not generate qualifying income. To the extent the Fund invests in such instruments, the Fund will seek to restrict its income from such investments to a maximum of 10% of its gross income (when combined with its other investments that produce non-qualifying income) so as to qualify as a RIC, but it may not be able to determine with certainty whether certain investments will produce qualifying income. Failure to comply with the requirements to qualify as a RIC would have significant negative tax consequences to Fund shareholders.
If positions held by the Fund were treated as “straddles” for federal income tax purposes, or the Fund’s risk of loss with respect to a position was otherwise diminished as set forth in Treasury regulations, dividends on stocks that are a part of such positions would not constitute qualified dividend income subject to such favorable income tax treatment in the hands of non-corporate shareholders or eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders. In addition, generally, straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect the amount, character and timing of the Fund’s gains and losses with respect to straddle positions.
6


Volatility Risk. The Fund’s derivative investments that are linked to equity market volatility levels can be highly volatile and may experience large losses. Trading in VIX Index futures contracts or VIX Index options, particularly contracts that are close to expiration, can be very volatile and can be expected to be very volatile in the future. The volatile nature of these instruments may have an adverse impact on the Fund beyond the impact of any changes in the VIX Index.
Performance
The following performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows the Fund’s performance for the most recent calendar year ended December 31. The table illustrates how the Fund’s average annual returns for the 1-year and since inception periods compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.lhafunds.com.
Calendar Year Total Returns
14843407025464
During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return was 9.30% for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, and the lowest quarterly return was -3.23% for the quarter ended September 30, 2022.
Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2022
LHA Market State Alpha Seeker ETF

1 Year
Since Inception
(5/13/2020)
Return Before Taxes-0.70%0.64%
Return After Taxes on Distributions-0.75%0.27%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares-0.42%0.33%
S&P 500 Total Return
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
-18.11%14.21%
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates during the period covered by the table above and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged accounts. In certain cases, the figure representing “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares” may be higher than the other return figures for the same period. A higher after-tax return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an assumed tax deduction that benefits the investor.
Management
Investment Adviser: Little Harbor Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”)
Portfolio Managers: Michael Thompson, CFA, and D. Matthew Thompson, CFA, each a portfolio manager for the Adviser, have been the Fund’s portfolio managers since the inception of the Fund in May 2020.
7


Purchase and Sale of Shares
Shares are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Investors may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information about the Fund, including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available on the Fund’s website at www.lhafunds.com.
Tax Information
Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an IRA or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.
8


LHA MARKET STATE TACTICAL BETA ETF - FUND SUMMARY
Investment Objective
The LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF (the “Tactical Beta ETF” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term out-performance relative to the large-capitalization U.S. equity market.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees1.10%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees0.00%
Other Expenses0.08%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1
0.08%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1.26%
1 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (“AFFE”) are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the expense ratios in the Fund’s Financial Highlights because the Financial Highlights include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund and exclude AFFE.
Expense Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then continue to hold or redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year3 Years5 Years10 Years
$128$400$692$1,523

Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 0% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund is an actively-managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) and seeks to achieve its objective principally by investing in instruments linked directly or indirectly to the performance and/or volatility of the S&P 500® Index (the “S&P 500”) based on statistical analyses, described below, that seek to estimate the direction of the S&P 500. Such instruments may include index-based and other ETFs (including leveraged ETFs) with long exposure to the S&P 500, U.S. Treasury securities, or instruments linked to the Cboe Volatility Index® (the “VIX Index”); securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities; and options and futures contracts on the S&P 500 or VIX Index. The Fund may also invest the remainder of its portfolio directly or indirectly in cash and cash equivalents.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund’s baseline exposure each day to the S&P 500 is approximately 100%, which the Fund’s portfolio managers then adjust based on a statistical method of analysis evaluating the movement of the VIX Index. The Fund’s exposure to the S&P 500 may be greater or less than 100% at any given time, although the portfolio managers expect that such exposure will generally be between approximately 80% and 120% at the time investments are made. The portfolio managers use such analysis to determine in which instruments(s) to invest for long exposure to the S&P 500. During periods where volatility increases, the Fund’s portfolio managers expect the Fund to seek protection against falling markets by lowering long exposure to the S&P 500 and also investing long in VIX Index-linked instruments as a hedge. During these periods when a hedge is applied, the VIX-linked instruments are expected to generate results that are uncorrelated to the
9


S&P 500 and, in combination with lower S&P 500 exposure, seek to preserve capital. From time to time, to generate additional returns, the Fund may also write (sell) call options (described below) on its S&P 500 positions; provided, however, that when the Fund writes (sells) a call option it will always own the corresponding amount of exposure to the S&P 500 and, therefore, the Fund’s position will be “covered.”
The Fund’s strategy primarily relies on proprietary statistical analyses of the volatility of the VIX Index. Thompson Capital Management LLC (“Thompson Capital”) developed, owns, and maintains these statistical analyses. Little Harbor Advisors, LLC, the Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”), has an exclusive license to employ the Thompson Capital statistical analyses. Portfolio net exposure is based on a proprietary process to quantify market risk by comparing volatility expectations across various time frames, as expressed by 30-day and 90-day implied volatility indexes and VIX futures. In general, a “long volatility” environment is one in which near-term volatility expectations are above longer-term volatility expectations. Similarly, a “short volatility” environment is characterized by lower near-term volatility expectations relative to longer-term expectations. 
Each day, the portfolio managers use a statistical method of analysis seeking to estimate the direction and magnitude of U.S. equity market volatility based on the movement of the VIX Index, which utilizes real-time prices of options on the S&P 500 to reflect investors’ consensus view of future (30-day) expected stock market implied volatility. Such estimates are used by the Fund’s portfolio managers to determine the Fund’s S&P 500 exposure and the extent to which VIX-linked instruments, if any, will be used to hedge the S&P 500 exposure. Based on the direction and strength of signals from the portfolio managers’ analysis, they determine on a discretionary basis in which instrument(s) to invest.
The Fund may invest in derivative instruments, consisting of options (including covered call options and long calls and/or puts) or futures contracts, to gain long exposure to the S&P 500. The Fund may also seek long exposure to the VIX Index by investing in VIX Index-linked ETFs and/or options. Specifically, the Fund may invest in ETFs or derivative instruments linked to the returns of the S&P 500 (including covered call options) or in VIX Index options. A futures contract is a standardized agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument (e.g., the S&P 500) at a specific price at a specific future time. Investments in derivative instruments, such as futures contracts, have the economic effect of creating financial leverage in the Fund’s portfolio because such investments may give rise to losses that exceed the amount the Fund has invested in those instruments. Financial leverage will magnify, sometimes significantly, the Fund’s exposure to any increase or decrease in prices associated with a particular instrument resulting in increased volatility in the value of the Fund’s portfolio. The Fund’s strategy may result in returns for a single day or longer periods of time that are significantly higher or lower than the returns of the S&P 500.
To augment its S&P 500 exposure, the Fund may purchase put options or write (sell) covered call options on the S&P 500 or S&P 500-linked ETFs. For hedging exposure, the fund may purchase call options or call option spreads with long exposure to the VIX Index or VIX Index-linked ETFs. When the Fund purchases options or option spreads, losses from the Fund’s investments in such purchased options or option spreads are limited to the amount of the net premiums paid. The Fund’s investments in purchased or written options or option spreads will generally involve premiums of less than 2% of the Fund’s net assets during a given month.
Purchasing a call option gives the buyer the right to purchase shares of the reference asset at a specified price (“strike price”) until a specified date (“expiration date”) (American-style options) or at the expiration date (European-style options). The buyer of the call option pays an amount (premium) for buying the option. In the event the reference asset appreciates above the strike price, the buyer can exercise the option and receive the reference asset (for American-style options) or receive the difference between the value of the reference asset and the strike price (for European-style options) (which gain is offset by the premium initially paid), and in the event the reference asset declines in value, the call option may end up worthless and the Fund’s loss is limited to the amount of premium it paid. The Fund’s investments in call options and put options (described below) on the S&P 500 or the VIX Index are generally expected to be European-style options.
Writing (selling) a call option gives the seller the obligation to deliver shares of the reference asset at a strike price until the expiration date (American-style options) or at the expiration date (European-style options). The seller of the call option receives an amount (premium) for selling the option. In the event the reference asset appreciates above the strike price, the option may be exercised against the Fund, and the Fund may have to deliver the reference asset (for American-style options) or the difference between the value of the reference asset and the strike price (for European-style options) (which loss is offset by the premium initially received), and in the event the reference asset declines in value, the call option may end up worthless and the Fund retains the premium it received.
Purchasing a put option gives the buyer the right to sell shares of a reference asset at a strike price until the expiration date (American-style options) or at the expiration date (European-style options). The buyer of the put option pays an amount (premium) for buying the option. In the event the reference asset declines in value below the strike price and the Fund exercises its put option, the Fund will be entitled to deliver the reference asset (for American-style options) or receive the
10


difference between the strike price and the value of the reference asset (for European-style options) (which gain is offset by the premium originally paid by the Fund), and in the event the reference asset closes above the strike price as of the expiration date, the put option may end up worthless and the Fund’s loss is limited to the amount of premium it paid.
A call spread entails the purchase of a call option and the sale of a call option on the same reference asset with the same expiration date but a higher strike price. A put spread entails the purchase of a put option and the sale of a put option on the same reference asset with the same expiration date but a lower strike price. The premium received from the sale of the call or put options is generally expected to offset the cost to the Fund of the purchased options in exchange for limiting the maximum return from such options.
The Fund may also invest up to 25% of its assets in leveraged ETFs. Leveraged ETFs seek to provide investment results that match a multiple of the performance of an underlying index (e.g., three times the performance) for a single day. Leveraged ETFs typically rely on derivative instruments to seek to obtain their investment objectives.
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. The Fund’s strategy may result in the active and frequent trading of the Fund’s investments, which may result in significant portfolio turnover.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its objectives. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “Additional Information About the Fund.”
Active Management Risk. The Fund is actively managed and may not meet its investment objective if the statistical analyses fail to identify the direction or strength of market movements or based on the Adviser’s success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund. The Fund may invest in complex instruments (each described below), including options and futures contracts. Such instruments may create enhanced risks for the Fund, and the Adviser’s ability to control the Fund’s level of risk will depend on the Adviser’s skill in managing such instruments.
Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk. Holding cash or cash equivalents rather than securities or other instruments in which the Fund primarily invests, even strategically, may cause the Fund to risk losing opportunities to participate in market appreciation, and may cause the Fund to experience potentially lower returns than the Fund’s benchmark or other funds that remain fully invested. In rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents will negatively affect the Fund’s performance relative to its benchmark.
Data Risk. The Fund’s investments are heavily dependent on proprietary statistical analyses that include the use of information and data supplied by third parties (“Data”). When Data proves to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon may lead to the inclusion or exclusion of investments that would have been excluded or included had the Data been correct and complete.
Derivatives Risks. The Fund’s derivative investments have risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets or index; the loss of principal, including the potential loss of amounts greater than the initial amount invested in the derivative instrument; and illiquidity of the derivative investments. The derivatives used by the Fund may give rise to a form of leverage. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and may result in greater losses, which in some cases may cause the Fund to liquidate other portfolio investments at inopportune times (e.g., at a loss to comply with limits on leverage and asset segregation requirements imposed by the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) or when the Adviser otherwise would have preferred to hold the investment) or to meet redemption requests. Certain of the Fund’s transactions in derivatives could also affect the amount, timing, and character of distributions to shareholders, which may result in the Fund realizing more short-term capital gain and ordinary income subject to tax at ordinary income tax rates than it would if it did not engage in such transactions, which may adversely impact the Fund’s after-tax returns. To the extent the Fund invests in such derivative instruments, the value of the Fund’s portfolio is likely to experience greater volatility over short-term periods.
Equity Market Risk. The Fund has exposure to common stocks through its investments in S&P 500-linked instruments. 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 specific issuers. Equity securities may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur
11


because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific industries, sectors, or companies in which the Fund directly or indirectly invests. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues, recessions, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant negative impact on the Fund and its investments. For example, the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, and the aggressive responses taken by many governments, including closing borders, restricting international and domestic travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe impacts, on markets worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused prolonged disruptions to the normal business operations of companies around the world and the impact of such disruptions is hard to predict. Such events may affect certain geographic regions, countries, sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such events could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio securities or other instruments and could result in disruptions in the trading markets.
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 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.
Cash Redemption Risk. The Fund’s investment strategy may require it to redeem Shares for cash or to otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds. The Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
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, 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.
Trading. Although Shares are listed for trading on Cboe BZX Exchange, 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, and this could lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.
Fixed Income Securities Risk. The value of the Fund’s investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned indirectly by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low rates and the effect of potential government fiscal policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities.
Futures Contracts Risks. A decision as to whether, when, and how to use futures involves the exercise of skill and judgment and even a well-conceived futures transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. In addition to the risks associated with all derivatives, the prices of futures can be highly volatile, using futures can lower total return, and the potential loss from futures can exceed the Fund’s initial investment in such contracts and could be unlimited.
Government Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest in securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities. There can be no guarantee that the United States will be able to meet its payment obligations with
12


respect to such securities. Additionally, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government or other countries may decline or be negative for short or long periods of time.
High Portfolio Turnover Risk. Because the Fund may “turn over” some or all of its positions as frequently as daily, the Fund may incur high levels of transaction costs from commissions or mark-ups in the bid/offer spread. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the Fund paying higher levels of transaction costs and generating greater tax liabilities for shareholders. Portfolio turnover risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than you expect.
Investment Company Risk. The risks of investing in other investment companies typically reflect the risks of the types of instruments in which the investment companies invest. By investing in another investment company, the Fund becomes a shareholder of that investment company and bears its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the other investment company. The Fund may be subject to statutory limits with respect to the amount it can invest in other ETFs, which may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Investments in ETFs are subject to the “ETF Risks” described above.
Leveraged ETFs Risk. Leveraged ETFs expose the Fund to all of the risks that traditional ETFs present (see “ETF Risks” above). All Leveraged ETFs rely to some degree, often extensively, on derivatives to achieve their objectives and, thus, the Fund is indirectly exposed to derivatives risk through its investments in Leveraged ETFs. Further, investments in Leveraged ETFs are subject to the risk that the performance of such ETF will not correlate with the underlying index as intended. Leveraged ETFs often “reset” daily, meaning that they are designed to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis. Due to the effect of compounding, their performance over longer periods of time can differ significantly from the performance of their underlying index or benchmark during the same period of time. This effect can be magnified in volatile markets. Consequently, these investment vehicles may be extremely volatile and can potentially expose a Fund to complete loss of its investment.
Leverage Risk. In certain market conditions, the Fund may invest in instruments that create exposure to the S&P 500 of 100% to 120% of the Fund’s net assets at the time of investment. The Fund obtains such exposure by utilizing leverage and may lose more money in market conditions that are adverse to its investment objective than a fund that does not utilize leverage.
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. However, the Fund intends to satisfy the diversification requirements for qualifying as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
Options Risk.  Buying and selling (writing) options are speculative activities and entail greater than ordinary investment risks. Options enable the Fund to purchase exposure that is significantly greater than the premium paid. Consequently, the value of such options can be volatile, and a small investment in options can have a large impact on the performance of the Fund. The Fund risks losing all or part of the cash paid (premiums) for purchasing options. Even a small decline in the value of a reference asset underlying call options or a small increase in the value of a reference asset underlying put options can result in the entire investment in such options being lost. When selling an option, the Fund will receive a premium; however, this premium may not be enough to offset a loss incurred by the Fund if the price of the underlying asset is below the strike price for a put option, or above the strike price for a call option, by an amount equal to or greater than the premium. Additionally, the value of the option may be lost if the Adviser fails to exercise such option at or prior to its expiration. The potential loss from written call options can exceed the Fund’s initial investment in such options and could be unlimited.  
Tax Risk. The Fund must meet certain requirements regarding the source of its income and the diversification of its assets, among other requirements, to qualify as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. The Fund’s investments in certain VIX derivatives, including VIX futures contracts, may not generate qualifying income. The Fund intends to take the position that VIX options and VIX futures produce qualifying income. The Fund, however, has not secured a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) regarding such position and there are no assurances the IRS or the courts will agree with the Fund that such VIX derivatives produce qualifying income. Failure to comply with the requirements to qualify as a RIC would have significant negative tax consequences to Fund shareholders.
13


If positions held by the Fund were treated as “straddles” for federal income tax purposes, or the Fund’s risk of loss with respect to a position was otherwise diminished as set forth in Treasury regulations, dividends on stocks that are a part of such positions would not constitute qualified dividend income subject to such favorable income tax treatment in the hands of non-corporate shareholders or eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders. In addition, generally, straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect the amount, character and timing of the Fund’s gains and losses with respect to straddle positions.
Volatility Risk. The Fund’s derivative investments that are linked to equity market volatility levels can be highly volatile and may experience large losses. Trading in VIX Index futures contracts or VIX Index options, particularly contracts that are close to expiration, can be very volatile and can be expected to be very volatile in the future. The volatile nature of these instruments may have an adverse impact on the Fund beyond the impact of any changes in the VIX Index.
Performance
The following performance information indicates some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows the Fund’s performance for the most recent calendar year ended December 31. The table illustrates how the Fund’s average annual returns for the 1-year and since inception periods compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.lhafunds.com.
Calendar Year Total Returns
14843407073594
During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the Fund’s highest quarterly return was 8.76% for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, and the lowest quarterly return was -17.45% for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.
Average Annual Total Returns
For the Periods Ended December 31, 2022
LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF

1 Year
Since Inception
(09/29/2020)
Return Before Taxes-22.09%1.94%
Return After Taxes on Distributions-22.41%1.22%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares-12.98%1.38%
S&P 500 Total Return
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
-18.11%8.09%
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates during the period covered by the table above and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged accounts. In certain cases, the figure representing “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares” may be higher than the other return figures for the same period. A higher after-tax return results when a capital loss occurs upon redemption and provides an assumed tax deduction that benefits the investor.
14


Management
Investment Adviser: Little Harbor Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”)
Portfolio Managers: Michael Thompson, CFA, and D. Matthew Thompson, CFA, each a portfolio manager for the Adviser, have been the Fund’s portfolio managers since the inception of the Fund in September 2020.
Purchase and Sale of Shares
Shares are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Investors may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information about the Fund, including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available on the Fund’s website at www.lhafunds.com.
Tax Information
Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an IRA or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.

15


LHA MARKET STATETACTICAL Q ETF - FUND SUMMARY
Investment Objective
The LHA Market State Tactical Q ETF (the “Tactical Q ETF” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term out-performance relative to the large-capitalization U.S. growth equity market.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees1.10%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees0.00%
Other Expenses0.28%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1
0.10%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1.48%
1 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (“AFFE”) are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the expense ratios in the Fund’s Financial Highlights because the Financial Highlights include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund and exclude AFFE.
Expense Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then continue to hold or redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year3 Years5 Years10 Years
$151$468$808$1,768
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. For the fiscal period March 14, 2022 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2022, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 138% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund is an actively-managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that seeks to achieve its objective principally by investing in equity instruments linked directly or indirectly to the performance of U.S.-listed, large capitalization, growth-oriented companies (“growth equities”) based on statistical analyses, described below, that seek to estimate the direction of growth equities. Such companies may be represented by depositary receipts and may have significant operations in non-U.S. countries. The instruments used by the Fund are comprised of (i) index-based ETFs, such as the Invesco Nasdaq 100 ETF (ticker symbol: QQQ), which has a significant portion of its assets invested in the communication services and information technology sectors, and other ETFs (including leveraged and inverse ETFs), providing long or short exposure to growth equities, U.S. Treasury securities, or instruments linked to the Cboe Volatility Index® (the “VIX Index”); (ii) securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities; (iii) options and futures contracts on equities, such as the E-mini Nasdaq 100 futures contracts, and (iv) options and futures contracts on the VIX Index. The Invesco Nasdaq 100 ETF tracks an index comprised of the securities of 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC based on their market capitalization. The Fund may also invest the remainder of its portfolio directly or indirectly in cash and cash equivalents.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund’s baseline exposure each day to growth equities is approximately 100%, which the Fund’s portfolio managers then adjust based on a statistical method of analysis evaluating the movement of the VIX Index.
16


The Fund’s exposure to growth equities may be greater or less than 100% at any given time, although the portfolio managers expect that such exposure will generally be between approximately 80% and 120% at the time investments are made. The portfolio managers use such analysis to determine the instruments(s) in which to invest for long or short exposure to growth equities. During periods where volatility increases, the Fund’s portfolio managers expect the Fund to seek protection against falling markets by lowering long exposure to growth equities and also investing long in VIX Index-linked instruments as a hedge. During these periods when a hedge is applied, the VIX Index-linked instruments are expected to generate results that are uncorrelated to growth equities and, in combination with lower growth equity exposure, seek to preserve capital. From time to time, to generate additional returns, the Fund may also write (sell) call options (described below) on its long growth equity positions; provided, however, that when the Fund writes (sells) a call option it will always own the corresponding amount of exposure to long growth equities and, therefore, the Fund’s options position will be “covered.”
The Fund’s strategy primarily relies on proprietary statistical analyses of the volatility of the VIX Index. Thompson Capital Management LLC (“Thompson Capital”) developed, owns, and maintains these statistical analyses. Little Harbor Advisors, LLC, the Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”), has an exclusive license to employ the Thompson Capital statistical analyses. Portfolio net exposure is based on a process to quantify market risk by comparing volatility expectations across various time frames, as expressed by 30-day and 90-day implied volatility indexes and VIX Index futures. In general, a “long volatility” environment is one in which near-term volatility expectations are above longer-term volatility expectations. Similarly, a “short volatility” environment is characterized by lower near-term volatility expectations relative to longer-term expectations.
Each day, the portfolio managers use a statistical method of analysis seeking to estimate the direction and magnitude of U.S. equity market volatility based on the movement of the VIX Index, which utilizes real-time prices of options on the S&P 500® Index to reflect investors’ consensus view of future (30-day) expected stock market implied volatility. Such estimates are used by the Fund’s portfolio managers to determine the Fund’s exposure to growth equities and the extent to which VIX Index-linked instruments, if any, will be used to hedge the Fund’s growth equity exposure. The VIX Index is expected to be a strong proxy for the volatility signals of the growth equity market. Based on the direction and strength of signals from the portfolio managers’ analysis, they determine on a discretionary basis the instrument(s) in which to invest.
The Fund may invest in derivative instruments, consisting of options (including covered call options and long calls and/or puts) or futures contracts, to gain long exposure to growth equities. The Fund may also seek long exposure to the VIX Index by investing in VIX Index-linked ETFs and/or options. Specifically, the Fund may invest in ETFs such as the Invesco Nasdaq 100 ETF and/or its options or other derivative instruments such as the E-mini Nasdaq 100 futures contract or options on such contract, or in VIX Index options. A futures contract is a standardized agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument at a specific price at a specific future time. Investments in derivative instruments, such as futures contracts, have the economic effect of creating financial leverage in the Fund’s portfolio because such investments may give rise to losses that exceed the amount the Fund has invested in those instruments. Financial leverage will magnify, sometimes significantly, the Fund’s exposure to any increase or decrease in prices associated with a particular instrument resulting in increased volatility in the value of the Fund’s portfolio. The Fund’s strategy may result in returns for a single day or longer periods of time that are significantly higher or lower than the returns of growth equities.
To augment its growth equity exposure, the Fund may purchase put options or write (sell) covered call options on the growth-oriented ETFs in the portfolio. For hedging exposure, the Fund may purchase call options or call option spreads with long exposure to the VIX Index or VIX Index-linked ETFs. When the Fund purchases options or option spreads, losses from the Fund’s investments in such purchased options or option spreads are limited to the amount of the net premiums paid. The Fund’s investments in purchased or written options or option spreads will generally involve premiums of less than 2% of the Fund’s net assets during a given month.
Purchasing a call option gives the buyer the right to purchase shares of the reference asset at a specified price (“strike price”) until a specified date (“expiration date”) (American-style options) or at the expiration date (European-style options). The buyer of the call option pays an amount (premium) for buying the option. In the event the reference asset appreciates above the strike price, the buyer can exercise the option and receive the reference asset (for American-style options) or receive the difference between the value of the reference asset and the strike price (for European-style options) (which gain is offset by the premium initially paid), and in the event the reference asset declines in value, the call option may end up worthless and the Fund’s loss is limited to the amount of premium it paid. The Fund’s investments in call options and put options (described below) on the growth equities instruments in which it invests or the VIX Index are generally expected to be European-style options.
Writing (selling) a call option gives the seller the obligation to deliver shares of the reference asset at a strike price until the expiration date (American-style options) or at the expiration date (European-style options). The seller of the call option receives an amount (premium) for selling the option. In the event the reference asset appreciates above the strike price, the
17


option may be exercised against the Fund, and the Fund may have to deliver the reference asset (for American-style options) or the difference between the value of the reference asset and the strike price (for European-style options) (which loss is offset by the premium initially received), and in the event the reference asset declines in value, the call option may end up worthless and the Fund retains the premium it received.
Purchasing a put option gives the buyer the right to sell shares of a reference asset at a strike price until the expiration date (American-style options) or at the expiration date (European-style options). The buyer of the put option pays an amount (premium) for buying the option. In the event the reference asset declines in value below the strike price and the Fund exercises its put option, the Fund will be entitled to deliver the reference asset (for American-style options) or receive the difference between the strike price and the value of the reference asset (for European-style options) (which gain is offset by the premium originally paid by the Fund), and in the event the reference asset closes above the strike price as of the expiration date, the put option may end up worthless and the Fund’s loss is limited to the amount of premium it paid.
A call spread entails the purchase of a call option and the sale of a call option on the same reference asset with the same expiration date but a higher strike price. A put spread entails the purchase of a put option and the sale of a put option on the same reference asset with the same expiration date but a lower strike price. The premium received from the sale of the call or put options is generally expected to offset the cost to the Fund of the purchased options in exchange for limiting the maximum return from such options.
The Fund may also invest up to 25% of its assets in leveraged and inverse ETFs on a daily basis or longer consistent with the Adviser’s views on current and future market conditions. Leveraged ETFs seek to provide investment results that match a multiple of the performance of an underlying index (e.g., three times the performance) for a single day. Inverse ETFs provide short exposure to an underlying index by seeking to provide investment results that match a negative (i.e., the opposite) performance of an underlying index’s performance for a single day. Leveraged and inverse ETFs typically rely on derivative instruments to seek to obtain their investment objectives.
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. The Fund’s strategy may result in the active and frequent trading of the Fund’s investments, which may result in significant portfolio turnover.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its objectives. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “Additional Information About the Fund.”
Active Management Risk. The Fund is actively managed and may not meet its investment objective if the statistical analyses fail to identify the direction or strength of market movements or based on the Adviser’s success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund. The Fund may invest in complex instruments (each described below), including options and futures contracts. Such instruments may create enhanced risks for the Fund, and the Adviser’s ability to control the Fund’s level of risk will depend on the Adviser’s skill in managing such instruments.
Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk. Holding cash or cash equivalents rather than securities or other instruments in which the Fund primarily invests, even strategically, may cause the Fund to risk losing opportunities to participate in market appreciation, and may cause the Fund to experience potentially lower returns than the Fund’s benchmark or other funds that remain fully invested. In rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents will negatively affect the Fund’s performance relative to its benchmark.
Data Risk. The Fund’s investments are heavily dependent on proprietary statistical analyses that include the use of information and data supplied by third parties (“Data”). When Data prove to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon may lead to the inclusion or exclusion of investments that would have been excluded or included had the Data been correct and complete.
Depositary Receipt Risk. The Fund may indirectly hold the securities of non-U.S. companies in the form of depositary receipts through its investments in other ETFs. 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
18


(“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.
Derivatives Risks. The Fund’s derivative investments have risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets or index; the loss of principal, including the potential loss of amounts greater than the initial amount invested in the derivative instrument; and illiquidity of the derivative investments. The derivatives used by the Fund may give rise to a form of leverage. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and may result in greater losses, which in some cases may cause the Fund to liquidate other portfolio investments at inopportune times (e.g., at a loss to comply with limits on leverage and asset segregation requirements imposed by the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) or when the Adviser otherwise would have preferred to hold the investment) or to meet redemption requests. Certain of the Fund’s transactions in derivatives could also affect the amount, timing, and character of distributions to shareholders, which may result in the Fund realizing more short-term capital gain and ordinary income subject to tax at ordinary income tax rates than it would if it did not engage in such transactions, which may adversely impact the Fund’s after-tax returns. To the extent the Fund invests in such derivative instruments, the value of the Fund’s portfolio is likely to experience greater volatility over short-term periods.
Equity Market Risk. The Fund has exposure to common stocks through its investments in index-based ETFs as well as options and futures contracts on equities. 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 specific issuers. Equity securities 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 industries, sectors, or companies in which the Fund directly or indirectly invests. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues, recessions, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant negative impact on the Fund and its investments. For example, the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, and the aggressive responses taken by many governments, including closing borders, restricting international and domestic travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe impacts, on markets worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused prolonged disruptions to the normal business operations of companies around the world and the impact of such disruptions is hard to predict. Such events may affect certain geographic regions, countries, sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such events could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio securities or other instruments and could result in disruptions in the trading markets.
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 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.
Cash Redemption Risk. The Fund’s investment strategy may require it to redeem shares for cash or to otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds. The Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
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, 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.
19


Trading. Although Shares are listed for trading on Cboe BZX Exchange, 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, and this could lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.
Fixed Income Securities Risk. The value of the Fund’s investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned indirectly by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to the current period of historically low rates and the effect of potential government fiscal policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities.
Foreign Investment Risk. Because the Fund may invest in ETFs with exposure to non-U.S. companies, changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund than a fund that invests exclusively in U.S. companies. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets, resulting in non-uniform accounting practices and less publicly available information. The value of foreign investments may be affected by changes in exchange control regulations, application of foreign tax laws (including withholding tax), changes in governmental administration or economic or monetary policy (in this country or abroad) or changed circumstances in dealings between nations.
Futures Contracts Risks. A decision as to whether, when, and how to use futures involves the exercise of skill and judgment and even a well-conceived futures transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. In addition to the risks associated with all derivatives, the prices of futures can be highly volatile, using futures can lower total return, and the potential loss from futures can exceed the Fund’s initial investment in such contracts and could be unlimited.
Government Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest in securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities. There can be no guarantee that the United States will be able to meet its payment obligations with respect to such securities. Additionally, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government or other countries may decline or be negative for short or long periods of time.
High Portfolio Turnover Risk. Because the Fund may “turn over” some or all of its positions as frequently as daily, the Fund may incur high levels of transaction costs from commissions or mark-ups in the bid/offer spread. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the Fund paying higher levels of transaction costs and generating greater tax liabilities for shareholders. Portfolio turnover risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than you expect.
Investment Company Risk. The risks of investing in other investment companies typically reflect the risks of the types of instruments in which the investment companies invest. By investing in another investment company, the Fund becomes a shareholder of that investment company and bears its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the other investment company. The Fund may be subject to statutory limits with respect to the amount it can invest in other ETFs, which may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Investments in ETFs are subject to the “ETF Risks” described above.
Leveraged and Inverse ETFs Risk. Leveraged and inverse ETFs (collectively, “Leveraged ETFs”) expose the Fund to all of the risks that traditional ETFs present (see “ETF Risks” above). All Leveraged ETFs rely to some degree, often extensively, on derivatives to achieve their objectives and, thus, the Fund is indirectly exposed to derivatives risk through its investments in Leveraged ETFs. Further, investments in Leveraged ETFs are subject to the risk that the performance of such ETF will not correlate with the underlying index as intended. Leveraged ETFs often “reset” daily, meaning that they are designed to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis. Due to the effect of compounding, their performance over longer periods of time can differ significantly from the performance (or inverse of the performance) of their underlying index or benchmark during the same period of time. This effect can be magnified in volatile markets. Consequently, these investment vehicles may be extremely volatile and can potentially expose a Fund to complete loss of its investment.
Leverage Risk. In certain market conditions, the Fund may invest in instruments that create exposure to growth equities of 100% to 120% of the Fund’s net assets at the time of investment. The Fund obtains such exposure by utilizing leverage and may lose more money in market conditions that are adverse to its investment objective than a fund that does not utilize leverage.
20


Limited Operating History Risk. The Fund is a recently organized 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. 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. However, the Fund intends to satisfy the diversification requirements for qualifying as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
Options Risk.  Buying and selling (writing) options are speculative activities and entail greater than ordinary investment risks. Options enable the Fund to purchase exposure that is significantly greater than the premium paid. Consequently, the value of such options can be volatile, and a small investment in options can have a large impact on the performance of the Fund. The Fund risks losing all or part of the cash paid (premiums) for purchasing options. Even a small decline in the value of a reference asset underlying call options or a small increase in the value of a reference asset underlying put options can result in the entire investment in such options being lost. When selling an option, the Fund will receive a premium; however, this premium may not be enough to offset a loss incurred by the Fund if the price of the underlying asset is below the strike price for a put option, or above the strike price for a call option, by an amount equal to or greater than the premium. Additionally, the value of the option may be lost if the Adviser fails to exercise such option at or prior to its expiration. The potential loss from written call options can exceed the Fund’s initial investment in such options and could be unlimited.  
When the Fund sells an option, it gains the amount of the premium it receives, but also incurs a liability representing the value of the option it has sold until the option is either exercised and finishes “in the money,” meaning it has value and can be sold, or the option expires worthless, or the expiration of the option is “rolled,” or extended forward. The value of the options in which the Fund invests is based partly on the volatility used by market participants to price such options (i.e., implied volatility). Accordingly, increases in the implied volatility of such options will cause the value of such options to increase (even if the prices of the options’ underlying stocks do not change), which will result in a corresponding increase in the liabilities of the Fund under such options and thus decrease the Fund’s NAV.
Sector Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in ETFs that invest more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, the Fund’s performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.
Communications Services Sector Risk. Communications services companies are subject to extensive government regulation. The costs of complying with governmental regulations, delays or failure to receive required regulatory approvals, or the enactment of new adverse regulatory requirements may adversely affect the business of such companies. Companies in the communications services sector can also be significantly affected by intense competition, including competition with alternative technologies such as wireless communications (including with 5G and other technologies), product compatibility, consumer preferences, rapid product obsolescence, and research and development of new products. Technological innovations may make the products and services of such companies obsolete.
Information Technology Sector Risk. Market or economic factors impacting information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.
Short Position Risk. The Fund may engage in short position derivative activities, which are significantly different from the investment activities commonly associated with conservative stock or bond funds. Short positions in derivatives are speculative and more-risky than “long” positions (purchases) because the upside of the underlying index is, in theory, unlimited. Therefore, the potential loss on an uncovered short derivative, such as a call option, is, in theory, unlimited; whereas the potential loss on long positions is limited to the original purchase price. You should be aware that any strategy that includes short positions could suffer significant losses. Shorting will also result in higher transaction costs (such as interest and dividends), which reduce the Fund’s return, and may result in higher taxes. When the Fund is selling
21


a position short, it must maintain a segregated account of cash or high-grade securities equal to the margin requirement. As a result, the Fund may maintain high levels of cash or other liquid assets.
Tax Risk. The Fund must meet certain requirements regarding the source of its income and the diversification of its assets, among other requirements, to qualify as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. The Fund’s investments in certain VIX derivatives, including VIX futures contracts, may not generate qualifying income. The Fund intends to take the position that VIX options and VIX futures produce qualifying income. The Fund, however, has not secured a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) regarding such position and there are no assurances the IRS or the courts will agree with the Fund that such VIX derivatives produce qualifying income. Failure to comply with the requirements to qualify as a RIC would have significant negative tax consequences to Fund shareholders.
Volatility Risk. The Fund’s derivative investments that are linked to equity market volatility levels can be highly volatile and may experience large losses. Trading in VIX Index futures contracts or VIX Index options, particularly contracts that are close to expiration, can be very volatile and can be expected to be very volatile in the future. The volatile nature of these instruments may have an adverse impact on the Fund beyond the impact of any changes in the VIX Index.
Performance
Performance information for the Fund is not included because the Fund did not have a full calendar year of performance prior to the date of this Prospectus. In the future, performance information for the Fund will be presented in this section. Updated performance information will be available on the Fund’s website at www.lhafunds.com.
Management
Investment Adviser: Little Harbor Advisors, LLC
Portfolio Managers: Michael Thompson, CFA, and D. Matthew Thompson, CFA, each a portfolio manager for the Adviser, have been the Fund’s portfolio managers since the inception of the Fund in March 2022.
Purchase and Sale of Shares
Shares are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Investors may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information about the Fund, including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available on the Fund’s website at www.lhafunds.com.
Tax Information
Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an IRA or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.
22


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
Investment Objective
Each Fund’s investment objective has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Tactical Beta ETF and Tactical Q ETF (the “Tactical ETFs”) will write call options only if they are “covered”. In the case of a call option written on a security, the option is “covered” if the Tactical ETFs own the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, liquid assets in such amount are segregated) upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by it. For a call option written on an index, the option is covered if the Tactical ETFs maintain with its custodian a portfolio of securities substantially replicating the index or liquid assets equal to the contract value. A call option also is covered if the Tactical ETFs hold a call on the same reference asset as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written, provided the Tactical ETFs segregate liquid assets in the amount of the difference.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Funds
This section provides additional information regarding the principal risks described in each Fund Summary. As in each Fund Summary, the principal risks below are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with other funds. Each risk described below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the applicable Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. Each of the factors below could have a negative impact on the applicable Fund’s performance and trading prices.
Active Management Risk. Each Fund is actively managed and may not meet its investment objective if the statistical analyses fail to identify the direction or strength of market movements or based on the Adviser’s success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund. A Fund may invest in complex instruments (each described below), including options and futures contracts. Such instruments may create enhanced risks for the Fund, and the Adviser’s ability to control the Fund’s level of risk will depend on the Adviser’s skill in managing such instruments.
Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk. Holding cash or cash equivalents rather than securities or other instruments in which the Fund primarily invests, even strategically, may cause the Fund to risk losing opportunities to participate in market appreciation, and may cause the Fund to experience potentially lower returns than the Fund’s benchmark or other funds that remain fully invested. In rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents will negatively affect the Fund’s performance relative to its benchmark.
Data Risk. When statistical analyses and Data prove to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon expose the Fund to potential risks. For example, by relying on incorrect or incomplete Data, the Adviser may be induced to buy certain investments at prices that are too high, to sell certain other investments at prices that are too low, or to miss favorable opportunities altogether. Similarly, any hedging based on faulty Data may prove to be unsuccessful.
Some of the statistical analyses used by the Adviser for each Fund are predictive in nature. The use of statistical analyses has inherent risks. For example, such statistical analyses may incorrectly forecast future behavior, leading to potential losses on a cash flow and/or a mark-to-market basis. In addition, in unforeseen or certain low-probability scenarios (often involving a market disruption of some kind), such statistical analyses may produce unexpected results, which can result in losses for the Fund. Furthermore, because predictive analyses are usually constructed based on historical data supplied by third parties, the success of relying on such analyses and Data may depend heavily on the accuracy and reliability of the supplied historical data.
All analyses rely on correct market data inputs. If incorrect market data is entered into even a well-founded analysis, the resulting information will be incorrect. However, even if market data is input correctly, “model prices” will often differ substantially from market prices, especially for instruments with complex characteristics, such as derivative instruments.
Depositary Receipt Risk (Tactical Q ETF only). The Fund may indirectly hold the securities of non-U.S. companies in the form of depositary receipts through its investments in other ETFs. 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
23


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.
Derivatives Risks. A Fund’s derivative investments have risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying asset or index, which creates the possibility that the loss on such instruments may be greater than the gain in the value of the underlying asset or index; the loss of principal; and illiquidity of the derivative investments. The derivatives used by a Fund may, in certain circumstances, give rise to a form of financial leverage, which may magnify the risk of owning such instruments. The ability to successfully use derivative investments depends on the ability of the Adviser to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. In addition, amounts paid by a Fund as premiums and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to the Fund’s derivative investments would not be available to the Fund for other investment purposes, which may result in lost opportunities for gain.
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; local, regional or global events such as acts of terrorism or war, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; and global or regional political, economic, public health, 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.
Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, financial markets in the United States and around the world experienced extreme and, in many cases, unprecedented volatility and severe losses due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus. The pandemic resulted in a wide range of social and economic disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic or international travel, and supply chain disruptions affecting the United States and many other countries. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced particularly large losses as a result of these disruptions, and such disruptions may continue for an extended period of time or reoccur in the future to a similar or greater extent. In response, the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve have taken extraordinary actions to support the domestic economy and financial markets. Many countries, including the U.S., are subject to few restrictions related to the spread of COVID-19. It is unknown how long circumstances related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance.
ETF Risks. Each Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of an ETF’s structure, is exposed to the following risks:
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.
Cash Redemption Risk. ETFs generally are able to make in-kind redemptions and avoid being taxed on gain on the distributed portfolio securities at the Fund level. Because the Fund may effect redemptions partly or entirely in cash, rather than in-kind, it may be required to sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. If the Fund recognizes gain on these sales, this generally will cause the Fund to recognize gain it might not otherwise have recognized, or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise be required if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind. The Fund generally intends to distribute these gains to shareholders to avoid being taxed on this gain at the Fund level and otherwise comply with the special tax rules that apply to it. This strategy may cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be subject to, or at an earlier date than, if they had made an investment in a different ETF. Moreover, cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable brokerage fees and taxes. These brokerage fees and taxes, which will be higher than if the Fund sold and redeemed its shares principally in-kind, could be imposed on the Fund and thus decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent they are not offset by the creation and redemption transaction fees paid by purchasers and redeemers of Creation Units.
24


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 the spread 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.
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. 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.
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, and this could lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.
ETN Risk (the Alpha Seeker ETF only). An ETN is an exchange-traded debt obligation of an investment bank, and the returns of an ETN are linked to the performance of a market index or derivatives linked to such index. In addition to trading ETNs on exchanges, investors may redeem ETNs directly with the issuer on a weekly basis, typically in a minimum amount of 50,000 units, or hold the ETNs until maturity. ETNs may be riskier than ordinary debt securities and may have no principal protection. A Fund’s investment in an ETN may be influenced by many unpredictable factors, including highly volatile commodities prices, changes in supply and demand relationships, trade, changes in interest rates, and monetary and other governmental policies, action, and inaction. Investing in ETNs is not equivalent to investing directly in index components or the relevant index itself. Because ETNs are debt securities, they possess credit risk; if the issuer has financial difficulties or goes bankrupt, the investor may not receive the return it was promised.
Fixed Income Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in fixed income securities. Fixed income securities, such as bonds and certain asset-backed securities, involve certain risks, which include:
Credit Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of an investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation.
Extension Risk. When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these securities to fall. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of securities, making them more sensitive to future changes in interest rates. The value of longer-term securities generally changes
25


more in response to changes in interest rates than the value of shorter-term securities. As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, securities may exhibit additional volatility and may lose value.
Interest Rate Risk. Generally, the value of fixed income securities will change inversely with changes in interest rates. As interest rates rise, the market value of fixed income securities tends to decrease. Conversely, as interest rates fall, the market value of fixed income securities tends to increase. This risk will be greater for long-term securities than for short-term securities. The Fund may take steps to attempt to reduce the exposure of its portfolio to interest rate changes; however, there can be no guarantee that the Fund will take such actions or that the Fund will be successful in reducing the impact of interest rate changes on the portfolio. In recent periods, governmental financial regulators, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, have taken steps to maintain historically low interest rates. Changes in government intervention may have adverse effects on investments, volatility, and illiquidity in debt markets.
Prepayment Risk. When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments tends to increase (as does price fluctuation) as borrowers are motivated to pay off debt and refinance at new lower rates. During such periods, reinvestment of the prepayment proceeds by the management team will generally be at lower rates of return than the return on the assets that were prepaid. Prepayment reduces the yield to maturity and the average life of the security.
Variable and Floating Rate Instrument Risk. The absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer defaults.
Foreign Investment Risk (Tactical Q ETF only). Because the Fund may invest in ETFs with exposure to non-U.S. companies, changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund than a fund that invests exclusively in U.S. companies. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets, resulting in non-uniform accounting practices and less publicly available information. The value of foreign investments may be affected by changes in exchange control regulations, application of foreign tax laws (including withholding tax), changes in governmental administration or economic or monetary policy (in this country or abroad) or changed circumstances in dealings between nations.
Futures Contracts Risks. The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying instrument. Depending on the terms of the particular contract, futures contracts are settled through either physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash settlement amount on the settlement date. A decision as to whether, when, and how to use futures involves the exercise of skill and judgment and even a well-conceived futures transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. In addition to the risks associated with all derivatives, the prices of futures can be highly volatile, using futures can lower total return, and the potential loss from futures can exceed a Fund’s initial investment in such contracts and could be unlimited.
Government Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest in securities issued, sponsored or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities. However, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities where it is not obligated to do so by law. For instance, securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. Securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have historically been supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government. While the U.S. government provides financial support to various U.S. government-sponsored agencies and instrumentalities, such as those listed above, no assurance can be given that it will always do so. In September 2008, at the direction of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed into conservatorship under the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), an independent regulator, and they remain in such status as of the date of this Prospectus. The U.S. government also took steps to provide additional financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
The total public debt of the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 2008–2009 financial downturn. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high national debt can raise concerns that the U.S. government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. This increase has also necessitated the need for the U.S. Congress to negotiate adjustments to the statutory debt ceiling to increase the cap on the amount the U.S. government is permitted to borrow to meet its existing obligations and finance current budget deficits. In August 2011, S&P lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. In explaining the downgrade at that time, S&P cited, among other reasons, controversy over raising the statutory debt limit
26


and growth in public spending. An increase in national debt levels may also necessitate the need for the U.S. Congress to negotiate adjustments to the statutory debt ceiling to increase the cap on the amount the U.S. Government is permitted to borrow to meet its existing obligations and finance current budget deficits. Future downgrades could increase volatility in domestic and foreign financial markets, result in higher interest rates, lower prices of U.S. Treasury securities and increase the costs of different kinds of debt. Any controversy or ongoing uncertainty regarding the statutory debt ceiling negotiations may impact the U.S. long-term sovereign credit rating and may cause market uncertainty. As a result, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may be adversely affected.
High Portfolio Turnover Risk. Because each Fund may “turn over” some or all of its positions as frequently as daily, the Fund may incur high levels of transaction costs from commissions or mark-ups in the bid/offer spread. Higher portfolio turnover may result in a Fund paying higher levels of transaction costs and generating greater tax liabilities for shareholders. Portfolio turnover risk may cause a Fund’s performance to be less than you expect. While the turnover of certain derivative instruments is not deemed “portfolio turnover” for accounting purposes, the economic impact to a Fund is similar to what could occur if the Fund experienced high portfolio turnover (e.g., in excess of 100% per year).
Investment Company Risk. Each Fund may invest in shares of investment companies, such as ETFs, that invest in a wide range of instruments designed to track the performance of a particular securities market index (or sector of an index) or that are actively managed. The risks of investment in these securities typically reflect the risks of the types of instruments in which the investment company invests. When a Fund invests in investment company securities, shareholders of the Fund bear indirectly their proportionate share of their fees and expenses, as well as their share of the Fund’s fees and expenses. As a result, an investment by a Fund in an investment company will cause the Fund’s operating expenses (taking into account indirect expenses such as the fees and expenses of the investment company) to be higher and, in turn, performance to be lower than if it were to invest directly in the instruments underlying the investment company. Additionally, there may not be an active trading market available for shares of some ETFs. Shares of an ETF may also trade in the market at a premium or discount to their NAV.
Leveraged, Inverse, and Inverse-Leveraged ETFs Risk. Each Fund may invest in leveraged ETFs. In addition, the Tactical Q ETF may invest in inverse ETFs, and the Alpha Seeker ETF may invest in inverse and inverse-leveraged ETFs. Leveraged ETFs expose a Fund to all of the risks that traditional ETFs present (see “ETF Risks” above). Leveraged ETFs, including certain ETNs tracking a leveraged benchmark, seek to provide investment results that match a multiple (positive or negative) of the performance of an underlying index (the “Index”) (e.g., three times the inverse performance). Leveraged ETFs rely to some degree, often extensively, on derivatives to achieve their objectives and, thus, a Fund is indirectly exposed to derivatives risk through its investments in these Leveraged ETFs. Further, investments in Leveraged ETFs are subject to the risk that the performance of such Leveraged ETF will not correlate with the underlying index as intended. Leveraged ETFs often “reset” daily, meaning that they are designed to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis. Due to the effect of compounding, their performance over longer periods of time can differ significantly from the performance (or inverse of the performance) of their Index or benchmark during the same period of time. This effect can be magnified in volatile markets. Consequently, these investment vehicles may be extremely volatile and can potentially expose the Fund to complete loss of its investment.
Leverage Risk. Each Fund obtains investment exposure in excess of its net assets by utilizing leverage and may lose more money in market conditions that are adverse to its investment objective than a fund that does not utilize leverage.
Limited Operating History Risk (Tactical Q ETF only). The Fund is a recently organized 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, each 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 the Fund’s performance. However, each Fund intends to satisfy the asset diversification requirements under Subchapter M of the Code for qualification as a RIC.
Options Risk. Buying and selling (writing) options are speculative activities and entail greater than ordinary investment risks. Options enable a Fund to purchase exposure that is significantly greater than the premium paid. Consequently, the value of such options can be volatile, and a small investment in options can have a large impact on the performance of a Fund. A Fund risks losing all or part of the cash paid (premiums) for purchasing options. Even a small decline in the value of a reference asset underlying call options or a small increase in the value of a reference asset underlying put
27


options can result in the entire investment in such options being lost. When selling an option, a Fund will receive a premium; however, this premium may not be enough to offset a loss incurred by the Fund if the price of the underlying asset is below the strike price for a put option, or above the strike price for a call option, by an amount equal to or greater than the premium. A Fund’s options also may fail to track the performance of their underlying reference asset, which may limit the effectiveness of the Fund’s strategy. The potential loss from written options can exceed a Fund’s initial investment in such options and could be unlimited.
When a Fund sells an option, it gains the amount of the premium it receives, but also incurs a liability representing the value of the option it has sold until the option is either exercised and finishes “in the money,” meaning it has value and can be sold, or the option expires worthless, or the expiration of the option is “rolled,” or extended forward. The value of the options in which a Fund invests is based partly on the volatility used by market participants to price such options (i.e., implied volatility). Accordingly, increases in the implied volatility of such options will cause the value of such options to increase (even if the prices of the options’ underlying stocks do not change), which will result in a corresponding increase in the liabilities of a Fund under such options and thus decrease a Fund’s NAV.
Sector Risk (Tactical Q ETF only). To the extent the Fund invests in ETFs that invest more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, the Fund’s performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.
Communications Services Sector Risk. Communications services companies are subject to extensive government regulation. The costs of complying with governmental regulations, delays or failure to receive required regulatory approvals, or the enactment of new adverse regulatory requirements may adversely affect the business of such companies. Companies in the communications services sector can also be significantly affected by intense competition, including competition with alternative technologies such as wireless communications (including with 5G and other technologies), product compatibility, consumer preferences, rapid product obsolescence, and research and development of new products. Technological innovations may make the products and services of such companies obsolete.
Information Technology Sector Risk. Market or economic factors impacting information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.
Short Position Risk (Tactical Q ETF and the Alpha Seeker ETF only). The Fund may engage in short position derivative activities, which are significantly different from the investment activities commonly associated with conservative stock or bond funds. Positions in shorted derivatives are speculative and more-risky than “long” positions (purchases) because the upside of the underlying index is, in theory, unlimited. Therefore, the potential loss on an uncovered short derivative, such as a call option, is in theory unlimited, whereas the potential loss on long positions is limited to the original purchase price. You should be aware that any strategy that includes short positions could suffer significant losses. Shorting will also result in higher transaction costs (such as interest and dividends), which reduce the Fund’s return, and may result in higher taxes. When the Fund is selling a position short, it must maintain a segregated account of cash or high-grade securities equal to the margin requirement. As a result, the Fund may maintain high levels of cash or other liquid assets.
Tax Risk. To qualify as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code, each Fund must meet certain requirements regarding the source of its income and the diversification of its assets, among other requirements. Specifically, a Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income each taxable year from “qualifying income” and diversify its assets as described in more detail in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).
Certain of a Fund’s investments, including certain VIX futures, other VIX derivatives, certain ETNs and other over the counter derivatives, may not generate qualifying income. Each Fund intends to take the position that VIX options and VIX futures produce qualifying income. The Funds, however, have not secured a private letter ruling from the IRS regarding such position and there are no assurances the IRS or the courts will agree with a Fund that such derivatives produce qualifying income. Furthermore, it is possible that the IRS or the courts may reach different conclusions concerning investments for which there currently is no IRS precedent or that the IRS may, in the future, articulate tax positions that are adverse to a Fund’s determinations.
28


In addition, for purposes of satisfying the asset diversification test (as described more fully in the SAI) it may be difficult for a Fund to identify the “issuer” of certain Fund investments including derivatives investments. There is a risk that the IRS could make an adverse determination with respect to identifying the issuer of certain Fund investments, such as derivative investments, and could disagree with a Fund’s valuation of the underlying issuers to a particular derivative. Such an adverse determination could, therefore, jeopardize the Fund’s status as a RIC, which would ultimately affect a shareholder’s return on its investment in the Fund.
If a Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for any taxable year (but was eligible to and did cure the failure) it would incur potentially significant additional federal income tax expense. If, on the other hand, a Fund failed to so qualify for any taxable year, and was ineligible to or otherwise did not cure the failure, such a result could cause investors to incur higher tax liabilities than they otherwise would have incurred and would have a negative impact on Fund returns. For example, a Fund would be subject to income tax on its taxable income at the corporate rate, with the consequence that its income available for distribution to shareholders would be reduced. If a Fund attempted to re-qualify for taxation as a RIC, the Fund might be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make certain distributions. In such event, the Board of Trustees’ may determine to reorganize or close the applicable Fund or materially change its investment objective and strategies.
If positions held by the Fund were treated as “straddles” for federal income tax purposes, or the Fund’s risk of loss with respect to a position was otherwise diminished as set forth in Treasury regulations, dividends on stocks that are a part of such positions would not constitute qualified dividend income subject to such favorable income tax treatment in the hands of non-corporate shareholders or eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders. In addition, generally, straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect the amount, character and timing of the Fund’s gains and losses with respect to straddle positions by requiring, among other things, that: (1) any loss realized on disposition of one position of a straddle may not be recognized to the extent that the Fund has unrealized gains with respect to the other position in such straddle; (2) the Fund’s holding period in straddle positions be suspended while the straddle exists (possibly resulting in a gain being treated as short-term capital gain rather than long-term capital gain); (3) the losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions that are part of a mixed straddle and that are not subject to Section 1256 of the Code be treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital loss; (4) losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions that would otherwise constitute short-term capital losses be treated as long-term capital losses; and (5) the deduction of interest and carrying charges attributable to certain straddle positions may be deferred.
Volatility Risk. A Fund’s derivative investments that are linked to equity market volatility levels can be highly volatile and may experience large losses. Trading in VIX Index futures contracts or VIX Index options, particularly contracts that are close to expiration, can be very volatile and can be expected to be very volatile in the future. The volatile nature of these instruments may have an adverse impact on a Fund beyond the impact of any changes in the VIX Index.
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS
From time to time, a Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions. In such instances, a Fund may hold up to 100% of its assets in cash; short-term U.S. government securities and government agency securities; investment grade money market instruments; money market mutual funds; investment grade fixed-income securities; repurchase agreements; commercial paper; cash equivalents; and ETFs that principally invest in the foregoing instruments. As a result of engaging in these temporary measures, a Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
Information about each Fund’s daily portfolio holdings is available at www.lhafunds.com. A complete description of each Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ SAI.
MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser
Little Harbor Advisors, LLC, 30 Doaks Lane, Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945, serves as investment adviser to the Funds. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund’s portfolio and has overall responsibility for the administration of the Funds, including the investment and reinvestment of Fund assets and the selection of broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions. The Adviser also arranges for transfer agency, custody, fund administration, and all other related services necessary for the Funds to operate. The Adviser was founded in 2012 and provides discretionary investment services to a private collective investment fund and ETFs, including the Funds.
29


For the services it provides to the Funds, each Fund pays the Adviser a unified management fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate based on the applicable Fund’s average daily net assets as set forth in the table below.
Name of FundManagement Fee
Alpha Seeker ETF
1.10%
Tactical Beta ETF
1.10%
Tactical Q ETF
1.10%
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses incurred by the Funds except for interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, distribution fees and expenses paid by the Funds under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and the unified management fee payable to the Adviser.
The Adviser shall not be liable to the Trust or any shareholder for anything done or omitted by it, except acts or omissions involving willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence or reckless disregard of the duties imposed upon it by its agreement with the Trust or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding, or sale of any security.
The basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Funds’ Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Fund’s Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders dated June 30, 2022.
Portfolio Managers
Michael Thompson, CFA, and D. Matthew Thompson, CFA (together, the “Portfolio Managers”), have joint and primary responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Funds.
Michael Thompson, CFA. Michael Thompson joined the Adviser as a portfolio manager in 2020 and has over 23 years of experience constructing and managing portfolios with a focus on volatility and risk management strategies. He originally co-developed a VIX trading strategy with his brother, D. Matthew Thompson, in October of 2011 while employed at Hills Capital as a portfolio manager. In 2013, Michael Thompson began trading the VIX trading strategy directly in the futures market for the proprietary trading desk of ED&F Man Ltd and as a commodity trading advisor, first as a principal of Advocate Asset Management LLC and subsequently for Typhon Capital Management LLC. In 2015, he became the Chief Investment Officer at Kaizen Advisory LLC, where he helped to launch the securities products currently managed by Thompson Capital. In 2019, Michael Thompson and his brother created Thompson Capital where Michael Thompson is the Chief Investment Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Portfolio Manager, and a trader. Michael Thompson received his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Illinois/Champaign in 1996 and is a member of the CFA Society of Chicago.
D. Matthew Thompson, CFA. Matthew Thompson joined the Adviser as a portfolio manager in 2020 and has over 20 years of capital markets and investing experience, focusing on futures trading with an emphasis on VIX-related exchange-traded products. From July 2013 through September of 2014, he traded the VIX trading strategy directly in the futures market for the proprietary trading desk of ED&F Man Ltd and as a commodity trading advisor, first as a principal of Advocate Asset Management LLC and subsequently for Typhon Capital Management LLC. In 2015, Matthew Thompson became the Director of Research at Kaizen Advisory LLC. In 2019, he and his brother created Thompson Capital where Matthew Thompson is the Director of Research, Portfolio Manager, and a trader. Matthew Thompson received his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Illinois/Champaign in 1999 and is a member of the CFA Society of Chicago.
The Funds’ SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager’s compensation structure, other accounts that the Portfolio Managers manage, and their ownership of Shares.
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES
Each Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in Creation Units. Only APs may acquire Shares directly from a Fund, and only APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to a Fund, at NAV. APs must be a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC and must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor (defined below), and that has been accepted by a Fund’s transfer agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Once created, Shares trade in the secondary market in quantities less than a Creation Unit.
30


Most investors buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares are listed for trading on the secondary market on the Exchange and can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded securities.
When buying or selling Shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offer price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. In addition, because secondary market transactions occur at market prices, you may pay more than NAV when you buy Shares and receive less than NAV when you sell those Shares.
Book Entry
Shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares.
Investors owning Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all Shares. DTC’s participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of Shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that you hold in book entry or “street name” through your brokerage account.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares
The Funds impose no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of Shares. In determining not to approve a written, established policy, the Board evaluated the risks of market timing activities by Fund shareholders. Purchases and redemptions by APs, who are the only parties that may purchase or redeem Shares directly with a Fund, are an essential part of the ETF process and help keep Share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, the Funds accommodate frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, the Board has also determined that frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase tracking error and portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains. To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions, the Funds employ fair value pricing and may impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by a Fund in effecting trades. In addition, the Funds and the Adviser reserve the right to reject any purchase order at any time.
Determination of NAV
Each Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, each day the NYSE is open for business. The NAV for each Fund is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by its Shares outstanding.
In calculating its NAV, each Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments. If such information is not available for a security held by a Fund or is determined to be unreliable, the security will be valued by the Adviser at fair value pursuant to procedures established by the Adviser and approved by the Board (as described below).
Fair Value Pricing
The Adviser has been designated by the Board as the valuation designee for the Funds pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act. In its capacity as valuation designee, the Adviser has adopted procedures and methodologies to fair value Fund securities whose market prices are not “readily available” or are deemed to be unreliable. For example, such circumstances may arise when: (i) a security has been de-listed or has had its trading halted or suspended; (ii) a security’s primary pricing source is unable or unwilling to provide a price; (iii) a security’s primary trading market is closed during regular market hours; or (iv) a security’s value is materially affected by events occurring after the close of the security’s primary trading market. The Board has appointed the Adviser as each Fund’s valuation designee to perform all fair valuations of the Funds’ portfolio investments, subject to the Board’s oversight. Accordingly, the Adviser has established procedures for its fair valuation of each Fund’s portfolio investments. Generally, when fair valuing a security held by a Fund, the Adviser will take into account all reasonably available information that may be relevant to a particular valuation including, but not limited to, fundamental analytical data regarding the issuer, information relating to the issuer’s business, recent trades or offers of the security, general and/or specific market conditions and the specific facts giving rise to the need to fair value the security. Fair value determinations are made in good faith and in accordance with the fair value methodologies established by the Adviser. Due to the subjective and variable nature of determining the fair value of a security or other investment, there can be no assurance that the Adviser’s fair value will match or closely correlate to any market quotation that subsequently becomes available or
31


the price quoted or published by other sources. In addition, a Fund may not be able to obtain the fair value assigned to the security upon the sale of such security.
Investments by Registered Investment Companies
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies (“Investing Funds”) in the securities of other investment companies, including the Funds.
Alpha Seeker ETF
Investing Funds are permitted to invest in the Alpha Seeker ETF (the “Fund”) beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, including that such Investing Funds enter into an agreement with the Fund.
Tactical Beta ETF and the Tactical Q ETF
Investing Funds are not permitted to invest in the Tactical Beta ETF and the Tactical Q ETF (each, a “Fund” and, together, the “Funds”) beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 because the Funds operate as funds of funds and/or invest a significant portion of their assets in other investment companies. Thus, the Funds are unable to satisfy the terms and conditions of Rule 12d1-4. Accordingly, Investing Funds must adhere to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) when investing in these Funds.
Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding
Householding is an option available to certain investors of the Funds. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Householding for the Funds is available through certain broker-dealers. If you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, please contact your broker-dealer. If you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status, please contact your broker-dealer.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES
Dividends and Distributions
Each Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, and distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders at least annually. Each Fund will declare and pay capital gain distributions, if any, in cash. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.
Taxes
The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Funds. Your investment in a Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares, including the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws. This summary does not apply to Shares held in an IRA or other tax-qualified plans, which are generally not subject to current tax. Transactions relating to Shares held in such accounts may, however, be taxable at some time in the future. This summary is based on current tax laws, which may change.
Each Fund has elected and intends to continue to qualify each year for treatment as a RIC. If a Fund meets certain minimum distribution requirements, a RIC is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, a Fund’s failure to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and, consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.
Unless your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when a Fund makes distributions, when you sell your Shares listed on the Exchange; and when you purchase or redeem Creation Units (APs only).
Taxes on Distributions
Each Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains. For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long a Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Shares. Sales of assets held by a Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by a Fund for one year or less
32


generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of a Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by such Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains, which for non-corporate shareholders are subject to tax at reduced rates of up to 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets). Distributions of short-term capital gain will generally be taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional Shares.
Distributions reported by a Fund as “qualified dividend income” are generally taxed to non-corporate shareholders at rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided holding period and other requirements are met. “Qualified dividend income” generally is income derived from dividends paid by U.S. corporations or certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In addition, dividends that a Fund received in respect of stock of certain foreign corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market. Certain of a Fund’s investment strategies may significantly limit its ability to make distributions eligible for the reduced rates applicable to qualified dividend income.
Certain of a Fund’s investments may be subject to complex provisions of the Code that, among other things, may affect the Fund’s ability to qualify as a RIC, affect the character of gains and losses realized by the Fund (e.g., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and defer losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also may require a Fund to mark to market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out) which may cause the Fund to recognize income without the Fund receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts sufficient to enable the Fund to satisfy the RIC distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. Each Fund intends to monitor its transactions, intends to make appropriate tax elections, and intends to make appropriate entries in its books and records to mitigate the effect of these rules and preserve the Fund’s qualification for treatment as a RIC. To the extent a Fund invests in an ETF or underlying fund that is taxable as a RIC, the rules applicable to the tax treatment of complex securities will also apply to such ETF or underlying fund that also invests in such complex securities and investments.
Certain derivative investments by a Fund, such as exchange-traded products and over-the-counter derivatives, may not produce qualifying income for purposes of the “qualifying income requirement” (described in the section entitled “Federal Income Taxes” in the SAI), which must be met in order for the Fund to maintain its status as a RIC under the Code. In addition, the determination of the value and the identity of the issuer of such derivative investments are often unclear for purposes of the “diversification requirement” (described in the section entitled “Federal Income Taxes” in the SAI). Each Fund intends to carefully monitor such investments to ensure that any non-qualifying income does not exceed permissible limits and to ensure that it is adequately diversified under the “diversification requirement”. A Fund, however, may not be able to accurately predict the non-qualifying income from these investments and there are no assurances that the IRS will agree with the Fund's determination of the “diversification requirement” with respect to such derivatives. Failure of the “diversification requirement” might also result from a determination by the IRS that financial instruments in which a Fund invests are not securities.
Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the character of any distributions received from a Fund.
U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gains distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, however, may be treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year. Distributions are generally taxable even if they are paid from income or gains earned by a Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the Shares’ NAV when you purchased your Shares).
You may wish to avoid investing in a Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment.
If a Fund’s distributions exceed its earnings and profits, all or a portion of the distributions made for a taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable, but will reduce each shareholder’s cost basis in Shares and result in a higher capital gain or lower capital loss when the Shares are sold. After a shareholder’s basis in Shares has been reduced to zero, distributions in excess of earnings and profits in respect of those Shares will be treated as gain from the sale of the Shares.
33


If you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the United States or if you are a foreign entity, distributions (other than Capital Gain Dividends) paid to you by a Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. Gains from the sale or other disposition of your Shares generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless you are a nonresident alien individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. A Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Different tax consequences may result if you are a foreign shareholder engaged in a trade or business within the United States or if a tax treaty applies.
Under legislation generally known as “FATCA” (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), a Fund is required to withhold 30% of certain ordinary dividends it pays to shareholders that are foreign entities and that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.
Each Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns Shares) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage (currently 24%) of the taxable distributions and sale proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has underreported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that the shareholder is not subject to such withholding.
Taxes When Shares are Sold on the Exchange
Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Shares generally is treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for one year or less. However, any capital loss on a sale of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of Capital Gain Dividends paid with respect to such Shares. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent Shares of a Fund are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of Shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.
The cost basis of Shares of a Fund acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the Shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of Shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
Taxes on Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units
An AP having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally recognizes a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the exchanging AP’s aggregate basis in the securities delivered, plus the amount of any cash paid for the Creation Units. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanging AP’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of the securities received, plus any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS may assert, however, that a loss that is realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be currently deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for an AP who does not mark-to-market their holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
Each Fund may include a payment of cash in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities upon the redemption of Creation Units. Such Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause such Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the redemption in-kind. As a result, such Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in each Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You also may be subject to state and local tax on Fund distributions and sales of Shares. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “Federal Income Taxes” in the SAI.
DISTRIBUTION
The Distributor, Quasar Distributors, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group), is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Funds on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the
34


Funds or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Funds. The Distributor’s principal address is 111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Plan, each Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities and shareholder services.
No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Funds, and there are no plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because the fees are paid out of Fund assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION
Information regarding how often Shares traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV per Share is available, free of charge, on the Funds’ website at www.lhafunds.com.
ADDITIONAL NOTICES
Shares are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Shares or any member of the public regarding the ability of a Fund to achieve its objective. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in the determination of, the timing, prices, or quantities of Shares to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which Shares are redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of Shares in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of Shares.
Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.
The Adviser and the Funds make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Shares or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each Fund’s financial performance for each Fund’s five most recent fiscal years (or the life of the Fund, if shorter). Certain information reflects financial results for a single Share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in a Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Funds’ financial statements, is included in the Funds’ annual report, which is available upon request.
35


LHA Market StateAlpha Seeker ETF
For a capital share outstanding throughout the year/period
Year Ended
December 31,
2022
Year Ended
December 31,
2021
Period Ended
December 31,
2020(a)
Net asset value, beginning of year/period
$25.02 $23.64 $25.00 
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:
Net investment income (loss)(b)(f)
0.10 (0.29)(0.20)
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments
(0.26)1.76 (0.71)
Total from investment operations
(0.16)1.47 (0.91)
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:
From net investment income
(0.03)(0.09)(0.46)
Total distributions to shareholders
(0.03)(0.09)(0.46)
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
Transaction fees
0.00 
(i)
0.00 
(i)
0.01 
Net asset value, end of year/period
$24.83 $25.02 $23.64 
Total return
-0.70 %6.28 %-3.62 %
(c)
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets at end of year/period (000’s)
$42,838 $27,526 $17,729 
RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS:
Expenses to average net assets(g)(h)
1.13 %1.17 %1.42 %
(d)
Net investment income (loss) to average net assets(f)
0.40 %-1.14 %-1.33 %
(d)
Portfolio turnover rate(e)
11,063 %3,520 %1,603 %
(c)
(a)The Fund commenced operations on May 13, 2020.
(b)Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year/period.
(c)Not annualized.
(d)Annualized.
(e)Excludes the impact of in-kind transactions.
(f)Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests. The ratio does not include net investment income of the underlying companies in which the Fund invests.
(g)Does not include expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests.
(h)Includes broker interest expense of 0.03% and 0.07% and 0.32%, respectively.
(i)Less than $0.005.

36


LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF
For a capital share outstanding throughout the year/period
Year Ended
December 31,
2022
Year Ended
December 31,
2021
Period Ended
December 31,
2020(a)
Net asset value, beginning of year/period
$32.21 $26.92 $25.00 
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:
Net investment income (loss)(b)(f)
0.02 (0.08)(0.01)
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments
(7.13)6.07 2.41 
Total from investment operations
(7.11)5.99 2.40 
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:
From net investment income
— — (0.27)
From net realized gains(0.33)(0.71)(0.21)
Total distributions to shareholders
(0.33)(0.71)(0.48)
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
Transaction fees 0.00 
(i)
0.01 — 
Net asset value, end of year/period
$24.77 $32.21 $26.92 
Total return
-22.09 %22.25 %9.65 %
(c)
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets at end of year/period (000’s)
$169,075 $342,181 $36,343 
RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS:
Expenses to average net assets(g)(h)
1.18 %1.13 %1.13 %
(d)
Net investment income (loss) to average net assets(f)
0.08 %-0.27 %-0.11 %
(d)
Portfolio turnover rate(e)
%132 %132 %
(c)
(a)The Fund commenced operations on September 29, 2020.
(b)Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year/period.
(c)Not annualized.
(d)Annualized.
(e)Excludes the impact of in-kind transactions.
(f)Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests. The ratio does not include net investment income of the underlying companies in which the Fund invests.
(g)Does not include expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests.
(h)Includes broker interest expense of 0.08%, 0.03% and 0.03%, respectively.
(i)Less than $0.005.

37


LHA Market State™ Tactical Q ETF
For a capital share outstanding throughout the period
Period Ended
December 31,
2022(a)
Net asset value, beginning of period
$25.00 
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:
Net investment income (loss)(b)(f)
(0.03)
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments
(5.01)
Total from investment operations
(5.04)
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
Transaction fees 0.00 
(i)
Net asset value, end of period
$19.96 
Total return
-20.17 %
(c)
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets at end of period (000’s)
$3,493 
RATIOS TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS:
Expenses to average net assets(g)(h)
1.38 %
(d)
Net investment income (loss) to average net assets(f)
-0.16 %
(d)
Portfolio turnover rate(e)
138 %
(c)
(a)The Fund commenced operations on March 14, 2022.
(b)Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(c)Not annualized.
(d)Annualized.
(e)Excludes the impact of in-kind transactions.
(f)Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests. The ratio does not include net investment income of the underlying companies in which the Fund invests.
(g)Does not include expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests.
(h)Includes broker interest expense of 0.28%.
(i)Less than $0.005.
38


LHA MARKET STATE ALPHA SEEKER ETF
LHA MARKET STATE TACTICAL BETA ETF
LHA MARKET STATETACTICAL Q ETF
Adviser
Little Harbor Advisors, LLC
30 Doaks Lane
Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945
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
Custodian
U.S. Bank National Association
1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212 
Distributor
Quasar Distributors, LLC 
111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Legal Counsel
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004-2541
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Cohen & Company, Ltd.
342 North Water Street, Suite 830
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Investors may find more information about the Funds in the following documents:
Statement of Additional Information: The Funds’ SAI provides additional details about the investments and techniques of the Funds and certain other additional information. A current SAI dated April 30, 2023 is on file with the SEC and is herein incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. It is legally considered a part of this Prospectus.
Annual/Semi-Annual Reports: Additional information about each Fund’s investments is available in the Funds’ annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the annual report you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected each Fund’s performance.
You can obtain free copies of these documents, request other information or make general inquiries about the Funds by contacting the Funds at c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701 or calling 1-800-617-0004.
Shareholder reports and other information about the Funds are also available:
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 website at www.lhafunds.com; or
For a fee, by e-mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov.

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

































LHA Market StateAlpha Seeker ETF (MSVX)
LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF (MSTB)
LHA Market StateTactical Q ETF (MSTQ)
each a series of ETF Series Solutions
Listed on Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
April 30, 2023
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus for the LHA Market State Alpha Seeker ETF (the “Alpha Seeker ETF”), the LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF (the “Tactical Beta ETF”), and the LHA Market State™ Tactical Q ETF (the “Tactical Q ETF”) (each, a “Fund” and, collectively, the “Funds”), each a series of ETF Series Solutions (the “Trust”), dated April 30, 2023, as may be supplemented from time to time (the “Prospectus”). Capitalized terms used in this SAI that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge, by calling the Funds at 1‑800‑617‑0004, visiting www.lhafunds.com, or writing to the Funds, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701.
The Funds’ audited financial statements for the fiscal year/period ended December 31, 2022 are incorporated into this SAI by reference to the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders dated December 31, 2022 (File No. 811-22668). You may obtain a copy of the Funds’ Annual Report at no charge by contacting the Funds at the address or phone number noted above.
1


TABLE OF CONTENTS
1


GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST
The Trust is an open-end management investment company consisting of multiple investment series. This SAI relates to the Funds. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on February 9, 2012. The Trust is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (together with the rules and regulations adopted thereunder, as amended, the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company, and the offering of each Fund’s shares (“Shares”) is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Trust is governed by its Board of Trustees (the “Board”). Little Harbor Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Funds. The investment objective of each Fund is as stated in the Fund’s Prospectus under “Investment Objective”.
Each Fund offers and issues Shares at their net asset value (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each, a “Creation Unit”). Each Fund generally offers and issues Shares in exchange for a basket of securities (“Deposit Securities”) together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (“Cash Component”). The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount (“Deposit Cash”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. Shares are listed on the Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and trade on the Exchange at market prices that may differ from the Shares’ NAV. Shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, primarily for a basket of Deposit Securities together with a Cash Component. A Creation Unit of a Fund generally consists of 25,000 Shares, though this may change from time to time. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities.
Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the value of the missing Deposit Securities, as set forth in the Participant Agreement (as defined below). The Trust may impose a transaction fee for each creation or redemption. In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the SEC applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions in the secondary market will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES, AND RELATED RISKS
Each Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described in the Prospectus. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus. For a description of certain permitted investments, see “Description of Permitted Investments” in this SAI.
With respect to each Fund’s investments, unless otherwise noted, if a percentage limitation on investment is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a subsequent increase or decrease as a result of market movement or redemption will not result in a violation of such investment limitation.
Non-Diversification
Each Fund is classified as a non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act. A “non-diversified” classification means that a Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its total assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. This means that a Fund may invest a greater portion of its total assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. This may have an adverse effect on a Fund’s performance or subject Shares to greater price volatility than more diversified investment companies. Moreover, in pursuing its objective, a Fund may hold the securities of a single issuer in an amount exceeding 10% of the value of the outstanding securities of the issuer, subject to restrictions imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
Although each Fund is non-diversified for purposes of the 1940 Act, the Funds intend to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a “regulated investment company” (“RIC”) for purposes of the Code. Compliance with the diversification requirements of the Code may limit the investment flexibility of a Fund and may make it less likely that a Fund will meet its investment objectives. To qualify as a RIC under the Code, a Fund must meet the Diversification Requirement described in the section titled “Federal Income Taxes” in this SAI.
General Risks
The value of a Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate with changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular security or issuer and changes in general economic or political conditions. An investor in a Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
There can be no guarantee that a liquid market for the securities held by a Fund will be maintained. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities
2


may be sold and the value of Shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for a Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid-ask spreads are wide.
Cyber Security Risk. Investment companies, such as the Funds, and their service providers may be subject to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber attacks. Cyber attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber attacks affecting a Fund or the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact a Fund. For instance, cyber attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact a Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject a Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause reputational damage. A Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause a Fund’s investments in such portfolio companies to lose value.
Recent Events. Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, financial markets in the United States and around the world experienced extreme and, in many cases, unprecedented volatility and severe losses due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus. The pandemic resulted in a wide range of social and economic disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic or international travel, and supply chain disruptions affecting the United States and many other countries. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced particularly large losses as a result of these disruptions, and such disruptions may continue for an extended period of time or reoccur in the future to a similar or greater extent. In response, the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve have taken extraordinary actions to support the domestic economy and financial markets. Many countries, including the U.S., are subject to few restrictions related to the spread of COVID-19. It is unknown how long circumstances related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance.
Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the resulting responses by the United States and other countries, and the potential for wider conflict could increase volatility and uncertainty in the financial markets and adversely affect regional and global economies. The United States and other countries have imposed broad-ranging economic sanctions on Russia, certain Russian individuals, banking entities and corporations, and Belarus as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and may impose sanctions on other countries that provide military or economic support to Russia. The sanctions restrict companies from doing business with Russia and Russian companies, prohibit transactions with the Russian central bank and other key Russian financial institutions and entities, ban Russian airlines and ships from using many other countries’ airspace and ports, respectively, and place a freeze on certain Russian assets. The sanctions also removed some Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT), the electronic network that connects banks globally to facilitate cross-border payments. In addition, the United States and the United Kingdom have banned oil and other energy imports from Russia, and the European Union has banned most Russian crude oil imports and refined petroleum products, with limited exceptions. The extent and duration of Russia’s military actions and the repercussions of such actions (including any retaliatory actions or countermeasures that may be taken by those subject to sanctions, including cyber attacks) are impossible to predict, but could result in significant market disruptions, including in certain industries or sectors, such as the oil and natural gas markets, and may negatively affect global supply chains, inflation and global growth. These and any related events could significantly impact the Fund’s performance and the value of an investment in the Fund, even if the Fund does not have direct exposure to Russian issuers or issuers in other countries affected by the invasion.
DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS
The following are descriptions of the Funds’ permitted investments and investment practices and the associated risk factors. A Fund will only invest in any of the following instruments or engage in any of the following investment practices if such investment or activity is consistent with a Fund’s investment objective and permitted by the Fund’s stated investment policies. Each of the permitted investments described below applies to each Fund unless otherwise noted.
Borrowing. Although the Funds do not intend to borrow money, a Fund may do so to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, a Fund may borrow up to one-third (1/3) of its total assets. A Fund will borrow money only for short-term or emergency purposes. Such borrowing is not for investment purposes and will be repaid by the borrowing Fund promptly. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of the borrowing Fund’s portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased. A Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
3


Depositary Receipts. To the extent a Fund invests in stocks of foreign corporations, a Fund’s investment in securities of foreign companies may be in the form of depositary receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) are dollar-denominated receipts representing interests in the securities of a foreign issuer, which securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by U.S. banks and trust companies which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. Generally, ADRs in registered form are designed for use in domestic securities markets and are traded on exchanges or over-the-counter in the United States. Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), and International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”) are similar to ADRs in that they are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer; however, GDRs, EDRs, and IDRs may be issued in bearer form and denominated in other currencies and are generally designed for use in specific or multiple securities markets outside the U.S. EDRs, for example, are designed for use in European securities markets, while GDRs are designed for use throughout the world. Depositary receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities.
The Funds will not invest in any unlisted Depositary Receipts or any Depositary Receipt that the Adviser deems to be illiquid or for which pricing information is not readily available. In addition, all Depositary Receipts generally must be sponsored. However, a Fund may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts under certain limited circumstances. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the value of the Depositary Receipts. The use of a Depositary Receipt may increase tracking error relative to the applicable Index if the Index includes the foreign security instead of the Depositary Receipt.
Debt Securities. In general, a debt security represents a loan of money to the issuer by the purchaser of the security. A debt security typically has a fixed payment schedule that obligates the issuer to pay interest to the lender and to return the lender’s money over a certain time period. A company typically meets its payment obligations associated with its outstanding debt securities before it declares and pays any dividend to holders of its equity securities. Bonds, notes and commercial paper are examples of debt securities and differ in the length of the issuer’s principal repayment schedule, with bonds carrying the longest repayment schedule and commercial paper the shortest.
Debt securities are all generally subject to interest rate, credit, income and prepayment risks and, like all investments, are subject to liquidity and market risks to varying degrees depending upon the specific terms and type of security. The Adviser attempts to reduce credit and market risk through diversification of a Fund’s portfolio and ongoing credit analysis of each issuer, as well as by monitoring economic developments, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful at doing so.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds. Inflation-indexed bonds are debt securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers use a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index accruals as part of a semiannual coupon.
Inflation-indexed securities issued by the U.S. Treasury have maturities of five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis, equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if a Fund purchased an inflation-indexed bond with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and inflation over the first six months were 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole years’ inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semiannual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).
If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate. A Fund may also invest in other inflation related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.
The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if inflation were to rise at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increased at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.
4


While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond’s inflation measure.
The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (“CPI-U”), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index, calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.
Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.
A Fund’s investments in debt securities may subject such Fund to the following risks:
Credit risk. Debt securities are subject to the risk of an issuer’s (or other party’s) failure or inability to meet its obligations under the security. Multiple parties may have obligations under a debt security. An issuer or borrower may fail to pay principal and interest when due. A guarantor, insurer or credit support provider may fail to provide the agreed upon protection. A counterparty to a transaction may fail to perform its side of the bargain. An intermediary or agent interposed between the investor and other parties may fail to perform the terms of its service. Also, performance under a debt security may be linked to the obligations of other persons who may fail to meet their obligations. The credit risk associated with a debt security could increase to the extent that a Fund’s ability to benefit fully from its investment in the security depends on the performance by multiple parties of their respective contractual or other obligations. The market value of a debt security is also affected by the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer.
A Fund may incur substantial losses on debt securities that are inaccurately perceived to present a different amount of credit risk than they actually do by the market, the Adviser or the rating agencies. Credit risk is generally greater where less information is publicly available, where fewer covenants safeguard the investors’ interests, where collateral may be impaired or inadequate, where little legal redress or regulatory protection is available, or where a party’s ability to meet obligations is speculative. Additionally, any inaccuracy in the information used by a Fund to evaluate credit risk may affect the value of securities held by such Fund.
Obligations under debt securities held by a Fund may never be satisfied or, if satisfied, only satisfied in part.
Some securities are subject to risks as a result of a credit downgrade or default by a government, or its agencies or, instrumentalities. Credit risk is a greater concern for high-yield debt securities and debt securities of issuers whose ability to pay interest and principal may be considered speculative. Debt securities are typically classified as investment grade-quality (medium to highest credit quality) or below investment grade-quality (commonly referred to as high-yield or junk bonds). Many individual debt securities are rated by a third party source, such as Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) or Standard & Poor’s Financial Services (S&P®), to help describe the creditworthiness of the issuer.
Credit ratings risk. The Adviser performs its own independent investment analysis of securities being considered for a Fund’s portfolio, which includes consideration of, among other things, the issuer’s financial resources, its sensitivity to economic conditions and trends, its operating history, the quality of the issuer’s management and regulatory matters. The Adviser also considers the ratings assigned by various investment services and independent rating agencies, such as Moody’s and S&P, that publish ratings based upon their assessment of the relative creditworthiness of the rated debt securities. Generally, a lower rating indicates higher credit risk. Higher yields are ordinarily available from debt securities in the lower rating categories.
Using credit ratings to evaluate debt securities can involve certain risks. For example, ratings assigned by the rating agencies are based upon an analysis completed at the time of the rating of the obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal. Rating agencies typically rely to a large extent on historical data which may not accurately represent present or future circumstances. Ratings do not purport to reflect the risk of fluctuations in market value of the debt security and are not absolute standards of quality and only express the rating agency’s current opinion of an obligor’s overall financial capacity to pay its financial obligations. A credit rating is not a statement of fact or a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a debt obligation. Also, credit quality can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and credit ratings may not reflect the issuer’s current financial condition or events since the security was last rated. Rating agencies may have a financial interest in generating business, including from the arranger or issuer of the security that normally pays for that rating, and providing a low rating might affect the rating agency’s prospects for future business. While rating agencies have policies and procedures to address this potential conflict of interest, there is a risk that these policies will fail to prevent a conflict of interest from impacting the rating.
5


Extension risk. A Fund is subject to extension risk, which is the risk that the market value of some debt securities, particularly mortgage securities and certain asset-backed securities, may be adversely affected when bond calls or prepayments on underlying mortgages or other assets are less or slower than anticipated. Extension risk may result from, for example, rising interest rates or unexpected developments in the markets for the underlying assets or mortgages. As a consequence, the security’s effective maturity will be extended, resulting in an increase in interest rate sensitivity to that of a longer-term instrument. Extension risk generally increases as interest rates rise. This is because, in a rising interest rate environment, the rate of prepayment and exercise of call or buy-back rights generally falls and the rate of default and delayed payment generally rises. When the maturity of an investment is extended in a rising interest rate environment, a below-market interest rate is usually locked-in and the value of the security reduced. This risk is greater for fixed-rate than variable-rate debt securities.
Income risk. A Fund is subject to income risk, which is the risk that a Fund’s income will decline during periods of falling interest rates or when a Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds. A Fund’s income declines when interest rates fall because, as a Fund’s higher-yielding debt securities mature or are prepaid, such Fund must re-invest the proceeds in debt securities that have lower, prevailing interest rates. The amount and rate of distributions that a Fund’s shareholders receive are affected by the income that a Fund receives from its portfolio holdings. If the income is reduced, distributions by a Fund to shareholders may be less.
Fluctuations in income paid to a Fund are generally greater for variable rate debt securities. A Fund will be deemed to receive taxable income on certain securities which pay no cash payments until maturity, such as zero-coupon securities. A Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities that it would otherwise continue to hold in order to obtain sufficient cash to make the distribution to shareholders required for U.S. tax purposes.
Inflation risk. The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by a Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
Interest rate risk. The market value of debt securities generally varies in response to changes in prevailing interest rates. Interest rate changes can be sudden and unpredictable. In addition, short-term and long-term rates are not necessarily correlated to each other as short-term rates tend to be influenced by government monetary policy while long-term rates are market driven and may be influenced by macroeconomic events (such as economic expansion or contraction), inflation expectations, as well as supply and demand. During periods of declining interest rates, the market value of debt securities generally increases. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the market value of debt securities generally declines. This occurs because new debt securities are likely to be issued with higher interest rates as interest rates increase, making the old or outstanding debt securities less attractive. In general, the market prices of long-term debt securities or securities that make little (or no) interest payments are more sensitive to interest rate fluctuations than shorter-term debt securities. The longer a Fund’s average weighted portfolio duration, the greater the potential impact a change in interest rates will have on its share price. Also, certain segments of the fixed income markets, such as high quality bonds, tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than other segments, such as lower-quality bonds.
Prepayment risk. Debt securities, especially bonds that are subject to “calls,” such as asset-backed or mortgage-backed securities, are subject to prepayment risk if their terms allow the payment of principal and other amounts due before their stated maturity. Amounts invested in a debt security that has been “called” or “prepaid” will be returned to an investor holding that security before expected by the investor. In such circumstances, the investor, such as a fund, may be required to re-invest the proceeds it receives from the called or prepaid security in a new security which, in periods of declining interest rates, will typically have a lower interest rate. Prepayment risk is especially prevalent in periods of declining interest rates and will result for other reasons, including unexpected developments in the markets for the underlying assets or mortgages. For example, a decline in mortgage interest rates typically initiates a period of mortgage refinancings. When homeowners refinance their mortgages, the investor in the underlying pool of mortgage-backed securities (such as a fund) receives its principal back sooner than expected, and must reinvest at lower, prevailing rates.
Securities subject to prepayment risk are often called during a declining interest rate environment and generally offer less potential for gains and greater price volatility than other income-bearing securities of comparable maturity.
Call risk is similar to prepayment risk and results from the ability of an issuer to call, or prepay, a debt security early. If interest rates decline enough, the debt security’s issuer can save money by repaying its callable debt securities and issuing new debt securities at lower interest rates.
Derivative Instruments. Generally, derivatives are financial instruments whose value depends on or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying assets, reference rates, or indices or other market factors (a “reference instrument”) and may relate to stocks, bonds, interest rates, credit, currencies, commodities or related indices. Derivative instruments can provide an efficient
6


means to gain or reduce exposure to the value of a reference instrument without actually owning or selling the instrument. Some common types of derivatives include options, futures, forwards and swaps.
Derivative instruments may be used for “hedging,” which means that they may be used when the Adviser seeks to protect a Fund’s investments from a decline in value resulting from changes to interest rates, market prices, currency fluctuations or other market factors. Derivative instruments may also be used for other purposes, including to seek to increase liquidity, provide efficient portfolio management, broaden investment opportunities (including taking short or negative positions), implement a tax or cash management strategy, gain exposure to a particular security or segment of the market, modify the effective duration of a Fund’s portfolio investments and/or enhance total return. However derivative instruments are used, their successful use is not assured and will depend upon, among other factors, the Adviser’s ability to gauge relevant market movements.
Derivative instruments may be used for purposes of direct hedging. Direct hedging means that the transaction must be intended to reduce a specific risk exposure of a portfolio security or its denominated currency and must also be directly related to such security or currency. A Fund’s use of derivative instruments may be limited from time to time by policies adopted by the Board or the Adviser.
Certain derivative instruments used by a Fund may oblige the Fund to make payments or incur additional obligations in the future. New Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 18f-4”) imposes limits on the amount of leverage risk to which a Fund may be exposed through such derivatives. Under Rule 18f-4, a fund’s investment in such derivatives is limited through a value-at-risk (“VaR”) test. Funds whose use of such derivatives is more than a limited specified exposure amount are required to establish and maintain a comprehensive derivatives risk management program, subject to oversight by a fund’s board of trustees, and appoint a derivatives risk manager. It is not currently clear what impact, if any, the new rule will have on the availability, liquidity or performance of derivatives. To the extent a Fund’s compliance with Rule 18f-4 changes how the Fund uses derivatives, the new rule may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and/or increase costs related to the Fund’s use of derivatives.
Futures contracts. Generally, a futures contract is a standard binding agreement to buy or sell a specified quantity of an underlying reference instrument, such as a specific security, currency or commodity, at a specified price at a specified later date. A “sale” of a futures contract means the acquisition of a contractual obligation to deliver the underlying reference instrument called for by the contract at a specified price on a specified date. A “purchase” of a futures contract means the acquisition of a contractual obligation to acquire the underlying reference instrument called for by the contract at a specified price on a specified date. The purchase or sale of a futures contract will allow a Fund to increase or decrease its exposure to the underlying reference instrument without having to buy the actual instrument.
The underlying reference instruments to which futures contracts may relate include non-U.S. currencies, interest rates, stock and bond indices and debt securities, including U.S. government debt obligations. In certain types of futures contracts, the underlying reference instrument may be a swap agreement. In most cases the contractual obligation under a futures contract may be offset, or “closed out,” before the settlement date so that the parties do not have to make or take delivery. The closing out of a contractual obligation is usually accomplished by buying or selling, as the case may be, an identical, offsetting futures contract. This transaction, which is effected through a member of an exchange, cancels the obligation to make or take delivery of the underlying instrument or asset. Although some futures contracts by their terms require the actual delivery or acquisition of the underlying instrument or asset, some require cash settlement.
Futures contracts may be bought and sold on U.S. and non-U.S. exchanges. Futures contracts in the U.S. have been designed by exchanges that have been designated “contract markets” by the CFTC and must be executed through a futures commission merchant (“FCM”), which is a brokerage firm that is a member of the relevant contract market. Each exchange guarantees performance of the contracts as between the clearing members of the exchange, thereby reducing the risk of counterparty default. Futures contracts may also be entered into on certain exempt markets, including exempt boards of trade and electronic trading facilities, available to certain market participants. Because all transactions in the futures market are made, offset or fulfilled by an FCM through a clearinghouse associated with the exchange on which the contracts are traded, a Fund will incur brokerage fees when it buys or sells futures contracts.
A Fund generally buys and sells futures contracts only on contract markets (including exchanges or boards of trade) where there appears to be an active market for the futures contracts, but there is no assurance that an active market will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. An active market makes it more likely that futures contracts will be liquid and bought and sold at competitive market prices. In addition, many of the futures contracts available may be relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active market will develop or continue to exist.
When a Fund enters into a futures contract, it must deliver to an account controlled by the FCM (that has been selected by such Fund), an amount referred to as “initial margin” that is typically calculated as an amount equal to the volatility in market value of a contract over a fixed period. Initial margin requirements are determined by the respective exchanges on which the futures contracts are traded and the FCM. Thereafter, a “variation margin” amount may be required to be paid by a Fund or received by a Fund in
7


accordance with margin controls set for such accounts, depending upon changes in the marked-to market value of the futures contract. The account is marked-to market daily and the variation margin is monitored by the Adviser and custodian on a daily basis. When the futures contract is closed out, if a Fund has a loss equal to or greater than the margin amount, the margin amount is paid to the FCM along with any loss in excess of the margin amount. If a Fund has a loss of less than the margin amount, the excess margin is returned to such Fund. If a Fund has a gain, the full margin amount and the amount of the gain is paid to such Fund.
Some futures contracts provide for the delivery of securities that are different than those that are specified in the contract. For a futures contract for delivery of debt securities, on the settlement date of the contract, adjustments to the contract can be made to recognize differences in value arising from the delivery of debt securities with a different interest rate from that of the particular debt securities that were specified in the contract. In some cases, securities called for by a futures contract may not have been issued when the contract was written.
Risks of futures contracts. A Fund’s use of futures contracts is subject to the risks associated with derivative instruments generally. In addition, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses to a Fund in excess of the amount that such Fund delivered as initial margin. Because of the relatively low margin deposits required, futures trading involves a high degree of leverage; as a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, or gain, to a Fund. In addition, if a Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily variation margin requirements or close out a futures position, it may have to sell securities from its portfolio at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. Adverse market movements could cause a Fund to experience substantial losses on an investment in a futures contract.
There is a risk of loss by a Fund of the initial and variation margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which such Fund has an open position in a futures contract. The assets of a Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because a Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and margin segregated on behalf of an FCM’s customers. If the FCM does not provide accurate reporting, a Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use such Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty.
A Fund may not be able to properly hedge or effect its strategy when a liquid market is unavailable for the futures contract a Fund wishes to close, which may at times occur. In addition, when futures contracts are used for hedging, there may be an imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the underlying reference instrument on which the futures contract is based and movements in the prices of the assets sought to be hedged.
If the Adviser’s investment judgment about the general direction of market prices or interest or currency exchange rates is incorrect, a Fund’s overall performance will be poorer than if it had not entered into a futures contract. For example, if a Fund has purchased futures to hedge against the possibility of an increase in interest rates that would adversely affect the price of bonds held in its portfolio and interest rates instead decrease, a Fund will lose part or all of the benefit of the increased value of the bonds which it has hedged. This is because its losses in its futures positions will offset some or all of its gains from the increased value of the bonds.
The difference (called the “spread”) between prices in the cash market for the purchase and sale of the underlying reference instrument and the prices in the futures market is subject to fluctuations and distortions due to differences in the nature of those two markets. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to initial deposit and variation margin requirements. Rather than meeting additional variation margin requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting transactions that could distort the normal pricing spread between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the futures markets depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery of the underlying instrument. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, resulting in pricing distortion. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the margin deposit requirements that apply in the futures market are less onerous than similar margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may cause temporary price distortions. When such distortions occur, a correct forecast of general trends in the price of an underlying reference instrument by the Adviser may still not necessarily result in a profitable transaction.
Futures contracts that are traded on non-U.S. exchanges may not be as liquid as those purchased on CFTC-designated contract markets. In addition, non-U.S. futures contracts may be subject to varied regulatory oversight. The price of any non-U.S. futures contract and, therefore, the potential profit and loss thereon, may be affected by any change in the non-U.S. exchange rate between the time a particular order is placed and the time it is liquidated, offset or exercised.
8


The CFTC and the various exchanges have established limits referred to as “speculative position limits” on the maximum net long or net short position that any person, such as a Fund, may hold or control in a particular futures contract. Trading limits are also imposed on the maximum number of contracts that any person may trade on a particular trading day. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of these limits and it may impose other sanctions or restrictions. The regulation of futures, as well as other derivatives, is a rapidly changing area of law. For more information, see “Developing government regulation of derivatives” below.
Futures exchanges may also limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. This daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and does not limit potential losses because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.
Options on futures contracts. Options on futures contracts trade on the same contract markets as the underlying futures contract. When a Fund buys an option, it pays a premium for the right, but does not have the obligation, to purchase (call) or sell (put) a futures contract at a set price (the exercise price). The purchase of a call or put option on a futures contract, whereby a Fund has the right to purchase or sell, respectively, a particular futures contract, is similar in some respects to the purchase of a call or put option on an individual security or currency. Depending on the premium paid for the option compared to either the price of the futures contract upon which it is based or the price of the underlying reference instrument, the option may be less risky than direct ownership of the futures contract or the underlying reference instrument. For example, a Fund could purchase a call option on a long futures contract when seeking to hedge against an increase in the market value of the underlying reference instrument, such as appreciation in the value of a non-U.S. currency against the U.S. dollar.
The seller (writer) of an option becomes contractually obligated to take the opposite futures position if the buyer of the option exercises its rights to the futures position specified in the option. In return for the premium paid by the buyer, the seller assumes the risk of taking a possibly adverse futures position. In addition, the seller will be required to post and maintain initial and variation margin with the FCM. One goal of selling (writing) options on futures may be to receive the premium paid by the option buyer. For more general information about the mechanics of purchasing and writing options, see “Options” below.
Risks of options on futures contracts. A Fund’s use of options on futures contracts is subject to the risks related to derivative instruments generally. In addition, the amount of risk a Fund assumes when it purchases an option on a futures contract is the premium paid for the option plus related transaction costs. The purchase of an option also entails the risk that changes in the value of the underlying futures contract will not be fully reflected in the value of the option purchased. The seller (writer) of an option on a futures contract is subject to the risk of having to take a possibly adverse futures position if the purchaser of the option exercises its rights. If the seller were required to take such a position, it could bear substantial losses. An option writer has potentially unlimited economic risk because its potential loss, except to the extent offset by the premium received, is equal to the amount the option is “in-the-money” at the expiration date. A call option is in-the-money if the value of the underlying futures contract exceeds the exercise price of the option. A put option is in-the-money if the exercise price of the option exceeds the value of the underlying futures contract.
Options. An option is a contract that gives the purchaser of the option, in return for the premium paid, the right to buy an underlying reference instrument, such as a specified security, currency, index, or other instrument, from the writer of the option (in the case of a call option), or to sell a specified reference instrument to the writer of the option (in the case of a put option) at a designated price during the term of the option. The premium paid by the buyer of an option will reflect, among other things, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price and the volatility of the underlying reference instrument, the remaining term of the option, supply, demand, interest rates and/or currency exchange rates. An American style put or call option may be exercised at any time during the option period while a European style put or call option may be exercised only upon expiration or during a fixed period prior thereto. Put and call options are traded on national securities exchanges and in the OTC market.
Options traded on national securities exchanges are within the jurisdiction of the SEC or other appropriate national securities regulator, as are securities traded on such exchanges. As a result, many of the protections provided to traders on organized exchanges will be available with respect to such transactions. In particular, all option positions entered into on a national securities exchange in the United States are cleared and guaranteed by the Options Clearing Corporation, thereby reducing the risk of counterparty default. Furthermore, a liquid secondary market in options traded on a national securities exchange may be more readily available than in the OTC market, potentially permitting a Fund to liquidate open positions at a profit prior to exercise or expiration, or to limit losses in the event of adverse market movements. There is no assurance, however, that higher than anticipated trading activity or other unforeseen events might not temporarily render the capabilities of the Options Clearing
9


Corporation inadequate, and thereby result in the exchange instituting special procedures which may interfere with the timely execution of a Fund’s orders to close out open options positions.
Purchasing call and put options. As the buyer of a call option, a Fund has a right to buy the underlying reference instrument (e.g., a currency or security) at the exercise price at any time during the option period (for American style options). A Fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to call options, exercise them, or permit them to expire. For example, a Fund may buy call options on underlying reference instruments that it intends to buy with the goal of limiting the risk of a substantial increase in their market price before the purchase is effected. Unless the price of the underlying reference instrument changes sufficiently, a call option purchased by a Fund may expire without any value to such Fund, in which case such Fund would experience a loss to the extent of the premium paid for the option plus related transaction costs.
As the buyer of a put option, a Fund has the right to sell the underlying reference instrument at the exercise price at any time during the option period (for American style options). Like a call option, a Fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to put options, exercise them or permit them to expire. A Fund may buy a put option on an underlying reference instrument owned by such Fund (a protective put) as a hedging technique in an attempt to protect against an anticipated decline in the market value of the underlying reference instrument. Such hedge protection is provided only during the life of the put option when a Fund, as the buyer of the put option, is able to sell the underlying reference instrument at the put exercise price, regardless of any decline in the underlying instrument’s market price. A Fund may also seek to offset a decline in the value of the underlying reference instrument through appreciation in the value of the put option. A put option may also be purchased with the intent of protecting unrealized appreciation of an instrument when the Adviser deems it desirable to continue to hold the instrument because of tax or other considerations. The premium paid for the put option and any transaction costs would reduce any short-term capital gain that may be available for distribution when the instrument is eventually sold. Buying put options at a time when the buyer does not own the underlying reference instrument allows the buyer to benefit from a decline in the market price of the underlying reference instrument, which generally increases the value of the put option.
If a put option was not terminated in a closing sale transaction when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying reference instrument remains equal to or greater than the exercise price during the life of the put option, the buyer would not make any gain upon exercise of the option and would experience a loss to the extent of the premium paid for the option plus related transaction costs. In order for the purchase of a put option to be profitable, the market price of the underlying reference instrument must decline sufficiently below the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs.
Writing call and put options. Writing options may permit the writer to generate additional income in the form of the premium received for writing the option. The writer of an option may have no control over when the underlying reference instruments must be sold (in the case of a call option) or purchased (in the case of a put option) because the writer may be notified of exercise at any time prior to the expiration of the option (for American style options). In general, though, options are infrequently exercised prior to expiration. Whether or not an option expires unexercised, the writer retains the amount of the premium. Writing “covered” call options means that the writer owns the underlying reference instrument that is subject to the call option. Call options may also be written on reference instruments that the writer does not own.
If a Fund writes a covered call option, any underlying reference instruments that are held by such Fund and are subject to the call option will be earmarked on the books of such Fund as segregated to satisfy its obligations under the option. A Fund will be unable to sell the underlying reference instruments that are subject to the written call option until it either effects a closing transaction with respect to the written call, or otherwise satisfies the conditions for release of the underlying reference instruments from segregation. As the writer of a covered call option, a Fund gives up the potential for capital appreciation above the exercise price of the option should the underlying reference instrument rise in value. If the value of the underlying reference instrument rises above the exercise price of the call option, the reference instrument will likely be “called away,” requiring a Fund to sell the underlying instrument at the exercise price. In that case, a Fund will sell the underlying reference instrument to the option buyer for less than its market value, and a Fund will experience a loss (which will be offset by the premium received by such Fund as the writer of such option). If a call option expires unexercised, a Fund will realize a gain in the amount of the premium received. If the market price of the underlying reference instrument decreases, the call option will not be exercised and a Fund will be able to use the amount of the premium received to hedge against the loss in value of the underlying reference instrument. The exercise price of a call option will be chosen based upon the expected price movement of the underlying reference instrument. The exercise price of a call option may be below, equal to (at-the-money), or above the current value of the underlying reference instrument at the time the option is written.
As the writer of a put option, a Fund has a risk of loss should the underlying reference instrument decline in value. If the value of the underlying reference instrument declines below the exercise price of the put option and the put option is exercised, a Fund, as the writer of the put option, will be required to buy the instrument at the exercise price, which will exceed the market value of the underlying reference instrument at that time. A Fund will incur a loss to the extent that the current market value of the underlying reference instrument is less than the exercise price of the put option. However, the loss will be offset in part by the premium
10


received from the buyer of the put. If a put option written by a Fund expires unexercised, such Fund will realize a gain in the amount of the premium received.
Closing out options (exchange-traded options). If the writer of an option wants to terminate its obligation, the writer may effect a “closing purchase transaction” by buying an option of the same series as the option previously written. The effect of the purchase is that the clearing corporation will cancel the option writer’s position. However, a writer may not effect a closing purchase transaction after being notified of the exercise of an option. Likewise, the buyer of an option may recover all or a portion of the premium that it paid by effecting a “closing sale transaction” by selling an option of the same series as the option previously purchased and receiving a premium on the sale. There is no guarantee that either a closing purchase or a closing sale transaction may be made at a time desired by a Fund. Closing transactions allow a Fund to terminate its positions in written and purchased options. A Fund will realize a profit from a closing transaction if the price of the transaction is less than the premium received from writing the original option (in the case of written options) or is more than the premium paid by a Fund to buy the option (in the case of purchased options). For example, increases in the market price of a call option sold by a Fund will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying reference instrument. As a result, any loss resulting from a closing transaction on a written call option is likely to be offset in whole or in part by appreciation of the underlying instrument owned by a Fund.
Risks of options. A Fund’s options investments involve certain risks, including general risks related to derivative instruments. There can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time, and a Fund may have difficulty effecting closing transactions in particular options. Therefore, a Fund would have to exercise the options it purchased in order to realize any profit, thus taking or making delivery of the underlying reference instrument when not desired. A Fund could then incur transaction costs upon the sale of the underlying reference instruments. Similarly, when a Fund cannot effect a closing transaction with respect to a put option it wrote, and the buyer exercises, a Fund would be required to take delivery and would incur transaction costs upon the sale of the underlying reference instruments purchased. If a Fund, as a covered call option writer, is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying reference instrument until the option expires, it delivers the underlying instrument upon exercise, or it segregates enough liquid assets to purchase the underlying reference instrument at the marked-to-market price during the term of the option. When trading options on non-U.S. exchanges or in the OTC market, many of the protections afforded to exchange participants will not be available. For example, there may be no daily price fluctuation limits, and adverse market movements could therefore continue to an unlimited extent over an indefinite period of time.
The effectiveness of an options strategy for hedging depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying reference instruments correlate with price movements in the relevant portion of a Fund’s portfolio that is being hedged. In addition, a Fund bears the risk that the prices of its portfolio investments will not move in the same amount as the option it has purchased or sold for hedging purposes, or that there may be a negative correlation that would result in a loss on both the investments and the option. If the Adviser is not successful in using options in managing a Fund’s investments, such Fund’s performance will be worse than if the Adviser did not employ such strategies.
Developing government regulation of derivatives. The regulation of certain derivatives is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action. In addition, the SEC, CFTC, and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.
It is not possible to predict fully the effects of current or future regulation. However, it is possible that developments in government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, such as speculative position limits on certain types of derivatives, or limits or restrictions on the counterparties with which a Fund engages in derivative transactions, may limit or prevent a Fund from using or limit such Fund’s use of these instruments effectively as a part of its investment strategy, and could adversely affect such Fund’s ability to achieve its investment goal(s). The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in the area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect a Fund’s ability to enter into desired swap agreements. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to a Fund, may increase the cost of such Fund’s investments and cost of doing business.
Equity Securities. Equity securities, such as the common stocks of an issuer, are subject to stock market fluctuations and therefore may experience volatile changes in value as market conditions, consumer sentiment or the financial condition of the issuers change. A decrease in value of the equity securities in a Fund’s portfolio may also cause the value of the Fund’s Shares to decline.
11


An investment in the Funds should be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in equity securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the stock market may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities and therefore a decrease in the value of Shares). Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and perceptions change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic, public health, or banking crises.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Further, unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. Common stock values are subject to market fluctuations as long as the common stock remains outstanding.
When-Issued Securities: A when-issued security is one whose terms are available and for which a market exists, but which has not been issued. When a Fund engages in when-issued transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the sale. If the other party fails to complete the sale, a Fund may miss the opportunity to obtain the security at a favorable price or yield.
When purchasing a security on a when-issued basis, a Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield changes. At the time of settlement, the value of the security may be more or less than the purchase price. The yield available in the market when the delivery takes place also may be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. Because a Fund does not pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with its other investments.
Decisions to enter into “when-issued” transactions will be considered on a case-by-case basis when necessary to maintain continuity in a company’s index membership. A Fund will segregate cash or liquid securities equal in value to commitments for the when-issued transactions. A Fund will segregate additional liquid assets daily so that the value of such assets is equal to the amount of the commitments.
Types of Equity Securities:
Common Stocks — Common stocks represent units of ownership in a company. Common stocks usually carry voting rights and earn dividends. Unlike preferred stocks, which are described below, dividends on common stocks are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the company’s board of directors.
Preferred Stocks — Preferred stocks are also units of ownership in a company. Preferred stocks normally have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of the company. However, in all other respects, preferred stocks are subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer. Unlike common stocks, preferred stocks are generally not entitled to vote on corporate matters. Types of preferred stocks include adjustable-rate preferred stock, fixed dividend preferred stock, perpetual preferred stock, and sinking fund preferred stock.
Generally, the market values of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element vary inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk.
Rights and Warrants — A right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock before it is issued. Rights normally have a short life of usually two to four weeks, are freely transferable and entitle the holder to buy the new common stock at a lower price than the public offering price. Warrants are securities that are usually issued together with a debt security or preferred stock and that give the holder the right to buy proportionate amount of common stock at a specified price. Warrants are freely transferable and are traded on major exchanges. Unlike rights, warrants normally have a life that is measured in years and entitles the holder to buy common stock of a company at a price that is usually higher than the market price at the time the warrant is issued. Corporations often issue warrants to make the accompanying debt security more attractive.
An investment in warrants and rights may entail greater risks than certain other types of investments. Generally, rights and warrants do not carry the right to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. In addition, their value does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and they cease to have value if they are not exercised on or before their expiration date. Investing in rights and warrants increases the potential profit or loss to be realized from the investment as compared with investing the same amount in the underlying securities.
12


Smaller Companies — The securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of larger-capitalization companies. The securities of small- and mid-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- or mid-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 small- and mid-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Small- and mid-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs, and earnings.
Tracking Stocks The Funds may invest in tracking stocks. A tracking stock is a separate class of common stock whose value is linked to a specific business unit or operating division within a larger company and which is designed to “track” the performance of such business unit or division. The tracking stock may pay dividends to shareholders independent of the parent company. The parent company, rather than the business unit or division, generally is the issuer of tracking stock. However, holders of the tracking stock may not have the same rights as holders of the company’s common stock.
Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”). The Funds may invest in shares of other investment companies (including ETFs). As the shareholder of another ETF, a Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other ETF’s expenses, including advisory fees. Such expenses are in addition to the expenses each Fund pays in connection with its own operations. A Fund’s investments in other ETFs may be limited by applicable law.
Disruptions in the markets for the securities underlying ETFs purchased or sold by a Fund could result in losses on investments in ETFs. ETFs also carry the risk that the price a Fund pays or receives may be higher or lower than the ETF’s NAV. ETFs are also subject to certain additional risks, including the risks of illiquidity and of possible trading halts due to market conditions or other reasons, based on the policies of the relevant exchange. ETFs and other investment companies in which a Fund may invest may be leveraged, which would increase the volatility of a Fund’s NAV.
Exchange-Traded Notes (“ETNs”). ETNs are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities whose returns are linked to the performance of a particular market benchmark or strategy, minus applicable fees. ETNs are traded on an exchange (e.g., the New York Stock Exchange) during normal trading hours; however, investors can also hold the ETN until maturity. At maturity, the issuer pays to the investor a cash amount equal to the principal amount, subject to the day’s market benchmark or strategy factor. ETNs do not make periodic coupon payments or provide principal protection. ETNs are subject to credit risk, including the credit risk of the issuer, and the value of the ETN may drop due to a downgrade in the issuer’s credit rating, despite the underlying market benchmark or strategy remaining unchanged. The value of an ETN may also be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in underlying assets, changes in the applicable interest rates, changes in the issuer’s credit rating, and economic, legal, political, or geographic events that affect the referenced underlying asset. When a Fund invests in ETNs (directly or indirectly), it will bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. A decision to sell ETN holdings may be limited by the availability of a secondary market. In addition, although an ETN may be listed on an exchange, the issuer may not be required to maintain the listing, and there can be no assurance that a secondary market will exist for an ETN.
ETNs are also subject to tax risk. No assurance can be given that the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) will accept, or a court will uphold, how an ETN is characterized for tax purposes. Further, the IRS and Congress are considering proposals that would change the timing and character of income and gains from ETNs.
An ETN that is tied to a specific market benchmark or strategy may not be able to replicate and maintain exactly the composition and relative weighting of securities, commodities or other components in the applicable market benchmark or strategy. Some ETNs that use leverage can, at times, be relatively illiquid, and thus they may be difficult to purchase or sell at a fair price. Leveraged ETNs are subject to the same risk as other instruments that use leverage in any form.
The market value of ETNs may differ from their market benchmark or strategy. This difference in price may be due to the fact that the supply and demand in the market for ETNs at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the securities, commodities or other components underlying the market benchmark or strategy that the ETN seeks to track. As a result, there may be times when an ETN trades at a premium or discount to its market benchmark or strategy.
Illiquid Investments. Each Fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, as such term is defined by Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act. A Fund may not invest in illiquid investments if, as a result of such investment, more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets would be invested in illiquid investments. Illiquid investments include securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets. The inability of a Fund to dispose of illiquid investments readily or at a reasonable price could impair a Fund’s ability to raise cash for redemptions or other purposes. The liquidity of securities purchased by a Fund that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, except for certain 144A bonds, will be monitored by a Fund on an ongoing basis. In the event that more than 15% of a Fund’s net
13


assets are invested in illiquid investments, the Fund, in accordance with Rule 22e-4(b)(1)(iv), will report the occurrence to both the Board and the SEC and seek to reduce its holdings of illiquid investments within a reasonable period of time.
Investment Company Securities. The Funds may invest in the securities of other investment companies, including ETFs and money market funds, subject to applicable limitations under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act and Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. Investing in another pooled vehicle exposes a Fund to all the risks of that pooled vehicle. Pursuant to Section 12(d)(1), a Fund may invest in the securities of another investment company (the “acquired company”) provided that such Fund, immediately after such purchase or acquisition, does not own in the aggregate: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company; (ii) securities issued by the acquired company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of such Fund; or (iii) securities issued by the acquired company and all other investment companies (other than treasury stock of such Fund) having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the applicable Fund. To the extent allowed by law or regulation, the Funds may invest their assets in securities of investment companies that are money market funds in excess of the limits discussed above.
The Funds may rely on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and Rule 12d1-3 under the 1940 Act, which provide an exemption from Section 12(d)(1) that allows a Fund to invest all of its assets in other registered funds, including ETFs, if, among other conditions: (a) the Fund, together with its affiliates, acquires no more than three percent of the outstanding voting stock of any acquired fund, and (b) the sales load charged on the Fund’s Shares is no greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2341 of the Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). In addition, a Fund may invest beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1) subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, including that the Fund enters into an agreement with the acquired company.
If a Fund invests in and, thus, is a shareholder of, another investment company, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by such other investment company, including advisory fees, in addition to both the management fees payable directly by the Fund to the Fund’s own investment adviser and the other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with the Fund’s own operations.
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies (“Investing Funds”) in the securities of other registered investment companies, including the Funds. The acquisition of a Fund’s Shares by Investing Funds is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except as may be permitted by exemptive rules under the 1940 Act, subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the Investing Fund enter into an agreement with the Fund regarding the terms of the investment.
Tactical Beta ETF and the Tactical Q ETF
Investing Funds are not permitted to invest in the Tactical Beta ETF and the Tactical Q ETF (each, a “Fund” and, together, the “Funds”) beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 because the Funds operate as funds of funds and/or invest a significant portion of their assets in other investment companies. Thus, the Funds are unable to satisfy the terms and conditions of Rule 12d1-4. Accordingly, Investing Funds must adhere to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) when investing in these Funds.
Leveraged, Inverse, and Inverse-Leveraged ETFs (“Leveraged ETFs”). Each Fund may invest in leveraged ETFs. In addition, the Tactical Q ETF may invest in inverse ETFs, and the Alpha Seeker ETF may invest in inverse and inverse-leveraged ETFs. Leveraged ETFs expose a Fund to all of the risks that traditional ETFs present (see “Exchange-Traded Funds” above). Leveraged ETFs, including certain ETNs tracking a leveraged benchmark, seek to provide investment results that match a multiple (positive or negative) of the performance of an underlying index (the “Index”) (e.g., three times the inverse performance). Leveraged ETFs rely to some degree, often extensively, on derivatives to achieve their objectives and, thus, a Fund is indirectly exposed to derivatives risk through its investments in these Leveraged ETFs. Further, investments in Leveraged ETFs are subject to the risk that the performance of such Leveraged ETF will not correlate with the Index as intended. Leveraged ETFs often “reset” daily, meaning that they are designed to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis. Due to the effect of compounding, their performance over longer periods of time can differ significantly from the performance (or inverse of the performance) of their Index or benchmark during the same period of time. This effect can be magnified in volatile markets. Consequently, these investment vehicles may be extremely volatile and can potentially expose a Fund to complete loss of its investment. A Fund will not invest more than 25% of its assets directly in Leveraged ETFs.
Additionally, Leveraged ETFs, including certain ETNs tracking a leveraged benchmark, may be subject to the following additional risks:
Unique Risks. Leveraged ETFs typically seek daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to three times a multiple (e.g., 3x) the return of a benchmark index (the “Index”), such as the S&P 500® Index, for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day” is measured from the time the Leveraged ETF calculates its NAV to the time of the Leveraged ETF’s next NAV calculation. The return of the Leveraged ETF for periods longer than a single day will be
14


the result of its return for each day compounded over the period. A Leveraged ETF’s returns for periods longer than a single day will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the Leveraged ETF’s stated multiple times the return of the Index for the same period. For periods longer than a single day, a Leveraged ETF will lose money if the Index’s performance is flat, and it is possible that the Leveraged ETF will lose money even if the level of the Index rises. Longer holding periods, higher Index volatility, and greater leverage each exacerbate the impact of compounding on an investor’s returns. During periods of higher Index volatility, the volatility of the Index may affect a Leveraged ETF’s return as much as or more than the return of the Index. A Leveraged ETF presents different risks than other types of funds. A Leveraged ETF uses leverage and is riskier than similarly benchmarked ETFs that do not use leverage.
Management Risks. A Leveraged ETF may not be suitable for all investors and should be used only by knowledgeable investors who understand the consequences of seeking daily leveraged investment results, including the impact of compounding on Leveraged ETF performance. Investors in a Leveraged ETF should actively manage and monitor their investments, as frequently as daily. An investor in a Leveraged ETF could potentially lose the full principal value of an investment within a single day. A Fund’s investment in a Leveraged ETF is dependent on the skill of the Adviser.
Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities. A Fund may invest in underlying funds that invest in mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities are mortgage-related securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities, or issued by nongovernment entities. Mortgage-related securities represent ownership in pools of mortgage loans assembled for sale to investors by various government agencies such as the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) and government-related organizations such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), as well as by nongovernment issuers such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers and private mortgage insurance companies. Although certain mortgage-related securities are guaranteed by a third party or otherwise similarly secured, the market value of the security, which may fluctuate, is not so secured. These securities differ from conventional bonds in that the principal is paid back to the investor as payments are made on the underlying mortgages in the pool. Accordingly, the investing fund receives monthly scheduled payments of principal and interest along with any unscheduled principal prepayments on the underlying mortgages. Because these scheduled and unscheduled principal payments must be reinvested at prevailing interest rates, mortgage-backed securities do not provide an effective means of locking in long-term interest rates for the investor.
In addition, there are a number of important differences among the agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government that issue mortgage-related securities and among the securities they issue. Mortgage-related securities issued by GNMA include GNMA Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as Ginnie Maes) which are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest. That guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. GNMA is a corporation wholly owned by the U.S. government within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mortgage-related securities issued by FNMA include FNMA Guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as Fannie Maes) and are guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by FNMA itself and backed by a line of credit with the U.S. Treasury. FNMA is a government-sponsored entity wholly owned by public stockholders. Mortgage-related securities issued by FHLMC include FHLMC Mortgage Participation Certificates (also known as Freddie Macs) guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by FHLMC itself and backed by a line of credit with the U.S. Treasury. FHLMC is a government-sponsored entity wholly owned by public stockholders.
On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced a federal takeover of Fannie Mae and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), placing the two federal instrumentalities in conservatorship. Under the takeover, the U.S. Treasury agreed to acquire $1 billion of senior preferred stock of each instrumentality and obtained warrants for the purchase of common stock of each instrumentality (the “Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement” or “Agreement”). Under the Agreement, the U.S. Treasury pledged to provide up to $200 billion per instrumentality as needed, including the contribution of cash capital to the instrumentalities in the event their liabilities exceed their assets. This was intended to ensure that the instrumentalities maintain a positive net worth and meet their financial obligations, preventing mandatory triggering of receivership. On December 24, 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was amending the Agreement to allow the $200 billion cap on the U.S. Treasury’s funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in net worth over the next three years. As a result of this Agreement, the investments of holders, including the Funds, of mortgage-backed securities and other obligations issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are protected.
Asset-backed securities are structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales contracts or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, and receivables from credit card agreements and from sales of personal property. Regular payments received on asset-backed securities include both interest and principal. Asset-backed securities typically have no U.S. government backing. Additionally, the ability of an issuer of asset-backed securities to enforce its security interest in the underlying assets may be limited.
15


If the investing ETF purchases a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security at a premium, the premium may be lost if there is a decline in the market value of the security whether resulting from changes in interest rates or prepayments in the underlying collateral. As with other interest-bearing securities, the prices of such securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates. Although the value of a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security may decline when interest rates rise, the converse is not necessarily true, since in periods of declining interest rates the mortgages and loans underlying the securities are prone to prepayment, thereby shortening the average life of the security and shortening the period of time over which income at the higher rate is received. When interest rates are rising, the rate of prepayment tends to decrease, thereby lengthening the period of time over which income at the lower rate is received. For these and other reasons, a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security’s average maturity may be shortened or lengthened as a result of interest rate fluctuations and, therefore, it is not possible to predict accurately the security’s return. In addition, while the trading market for short-term mortgages and asset-backed securities is ordinarily quite liquid, in times of financial stress the trading market for these securities may become restricted.
Other Short-Term Instruments. The Funds may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. Money market instruments are generally short-term investments that may include but are not limited to: (i) shares of money market funds; (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises); (iii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), bankers’ acceptances, fixed time deposits and other obligations of U.S. and foreign banks (including foreign branches) and similar institutions; (iv) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s or “A‑1” by S&P or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser; (v) non-convertible corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with remaining maturities at the date of purchase of not more than 397 days and that satisfy the rating requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; and (vi) short-term U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign banks (including U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of the Adviser, are of comparable quality to obligations of U.S. banks which may be purchased by a Fund. Any of these instruments may be purchased on a current or a forward-settled basis. Money market instruments also include shares of money market funds. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.
Repurchase Agreements. Each Fund may invest in repurchase agreements to generate income from its excess cash balances and to invest securities lending cash collateral. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which a Fund acquires a financial instrument (e.g., a security issued by the U.S. government or an agency thereof, a banker’s acceptance or a certificate of deposit) from a seller, subject to resale to the seller at an agreed upon price and date (normally, the next Business Day). A repurchase agreement may be considered a loan collateralized by securities. The resale price reflects an agreed upon interest rate effective for the period the instrument is held by the applicable Fund and is unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying instrument.
In these repurchase agreement transactions, the securities acquired by a Fund (including accrued interest earned thereon) must have a total value in excess of the value of the repurchase agreement and are held by the Custodian until repurchased. No more than an aggregate of 15% of a Fund’s net assets will be invested in illiquid investments, including repurchase agreements having maturities longer than seven days and securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, or for which there are no readily available market quotations.
The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the other party to the agreement defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying security at a time when the value of the security has declined, a Fund may incur a loss upon disposition of the security. If the other party to the agreement becomes insolvent and subject to liquidation or reorganization under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or other laws, a court may determine that the underlying security is collateral for a loan by a Fund not within the control of the Fund and, therefore, the Fund may not be able to substantiate its interest in the underlying security and may be deemed an unsecured creditor of the other party to the agreement.
Securities Lending. Each Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers, including such Fund’s securities lending agent. Loans of portfolio securities provide a Fund with the opportunity to earn additional income on such Fund’s portfolio securities. All securities loans will be made pursuant to agreements requiring the loans to be continuously secured by collateral in cash, or money market instruments, or money market funds at least equal at all times to the market value of the loaned securities. The borrower pays to a Fund an amount equal to any dividends or interest received on loaned securities. A Fund retains all or a portion of the interest received on investment of cash collateral or receives a fee from the borrower. Lending portfolio securities involves risks of delay in recovery of the loaned securities or in some cases loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. Furthermore, because of the risks of delay in recovery, a Fund may lose the opportunity to sell the securities at a desirable price. A Fund will generally not have the right to vote securities while they are being loaned.
Tax Risks. As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Shares will be taxed. The tax information in the Prospectus and this SAI is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares.
16


Unless your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an individual retirement account, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when a Fund makes distributions or you sell Shares.
U.S. Government Securities. A Fund may invest directly in or in underlying funds that invest in U.S. government securities. Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities include U.S. Treasury securities, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury and which differ only in their interest rates, maturities, and times of issuance. U.S. Treasury bills have initial maturities of one-year or less; U.S. Treasury notes have initial maturities of one to ten years; and U.S. Treasury bonds generally have initial maturities of greater than ten years. Certain U.S. government securities are issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government including, but not limited to, obligations of U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Small Business Administration, the Federal Farm Credit Administration, the Federal Home Loan Banks, Banks for Cooperatives (including the Central Bank for Cooperatives), the Federal Land Banks, the Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, the Student Loan Marketing Association, the National Credit Union Administration and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (“Farmer Mac”).
Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities, including, for example, Ginnie Mae pass-through certificates, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those securities issued by Fannie Mae, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the federal agency, while other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored federal agencies, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will always do so, since the U.S. government is not so obligated by law. U.S. Treasury notes and bonds typically pay coupon interest semi-annually and repay the principal at maturity.
On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced a federal takeover of Fannie Mae and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), placing the two federal instrumentalities in conservatorship. Under the takeover, the U.S. Treasury agreed to acquire $1 billion of senior preferred stock of each instrumentality and obtained warrants for the purchase of common stock of each instrumentality (the “Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement” or “Agreement”). Under the Agreement, the U.S. Treasury pledged to provide up to $200 billion per instrumentality as needed, including the contribution of cash capital to the instrumentalities in the event their liabilities exceed their assets. This was intended to ensure that the instrumentalities maintain a positive net worth and meet their financial obligations, preventing mandatory triggering of receivership. On December 24, 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was amending the Agreement to allow the $200 billion cap on the U.S. Treasury’s funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in net worth over the next three years. As a result of this Agreement, the investments of holders, including the Funds, of mortgage-backed securities and other obligations issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are protected.
The total public debt of the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 2008–2009 financial downturn. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high national debt can raise concerns that the U.S. government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. This increase has also necessitated the need for the U.S. Congress to negotiate adjustments to the statutory debt limit to increase the cap on the amount the U.S. government is permitted to borrow to meet its existing obligations and finance current budget deficits. In August 2011, S&P lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. In explaining the downgrade at that time, S&P cited, among other reasons, controversy over raising the statutory debt limit and growth in public spending. An increase in national debt levels may also necessitate the need for the U.S. Congress to negotiate adjustments to the statutory debt ceiling to increase the cap on the amount the U.S. Government is permitted to borrow to meet its existing obligations and finance current budget deficits. Future downgrades could increase volatility in domestic and foreign financial markets, result in higher interest rates, lower prices of U.S. Treasury securities and increase the costs of different kinds of debt. Any controversy or ongoing uncertainty regarding the statutory debt ceiling negotiations may impact the U.S. long-term sovereign credit rating and may cause market uncertainty. As a result, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may be adversely affected.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The Trust has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Funds. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to a Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. For the purposes of the 1940 Act, a “majority of outstanding shares” means the vote of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the voting securities of a Fund present at the meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
17


Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, each Fund may not:
1.Concentrate its investments (i.e., hold more than 25% of its total assets) in any industry or group of related industries. 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.
With respect to each Fund’s policy regarding industry concentration, a Fund will count investments in any underlying fund that has a policy of concentrating in a particular industry or group of industries or that has disclosure in its prospectus stating that the fund is concentrated in a particular industry or group of industries as an investment in such industry or group of industries. A Fund will count investments in underlying funds without such a policy or disclosure as not being investments in any particular industry or group of related industries. With respect to the concentration policy, securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions that derive their income principally from a specific project or that are backed principally from the assets and revenue of a non-governmental user will be considered to be issued from the industry of that project or user.
If a percentage limitation is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any change in value or total or net assets will not result in a violation of such restriction, except that the percentage limitation with respect to the borrowing of money will be observed continuously.
The following descriptions of certain provisions of the 1940 Act may assist investors in understanding the above policies and restrictions:
Concentration. The SEC has defined concentration as investing 25% or more of a Fund’s total assets in an industry or group of industries, with certain exceptions.
Borrowing. The 1940 Act presently allows a Fund to borrow from a bank (including pledging, mortgaging or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (not including temporary borrowings up to 5% of its total assets).
Senior Securities. Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by a Fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities. An exemptive rule under the 1940 Act, however, permits a fund to enter into transactions that might otherwise be deemed to be senior securities, such as derivative transactions, reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions, and short sales, subject to certain conditions.
Lending. Under the 1940 Act, a Fund may only make loans if expressly permitted by its investment policies. The Funds’ current investment policy on lending is that a Fund may not make loans if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties, except that a Fund may: (i) purchase or hold debt instruments in accordance with its investment objective and policies; (ii) enter into repurchase agreements; and (iii) engage in securities lending as described in this SAI.
Real Estate and Commodities. The 1940 Act does not directly restrict a Fund’s ability to invest in real estate or commodities, but the 1940 Act requires every investment company to have a fundamental investment policy governing such investments.
Underwriting. Under the 1940 Act, underwriting securities involves the Funds purchasing securities directly from an issuer for the purpose of selling (distributing) them or participating in any such activity either directly or indirectly.
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
Shares are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Exchange.
18


There can be no assurance that a Fund will continue to meet the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Shares. The Exchange will consider the suspension of trading in, and will initiate delisting proceedings of, the Shares if any of the requirements set forth in the Exchange rules, including compliance with Rule 6c-11(c) under the 1940 Act, are not continuously maintained or such other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the Shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of such Fund.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the price levels of Shares in the future to help maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the applicable Fund.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and its series are overseen by the Board, which elects the officers of the Trust who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Trust and the Funds. The Board has approved contracts, as described below, under which certain companies provide essential services to the Trust.
The day-to-day business of the Trust, including the management of risk, is performed by third-party service providers, such as the Adviser, the Distributor, and the Administrator. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, has oversight responsibility with respect to risk management performed by those service providers. Risk management seeks to identify and address risks, i.e., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of a Fund. The Funds and their service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify such events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust’s business and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that business. The Board has emphasized to the Funds’ service providers the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management.
The Board’s role in risk oversight begins before the inception of the Funds, at which time certain of the Funds’ service providers present the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies, and risks of the Funds as well as proposed investment limitations for the Funds. Additionally, the Adviser provides the Board with an overview of, among other things, their investment philosophy, brokerage practices, and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the Adviser, and other service providers such as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, make periodic reports to the Audit Committee or to the Board with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which the Funds may be exposed.
The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided to the Funds by the Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis (following the initial two-year period), in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Adviser, the Board or its designee may meet with the Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser’s adherence to each Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about each Fund’s performance and each Fund’s investments, including, for example, portfolio holdings schedules.
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues and Fund and Adviser risk assessments. At least annually, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including the Adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; any material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and any material compliance matters since the date of the last report.
The Board receives reports from the Funds’ service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. Annually, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of the Funds’ financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Funds and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Funds’ internal controls. Additionally, in connection with its oversight function, the Board oversees Fund management’s implementation of disclosure controls and procedures, which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in its periodic reports with the SEC are recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the required time periods. The Board also oversees the Trust’s internal controls over financial reporting, which comprise policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Trust’s financial reporting and the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements.
19


From their review of these reports and discussions with the Adviser, the Chief Compliance Officer, independent registered public accounting firm and other service providers, the Board and the Audit Committee learn in detail about the material risks of each Fund, thereby facilitating a dialogue about how management and service providers identify and mitigate those risks.
The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect a Fund can be identified and/or quantified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve a Fund’s goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Board as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the Funds’ investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Adviser and other service providers, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and the methods by which one or more risk management functions are carried out may differ from the Funds’ and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s ability to monitor and manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
Members of the Board. There are four members of the Board, three of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”). Mr. Michael A. Castino serves as Chairman of the Board and is an interested person of the Trust, and Mr. Leonard M. Rush serves as the Trust’s Lead Independent Trustee. As Lead Independent Trustee, Mr. Rush acts as a spokesperson for the Independent Trustees in between meetings of the Board, serves as a liaison for the Independent Trustees with the Trust’s service providers, officers, and legal counsel to discuss ideas informally, and participates in setting the agenda for meetings of the Board and separate meetings or executive sessions of the Independent Trustees.
The Board is comprised of a super-majority (75 percent) of Independent Trustees. There is an Audit Committee of the Board that is chaired by an Independent Trustee and comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee chair presides at the Audit Committee meetings, participates in formulating agendas for Audit Committee meetings, and coordinates with management to serve as a liaison between the Independent Trustees and management on matters within the scope of responsibilities of the Audit Committee as set forth in its Board-approved charter. There is a Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board that is chaired by an Independent Trustee and comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Nominating and Governance Committee chair presides at the Nominating and Governance Committee meetings, participates in formulating agendas for Nominating and Governance Committee meetings, and coordinates with management to serve as a liaison between the Independent Trustees and management on matters within the scope of responsibilities of the Nominating and Governance Committee as set forth in its Board-approved charter. The Trust has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees of the Trust constitute a super-majority of the Board, the number of Independent Trustees that constitute the Board, the amount of assets under management in the Trust, and the number of funds overseen by the Board. The Board also believes that its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent Trustees from Fund management.
Additional information about each Trustee of the Trust is set forth below. The address of each Trustee of the Trust is c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
Name and
Year of Birth
Position Held with the TrustTerm 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).
54Independent Trustee, Managed Portfolio Series (34 portfolios) (since 2011).
David A. Massart
Born: 1967
Trustee and Nominating and Governance Committee Chairman
Indefinite term; Trustee
since 2012;
Committee Chairman
since 2023
Partner and Managing Director, Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC (since 2022); Co-Founder, President, and Chief Investment Strategist, Next Generation Wealth Management, Inc. (2005-2021).54Independent Trustee, Managed Portfolio Series (34 portfolios) (since 2011).
20


Name and
Year of Birth
Position Held with the TrustTerm 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
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).54Independent Trustee, PPM Funds (2 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).
54None
Individual Trustee Qualifications. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of their ability to review and understand information about the Funds provided to them by management, to identify and request other information they may deem relevant to the performance of their duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Funds, and to exercise their business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of each Fund’s shareholders. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on his or her own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Rush should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial industry experience, including serving in several different senior executive roles at various global financial services firms, and the experience he has gained as serving as trustee of another investment company trust since 2011. He most recently served as Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated and several other affiliated entities and served as the Treasurer for Baird Funds. He also served as the Chief Financial Officer for Fidelity Investments’ four broker-dealers and has substantial experience with mutual fund and investment advisory organizations and related businesses, including Vice President and Head of Compliance for Fidelity Investments, a Vice President at Credit Suisse First Boston, a Manager with Goldman Sachs, & Co. and a Senior Manager with Deloitte & Touche. Mr. Rush has been determined to qualify as an Audit Committee Financial Expert for the Trust.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Massart should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial industry experience, including over two decades working with high net worth individuals, families, trusts, and retirement accounts to make strategic and tactical asset allocation decisions, evaluate and select investment managers, and manage complex client relationships, and the experience he has gained as serving as trustee of another investment company trust since 2011. He is currently a Partner and Managing Director at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC. Previously, he served as President and Chief Investment Strategist of a SEC registered investment advisory firm he co-founded, as a Managing Director of Strong Private Client, and as a Manager of Wells Fargo Investments, LLC.
The Trust has concluded that Ms. Olsen should serve as a Trustee because of her substantial industry experience, including over a decade serving as a senior executive of an investment management firm and a related public company, and the experience she has gained by serving as an executive officer of another investment company from 2001 to 2012. Ms. Olsen most recently served as Managing Director and General Counsel of Artisan Partners Limited Partnership, a registered investment adviser serving primarily investment companies and institutional investors, and several affiliated entities, including its general partner, Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc. (NYSE: APAM), and as an executive officer of Artisan Funds Inc.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Castino should serve as Trustee because of the experience he gained as Chairman of the Trust since 2013, as a senior officer of U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services” or the “Transfer Agent”), since 2012, and in his past roles with investment management firms and indexing firms involved with ETFs, as well as his experience in and knowledge of the financial services industry.
21


In its periodic assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the funds.
Board Committees. The Board has established the following standing committees of the Board:
Audit Committee. The Board has a standing Audit Committee that is composed of each of the Independent Trustees of the Trust. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee include: recommending which firm to engage as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm and whether to terminate this relationship; reviewing the independent registered public accounting firm’s compensation, the proposed scope and terms of its engagement, and the firm’s independence; pre-approving audit and non-audit services provided by the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm to the Trust and certain other affiliated entities; serving as a channel of communication between the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trustees; reviewing the results of each external audit, including any qualifications in the independent registered public accounting firm’s opinion, any related management letter, management’s responses to recommendations made by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with the audit, reports submitted to the Committee by the internal auditing department of the Trust’s Administrator that are material to the Trust as a whole, if any, and management’s responses to any such reports; reviewing the Funds’ audited financial statements and considering any significant disputes between the Trust’s management and the independent registered public accounting firm that arose in connection with the preparation of those financial statements; considering, in consultation with the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trust’s senior internal accounting executive, if any, the independent registered public accounting firms’ report on the adequacy of the Trust’s internal financial controls; reviewing, in consultation with the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, major changes regarding auditing and accounting principles and practices to be followed when preparing the Funds’ financial statements; and other audit related matters. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Audit Committee met four times.
The Audit Committee also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee (“QLCC”) for the Trust for the purpose of compliance with Rules 205.2(k) and 205.3(c) of the Code of Federal Regulations, regarding alternative reporting procedures for attorneys retained or employed by an issuer who appear and practice before the SEC on behalf of the issuer (the “issuer attorneys”). An issuer attorney who becomes aware of evidence of a material violation by the Trust, or by any officer, director, employee, or agent of the Trust, may report evidence of such material violation to the QLCC as an alternative to the reporting requirements of Rule 205.3(b) (which requires reporting to the chief legal officer and potentially “up the ladder” to other entities).
Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has a standing Nominating and Governance Committee that is composed of each of the Independent Trustees of the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibility of the Nominating and Governance Committee is to consider, recommend and nominate candidates to fill vacancies on the Trust’s Board, if any. The Nominating and Governance Committee generally will not consider nominees recommended by shareholders. The Nominating and Governance Committee is also responsible for, among other things, reviewing and making recommendations regarding Independent Trustee compensation and the Trustees’ annual “self-assessment.” The Nominating and Governance Committee meets periodically, as necessary. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Nominating and Governance Committee met one time.
22


Principal Officers of the Trust
The officers of the Trust conduct and supervise its daily business. The address of each officer of the Trust is c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Additional information about the Trust’s officers is as follows:
Name and
Year of Birth
Position(s) Held with the Trust
Term of Office and Length of Time Served
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
Kristina R. Nelson
Born: 1982
President
Indefinite term;
since 2019
Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2020); Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2014–2020).
Alyssa M. Bernard
Born: 1988
Vice PresidentIndefinite term;
since 2021
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2021); Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2018–2021); Attorney, Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. (2017–2018).
Cynthia L. Andrae
Born: 1971
Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer
Indefinite term;
since 2022
(other roles since 2021)
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2019); Compliance Officer, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2015-2019).
Kristen M. Weitzel
Born: 1977
Treasurer
Indefinite term;
since 2014
(other roles since 2013)
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2015).
Joshua J. Hinderliter
Born: 1983
Secretary
Indefinite term;
since 2023
Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2022); Managing Associate, Thompson Hine LLP (2016–2022).
Vladimir V. Gurevich
Born: 1983
Assistant Treasurer
Indefinite term;
since 2022
Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2023); Officer, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2021-2023); Fund Administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc. (2015–2021).
Jason E. 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).
Jessica L. Vorbeck
Born: 1984
Assistant TreasurerIndefinite term;
since 2020
Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2022); Officer, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2014-2017, 2018-2022). 
Trustee Ownership of Shares. The Funds are required to show the dollar amount ranges of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of Shares and each other series of the Trust as of the end of the most recently completed calendar year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the 1934 Act.
As of December 31, 2022, no Trustee owned Shares or shares of any other series of the Trust, except that Mr. Rush owned, in the aggregate, between $1 and $10,000 of shares in other series of the Trust.
Board Compensation. The Independent Trustees each receive an annual trustee fee of $205,200 for attendance at the four regularly scheduled quarterly meetings and one annual meeting, if necessary, and receive additional compensation for each additional meeting attended of $2,000, as well as reimbursement for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attendance at Board meetings. The Lead Independent Trustee receives an additional annual fee of $15,000. The Chairman of the Audit Committee receives an additional annual fee of $15,000. The Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee receives an additional annual fee of $8,000. The Trust has no pension or retirement plan.
The following table shows the compensation earned by each Trustee for the Funds’ fiscal year ending December 31, 2022. Independent Trustee fees are paid by the adviser to each series of the Trust and not by the Funds. Trustee compensation does not include reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses in connection with attendance at meetings.
 Name
Aggregate Compensation
From Fund
Total Compensation
From Fund Complex Paid to Trustees
Interested Trustee
Michael A. Castino
$0$0
Independent Trustees
Leonard M. Rush, CPA
$0$230,425
David A. Massart
$0$200,425
Janet D. Olsen
$0$200,425
23


PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS, CONTROL PERSONS, AND MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP
A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding Shares of a Fund. A control person is a shareholder that owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. Shareholders owning voting securities in excess of 25% may determine the outcome of any matter affecting and voted on by shareholders of a Fund.
As of April 3, 2023, the Trustees and officers, as a group, owned less than 1% of the outstanding Shares. The following shareholders were considered to be principal shareholders of the Funds:
Alpha Seeker ETF as of April 3, 2023:
Name and Address% OwnershipType of Ownership
TD Ameritrade, Inc.
200 South 108th Avenue
Omaha, NE 68103-2226
42.80%Record
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399
40.39%Record
Interactive Brokers LLC
One Pickwick Plaza
Greenwich, CT 06830
5.47%Record
Tactical Beta ETF as of April 3, 2023:
Name and Address% OwnershipType of Ownership
TD Ameritrade, Inc.
200 South 108th Avenue
Omaha, NE 68103-2226
48.84%Record
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
211 Main Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-1905
19.57%Record
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza
Jersey City, NJ 07399
17.00%Record
National Financial Services, LLC
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
10.83%Record

Tactical Q ETF as of March 31, 2023:
Name and Address% OwnershipType of Ownership
TD Ameritrade, Inc.
200 South 108th Avenue
Omaha, NE 68103-2226
90.75%Record
Goldman Sachs & Co., LLC
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
5.69%Record
CODES OF ETHICS
The Trust and the Adviser have each adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics are designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Trust and the Adviser from engaging in deceptive, manipulative or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by a Fund (which may also be held by persons subject to the codes of ethics). Each Code of Ethics permits personnel subject to that Code of Ethics to invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, subject to certain limitations, including limitations related to securities that may be purchased or held by a Fund. The Distributor (as defined below) relies on the principal underwriters exception under Rule 17j-1(c)(3), specifically where the Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser, and no officer, director, or general partner of the Distributor serves as an officer, director, or general partner of the Trust or the Adviser.
There can be no assurance that the codes of ethics will be effective in preventing such activities. Each code of ethics may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C. or on the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
24


PROXY VOTING POLICIES
The Funds have delegated proxy voting responsibilities to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s oversight. In delegating proxy responsibilities, the Board has directed that proxies be voted consistent with each Fund’s and its shareholders’ best interests and in compliance with all applicable proxy voting rules and regulations. The Adviser has adopted proxy voting policies and guidelines for this purpose (“Proxy Voting Policies”), which have been adopted by the Trust as the policies and procedures that the Adviser will use when voting proxies on behalf of the Funds. Due to the nature of each Fund’s principal investment strategies, a Fund is not expected to receive a significant number of proxy solicitations.
In the absence of a conflict of interest, the Adviser will generally vote “for” routine proposals, such as the election of directors, approval of auditors, and amendments or revisions to corporate documents to eliminate outdated or unnecessary provisions. Unusual or disputed proposals will be reviewed and voted on a case-by-case basis. The Proxy Voting Policies address, among other things, material conflicts of interest that may arise between the interests of a Fund and the interests of the Adviser. The Proxy Voting Policies will ensure that all issues brought to shareholders are analyzed in light of the Adviser’s fiduciary responsibilities. The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the Proxy Voting Policies.
When available, information on how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 will be available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1‑800‑617‑0004 and (2) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Little Harbor Advisors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company located at 30 Doaks Lane, Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945, serves as the investment adviser to the Funds.
Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”), the Adviser provides investment advice to the Funds and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Funds, subject to the direction and control of the Board and the officers of the Trust. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is also responsible for arranging transfer agency, custody, fund administration and accounting, and other related services necessary for the Funds to operate. The Adviser administers the Funds’ business affairs, provides office facilities and equipment and certain clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services. Under the Advisory Agreement, in exchange for a single unitary management fee, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses incurred by each Fund except for interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, distribution fees and expenses paid by each Fund under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and the unified management fee payable to the Adviser.
For services provided to each Fund, each Fund pays the Adviser a unified management fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly at an annual rate based on the applicable Fund’s average daily net assets as set forth in the table below.
Name of FundManagement Fee
Alpha Seeker ETF
1.10%
Tactical Beta ETF
1.10%
Tactical Q ETF
1.10%
The Advisory Agreement with respect to the Funds will continue in force for an initial period of two years. Thereafter, the Advisory Agreement will be renewable from year to year with respect to the Funds, so long as its continuance is approved at least annually (1) by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose, of a majority of those Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Adviser or the Trust; and (2) by the majority vote of either the full Board or the vote of a majority of the outstanding Shares. The Advisory Agreement automatically terminates on assignment and is terminable on a 60-day written notice either by the Trust or the Adviser.
The Adviser shall not be liable to the Trust or any shareholder for anything done or omitted by it, except acts or omissions involving willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties imposed upon it by its agreement with the Trust or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding, or sale of any security.
The table below shows advisory fees paid by the Funds for the fiscal years/periods ended December 31:
Name of Fund202220212020
Alpha Seeker ETF
$459,706$257,477
$183,3111
Tactical Beta ETF
$2,671,243$1,869,151
$87,3332
Tactical Q ETF
$45,8673
N/AN/A
25


1 For the fiscal period May 13, 2020 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2020.
2 For the fiscal period September 29, 2020 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2020.
3 For the fiscal period March 14, 2022 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2022.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Michael Thompson, CFA, and D. Matthew Thompson, CFA (together, the “Portfolio Managers”), have joint and primary responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Funds.
Other Accounts
In addition to the Funds, the Portfolio Managers co-managed the following other accounts as of December 31, 2022: 
All Accounts
Other than the Funds
Accounts Subject to a
Performance-Based Fee
Type of Accounts
Total Number of Accounts
Total Assets of Accounts
Total Number of Accounts
Total Assets of Accounts
Registered Investment Companies0$00$0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles0$00$0
Other Accounts1
1,106$240.3 million0$0
1 Other Accounts advised by Thompson Capital Management, LLC, and co-managed by the Portfolio Managers.
Compensation
Each Portfolio Manager of the Funds is compensated by the Adviser based on a percentage of each Fund’s average net assets for the applicable period. The Portfolio Managers receive an aggregate of 0.36% of each Fund’s monthly gross unitary fee based on average net assets. Such compensation is not based on the Funds’ pre-tax or after-tax performance and is not based on any benchmark.
Share Ownership
The Funds are required to show the dollar range of each portfolio manager’s “beneficial ownership” of Shares as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the 1934 Act.
As of December 31, 2022, the Portfolio Managers beneficially owned Shares in the following dollar ranges:
Dollar Range of Shares owned of
Portfolio Manager
Alpha Seeker ETF
Tactical Beta ETF
Tactical Q ETF
Michael Thompson$1 - $10,000NoneNone
D. Matthew ThompsonNone$10,001 - $50,000$1 - $10,000

Conflicts of Interest
Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one fund or other account. More specifically, portfolio managers who manage multiple funds and/or other accounts may experience the following potential conflicts: The management of multiple accounts may result in a portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each account. Investment decisions for client accounts are also made consistent with a client’s individual investment objective and needs. Accordingly, there may be circumstances when purchases or sales of securities for one or more client accounts will have an adverse effect on other clients. The Adviser may seek to manage such competing interests by: (1) having a portfolio manager focus on a particular investment discipline; (2) utilizing a statistical analysis in managing accounts; and/or (3) reviewing performance differences between similarly managed accounts on a periodic basis to ensure that any such differences are attributable by differences in investment guidelines and timing of cash flows. The Adviser also maintains a Code of Ethics to establish standards and procedures for the detection and prevention of activities by which persons having knowledge of the investments and investment intentions of the Funds may abuse their fiduciary duties to the Funds.
With respect to securities transactions for clients, the Adviser determines which broker to use to execute each order. However, the Adviser may direct securities transactions to a particular broker/dealer for various reasons including receipt of research or participation interests in initial public offerings that may or may not benefit the Funds. To deal with these situations, the Adviser has adopted procedures to help ensure best execution of all client transactions.
26


Finally, the appearance of a conflict of interest may arise where the Adviser has an incentive, such as a performance-based management fee, which relates to the management of one but not all accounts for which a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities.
THE DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust, the Adviser, and Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group), are parties to a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”), whereby the Distributor acts as principal underwriter for the Funds and distributes Shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The principal business address of the Distributor is 111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Trust, will review orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Trust until accepted by the Trust. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of FINRA.
The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” below) or DTC participants (as defined below).
The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Agreement or any related agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by majority vote of its outstanding voting Shares or by a vote of a majority of its Board (including a majority of the Independent Trustees), or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Distribution Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Distributor, or reckless disregard by it of its obligations thereunder, the Distributor shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.
Intermediary Compensation. The Adviser or its affiliates, out of their own resources and not out of Fund assets (i.e., without additional cost to a Fund or its shareholders), may pay certain broker dealers, banks and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) for certain activities related to a Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing and educational training or support. These arrangements are not financed by a Fund and, thus, do not result in increased Fund expenses. They are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fees and expenses sections of a Fund’s Prospectus and they do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of Shares or the amount received by a shareholder as proceeds from the redemption of Shares.
Such compensation may be paid to Intermediaries that provide services to a Fund, including marketing and education support (such as through conferences, webinars and printed communications). The Adviser periodically assesses the advisability of continuing to make these payments. Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the Intermediary, and amounts that Intermediaries pay to your adviser, broker or other investment professional, if any, may also be significant to such adviser, broker or investment professional. Because an Intermediary may make decisions about what investment options it will make available or recommend, and what services to provide in connection with various products, based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive, such payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients. For example, these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend a Fund over other investments. The same conflict of interest exists with respect to your financial adviser, broker or investment professional if he or she receives similar payments from his or her Intermediary firm.
Intermediary information is current only as of the date of this SAI. Please contact your adviser, broker, or other investment professional for more information regarding any payments his or her Intermediary firm may receive. Any payments made by the Adviser or its affiliates to an Intermediary may create the incentive for an Intermediary to encourage customers to buy Shares.
If you have any additional questions, please call 1-800-617-0004.
Distribution and Service Plan. The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of its shares. No payments pursuant to the Plan are expected to be made during the twelve (12) month period from the date of this SAI. Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by a Fund under the Plan may only be imposed after approval by the Board.
27


Continuance of the Plan must be approved annually by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and by a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan or in any agreements related to the Plan (“Qualified Trustees”). The Plan requires that quarterly written reports of amounts spent under the Plan and the purposes of such expenditures be furnished to and reviewed by the Trustees. The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount that may be spent thereunder without approval by a majority of the outstanding Shares of a Fund. All material amendments of the Plan will require approval by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and of the Qualified Trustees.
The Plan provides that each Fund pays the Distributor an annual fee of up to a maximum of 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Shares. Under the Plan, the Distributor may make payments pursuant to written agreements to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations and insurance companies including, without limit, investment counselors, broker-dealers and the Distributor’s affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively, “Agents”) as compensation for services and reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance. The Plan is characterized as a compensation plan since the distribution fee will be paid to the Distributor without regard to the distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor or the amount of payments made to other financial institutions and intermediaries. The Trust intends to operate the Plan in accordance with its terms and with the FINRA rules concerning sales charges.
Under the Plan, subject to the limitations of applicable law and regulations, each Fund is authorized to compensate the Distributor up to the maximum amount to finance any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units of the Fund or for providing or arranging for others to provide shareholder services and for the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Such activities may include, but are not limited to: (i) delivering copies of a Fund’s then current reports, prospectuses, notices, and similar materials, to prospective purchasers of Creation Units; (ii) marketing and promotional services, including advertising; (iii) paying the costs of and compensating others, including Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” below) with whom the Distributor has entered into written Participant Agreements (as defined below), for performing shareholder servicing on behalf of a Fund; (iv) compensating certain Authorized Participants for providing assistance in distributing the Creation Units of a Fund, including the travel and communication expenses and salaries and/or commissions of sales personnel in connection with the distribution of the Creation Units of a Fund; (v) payments to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies and investment counselors, broker-dealers, mutual fund supermarkets and the affiliates and subsidiaries of the Trust’s service providers as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance; (vi) facilitating communications with beneficial owners of Shares, including the cost of providing (or paying others to provide) services to beneficial owners of Shares, including, but not limited to, assistance in answering inquiries related to shareholder accounts; and (vii) such other services and obligations as are set forth in the Distribution Agreement. The Distributor does not retain Fund monies for profit. Instead, it keeps them in retention for future distribution related expenses. The Adviser compensates the Distributor for certain distribution related services.
THE ADMINISTRATOR, CUSTODIAN, AND TRANSFER AGENT
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Funds’ transfer agent and administrator.
Pursuant to a Fund Administration Servicing Agreement and a Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between the Trust and Fund Services, Fund Services provides the Trust with administrative and management services (other than investment advisory services) and accounting services, including portfolio accounting services, tax accounting services and furnishing financial reports. In this capacity, Fund Services does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Funds, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Shares. As compensation for the administration, accounting and management services, the Adviser pays Fund Services a fee based on each Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee. Fund Services also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses for the services mentioned above, including pricing expenses.
28


The table below shows fees paid by the Adviser to Fund Services for the fiscal years/periods ended December 31:
Name of Fund202220212020
Alpha Seeker ETF
$82,894$85,506
$58,1461
Tactical Beta ETF
$99,731$98,752
$20,9572
Tactical Q ETF
$65,6113
N/AN/A
1 For the fiscal period May 13, 2020 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2020.
2 For the fiscal period September 29, 2020 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2020.
3 For the fiscal period March 14, 2022 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2022.
Pursuant to a Custody Agreement, U.S. Bank National Association (the “Custodian” or “U.S. Bank”), 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the Custodian of the Funds’ assets. The Custodian holds and administers the assets in each Fund’s portfolio. Pursuant to the Custody Agreement, the Custodian receives an annual fee from the Adviser based on the Trust’s total average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee, and certain settlement charges. The Custodian also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, located at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004-2541, serves as legal counsel for the Trust.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Cohen & Company, Ltd., located at 342 North Water Street, Suite 830, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Board has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about each Fund’s security holdings. Each Fund’s entire portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day a Fund is open for business and may be available through financial reporting and news services, including publicly available internet web sites. In addition, the composition of the Deposit Securities (as defined below) is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of the Exchange via the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”).
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of funds and Shares. Each Share represents an equal proportionate interest in the applicable Fund with each other Share. Shares are entitled upon liquidation to a pro rata share in the net assets of the applicable Fund. Shareholders have no preemptive rights. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees may create additional series or classes of Shares. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any additional funds and all assets in which such consideration is invested would belong to that fund and would be subject to the liabilities related thereto. Share certificates representing Shares will not be issued. Shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.
Each Share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required, consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all funds of the Trust vote together as a single class, except that if the matter being voted on affects only a particular fund it will be voted on only by that fund and if a matter affects a particular fund differently from other funds, that fund will vote separately on such matter. As a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust is not required, and does not intend, to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Approval of shareholders will be sought, however, for certain changes in the operation of the Trust and for the election of Trustees under certain circumstances. Upon the written request of shareholders owning at least 10% of the Trust’s Shares, the Trust will call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more Trustees and other certain matters. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting.
Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power to liquidate a Fund without shareholder approval. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising this power, they may do so if a Fund fails to reach a viable size within a reasonable amount of time or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board.
LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES’ LIABILITY
The Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee shall be liable only for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrong-doing of
29


any officer, agent, employee, adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall indemnify each person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, any person who is serving or has served at the Trust’s request as a Trustee, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise to the extent and in the manner provided in the Amended and Restated By-laws. However, nothing in the Declaration of Trust shall protect or indemnify a Trustee against any liability for his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee. Nothing contained in this section attempts to disclaim a Trustee’s individual liability in any manner inconsistent with the federal securities laws.
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
The policy of the Trust regarding purchases and sales of securities for a Fund is that primary consideration will be given to obtaining the most favorable prices and efficient executions of transactions. Consistent with this policy, when securities transactions are effected on a stock exchange, the Trust’s policy is to pay commissions which are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. The Trust believes that a requirement always to seek the lowest possible commission cost could impede effective portfolio management and preclude the Funds and the Adviser from obtaining a high quality of brokerage and research services. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Adviser will rely upon its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage services received from the broker effecting the transaction. Such determinations are necessarily subjective and imprecise, as in most cases, an exact dollar value for those services is not ascertainable. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of Shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.
The Adviser owes a fiduciary duty to its clients to seek to provide best execution on trades effected. In selecting a broker-dealer for each specific transaction, the Adviser chooses the broker-dealer deemed most capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable execution. “Best execution” is generally understood to mean the most favorable cost or net proceeds reasonably obtainable under the circumstances. The full range of brokerage services applicable to a particular transaction may be considered when making this judgment, which may include, but is not limited to: liquidity, price, commission, timing, aggregated trades, capable floor brokers or traders, competent block trading coverage, ability to position, capital strength and stability, reliable and accurate communications and settlement processing, use of automation, knowledge of other buyers or sellers, arbitrage skills, administrative ability, underwriting and provision of information on a particular security or market in which the transaction is to occur. The specific criteria will vary depending upon the nature of the transaction, the market in which it is executed, and the extent to which it is possible to select from among multiple broker-dealers. The Adviser will also use electronic crossing networks (“ECNs”) when appropriate.
Subject to the foregoing policies, brokers or dealers selected to execute a Fund’s portfolio transactions may include such Fund’s Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” below) or their affiliates. An Authorized Participant or its affiliates may be selected to execute a Fund’s portfolio transactions in conjunction with an all-cash creation unit order or an order including “cash-in-lieu” (as described below under “Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units”), so long as such selection is in keeping with the foregoing policies. As described below under “Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units—Creation Transaction Fee” and “—Redemption Transaction Fee”, each Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for creation orders that facilitate the rebalance of the applicable Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order, even if the decision to not charge a variable fee could be viewed as benefiting the Authorized Participant or its affiliate selected to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions in connection with such orders.
The Adviser may use a Fund’s assets for, or participate in, third-party soft dollar arrangements, in addition to receiving proprietary research from various full-service brokers, the cost of which is bundled with the cost of the broker’s execution services. The Adviser does not “pay up” for the value of any such proprietary research. Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act permits the Adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause a Fund to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by the broker or dealer. The Adviser may receive a variety of research services and information on many topics, which it can use in connection with its management responsibilities with respect to the various accounts over which it exercises investment discretion or otherwise provides investment advice. The research services may include qualifying order management systems, portfolio attribution and monitoring services and computer software and access charges which are directly related to investment research. Accordingly, a Fund may pay a broker commission higher than the lowest available in recognition of the broker’s provision of such services to the Adviser, but only if the Adviser determines the total commission (including the soft dollar benefit) is comparable to the best commission rate that could be expected to be received from other brokers. The amount of soft dollar benefits received depends on the amount of brokerage transactions effected with the brokers. A conflict of interest exists because there is an incentive to: 1) cause clients to pay a higher commission than the firm might otherwise be able to
30


negotiate; 2) cause clients to engage in more securities transactions than would otherwise be optimal; and 3) only recommend brokers that provide soft dollar benefits.
The Adviser faces a potential conflict of interest when it uses client trades to obtain brokerage or research services. This conflict exists because the Adviser is able to use the brokerage or research services to manage client accounts without paying cash for such services, which reduces the Adviser’s expenses to the extent that the Adviser would have purchased such products had they not been provided by brokers. Section 28(e) permits the Adviser to use brokerage or research services for the benefit of any account it manages. Certain accounts managed by the Adviser may generate soft dollars used to purchase brokerage or research services that ultimately benefit other accounts managed by the Adviser, effectively cross subsidizing the other accounts managed by the Adviser that benefit directly from the product. The Adviser may not necessarily use all of the brokerage or research services in connection with managing a Fund whose trades generated the soft dollars used to purchase such products.
The Adviser is responsible, subject to oversight by the Board, for placing orders on behalf of each Fund for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities of a Fund and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the Adviser are considered at or about the same time, transactions in such securities are allocated among the several investment companies and clients in a manner deemed equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to all by the Adviser. In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security so far as a Fund is concerned. However, in other cases, it is possible that the ability to participate in volume transactions and to negotiate lower brokerage commissions will be beneficial to a Fund. The primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price.
A Fund may deal with affiliates in principal transactions to the extent permitted by exemptive order or applicable rule or regulation.
The table below shows the aggregate brokerage commissions paid by each Fund for the fiscal years/periods ended December 31, none of which were paid to affiliated brokers:
Name of Fund202220212020
Alpha Seeker ETF
$146,740$117,803
$82,7381
Tactical Beta ETF
$16,309$181,246
$17,2412
Tactical Q ETF
 $2,6333
N/AN/A
1 For the fiscal period May 13, 2020 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2020.
2 For the fiscal period September 29, 2020 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2020.
3 For the fiscal period March 14, 2022 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2022.
Directed Brokerage. During the fiscal year/period ended December 31, 2022, the Funds did not direct brokerage transactions to a broker because of research services provided.
Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. A Fund may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Funds, the Adviser, or the Distributor for a commission in conformity with the 1940 Act, the 1934 Act and rules promulgated by the SEC. These rules require that commissions paid to the affiliate by the Funds for exchange transactions not exceed “usual and customary” brokerage commissions. The rules define “usual and customary” commissions to include amounts which are “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received or to be received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time.” The Trustees, including those who are not “interested persons” of the Funds, have adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and review these procedures periodically. During the fiscal year/period ended December 31, 2022, the Funds did not pay brokerage commissions to any registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Fund, the Adviser, or the Distributor.
Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers.” Each Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) that it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers or dealers” of a Fund are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Fund’s portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Fund; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of Shares. As of December 31, 2022, the Funds did not hold securities of its “regular broker dealers.”
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATE
Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions is evaluated by the Adviser based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by other institutional investors for comparable services. The portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities by the average
31


monthly value of a Fund’s portfolio securities. For purposes of this calculation, portfolio securities exclude all securities having a maturity, when purchased, of one year or less. The portfolio turnover rate is calculated without regard to cash instruments or derivatives transactions. The portfolio turnover rate calculation also excludes in-kind transactions.
For the fiscal years/periods ended December 31, each Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was:
Name of Fund20222021
Alpha Seeker ETF
11,063%1
3,520%
Tactical Beta ETF
0%2
132%
Tactical Q ETF
138%3
N/A
1 The portfolio turnover rate increased significantly during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 due to the Fund’s investment strategy and volatile equity markets.
2 The portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 is materially different from the prior fiscal year due to the relatively low level of purchases or sales of equity securities for the Fund.
3 For the fiscal period March 14, 2022 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2022.
BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM
The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) acts as securities depositary for Shares. Shares are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC. Except in limited circumstances set forth below, certificates will not be issued for Shares.
DTC is a limited-purpose trust company that was created to hold securities of its participants (the “DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers, and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).
Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants, and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to in this SAI as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of Shares. The Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the record owner of all Shares for all purposes. Beneficial Owners of Shares are not entitled to have Shares registered in their names and will not receive or be entitled to physical delivery of Share certificates. Each Beneficial Owner must rely on the procedures of DTC and any DTC Participant and/or Indirect Participant through which such Beneficial Owner holds its interests, to exercise any rights of a holder of Shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements, and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. DTC will make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee a listing of Shares held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall obtain from each such DTC Participant the number of Beneficial Owners holding Shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement, or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all Shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in a Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in Shares, or for maintaining, supervising, or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the
32


relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.
DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to a Fund at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Fund and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the applicable Fund shall take action either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost or, if such replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of Shares, unless the Trust makes other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Exchange.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
The Trust issues and sells Shares only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Transfer Agent, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees, if applicable), at their NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day, in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”). The NAV of Shares is calculated each business day as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The Funds will not issue fractional Creation Units. A “Business Day” is any day on which the NYSE is open for business.
Fund Deposit. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of a Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (Deposit Securities) per each Creation Unit and the Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below. The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount (Deposit Cash) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for all or a portion of Deposit Cash, a Fund may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser.
Together, the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the applicable Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of Shares (per Creation Unit) and the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit exceeds the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such negative amount and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Component. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. Computation of the Cash Component excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant.
Each Fund, through NSCC, makes available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the list of the names and the required number of Shares of each Deposit Security or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the applicable Fund. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, to effect purchases of Creation Units of the applicable Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.
The identity and number of Shares of the Deposit Securities or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for a Fund Deposit for the Fund changes from time to time.
The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Cash Component, including, without limitation, in situations where the Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws or where the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws; or (v) in certain other situations (collectively, “custom orders”). The adjustments described above will reflect changes, known to the Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of a Fund Deposit, resulting from certain corporate actions.
Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units. To be eligible to place orders with the Transfer Agent to purchase a Creation Unit of a Fund, an entity must be (i) a “Participating Party”, i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC Participant (see “Book Entry Only System”). In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an “Authorized Participant”) must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Transfer Agent, and that has been accepted by the Distributor, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to
33


the terms of a Participant Agreement, on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that it will pay to the Trust, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the creation transaction fee (described below), if applicable, and any other applicable fees and taxes.
All orders to purchase Shares directly from the Funds must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by the time set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The order cut-off time for orders to purchase Creation Units is expected to be 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, which time may be modified by each Fund from time-to-time by amendment to the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The date on which an order to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) is received and accepted is referred to as the “Order Placement Date.”
An Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order (e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to purchase Shares directly from a Fund in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement and only a small number of such Authorized Participants may have international capabilities.
On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, a Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which a Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed, the applicable Fund will also generally not accept orders on such day(s). Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Transfer Agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. On behalf of the Funds, the Transfer Agent will notify the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to the appropriate local sub-custodian(s). Those placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Transfer Agent by the cut-off time on such Business Day. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Transfer Agent or an Authorized Participant.
Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a subcustody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian shall cause the subcustodian of the Funds to maintain an account into which the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, such Deposit Securities (or Deposit Cash for all or a part of such securities, as permitted or required), with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local subcustodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the applicable Fund or its agents by no later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If a Fund or its agents do not receive all of the Deposit Securities, or the required Deposit Cash in lieu thereof, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom.
The “Settlement Date” for a Fund is generally the second Business Day after the Order Placement Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash to be delivered, as applicable, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities or cash, as applicable, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash represented by the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received by the Custodian in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Transfer Agent, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the applicable Fund.
The order shall be deemed to be received on the Business Day on which the order is placed provided that the order is placed in proper form prior to the applicable cut-off time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited by 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time (as set forth on the applicable order form), with the Custodian on the Settlement Date. If the order is not placed in proper form as required, or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received by 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time (as set forth on the applicable order form) on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, order form and this SAI are properly followed.
34


Issuance of a Creation Unit. Except as provided in this SAI, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Transfer Agent and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the second Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Transfer Agent. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.
Creation Units may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since, in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which shall be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. The Authorized Participant must deposit with the Custodian the Additional Cash Deposit, as applicable, by 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If a Fund or its agents do not receive the Additional Cash Deposit in the appropriate amount, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Trust to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Transfer Agent plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee, as described below under “Creation Transaction Fee” may be charged. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.
Acceptance of Orders of Creation Units. The Trust reserves the right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Transfer Agent with respect to a Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (e) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (f) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent and/or the Adviser make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process orders for Creation Units.
Examples of such circumstances include acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, the Custodian, a sub-custodian, the Transfer Agent, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Transfer Agent shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of the creator of a Creation Unit of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Distributor shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units.
All questions as to the number of Shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
Creation Transaction Fee. A fixed purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee, payable to the Funds’ custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units (“Creation Order Costs”). The standard fixed creation transaction fee for each Fund is $300, regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. Each Fund may adjust the standard fixed creation transaction fee from time to time. The fixed creation fee may be waived on certain orders if the applicable Fund’s custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Creation Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.
35


In addition, a variable fee, payable to the Funds, of up to a maximum of 2% of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash purchases, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases of Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved with buying the securities with cash. For orders comprised entirely of cash, a variable fee of 0.02% of the value of the order will be charged by the applicable Fund. For orders partially comprised of cash in lieu of certain Deposit Securities, a variable fee of 0.02% of the value of such cash in lieu of Deposit Securities will be charged by the applicable Fund. Each Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for creation orders that facilitate changes to the applicable Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order.
Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order.
Risks of Purchasing Creation Units. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from a Fund. Because Shares may be issued on an ongoing basis, a “distribution” of Shares could be occurring at any time. Certain activities that a shareholder performs as a dealer could, depending on the circumstances, result in the shareholder being deemed a participant in the distribution in a manner that could render the shareholder a statutory underwriter and subject to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a shareholder could be deemed a statutory underwriter if it purchases Creation Units from a Fund, breaks them down into the constituent Shares, and sells those Shares directly to customers, or if a shareholder chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary-market demand for Shares. Whether a person is an underwriter depends upon all of the facts and circumstances pertaining to that person’s activities, and the examples mentioned here should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could cause you to be deemed an underwriter.
Dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as opposed to engaging in ordinary secondary-market transactions), and thus dealing with Shares as part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act.
Redemption. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by a Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF A FUND, THE TRUST WILL NOT REDEEM SHARES IN AMOUNTS LESS THAN CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.
With respect to the Funds, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and share quantities of each Fund’s portfolio securities that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”). Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities.
Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit are paid either in-kind or in cash, or combination thereof, as determined by the Trust. With respect to in-kind redemptions of a Fund, redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of Fund Securities—as announced by the Custodian on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper form plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less a fixed redemption transaction fee, as applicable, as set forth below. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Trust’s discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more Fund Securities.
Redemption Transaction Fee. A fixed redemption transaction fee, payable to the Funds’ custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units (“Redemption Order Costs”). The standard fixed redemption transaction fee for each Fund is $300 regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed in the transaction. Each Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time. The fixed redemption fee may be waived on certain orders if the applicable Fund’s custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Redemption Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.
In addition, a variable fee, payable to the applicable Fund, of up to a maximum of 2% of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available) of Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved
36


with selling portfolio securities to satisfy a cash redemption. For orders comprised entirely of cash, a variable fee of 0.02% of the value of the order will be charged by the applicable Fund. For orders partially comprised of cash in lieu of certain Deposit Securities, a variable fee of 0.02% of the value of such cash in lieu of Deposit Securities will be charged by the applicable Fund. Each Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for redemption orders that facilitate changes to the applicable Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order.
Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order.
Procedures for Redemption of Creation Units. Orders to redeem Creation Units must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Trust’s Transfer Agent the Creation Unit(s) being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement and (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Trust is received by the Transfer Agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified in the Participant Agreement. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s Shares through DTC’s facilities by the times and pursuant to the other terms and conditions set forth in the Participant Agreement, the redemption request shall be rejected.
The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Trust, to the Transfer Agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement, and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed a Participant Agreement. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of Shares to the Trust’s Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
Additional Redemption Procedures. In connection with taking delivery of shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such shareholder must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded, to which account such Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within two business days of the trade date.
The Trust may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming investor will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that s Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Shares based on the NAV of Shares next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee, if applicable, and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). A Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in NAV.
Redemptions of Shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and a Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming investor of Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer” (“QIB”), as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive Fund Securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. An Authorized Participant may be required by the Trust to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status to receive Fund Securities.
Because the portfolio securities of a Fund may trade on other exchanges on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for such Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their Shares, or to purchase or sell Shares on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of a Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to a Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of Shares or determination of the NAV of Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
37


DETERMINATION OF NAV
NAV per Share for a Fund is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the applicable Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Shares outstanding, rounded to the nearest cent. Expenses and fees, including the management fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. The NAV of each Fund is calculated by Fund Services and determined at the scheduled close of the regular trading session on the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open, provided that fixed-income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for trading in fixed-income instruments on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) announces an early closing time.
Pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Board has appointed the Adviser as the Funds’ valuation designee (the “Valuation Designee”) to perform all fair valuations of each Fund’s portfolio investments, subject to the Board’s oversight. As the Valuation Designee, the Adviser has established procedures for its fair valuation of each Fund’s portfolio investments. These procedures address, among other things, determining when market quotations are not readily available or reliable and the methodologies to be used for determining the fair value of investments, as well as the use and oversight of third-party pricing services for fair valuation. The Adviser’s fair value determinations will be carried out in compliance with Rule 2a-5 and based on fair value methodologies established and applied by the Adviser and periodically tested to ensure such methodologies are appropriate and accurate with respect to each Fund’s portfolio investments. The Adviser’s fair value methodologies may involve obtaining inputs and prices from third-party pricing services.
In calculating each Fund’s NAV per Share, each Fund’s investments are generally valued using market quotations to the extent such market quotations are readily available. If market quotations are not readily available or are deemed to be unreliable by the Adviser, the Adviser will fair value such investments and use the fair value to calculate each Fund’s NAV. When fair value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by the Adviser to calculate each Fund’s NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Due to the subjective and variable nature of fair value pricing, it is possible that the fair value determined for a particular security may be materially different (higher or lower) from the price of the security quoted or published by others, or the value when trading resumes or is realized upon its sale. There may be multiple methods that can be used to value a portfolio investment when market quotations are not readily available. The value established for any portfolio investment at a point in time might differ from what would be produced using a different methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes.”
General Policies. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid at least annually by each Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but a Fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis to comply with the distribution requirements of the Code to preserve a Fund’s eligibility for treatment as a RIC, in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act.
Dividends and other distributions on Shares are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such Shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Trust.
Each Fund makes additional distributions to the extent necessary (i) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the applicable Fund, plus any net capital gains and (ii) to avoid imposition of the excise tax imposed by Section 4982 of the Code. Management of the Trust reserves the right to declare special dividends if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve a Fund’s eligibility for treatment as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
Dividend Reinvestment Service. The Trust will not make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available for use by Beneficial Owners for reinvestment of their cash proceeds, but certain individual broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Funds through DTC Participants for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Investors should contact their brokers to ascertain the availability and description of these services. Beneficial Owners should be aware that each broker may require investors to adhere to specific procedures and timetables to participate in the dividend reinvestment service and investors should ascertain from their brokers such necessary details. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole Shares issued by the Trust of the applicable Fund at NAV per Share. Distributions reinvested in additional Shares will nevertheless be taxable to Beneficial Owners acquiring such additional Shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.
38


FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
The following is only a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations generally affecting a Fund and its shareholders that supplements the discussion in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a comprehensive explanation of the federal, state, local or foreign tax treatment of a Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended to be a substitute for careful tax planning.
The following general discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences is based on provisions of the Code and the regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI. New legislation, as well as administrative changes or court decisions, may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.
Shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of the provisions of tax law described in this SAI in light of the particular tax situations of the shareholders and regarding specific questions as to federal, state, foreign or local taxes.
Taxation of the Funds. Each Fund has elected and intends to continue to qualify each year to be treated as a separate RIC under the Code. As such, the Funds should not be subject to federal income taxes on their net investment income and capital gains, if any, to the extent that they timely distribute such income and capital gains to their shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a RIC, a Fund must distribute annually to its shareholders at least the sum of 90% of its net investment income (generally including the excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income, if any (the “Distribution Requirement”) and also must meet several additional requirements. Among these requirements are the following: (i) at least 90% of the applicable Fund’s gross income each taxable year must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Qualifying Income Requirement”); and (ii) at the end of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, the Fund’s assets must be diversified so that (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, 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, the securities (other than securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers which the applicable Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Diversification Requirement”).
To the extent a Fund makes investments that may generate income that is not qualifying income, including certain derivatives, the Fund will seek to restrict the resulting income from such investments so that the Fund’s non-qualifying income does not exceed 10% of its gross income.
Although the Funds intend to distribute substantially all of their net investment income and may distribute their capital gains for any taxable year, the Funds will be subject to federal income taxation to the extent any such income or gains are not distributed. Each Fund is treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes. A Fund therefore is considered to be a separate entity in determining its treatment under the rules for RICs described herein. The requirements (other than certain organizational requirements) for qualifying RIC status are determined at the fund level rather than at the Trust level.
If a Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the applicable Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the Diversification Requirement where a Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. To be eligible for the relief provisions with respect to a failure to meet the Diversification Requirement, a Fund may be required to dispose of certain assets. If these relief provisions were not available to a Fund and it were to fail to qualify for treatment as a RIC for a taxable year, all of its taxable income would be subject to tax at the regular 21% corporate rate without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and its distributions (including capital gains distributions) generally would be taxable to the shareholders of the applicable Fund as ordinary income dividends, subject to the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders and the lower tax rates on qualified dividend income received by non-corporate shareholders, subject to certain limitations. To requalify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, a Fund would be required to satisfy the RIC qualification requirements for that year and to distribute any earnings and profits from any year in which the applicable Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. If a Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, it would generally be required to pay a Fund-level tax on certain net built in gains recognized with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year. The Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of a Fund for
39


treatment as a RIC if it determines such course of action to be beneficial to shareholders. If a Fund determines that it will not qualify as a RIC, the applicable Fund will establish procedures to reflect the anticipated tax liability in the Fund’s NAV.
A Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in characterizing Fund distributions for any calendar year. A “qualified late year loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year (commonly referred to as “post-October losses”) and certain other late-year losses.
Capital losses in excess of capital gains (“net capital losses”) are not permitted to be deducted against a RIC’s net investment income. Instead, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, potentially subject to certain limitations, a Fund may carry a net capital loss from any taxable year forward indefinitely to offset its capital gains, if any, in years following the year of the loss. To the extent subsequent capital gains are offset by such losses, they will not result in U.S. federal income tax liability to the applicable Fund and may not be distributed as capital gains to its shareholders. Generally, a Fund may not carry forward any losses other than net capital losses. The carryover of capital losses may be limited under the general loss limitation rules if the Fund experiences an ownership change as defined in the Code.
The table below shows the capital loss carryforward amounts for each Fund as of December 31, 2022. These amounts do not expire.
Name of FundShort-Term Capital Loss Carry ForwardLong-Term Capital Loss Carry Forward
Alpha Seeker ETF
$953,908$105,490
Tactical Beta ETF
$13,816,406$20,954,774
Tactical Q ETF
$565,170$469,616
A Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax on certain undistributed income if it does not distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year an amount at least equal to 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, subject to an increase for any shortfall in the prior year’s distribution. For this purpose, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by a Fund and subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed. The Funds intend to declare and distribute dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of the excise tax, but can make no assurances that all such tax liability will be eliminated. A Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate Fund investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid federal excise tax liability at a time when the investment adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so, and liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirement for qualification as a RIC.
If a Fund meets the Distribution Requirement but retains some or all of its income or gains, it will be subject to federal income tax to the extent any such income or gains are not distributed. A Fund may designate certain amounts retained as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who (i) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount so designated, (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the income tax paid by the Fund on that undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities and to claim refunds to the extent such credits exceed their tax liabilities, and (iii) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for federal income tax purposes, in their Shares by an amount equal to the excess of the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in their respective income over their respective income tax credits.
Taxation of Shareholders – Distributions. Each Fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the deduction for dividends paid), its net tax-exempt income, if any, and any net capital gain (net recognized long-term capital gains in excess of net recognized short-term capital losses, taking into account any capital loss carryforwards). The distribution of investment company taxable income (as so computed) and net realized capital gain will be taxable to Fund shareholders regardless of whether the shareholder receives these distributions in cash or reinvests them in additional Shares.
Each Fund (or your broker) will report to shareholders annually the amounts of dividends paid from ordinary income, the amount of distributions of net capital gain, the portion of dividends which may qualify for the dividends received deduction for corporations, and the portion of dividends which may qualify for treatment as qualified dividend income, which, subject to certain limitations and requirements, is taxable to non-corporate shareholders at rates of up to 20%.
Qualified dividend income includes, in general, subject to certain holding period and other requirements, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations. Subject to certain limitations, eligible foreign corporations include
40


those incorporated in possessions of the United States, those incorporated in certain countries with comprehensive tax treaties with the United States, and other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividends are paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. Dividends received by a Fund from an underlying fund taxable as a RIC or from a REIT may be treated as qualified dividend income generally only to the extent so reported by such underlying fund or REIT, however, dividends received by a Fund from a REIT are generally not treated as qualified dividend income. If 95% or more of a Fund’s gross income (calculated without taking into account net capital gain derived from sales or other dispositions of stock or securities) consists of qualified dividend income, the Fund may report all distributions of such income as qualified dividend income. Certain of the Funds’ investment strategies may significantly limit their ability to make distributions eligible for the reduced rates applicable to qualified dividend income.
Fund dividends will not be treated as qualified dividend income if a Fund does not meet holding period and other requirements with respect to dividend paying stocks in its portfolio, and the shareholder does not meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Shares on which the dividends were paid. Distributions by a Fund of its net short-term capital gains will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions from a Fund’s net capital gain will be taxable to shareholders at long-term capital gains rates, regardless of how long shareholders have held their Shares. Distributions may be subject to state and local taxes.
In the case of corporate shareholders, certain dividends received by a Fund from U.S. corporations (generally, dividends received by the Fund in respect of any share of stock (1) with a tax holding period of at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend and (2) that is held in an unleveraged position) and distributed and appropriately so reported by the Fund may be eligible for the 50% dividends received deduction. Certain preferred stock must have a holding period of at least 91 days during the 181-day period beginning on the date that is 90 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend to be eligible. Capital gain dividends distributed to a Fund from other RICs are not eligible for the dividends received deduction. To qualify for the deduction, corporate shareholders must meet the minimum holding period requirement stated above with respect to their Shares, taking into account any holding period reductions from certain hedging or other transactions or positions that diminish their risk of loss with respect to their Shares, and, if they borrow to acquire or otherwise incur debt attributable to Shares, they may be denied a portion of the dividends received deduction with respect to those Shares. Certain of the Funds’ investment strategies may significantly limit their ability to make distributions eligible for the dividends received deduction available to corporate shareholders.
Although dividends generally will be treated as distributed when paid, any dividend declared by a Fund in October, November or December and payable to shareholders of record in such a month that is paid during the following January will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as received by shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which it was declared.
U.S. individuals with adjusted gross income (subject to certain adjustments) exceeding certain threshold amounts ($250,000 if married filing jointly or if considered a “surviving spouse” for federal income tax purposes, $125,000 if married filing separately, and $200,000 in other cases) are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes taxable interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gain distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
Shareholders who have not held Shares for a full year should be aware that a Fund may report and distribute, as ordinary dividends or capital gain dividends, a percentage of income that is not equal to the percentage of the Fund’s ordinary income or net capital gain, respectively, actually earned during the applicable shareholder’s period of investment in the Fund. A taxable shareholder may wish to avoid investing in a Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because the distribution will generally be taxable even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of the shareholder’s investment.
To the extent that a Fund makes a distribution of income received by the Fund in lieu of dividends (a “substitute payment”) with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders.
If a Fund’s distributions exceed its earnings and profits, all or a portion of the distributions made for a taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable, but will reduce each shareholder’s cost basis in a Fund and result in a higher capital gain or lower capital loss when the Shares on which the distribution was received are sold. After a shareholder’s basis in the Shares has been reduced to zero, distributions in excess of earnings and profits will be treated as gain from the sale of the shareholder’s Shares.
Taxation of Shareholders – Sale, Redemption, or Exchange of Shares. A sale, redemption, or exchange of Shares may give rise to a gain or loss. For tax purposes, an exchange of your Fund Shares for shares of a different fund is the same as a sale. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of Shares will generally be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term
41


capital loss, rather than short-term capital loss, to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the shareholder of long-term capital gain (including any amounts credited to the shareholder as undistributed capital gains). All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares may be disallowed if substantially identical Shares are acquired (through the reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly acquired Shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
The cost basis of Shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for Shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of Shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The ability of Authorized Participants to receive a full or partial cash redemption of Creation Units of a Fund may limit the tax efficiency of such Fund. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot currently be deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for a person who does not mark-to-market its portfolio) or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, a Fund would have a basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require the provision of information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If a Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares, the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
Authorized Participants purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sales rule applies and when a loss may be deductible.
Taxation of Fund Investments. Certain of each Fund’s investments may be subject to complex provisions of the Code (including provisions relating to hedging transactions, straddles, integrated transactions, foreign currency contracts, forward foreign currency contracts, and notional principal contracts) that, among other things, may affect a Fund’s ability to qualify as a RIC, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the Fund (e.g., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and defer losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also may require a Fund to mark to market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out) which may cause the Fund to recognize income without the Fund receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts sufficient to enable the Fund to satisfy the RIC distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. Each Fund intends to monitor its transactions, intends to make appropriate tax elections, and intends to make appropriate entries in its books and records to mitigate the effect of these rules and preserve the Fund’s qualification for treatment as a RIC. To the extent a Fund invests in an ETF or underlying fund that is taxable as a RIC, the rules applicable to the tax treatment of complex securities will also apply to the ETF or underlying funds that also invest in such complex securities and investments.
Certain derivative investments by a Fund, such as exchange-traded products and over-the-counter derivatives, may not produce qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, which must be met in order for the Fund to maintain its status as a RIC under the Code. In addition, the determination of the value and the identity of the issuer of such derivative investments are often unclear for purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above. Each Fund intends to carefully monitor such investments to ensure that any non-qualifying income does not exceed permissible limits and to ensure that it is adequately diversified under the Diversification Requirement. A Fund, however, may not be able to accurately predict the non-qualifying income from these investments and there are no assurances that the IRS will agree with the Fund’s determination of the Diversification Requirement with respect to such derivatives. Failure of the Diversification Requirement might also result from a determination by the IRS that financial instruments in which a Fund invests are not securities.
Each Fund is required for federal income tax purposes to mark to market and recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses on certain futures and options contracts subject to section 1256 of the Code (“Section 1256 Contracts”) as of the end of the year as well as those actually realized during the year. Gain or loss from Section 1256 Contracts on broad-based indexes required to be marked to market will be 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Application of this
42


rule may alter the timing and character of distributions to shareholders. A Fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on Section 1256 Contracts to the extent of any unrecognized gains on offsetting positions held by the Fund. These provisions may also require a Fund to mark-to-market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out), which may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirement and for avoiding the excise tax discussed above. Accordingly, to avoid certain income and excise taxes, a Fund may be required to liquidate its investments at a time when the investment adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so.
Offsetting positions held by a Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, forwards, and futures, as well as its long and short positions in portfolio securities, may be considered to constitute “straddles” for federal income tax purposes. In general, straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect the amount, character and timing of a Fund’s gains and losses with respect to the straddle positions by requiring, among other things, that: (1) any loss realized on disposition of one position of a straddle may not be recognized to the extent that the Fund has unrealized gains with respect to the other positions in straddle; (2) the Fund’s holding period in straddle positions be suspended while the straddle exists (possibly resulting in a gain being treated as short-term rather than long-term capital gain); (3) the losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions that are part of a mixed straddle and are non-Section 1256 Contracts be treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital loss; (4) losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions that would otherwise constitute short-term capital losses be treated as long-term capital losses; and (5) the deduction of interest and carrying charges attributable to certain straddle positions may be deferred. Various elections are available to the Fund, which may mitigate the effects of the straddle rules, particularly with respect to mixed straddles.
In general, the straddle rules described above do not apply to any straddles held by a Fund if all of the offsetting positions consist of Section 1256 Contracts. In addition, the straddle rules could cause distributions from a Fund that would otherwise constitute “qualified dividend income” or qualify for the dividends received deduction to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements.
If a Fund enters into a “constructive sale” of any appreciated financial position in its portfolio, the Fund will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the property and must recognize gain (but not loss) with respect to that position. A constructive sale of an appreciated financial position occurs when a Fund enters into certain offsetting transactions with respect to the same or substantially identical property, including, but not limited to: (i) a short sale; (ii) an offsetting notional principal contract; (iii) a futures or forward contract; or (iv) other transactions identified in future Treasury Regulations. The character of the gain from constructive sales will depend upon a Fund’s holding period in the appreciated financial position. Losses realized from a sale of a position that was previously the subject of a constructive sale will be recognized when the position is subsequently disposed of. The character of such losses will depend upon a Fund’s holding period in the position beginning with the date the constructive sale was deemed to have occurred and the application of various loss deferral provisions in the Code. Constructive sale treatment does not apply to certain closed transactions, including if such a transaction is closed on or before the 30th day after the close of a Fund’s taxable year and the Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged throughout the 60-day period beginning with the day such transaction was closed.
Backup Withholding. Each Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold (as “backup withholding”) on amounts payable to any shareholder who (1) fails to provide a correct taxpayer identification number certified under penalty of perjury; (2) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report all payments of interest or dividends; (3) fails to provide a certified statement that he or she is not subject to “backup withholding”; or (4) fails to provide a certified statement that he or she is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s ultimate U.S. tax liability. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the U.S.
Non-U.S. Shareholders. Any non-U.S. investors in a Fund may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are encouraged to consult their tax advisers prior to investing in the Fund. Foreign shareholders (i.e., nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates) are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate) on distributions derived from taxable ordinary income. Each Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Short-term capital gain dividends received by a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year are not exempt from this 30% withholding tax. Gains realized by foreign shareholders from the sale or other disposition of Shares generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless the recipient is an individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. Foreign shareholders who fail to provide an applicable IRS form may be subject to backup withholding on certain payments from a Fund. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that are subject to the 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) withholding tax described in this paragraph. Different tax consequences may result if the foreign shareholder is engaged in a
43


trade or business within the United States. In addition, the tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of a tax treaty may be different than those described above.
Unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold Shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to Fund distributions payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of the agreement.
For foreign shareholders to qualify for an exemption from backup withholding, described above, the foreign shareholder must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Foreign shareholders in a Fund should consult their tax advisers in this regard.
Tax-Exempt Shareholders. Certain tax-exempt shareholders, including qualified pension plans, IRAs, salary deferral arrangements, 401(k) plans, and other tax-exempt entities, generally are exempt from federal income taxation except with respect to their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). Tax-exempt entities are not permitted to offset losses from one unrelated trade or business against the income or gain of another unrelated trade or business. Certain net losses incurred prior to January 1, 2018 are permitted to offset gain and income created by an unrelated trade or business, if otherwise available. Under current law, each Fund generally serves to block UBTI from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders with respect to their shares of Fund income. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, tax-exempt shareholders could realize UBTI by virtue of their investment in a Fund if, for example, (i) the Fund invests in residual interests of Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”), (ii) the Fund invests in a REIT that is a taxable mortgage pool (“TMP”) or that has a subsidiary that is a TMP or that invests in the residual interest of a REMIC, or (iii) Shares constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholders within the meaning of section 514(b) of the Code. Charitable remainder trusts are subject to special rules and should consult their tax advisers. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these issues and prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are strongly encouraged to consult with their tax advisers regarding these issues.
Certain Potential Tax Reporting Requirements. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss on disposition of Shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Significant penalties may be imposed for the failure to comply with the reporting requirements. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Other Issues. In those states which have income tax laws, the tax treatment of a Fund and of Fund shareholders with respect to distributions by the Fund may differ from federal tax treatment.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Annual Report for the Funds for the fiscal year/period ended December 31, 2022 is a separate document and the respective financial statements and accompanying notes appearing therein are incorporated by reference into this SAI. You may request a copy of the Funds’ Annual Report at no charge by calling 1-800-617-0004 or through the Funds’ website at www.lhafunds.com.
44


PART C: OTHER INFORMATION

Item 28. Exhibits
(a)
(i)
(ii)
(b)
(c)
Not applicable.
(d)
(i)
(A)
(B)
Amended Schedule A to Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and Little Harbor Advisors LLC – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
(e)
(i)
(A)
(B)
Amended Schedule A to the Distribution Agreement with Quasar Distributors, LLC – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
(ii)
(f)
Not applicable.
(g)
(i)
(A)
(B)
Amended Exhibit [ ] to Custody Agreement – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
(h)
(i)
(A)
(B)
Amended Exhibit [ ] to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
(ii)
(A)
(B)
Amended Exhibit [ ] to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement– to be filed by subsequent amendment.
(iii)
(A)
(B)
Amended Exhibit [ ] to Transfer Agent Agreement – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
(iv)
(A)
(v)

(vi)
(i)
(i)
C-1


(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Opinion and Consent of Counsel on behalf of the LHA Risk-Managed Income ETF – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
(j)
(k)
Not applicable.
(l)
(i)
(ii)
(m)
(i)
(A)
(B)
Amended Schedule A to Rule 12b-1 Plan - to be filed by subsequent amendment.
(n)
Not applicable.
(o)
Reserved.
(p)
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Code of Ethics for Grimes & Company, Inc. - to be filed by subsequent amendment.
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant
No person is directly or indirectly controlled by or under common control with the Registrant.
Item 30. Indemnification
The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee, and, subject to the provisions of the By-Laws, the Trust out of its assets may indemnify and hold harmless each and every Trustee and officer of the Trust from and against any and all claims, demands, costs, losses, expenses, and damages whatsoever arising out of or related to such Trustee’s or officer’s performance of his or her duties as a Trustee or officer of the Trust; provided that nothing herein contained shall indemnify, hold harmless or protect any Trustee or officer from or against any liability to the Trust or any Shareholder to which he or she would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in or with respect to their or his or her capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or Trustee shall not be personally liable thereon.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) may be permitted to Trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such Trustee, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
C-2


Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
This Item incorporated by reference each investment adviser’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (“Form ADV”) on file with the SEC, as listed below. Each Form ADV may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. Additional information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by each officer and director of the below-listed investment advisers is included in the Trust’s Statement of Additional Information.
Investment AdviserSEC File No.
Little Harbor Advisors LLC801-78486
Grimes & Company, Inc. 801-57193
Item 32. Principal Underwriter.
(a)    Quasar Distributors, LLC acts as principal underwriter for the following investment companies:
1.American Trust Allegiance Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
2.Capital Advisors Growth Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
3.Chase Growth Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
4.Davidson Multi Cap Equity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
5.Edgar Lomax Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
6.First Sentier American Listed Infrastructure Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
7.First Sentier Global Listed Infrastructure Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
8.Fort Pitt Capital Total Return Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
9.Huber Large Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
10.Huber Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
11.Huber Select Large Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
12.Huber Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
13.Logan Capital Broad Innovative Growth ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
14.O'Shaughnessy Market Leaders Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
15.PIA BBB Bond Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
16.PIA High Yield Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
17.PIA High Yield (MACS) Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
18.PIA MBS Bond Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
19.PIA Short-Term Securities Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
20.Poplar Forest Cornerstone Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
21.Poplar Forest Partners Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
22.Pzena Emerging Markets Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
23.Pzena International Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
24.Pzena International Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
25.Pzena Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
26.Pzena Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
27.Reverb ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
28.Scharf Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
29.Scharf Global Opportunity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
30.Scharf Multi-Asset Opportunity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
31.Semper MBS Total Return Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
32.Semper Short Duration Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
33.Shenkman Capital Floating Rate High Income Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
34.Shenkman Capital Short Duration High Income Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
35.VegTech Plant-based Innovation & Climate ETF, Series of Advisors Series Trust
36.The Aegis Funds
37.Allied Asset Advisors Funds
38.Angel Oak Funds Trust
39.Angel Oak Strategic Credit Fund
40.Barrett Opportunity Fund, Inc.
41.Brookfield Investment Funds
42.Buffalo Funds
C-3


43.Cushingâ Mutual Funds Trust
44.DoubleLine Funds Trust
45.EA Series Trust (f/k/a Alpha Architect ETF Trust)
46.Ecofin Tax-Advantaged Social Impact Fund, Inc.
47.AAM Bahl & Gaynor Small/Mid Cap Income Growth ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
48.AAM Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
49.AAM S&P 500 Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
50.AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
51.AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
52.AAM Transformers ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
53.AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
54.Aptus Collared Income Opportunity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
55.Aptus Defined Risk ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
56.Aptus Drawdown Managed Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
57.Aptus Enhanced Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
58.Blue Horizon BNE ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
59.BTD Capital Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions
60.Carbon Strategy ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
61.Cboe Vest 10 Year Interest Rate Hedge ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
62.ClearShares OCIO ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
63.ClearShares Piton Intermediate Fixed Income Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions
64.ClearShares Ultra-Short Maturity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
65.Distillate International Fundamental Stability & Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
66.Distillate Small/Mid Cash Flow ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
67.Distillate U.S. Fundamental Stability & Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
68.ETFB Green SRI REITs ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
69.Hoya Capital High Dividend Yield ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
70.Hoya Capital Housing ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
71.iBET Sports Betting & Gaming ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
72.International Drawdown Managed Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
73.LHA Market State Alpha Seeker ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
74.LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
75.LHA Market State Tactical Q ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
76.Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
77.Loncar China BioPharma ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
78.McElhenny Sheffield Managed Risk ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
79.Nationwide Dow Jones® Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
80.Nationwide Nasdaq-100 Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
81.Nationwide Russell 2000® Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
82.Nationwide S&P 500® Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
83.NETLease Corporate Real Estate ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
84.Opus Small Cap Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
85.PSYK ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
86.Roundhill Acquirers Deep Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
87.The Acquirers Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions
88.U.S. Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
89.U.S. Global JETS ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
90.U.S. Global Sea to Sky Cargo ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
91.US Vegan Climate ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
92.First American Funds, Inc.
93.FundX Investment Trust
94.The Glenmede Fund, Inc.
95.The Glenmede Portfolios
96.The GoodHaven Funds Trust
97.Greenspring Fund, Incorporated
98.Harding, Loevner Funds, Inc.
99.Hennessy Funds Trust
100.Horizon Funds
C-4


101.Hotchkis & Wiley Funds
102.Intrepid Capital Management Funds Trust
103.Jacob Funds Inc.
104.The Jensen Quality Growth Fund Inc.
105.Kirr, Marbach Partners Funds, Inc.
106.Core Alternative ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
107.Wahed Dow Jones Islamic World ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
108.Wahed FTSE USA Shariah ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
109.LKCM Funds
110.LoCorr Investment Trust
111.MainGate Trust
112.ATAC Rotation Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
113.Cove Street Capital Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
114.Ecofin Global Energy Transition Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
115.Ecofin Global Renewables Infrastructure Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
116.Ecofin Global Water ESG Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
117.Ecofin Sustainable Water Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
118.Jackson Square Large-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
119.Jackson Square SMID-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
120.Kensington Active Advantage Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
121.Kensington Dynamic Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
122.Kensington Managed Income Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
123.LK Balanced Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
124.Muhlenkamp Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
125.Nuance Concentrated Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
126.Nuance Concentrated Value Long Short Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
127.Nuance Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
128.Port Street Quality Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
129.Principal Street High Income Municipal Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
130.Principal Street Short Term Municipal Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
131.Reinhart Genesis PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
132.Reinhart International PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
133.Reinhart Mid Cap PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
134.Tortoise Energy Infrastructure and Income Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
135.Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Total Return Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
136.Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
137.V-Shares MSCI World ESG Materiality and Carbon Transition ETF, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
138.V-Shares US Leadership Diversity ETF, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
139.Greenspring Income Opportunities Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
140.Hood River International Opportunity Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
141.Hood River Small-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
142.Mar Vista Strategic Growth Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
143.Vert Global Sustainable Real Estate Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
144.Matrix Advisors Funds Trust
145.Matrix Advisors Value Fund, Inc.
146.Monetta Trust
147.Nicholas Equity Income Fund, Inc.
148.Nicholas Fund, Inc.
149.Nicholas II, Inc.
150.Nicholas Limited Edition, Inc.
151.Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds
152.Perritt Funds, Inc.
153.Procure ETF Trust II
154.Professionally Managed Portfolios
155.Prospector Funds, Inc.
156.Provident Mutual Funds, Inc.
157.Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
158.Abbey Capital Multi-Asset Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
C-5


159.Adara Smaller Companies Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
160.Aquarius International Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
161.Boston Partners All Cap Value Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
162.Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
163.Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
164.Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
165.Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
166.Boston Partners Global Sustainability Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
167.Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
168.Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
169.Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
170.Campbell Systematic Macro Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
171.Motley Fool 100 Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
172.Motley Fool Capital Efficiency 100 Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
173.Motley Fool Global Opportunities ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
174.Motley Fool Mid-Cap Growth ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
175.Motley Fool Next Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
176.Motley Fool Small-Cap Growth ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
177.Optima Strategic Credit Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
178.SGI Global Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
179.SGI Peak Growth Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
180.SGI Prudent Growth Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
181.SGI Small Cap Core Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
182.SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
183.SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
184.US Treasury 10 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
185.US Treasury 12 Month Bill ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
186.US Treasury 2 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
187.US Treasury 20 Year Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
188.US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
189.US Treasury 3 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
190.US Treasury 30 Year Bond ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
191.US Treasury 5 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
192.US Treasury 6 Month Bill ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
193.US Treasury 7 Year Note ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
194.WPG Partners Select Small Cap Value Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
195.WPG Partners Small Cap Value Diversified Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
196.The RBB Fund Trust
197.RBC Funds Trust
198.Series Portfolios Trust
199.Thompson IM Funds, Inc.
200.TrimTabs ETF Trust
201.Trust for Advised Portfolios
202.Barrett Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
203.Bright Rock Mid Cap Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
204.Bright Rock Quality Large Cap Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
205.CrossingBridge Low Duration High Yield Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
206.CrossingBridge Responsible Credit Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
207.CrossingBridge Ultra-Short Duration Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
208.Dearborn Partners Rising Dividend Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
209.Jensen Global Quality Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
210.Jensen Quality Value Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
211.Rockefeller Climate Solutions Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
212.Terra Firma US Concentrated Realty Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
213.USQ Core Real Estate Fund
214.Wall Street EWM Funds Trust
215.Wisconsin Capital Funds, Inc.
C-6


(b)    To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the directors and executive officers of Quasar Distributors, LLC are as follows:
NameAddressPosition with UnderwriterPosition with Registrant
Teresa Cowan111 E. Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, WI 53202President/ManagerNone
Chris LanzaThree Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101Vice PresidentNone
Kate Macchia
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101
Vice President
None
Jennifer A. Brunner
111 E. Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Vice President and Chief Compliance OfficerNone
Kelly B. WhetstoneThree Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101SecretaryNone
Susan L. LaFond111 E. Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Vice President/Chief Compliance Officer/Treasurer
None

(c)    Not applicable.
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
The books and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 are maintained at the following locations:
Records Relating to:Are located at:
Registrant’s Fund Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
d/b/a U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street, 3rd Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Registrant’s Custodian
U.S. Bank, National Association
1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
Registrant’s Principal Underwriters
Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Registrant’s Investment Adviser
Little Harbor Advisors LLC
30 Doaks Lane
Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945
Item 34. Management Services
Not applicable.
Item 35. Undertakings
Not applicable.
C-7


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A (this “Amendment”) under rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this Amendment to be signed below on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, on April 26, 2023.
ETF Series Solutions

By: /s/ Alyssa M. Bernard    
Alyssa M. Bernard
Vice President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on April 26, 2023.
SignatureTitle
*David A. Massart
Trustee
David A. Massart
*Janet D. Olsen
Trustee
Janet D. Olsen
*Leonard M. Rush
Trustee
Leonard M. Rush
*Michael A. Castino
Trustee
Michael A. Castino
*Kristina R. Nelson
President
Kristina R. Nelson
*Kristen M. Weitzel
Treasurer
Kristen M. Weitzel





*By: /s/ Alyssa M. Bernard
  Alyssa M. Bernard, Attorney-in-Fact
   pursuant to Powers of Attorney





INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit
Number
Description
(j)
(p)(ii)









CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated February 24, 2023, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights of LHA Market State Alpha Seeker ETF, LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF, and LHA Market State Tactical Q ETF, each a series of ETF Series Solutions, for the year or period ended December 31, 2022, and to the references to our firm under the headings “Financial Highlights” in the Prospectus and “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.


/s/ COHEN & COMPANY, LTD.

COHEN & COMPANY, LTD.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
April 26, 2023










APPENDIX A:
LITTLE HARBOR ADVISORS, LLC CODE OF ETHICS
November 2022

A.Introduction.

Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act and Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act require registered investment advisers to adopt codes of ethics. The provisions of Rule 17j-1 of the Investment Company Act apply as Little Harbor Advisors, LLC (the “Firm” or “LHA”) serves as investment adviser to the LHA Market State Alpha Seeker ETF, LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF, and the LHA Market State Tactical Q ETF, all Reportable Funds as defined below, and any other regulated investment company for which LHA serves as investment adviser (which also encompasses any other Reportable Funds that LHA may advise in the future). Each rule requires a registered adviser’s code of ethics to set forth standards of conduct, address personal trading and require compliance with Federal Securities Laws. Rule 17j-1 also requires the registered investment adviser to report to the Board of Trustees of ETF Series Solutions Trust (“ESS”) any material compliance violations. The Board of ESS must also be notified of any material change to the Code of Ethics and may only approve the Code of Ethics after it has made a determination that the Code of Ethics contains provisions designed to prevent “access persons” (defined below) from engaging in fraud. The Board must approve the revised Code of Ethics Policy within 6 months after adoption of the material change. LHA must also certify to the Board of ESS on an annual basis that it has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Supervised Persons from violating this Code of Ethics.

High ethical standards are essential for the success of the Firm and to maintain the confidence of clients. The Firm’s long-term business interests are best served by adherence to the principle that clients’ interests come first. Further, the Firm has a fiduciary duty to its clients which requires individuals associated with the Firm to act solely for the benefit of our clients. Potential conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the personal trading activities of individuals associated with investment adviser firms. In recognition of the fiduciary obligations of the Firm to its clients and the desire of the Firm to maintain its high ethical standards, the Firm has adopted this Code of Ethics containing provisions designed to prevent improper personal trading, prevent Code of Ethics violations, identify conflicts of interest and provide a means to resolve any actual or potential conflict. All Supervised Persons must comply with the various applicable provisions of the Federal Securities Laws.

Pursuant to Section 206 of the Advisers Act, both Firms and their Supervised Persons are prohibited from engaging in fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative conduct. Compliance with this section involves more than acting with honesty and good faith alone. It means that the Firm has an affirmative duty of utmost good faith to act solely in the best interest of its clients.

With regard to the Firm’s service as investment adviser to the Reportable Funds, Rule 17j-1 imposes additional duties. Under 17j-1, it is unlawful for certain persons, including any officer, director or trustee of LHA, in connection with the purchase or sale by such person of a "Security Held or to be Acquired” by the Fund:

1)To employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud the Funds;





2)To make any untrue statement of a material fact to the Reportable Funds or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made to the Funds, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading;
3)To engage in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon the Funds; or
4)To engage in any manipulative practice with respect to the Funds.
In addition, because of the nature of the Firm’s business, Supervised Persons of the Firm may be exposed to information which constitutes “inside information” or material, non-public information. Federal Securities Laws prohibit the use of such information for financial benefit. Accordingly, the Firm has also adopted policies that prohibit the use of material, non-public information.

Adherence to the Code of Ethics and the related restrictions on personal investing is considered a basic condition of employment at the Firm. Failure to comply with any provision hereof is grounds for termination.

Technical compliance with this policy will not automatically insulate a Supervised Person from scrutiny of transactions that show a pattern of compromise or abuse of the individual’s fiduciary duties to the Firm’s clients. Accordingly, all Supervised Persons must seek to avoid any actual or potential conflicts between their personal interests and the interests of the Firm’s clients and circumstances that create even the appearance of impropriety. If you have any doubt as to the propriety of any activity, you should consult with the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”), who is charged with the administration of this Code of Ethics.

B.Definitions.
1.    Access Person” is a Supervised Person (defined below) who has access to nonpublic information regarding the Firm’s purchases or sales of securities, is involved in making securities recommendations to the Firm’s clients or who has access to such recommendations that are nonpublic.
2."Advisers Act" means the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.
3.    “Automatic Investment/Dividend Reinvestment Plan” means a program in which regular periodic purchases or withdrawals are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation.
4.    Beneficial ownership” includes ownership by any person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares a direct or indirect financial interest other than the receipt of an advisory fee.
5.    “Federal Securities Laws” Securities Act of 1933; Securities Exchange Act of 1934; Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002; Investment Company Act of 1940; Investment Advisers Act of 1940; Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and any rules adopted by the SEC under any of





these statutes, the Bank Secrecy Act as each may apply to certain funds and investment advisers and any rules adopted thereunder by the SEC or the Department of the Treasury.
6.    Fund” means an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. In the future, this may also include any private funds managed by LHA, which would not be registered with the SEC as investment companies in reliance upon exemptions from such registration under either Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
7.    Fund Holding” means any security set forth on the Reportable Fund holding list maintained by the CCO.
8.    “Initial Public Offering” is an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, the issuer of which immediately before registration was not subject to the reporting requirements of Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

9."Investment Company Act" means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

10.    Limited Offering” means an offering that is exempt from registration under Sections 4(2) or 4(6) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended or pursuant to Rules 504, 505 or 506 thereunder, including any future exempt offering sponsored by the Firm. This includes the LHA MOTR Long-Short Fund LP.

11.    MOTR Fund Holding” means any security held in the LHA MOTR Long-Short Fund LP and any security included on the Fund’s watch list.

12.    Personal Account” means any account in which an Access Person has any beneficial ownership, whether direct or indirect, as more specifically set forth in Section C of this Code of Ethics.

13.    “Reportable/Covered Securities” means any security except (i) direct obligations of the U.S. government; (ii) bankers' acceptances, CDs, commercial paper and high-quality short- term debt instruments including repurchase agreements; (iii) shares issued by money market funds; (iv) shares issued by open end mutual funds other than Reportable Funds; and (v) shares issued by unit investment trusts that are invested exclusively in one or more open end funds, none of which are Reportable Funds.

14.    “Reportable Fund” means any Fund for which LHA serves as investment adviser as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940. This also includes any Fund whose investment adviser controls, is controlled or is under common control with the Firm. Reportable Funds would include the LHA Market State Alpha Seeker, LHA Market State Tactical Beta, and the LHA Market State Tactical Q ETFs, and any other regulated investment company for which LHA serves as investment adviser (which also encompasses any other Reportable Funds that LHA may advise in the future).





15.    Security Held or To Be Acquired by the Fund” means any Covered Security which, within the most recent 15 days is or has been held by the Fund or is being or has been considered by the Fund or its investment adviser for purchase by the Fund; and (ii) any option to purchase or sell, and any security convertible into or exchangeable for a Covered Security.

16.    Supervised Person” means any member, partner, director, officer, or employee of the Firm or any Fund managed by the Firm, or any other person (including any independent contractor) who provides investment advice on behalf of the Firm and is subject to the Firm’s supervision and control.

C.Applicability of Code of Ethics.

1.Personal Accounts of Access Persons
This Code of Ethics applies to all Personal Accounts of all Access Persons. A Personal Account also includes an account maintained by orfor:

a)    An Access Person’s spouse (other than a legally separated or divorced spouse of the Access Person) and minor children.
b)    Any individuals who live in the Access Person’s household and over whose purchases, sales, or other trading activities the Access Person exercises control or investment discretion.
c)    Any persons to whom the Access Person provides primary financial support, whose financial affairs the Access Person controls or for whom the Access Person provides discretionary advisory services.
d)    Any trust or other arrangement which names the Access Persons as beneficiary (other than set forth in subparagraph 2 below); and any Investment Partnership, Corporation, or other entity (whether a public or a non-public entity) in which the Access Person owns 25% or more of the equity securities of the partnership.
A comprehensive list of all Personal Accounts will be provided by the Access Person to the CCO or the CCO’s designee and maintained by the CCO or the CCO’s designee. It is every Access Person’s responsibility to ensure that this list is accurate in so far as it pertains to him or her. No less than annually, Access Persons will be required to confirm their list of Personal Accounts to the CCO or the CCO’s designee.
2.Access Person as Trustee
A Personal Account does not include any account for which an Access Person serves as trustee of a trust for the benefit of (i) a person to whom the Access Person does not provide primary financial support, or (ii) an independent third party.

3.Solicitors/Consultants





Non-employee solicitors or consultants are not subject to this Code of Ethics unless the solicitor/consultant, as part of his or her duties on behalf of the Firm, (i) makes or participates in the making of investment recommendations for the Firm’s clients, or (ii) obtains information on recommended investments for the Firm’s clients.

D.Restrictions on Personal Trading Activities.

1.Personal Securities Transactions.

It is the responsibility of each Access Person to ensure that a particular securities transaction being considered for a Personal Account is not subject to a restriction contained in this Code of Ethics or otherwise prohibited by any applicable laws. Personal securities transactions for Access Persons may be affected only in accordance with the provisions of this policy.

2.Initial Public Offerings and Limited Offerings.

An Access Person shall not acquire any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in any securities in an Initial Public Offering or in any Limited Offering or investment opportunity of limited availability unless the CCO has given express prior written approval.

3.Responsibilities to Clients.

An Access Person may not engage in personal transactions in securities at the expense of his or her obligations to the Firm’s clients. This means that (i) an Access Person shall devote sufficient time and resources to Client Accounts (defined below) and (ii) shall not take for himself or herself investment opportunities that should be given to Client Accounts. A Client Account includes any account managed by a portfolio manager of the Firm which is not a Personal Account of that portfolio manager and for which the Firm receives an advisory fee.

4.Prohibitions and Restricted Trading in Securities (Pre-Clearance).

(a)No Access Person may buy, sell, or trade for his or her own account, or the account of any other person, any Reportable Fund, Fund Holding, MOTR Fund Holding in an amount greater than 500 shares, IPO, or Limited Offering (including the LHA MOTR Long-Short Fund LP) without the prior written consent of the CCO, or the CCO’s designee.

(b)The CCO, or the CCO’s designee, may approve of a transaction if:

(1)he was notified by the Access Person, prior to the transaction, of the details of the trade
(2)the transaction is not contemplated or executed based on any material, non-public information, or based on any information provided to the Firm, and
(3)the transaction is not likely to have an adverse economic impact on the Fund’s clients.

Should the CCO seek prior approval of a securities transaction, the CCO must meet the same requirements as set forth in the immediately preceding sentence and must receive the approval of the Firm’s Chief Executive Officer, or the CCO’s designee.



(c)Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following transactions will be exempt from the pre- clearance requirements of this Section:

(1)purchases or sales of securities that are non-volitional on the part of the Access Person, such as purchases that are made pursuant to a merger, tender offer or exercise of rights or an Automatic Investment Plan or automatic Dividend Reinvestment Plan;
(2)purchases or sales of securities issued by the United States Government;
(3)purchases or redemptions of shares of open-end investment companies, excluding Reportable Funds;
(4)any acquisition or disposition of bank certificates of deposit;
(5)any acquisition or disposition of money market instruments; and
(6)Any Reportable Security (excluding Reportable Funds, Fund Holdings, MOTR Fund Holdings less than 500 shares in quantity, or Limited Offerings).

(d)Unless otherwise authorized by the CCO, pre-approval must be submitted via BasisCode. Pre-clearance approvals are good for the day they are given and the following business day.

E.Reporting.

1.Duplicate Copies of Brokerage Account Statements.

All Access Persons are encouraged to direct their brokers or custodians or any persons managing such Access Person’s Personal Accounts for which such Access Person has any investment discretion to submit to the CCO, or the CCO’s designee, duplicate copies of the Access Person’s monthly brokerage statements within 30 days after the end of each month, or if such brokerage statements are provided on a quarterly basis, within 30 days after the end of each quarter (“transaction report”). If the Access Person has made such a request and the broker, custodian, or person or entity managing the account either declines to submit such duplicate copies or fails to do so, then the Access Person has the responsibility to submit such duplicate copies of the monthly or quarterly brokerage statements to the CCO within thirty (30) days after the brokerage statement is provided to the Access Person, but no later than 30 days after quarter-end. Such information may also be reported directly through BasisCode.

Each transaction report must contain, at a minimum, the following information:
the date of the transaction, the title, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, the interest rate and maturity date, the number of shares and the principal amount of each security;
the nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition);
the price of the Reportable Security at which the transaction was effected;
the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected; and



the date the report is submitted by the Access Person.
An Access Person is not required to include transactions in the transaction report effected pursuant to an Automatic Investment Plan, or for Personal Accounts over which the access person had no direct or indirect influence or control.
Each Access Person has an affirmative obligation to notify the CCO (initially within 10 business days of employment or promptly thereafter) if such Access Person opens any new account with a broker or custodian or moves an existing account to a different broker or custodian by submitting a completed brokerage account information acknowledgement.
Every Access Person must, no later than thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar quarter, complete a certification confirming they have provided all statements or transactions reports to the CCO and have communicated any new or closed accounts that occurred during the period.

2.Disclosure of Securities Holdings.

Each Access Person shall, within 10 days of the date upon which such Access Person becomes a member, partner, director, officer, or employee of the Firm, or an independent contractor that provides advice on behalf of the Firm and is subject to the Firm’s supervision and control, promptly submit an initial holding report to the CCO. The information must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the person becomes an Access Person.

Additionally, all Access Persons shall, within 30 days of the year-end provide the CCO, or the CCO’s designee, an annual holdings report. Each holdings report must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the report was submitted and must contain the following information:

(a)a list of the accounts in which the Access Person has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership (including title and exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, type of security, number of shares and principal amount of each Reportable Security), the date the account was established, and the name of the broker, dealer, or bank in which the securities are held; and
(b)business activities in which the Access Person has a significant role, including any service on the board of directors of any company or organization.

An Access Person may satisfy these reporting requirements through the delivery to the CCO, or the CCO’s designee, of broker account statements within the time period specified above. To the extent that a statement lacks some of the information otherwise required to be reported or if the Access Person has reportable holdings or transactions which are not covered by the confirmations and statements submitted to the CCO, or the CCO’s designee, (such as Limited Offerings), the Access Person must submit a separate holdings or transactions report containing the missing information as a supplement to the statements and confirmations.

An Access Person need not submit copies of brokerage account statements for Personal Accounts over which the Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or control.





3.Reporting Violations.

All Supervised Persons are required hereby to promptly report any violations of this Code of Ethics to the CCO.


F.Recordkeeping.

The CCO shall keep in an easily accessible place for at least six years a copy of the Code of Ethics of the Firm in effect or that was in effect for the past six years, a record of any violation of the Code of Ethics and of any action taken as a result of such violation, copies of all broker statements of Access Persons, a record of all persons within the past six years who are or were required to make reports pursuant to this Code of Ethics or who are or were responsible for reviewing these reports, copies of records of any decisions, and the reasons supporting such decisions, to approve the acquisition by any Access Person of any securities through Limited Offerings, Initial Public Offerings, or any securities that would otherwise require pre-approval, and copies of all acknowledgments and other memoranda relating to the administration of this Code of Ethics. The CCO, or the CCO’s designee, shall be the only officer(s) to have access to these records and all such records will be held in strict confidence.

G.Oversight of Code of Ethics.

1.Acknowledgment.

All Supervised Persons are required to affirm and certify that such Supervised Person has received, reviewed, understands, and shall comply, or has complied with, the policies and procedures as set forth in the Code of Ethics, both initially when they become a Supervised Person and annually thereafter. In addition, any situation which may involve a conflict of interest or other possible violation of this Code of Ethics must be promptly reported to the CCO. This affirmation can be completed either electronically or in hard copy form.

2.Review of Transactions.

The CCO, or the CCO’s designee, will collect and keep track that each Access Person’s brokerage statements are submitted and will review transactions in his/her Personal Account on a regular basis to ensure adherence with the Code of Ethics. Any transactions that are believed to be a violation of this Code of Ethics will be reported promptly to the CCO. The Chief Executive Officer shall be responsible for reviewing any personal securities reporting of the CCO, as necessary.

3.Sanctions.

The CCO shall consider reports made to him upon determining that a violation of this Code of Ethics has occurred and may impose such sanctions or remedial action as deemed appropriate or to the extent required by law. These sanctions may include, among other things, disgorgement of profits, suspension of compensation, or termination of any contractual relationship or employment with Firm or reporting the activities at issue to the SEC or other state or federal regulators.





H.Confidentiality.

All Supervised Person’s reports of securities transactions and any other information filed pursuant to this Code of Ethics shall be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.