As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 22, 2020
1933 Act Registration No. 333-215607
1940 Act Registration No. 811-23227
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | þ | ||
Pre-Effective Amendment No. | ¨ | ||
Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 | þ | ||
and/or | |||
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 | þ | ||
Amendment No. 20 |
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
Syntax ETF Trust
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
One Liberty Plaza, 46th Floor, New York, NY 10006
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(212) 883 - 2290
Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code:
Kathy Cuocolo,
One Liberty Plaza, 46th Floor,
New York, NY 10006
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
Kathleen H. Moriarty
Counsel to the Trust
Chapman & Cutler LLP
1270 Avenue of the Americas, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10020
It is proposed that this filing will become effective: (check appropriate box) | ||
þ | immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) | |
¨ | On __________ pursuant to paragraph (b) | |
¨ | 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) | |
¨ | on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) | |
¨ | 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) | |
¨ | on (date) 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. |
Syntax ETF Trust (the “Trust”)
Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF (SHUS) (“Fund”) |
April 22, 2020
Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.
Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Fund intends to no longer mail paper copies of the Fund’s shareholder reports, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank). Instead, the reports will be made available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already have elected to receive shareholder reports electronically (“e-delivery”), you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary.
You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. Please contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. That election will apply to all Syntax funds held directly in your account.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. Shares in the Fund are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other agency of the U.S. Government, nor are Shares deposits or obligations of any bank. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.
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Table of Contents
FUND SUMMARY
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SYNTAX STRATIFIED U.S. TOTAL MARKET HEDGED ETF
OBJECTIVE
The Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to obtain capital growth that meets or exceeds the performance of the S&P Composite 1500® Index (the “1500”) over a full market cycle by investing in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) or underlying securities that provide Stratified WeightTM U.S. total equity market exposure to companies in the 1500 while seeking risk-managed growth via a defined risk hedging process.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund (“Fund Shares”). This table and the Example below reflect the expenses of the Fund and do not reflect brokerage commissions you may pay on purchases and sales of Fund Shares.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
Management Fees | 1.09 | % | ||
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | None | |||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1 | 0.30 | % | ||
Other Expenses2 | 0.00 | % | ||
Total annual Fund operating expenses | 1.39 | % | ||
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement3 | 0.74 | % | ||
Total annual Fund operating expenses after Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement3 | 0.65 | % |
1 The Fund may incur “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.” The impact of Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are included in the total returns of the Fund unless they are waived. The Adviser to the Fund has contractually agreed to reimburse a portion of its management fees for the Fund in an amount equal to the Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, if any, attributable to the Fund in other series of the Trust or funds advised or subadvised by the Equity Sub-Advisor or the Options Sub-Advisor, as each is defined below, through May 1, 2021. Acquired fund fees and expenses are based on estimates for the current fiscal year.
2 Other expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year. Actual expenses may be different.
3 Syntax Advisors, LLC (the “Advisor”) has agreed to waive its fees to ensure that Total Annual Operating Expenses (except any (i) interest expense, (ii) taxes, (iii) brokerage expenses and other expenses (such as stamp taxes) connected with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions, (iv) expenses associated with shareholder meetings, (v) compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees, (vi) compensation and expenses of the Trust’s chief compliance officer and his or her staff, (vii) distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, (viii) legal fees or expenses in connection with any arbitration, litigation or pending or threatened arbitration or litigation, including any settlements in connection therewith, and (ix) extraordinary expenses of the Fund) do not exceed 0.65%.
The Advisor to the Fund has contractually agreed to reimburse a portion of its management fees for the Fund in an amount equal to the Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of the Advisor’s underlying ETFs, if any, attributable to the Fund in other series of the Trust through May 1, 2021. The contractual waiver may be terminated only upon written agreement of the Trust and the Advisor. You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions and other charges when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which may not be reflected in the Example Fee Table above. Subject to approval by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, any waiver under the Expense Limitation Agreement is subject to repayment by the Fund within 36 months following the day on which fees are waived or reimbursed, if, such repayment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed either: (i) the expense cap in place at the time such amounts were waived; or (ii) the current expense cap noted above. These arrangements cannot be terminated prior to one year from the effective date of this prospectus without the approval of the Board of Trustees. If the Advisor decides to terminate the fee waiver agreement, it will provide written notice on the Fund’s website at least 60 calendar days in advance of the termination date.
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Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell all of your Fund 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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the example. Only the Year 1 dollar amount shown below reflects the Advisor’s agreement to waive fees and/or reimburse fund expenses. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Year 1 | Year 3 | |
$66 | $367 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund (defined above) pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turn over” its portfolios). A higher portfolio turnover rate for the Fund may generate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not yet commenced operations, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES
The Fund seeks Stratified Weight exposure to U.S. total market, principally through the securities in the 1500 through investments in ETFs or underlying securities. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in Syntax Stratified Weight ETFs (each a “Syntax Underlying Fund” and collectively, the “Syntax Underlying Funds” or “Underlying Funds”) or by investing in U.S. equity securities using the Stratified Weight methodology (“Securities”). The Fund will also invest in index options for risk management purposes and to seek to generate additional returns. The strategy used to select the Fund’s investments and its hedging strategy is called the Stratified Defined Risk Strategy.
Syntax’s Stratified Weight™ is designed to correct for business risk concentrations that regularly occur in cap-weighted indices and equal-weighted indices. Cap weighting can cause an investor’s ownership to accumulate in the largest, most momentum-driven companies and industries, while equal weighting can cause an investor’s ownership to accumulate in the industries that have the most company representatives in the index. Instead of concentrating in the largest companies or the most represented industries, Syntax diversifies (or stratifies) index weight across a fixed number of business risk groups in a manner designed to provide a diversified exposure to of all the business opportunities of a benchmark. The methodology by which Syntax diversifies weight across these fixed groups is called Stratified Weight.
The targeted Underlying Funds and/or the Securities for the Stratified Weight equity strategy will comprise the Syntax® Stratified LargeCap ETF or Syntax® Stratified LargeCap II ETF, the Syntax® Stratified MidCap ETF, and the Syntax® Stratified SmallCap ETF, or portfolios of securities that hold comparable securities in comparable classes in a Stratified Weight methodology. The terms “LargeCap”, “MidCap”, and “SmallCap” refer to companies with relatively higher, more moderate, and lower market value, respectively.
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The Syntax® Stratified LargeCap ETF (ticker: SSPY) reweights the constituents of the S&P 500® Index and seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the total return performance of the Syntax Stratified LargeCap Index. The fund utilizes Syntax's Stratified Weight™ methodology to spread exposure more evenly across the business risks in the S&P 500. Its goal is to deliver a return that is representative of all the business opportunities in the reference index. By doing this, SSPY addresses the related business risk concentrations that occur in capitalization-weighted indices.
The Syntax® Stratified LargeCap ETF II (collectively with SSPY, “LargeCap”) (ticker: SPYS) is benchmarked to the S&P 500 Index and seeks to deliver risk-adjusted performance that meets or exceeds the risk-adjusted performance of the S&P 500 Index using an active strategy. The fund utilizes Syntax's Stratified Weight™ methodology to spread exposure more evenly across the business risks in large-cap U.S. securities.
The Syntax® Stratified MidCap ETF (ticker: SMDY) (“MidCap”) reweights the constituents of the S&P MidCap 400® Index and seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the total return performance of the Syntax Stratified MidCap Index. The fund utilizes Syntax's Stratified Weight™ methodology to spread exposure more evenly across the business risks in the S&P MidCap 400 Index. Its goal is to deliver a return that is representative of all the business opportunities in the reference index. By doing this, SMDY addresses the related business risk concentrations that occur in capitalization-weighted indices.
The Syntax® Stratified SmallCap ETF (ticker: SSLY) (“SmallCap”) reweights the constituents of the S&P SmallCap 600® Index and seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the total return performance of the Syntax Stratified SmallCap Index. The fund utilizes Syntax's Stratified Weight™ methodology to spread exposure more evenly across the business risks in the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. Its goal is to deliver a return that is representative of all the business opportunities in the reference index. By doing this, SSLY addresses the related business risk concentrations that occur in capitalization-weighted indices.
The Advisor may, from time to time, allocate to other Stratified Weight ETFs that use active and/or passive strategies as applied to comparable U.S. equity investment universes.
Please see the Additional Strategies Information section of the Fund’s prospectus for more information on the Syntax Stratified Weight methodology.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.
LEVERAGING RISK: The use of leverage, such as that embedded in options, could magnify the Fund’s gains or losses.
MARKET RISK: Overall securities market risks will affect the value of individual instruments in which the Fund invests. Factors such as economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, epidemics and pandemics, and political events affect the US securities markets. When the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value and you could lose money.
Additionally, the onset of an infectious respiratory disease called COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, was first identified in China in December 2019 and now has been detected globally. Among other things, COVID-19 has led to travel restrictions, closed international borders, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, prolonged quarantines, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, shuttering of offices, universities, schools, cultural institutions and sporting events, and lower consumer demand, as well as general anxiety and uncertainty. The impact of COVID-19, and other infectious disease outbreaks that may arise in the future, could adversely affect the economies of many nations or the entire global economy, individual issuers and capital markets in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. In addition, the impact of infectious diseases in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems. Public health crises caused by the COVID-19 spread may aggravate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its effects cannot be determined with certainty.
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OPTIONS RISK: Purchased put options may expire worthless and may have imperfect correlation to the value of the Fund’s sector based investments. Written call and put options may limit the Fund’s participation in equity market gains and may amplify losses in market declines. The Fund’s losses are potentially large in a written put or call transaction. If unhedged, written calls expose the Fund to potentially unlimited losses.
DERIVATIVES RISK: The Fund invests in derivatives. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive their performance from an underlying reference asset, such as an index. The return on a derivative instrument may not correlate with the return of its underlying reference asset. Derivatives are subject to a number of risks described elsewhere in the Fund’s or the Syntax Underlying Funds’ Prospectuses, such as market risk and issuer-specific risk. Derivatives can be volatile and may be less liquid than other securities. As a result, the value of an investment in the Fund or the Syntax Underlying Funds may change quickly and without warning and you may lose money.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK: The value of equity securities may increase or decrease as a result of market fluctuations, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in stock prices.
MANAGEMENT RISK: The Fund’s dependence on stratification and judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular investments or ETFs in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results. As an active fund and pursuant to the trust’s custom basket rules, the Fund, at the Advisor’s discretion, may, from time to time, own its securities in exposures and weights that are not in their relative Stratified Weight exposures outlined in the Principal Strategy if the Advisor deems it in the interest of the Fund. During these periods, the performance of the Fund may deviate from what would be expected from the Stratified Weight exposures and may not produce the desired results. The Options Sub-Adviser’s dependence on its DRS process and judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular investments or ETFs and options in which the Fund invests or writes may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results.
PASSIVE STRATEGY/INDEX RISK OF CERTAIN UNDERLYING FUNDS: The Fund may invest in Underlying Funds or Securities that are managed with a passive investment strategy, attempting to track the performance of an unmanaged index of securities. This differs from an actively-managed fund, which typically seeks to outperform a benchmark index. As a result, the Fund may hold constituent securities of the Index regardless of the current or projected performance of a specific security or a particular industry or market sector. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund's return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.
LARGE-CAPITALIZATION SECURITIES RISK: Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and mid-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and mid-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and mid-sized companies. Under certain market conditions, the capitalization of a large-size company could decline to the extent that it exhibits the characteristics of a mid-capitalization company.
SMALL- AND MID-CAPITALIZATION SECURITIES RISK: Investing in securities of small and mid-sized companies may involve greater volatility than investing in larger and more established companies because small and mid-sized companies can be subject to more abrupt or erratic share price changes than larger, more established companies, are more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments, and are more thinly traded relative to those of larger companies.
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ACTIVE MANAGEMENT RISK: The Fund, as well as certain Underlying Funds, are actively managed using proprietary investment strategies and processes. There can be no guarantee that these strategies and processes will be successful and the Funds may underperform their benchmark indices.
MARKET TRADING RISK: The Fund is a new Fund and faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund Shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to Fund Shares trading at a premium or discount to net asset value (“NAV”).
LIQUIDITY RISK: Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. Certain investments may be subject to restrictions on resale, trade over-the-counter or in limited volume, or lack an active trading market. Accordingly, the Fund may not be able to sell or close out of such investments at favorable times or prices (or at all), or at the prices approximating those at which the Fund currently values them; the Fund itself may also lack sufficient liquidity. There can be no guarantee that an investor will be able to enter or exit a desired position efficiently or promptly. While the Advisor has engaged with Authorized Participants to seek to make a liquid, efficient market in the Fund, investors in the fund may incur fees and losses, including, but not limited to, upon taking an exit in a position, in the event that the Fund or its underlying constituents are not highly liquid. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value.
NEW FUND RISK: The Fund is a new Fund. As a new Fund, there can be no assurance that it will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, which may cause it to experience greater tracking error to the Index than it otherwise would at a higher asset level, nor can there be assurance regarding Fund performance; either factor may also cause the Fund to liquidate.
OPTIONS BASIS RISK: Purchasing exchange-traded put options based upon the S&P 500 Index to hedge against downward movements in the Underlying Funds or Securities creates the risk that the hedge may not be effective because the Underlying Funds or Securities contain more constituents and at different weightings than the S&P 500 Index. At times, the performance of the Underling Funds or Securities can and will differ from the S&P 500 Index upon which the options are based. The implementation of the Defined Risk Strategy also will involve additional purchases and sales of options based on indices other than the S&P 500, which also could create options basis risk.
CYBER SECURITY RISK: The Fund and Syntax Underlying Funds and their service providers may be susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a breach in cyber security, including cyber-attacks. A breach in cyber security, intentional or unintentional, may adversely impact the Fund and the Syntax Underlying Funds in many ways, including, but not limited to, disruption of the Fund’s or a Syntax Underlying Fund’s operational capacity, loss of proprietary information, theft or corruption of data, denial-of-service attacks on websites or network resources, and the unauthorized release of confidential information. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund’s and Syntax Underlying Funds’ third-party service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund or the Syntax Underlying Funds invest may subject the Fund or the Syntax Underlying Funds to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund is new and does not yet have a full calendar year of performance. After the Fund has been in operation for a full calendar year, total return information will be presented. Updated performance information, which will be available by calling (866) 972-4492 or visiting our website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com, will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.
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PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Advisor
Syntax Advisors, LLC serves as the investment Advisor to the Fund.
Equity Sub-Advisor
Vantage Consulting Group Inc. serves as an investment sub-advisor to the Fund.
Options Sub-Adviser
Swan Global Investments, LLC serves as an investment sub-adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are:
Name | Firm | Start Date |
James Thomas Wolfe | Vantage Consulting Group Inc. | Since the Fund’s Inception. |
Randy Swan | Swan Global Investments, LLC | Since the Fund’s Inception. |
Robert Swan | Swan Global Investments, LLC | Since the Fund’s Inception. |
Chris Hausman | Swan Global Investments, LLC | Since the Fund’s Inception. |
Micah Wakefield | Swan Global Investments, LLC | Since the Fund’s Inception. |
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on a national securities exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Fund Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 25,000 Shares or multiples thereof (“Creation Units”) to authorized participants who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor. The Fund generally will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a designated portfolio of securities (and an amount of cash) that the Fund specifies each day.
TAX INFORMATION
The Fund’s distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from such a tax-advantaged account may be subject to U.S. federal income tax. You should consult your tax advisor about your specific situation.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create conflicts of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES INFORMATION
The Fund seeks Stratified Weight exposure to the securities in the 1500 through investments in ETFs or underlying securities. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in Syntax Stratified Weight ETFs (each a “Syntax Underlying Fund” and collectively, the “Syntax Underlying Funds” or “Underlying Funds”) or by investing in U.S. equity securities using the Stratified Weight methodology (“Securities”). The Fund will also invest in exchange-traded put options on the S&P 500 Index for hedging purposes, and will buy and sell exchange-traded put and call options on various equity indices to seek to generate additional returns. The strategy used to select the Fund’s investments and its hedging strategy is called the Stratified Defined Risk Strategy.
The Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF (the “Fund”) seeks Stratified Weight exposure to the securities in the U.S. Total Market through investments in ETFs or underlying securities, as well as through options trades on indices that include components of the U.S. Total Market.
Syntax’s Stratified Weight™ is designed to correct for business risk concentrations that regularly occur in cap-weighted indices and equal-weighted indices. Cap weighting can cause an investor’s ownership to accumulate in the largest, most momentum-driven companies and industries, while equal weighting can cause an investor’s ownership to accumulate in the industries that have the most company representatives in the index. Instead of concentrating in the largest companies or the most represented industries, Syntax diversifies (or stratifies) index weight across a fixed number of business risk groups in a manner designed to provide a diversified exposure to of all the business opportunities of a benchmark. The methodology by which Syntax diversifies weight across these fixed groups is called Stratified Weight.
The Stratified Defined Risk Strategy combines Syntax’s patented Stratified Weight methodology and the Defined Risk Strategy (“DRS”) of Swan Global Investments, LLC (“Swan” or the “Options Sub-Adviser”). The Fund seeks to provide risk-managed growth of capital by offering a strategy that seeks to match or exceed the long-term performance of the stock market over a full market cycle without the traditional losses incurred during bear markets. The strategy is based upon research by the Advisor and the Options Sub-Adviser indicating that market timing and stock selection area extremely difficult and that combining rules-based diversification with rules-based hedging can reduce both business risk and market risk.
The Options Sub-Adviser seeks to reduce the risk of the Fund’s equity exposure by investing in options that gives the Fund the right to sell a security or index at a set price, or sell the options on an exchange. The strategy is executed using exchange-traded S&P 500® Index put options to seek to limit downside loss. To generate additional returns, the Options Sub-Adviser buys and sells options on equity indices, such as the S&P 500® Index, the Russell® 2000 Index, and other widely-traded associated ETFs, including options with different expiration dates. Each option strategy includes a hedging element so that the Fund is not exposed to significant losses on written options.
Using a DRS approach, the Options Sub-Adviser applies a put hedging strategy to hedge the Fund’s equity exposure. The Fund typically invests in put options (referred to as paying a premium) that gives the Fund the right to sell a security or index at a set (strike) price or sell the put option on an option exchange. The put strategy is executed using exchange-traded S&P 500 Index put options to hedge the portfolio and to reduce volatility. The put strategy seeks to limit downside loss. Generally, S&P 500 Index put options have an inverse relationship to the S&P 500 Index and its sector-specific constituents. To generate additional returns, the Options Sub-Adviser buys and sells short-term (generally 1-3 month) put and call options on equity indices, such as the S&P 500 Index, Select Sector SDPR®s, Russell® 2000 Index, or other widely-traded ETFs. Additionally, the Options Sub-Adviser will regularly engage in various spread option strategies. Spread option strategies involve, for example, selling a 1-month call option while buying a 2-month call option. Some spread trades utilize 12 to 24-month options. Each option strategy includes a hedging element so that the Fund is not exposed to significant losses on written options.
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in Syntax Stratified Weight ETFs (each a “Syntax Underlying Fund” and collectively, the “Syntax Underlying Funds” or “Underlying Funds”) or by investing in U.S. equity securities using the Stratified Weight methodology (“Securities”). In addition to the options strategy and DRS, The Fund, at the Advisor’s discretion, may, from time to time, own these exposures in weights that are not in their relative Stratified Weight positions in the 1500 and may own securities that are not constituents of the 1500 if the Advisor deems it in the interest of the Fund. The market capitalization of companies in the S&P Composite 1500 Index as of March 31, 2020 was between $17 million and $1.2 trillion.
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Underlying Funds
The targeted Underlying Funds and/or the Securities for the Stratified Weight equity strategy will comprise the constituents of the S&P Composite 1500 Index®, which is made up of the S&P 500®, S&P MidCap 400®, and S&P SmallCap 600® Indices.
The Syntax® Stratified LargeCap ETF (ticker: SSPY) reweights the constituents of the S&P 500® and seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the total return performance of the Syntax Stratified LargeCap Index. The fund utilizes Syntax's Stratified Weight™ methodology to spread exposure more evenly across the business risks in the S&P 500. Its goal is to deliver a return that is representative of all the business opportunities in the reference index. By doing this, SSPY addresses the related business risk concentrations that occur in capitalization-weighted indices.
The Syntax® Stratified LargeCap ETF II (ticker: SPYS) is benchmarked to the S&P 500 and seeks to deliver risk-adjusted performance that meets or exceeds the risk-adjusted performance of the S&P 500 using an active strategy. The fund utilizes Syntax's Stratified Weight™ methodology to spread exposure more evenly across the business risks in large-cap U.S. securities.
The Syntax® Stratified MidCap ETF (ticker: SMDY) reweights the constituents of the S&P MidCap 400® and seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the total return performance of the Syntax Stratified MidCap Index. The fund utilizes Syntax's Stratified Weight™ methodology to spread exposure more evenly across the business risks in the S&P 400. Its goal is to deliver a return that is representative of all the business opportunities in the reference index. By doing this, SMDY addresses the related business risk concentrations that occur in capitalization-weighted indices.
The Syntax® Stratified SmallCap ETF (ticker: SSLY) reweights the constituents of the S&P SmallCap 600® and seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the total return performance of the Syntax Stratified SmallCap Index. The fund utilizes Syntax's Stratified Weight™ methodology to spread exposure more evenly across the business risks in the S&P 600. Its goal is to deliver a return that is representative of all the business opportunities in the reference index. By doing this, SSLY addresses the related business risk concentrations that occur in capitalization-weighted indices.
The Advisor may, from time to time, allocate to other Stratified Weight ETFs that use active and/or passive strategies as applied to comparable U.S. equity investment universes.
The market capitalization of companies in the S&P Composite 1500 Index as of March 31, 2020 was between $17 million and $1.2 trillion. In addition to the options strategy and the DRS, the Fund, at the Advisor’s discretion, may from time to time own securities that are not included in the S&P Composite 1500 Index and may hold the securities that are not in a Stratified Weight exposure if the Advisor deems it in the interest of the Fund.
Under normal circumstances, the Advisor expects to allocate the equity portion of the Fund among the LargeCap, Large Cap II, MidCap, SmallCap, and other Stratified Weight active or passive U.S. equity ETFs, and underlying securities in exposures approximate to their relative capitalization weighted exposures in the 1500. Under normal circumstances, the Fund seeks to invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of U.S. issuers and derivatives that have similar economic characteristics to such securities. Based on historical averages the Advisor expects to allocate between 70% and 96% of equity exposure to the funds or constituents representing, or benchmarked to, the S&P 500 Index (large-capitalization), between 3% and 20% to the funds or constituents representing, or benchmarked to, the S&P MidCap 400 Index (mid-capitalization), and between 1% and 10% to the funds or constituents that represent, or are benchmarked to, the S&P SmallCap 600 Index (small-capitalization). The Fund, at the Advisor’s discretion, may, from time to time, own these exposures in weights that are not in their relative positions in the 1500 if the Advisor deems it in the interest of the Fund. The Options Sub-Adviser will invest in exchange-traded put options on the S&P 500 Index for hedging purposes. The Options Sub-Adviser may also buy or sell other exchange-traded put and call options on various equity indices to seek to generate additional returns or for hedging purposes.
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In seeking to track the performance of their referent indices, certain of the Underlying Funds employ a replication strategy, which means that under normal circumstances, certain of the Underlying Funds typically invests in substantially all of the securities represented in their referent indices in approximately the same proportions as the referent index. Under normal circumstances, each of the passive Underlying Funds generally invests substantially all, and at least 95%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the referent index. The passive Underlying Funds will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ notice prior to any material change in this 95% investment policy. In addition, the passive Underlying Funds may invest in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds.
Under normal market conditions, the referent indices for each of the passive Underlying Funds rebalance quarterly, on the third Friday of each quarter-ending month, and will include components allocated across eight industry sectors: consumer, energy, financials, food, healthcare, industrials, information, and information tools. The Fund will allocate across the passive and active Underlying Funds.
The referent indices, which were created by Syntax LLC, an affiliate of the Fund’s investment Advisor, are the Stratified Weight versions of the widely used S&P 500 Index, the S&P MidCap 400 Index, and the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, and each holds the same constituents as their referent index. Each of the three S&P indices may include some constituent stocks of companies that may be considered small, medium and large capitalization companies. Stratified Weight refers to the weighting methodology of the Index and is the method by which Syntax diversifies its indices by hierarchically grouping and distributing the weight of the Index constituent companies that share “Related Business Risks.” Related Business Risk occurs when two or more companies’ earnings are affected by the same fundamental drivers (e.g. the product/services the company makes/provides, the customers or end users the company sells to, or the inputs that it utilizes to make its product or service). When two or more companies’ earnings are affected by the same fundamental drivers, we say that they share a related business risk.
The process of identifying, grouping, and diversifying across related business risk is called “stratification.” Under normal market conditions, each index rebalances quarterly on the third Friday of each quarter-ending month and will typically include 400-600 components allocated across eight industry sectors: consumer, energy, financials, food, healthcare, industrials, information, and information tools.
The market capitalization of companies in the S&P 500 Index® as of March 31, 2020 was between $1.2 trillion and 1.5 billion. The market capitalization of companies in the S&P 400 MidCap Index® as of March 31, 2020 was between $12.6 billion and $289 million. The market capitalization of companies in the S&P 600 SmallCap Index® as of March 31, 2020 was between $4.3 billion and $17 million.
Notification Policy; Active Management; Technology and Analytical Methodology
The Fund will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ notice prior to any material change in this investment policy. In addition, the Fund may invest in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds.
The Fund, as well as certain Underlying Funds, are actively managed, and the weighting of the Syntax Underlying Funds or the weighting of the Securities is expected to shift over time, based on the outlook of the Advisor who is responsible for setting the periodic allocation of the Fund across its LargeCap, MidCap, and SmallCap exposure. The long-term protective put options are typically traded annually to protect capital and/or allow for profit potential, by re-establishing a current-market strike price which depends on whether or not the market has increased or decreased. Written call options are bought back when the sub-adviser believes they present an unfavorable risk and reward profile. Purchased options are sold when the sub-adviser believes they present an unfavorable risk and reward profile or when more attractive investments are available. The Syntax passive Underlying Funds use a “passive” or indexing approach to try to achieve each Syntax Underlying Fund’s investment objective. The Fund may underperform the S&P Composite 1500 Index.
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The Fund anticipates income from dividend payments made by ETFs and individual securities via the Syntax Underlying Funds or Securities, as well as income from short term trades and option premiums, although option income is also described as capital appreciation for tax and accounting purposes. The Advisor anticipates the execution of ETF trades through an exchange rather than trading directly with a fund.
Certain of the Syntax Underlying Funds are benchmarked against Syntax Indices. Syntax Indices utilize a proprietary functional information system (“FIS”) developed by Syntax, LLC, an affiliate of Syntax Advisors, LLC, the Fund’s investment Advisor, to categorize, group, and stratify constituent securities to create Stratified Weighted indices. FIS is a patented technology for mapping economic relationships between the constituent securities of the Index and for managing concentrations of related business risks. Related business risks are not based on companies’ capitalization or past performance, but rather, are based on each company’s current business functions and the functional economic relationships between them. By identifying these underlying business relationships – common suppliers, customers, competitors, products, etc. – FIS identifies shared business risks in a securities portfolio. When financial indices lack tools for identifying these risks, they can become highly exposed to groups of companies that share related business risks.
FIS makes it possible to control for risks shared by groups of related companies by: 1) organizing companies that share related business risks into well-defined functional groups; and 2) weighting these groups to spread exposure across these underlying risks. Other commonly used industry and sector classifications like Global Industry Classification Standard (“GICS”) and Standard Industrial Classification (“SIC”) lack codified definitions and instead simply group together companies that “seem similar”. Syntax’s FIS-based industries are engineered to minimize performance distortions caused by the uncontrolled risk exposures that are present in cap-weighted financial indices. FIS-based sectors effectively group and limit weighting in companies that have shared business functions that can make them perform similarly when events happen to change expectations in a given part of the economy.
The investment objective of every Syntax Index is to deliver returns consistent with the performance of the underlying companies that make up the index. By using FIS and stratification to control for related business risks, Syntax expects to match or exceed the actual medium-to long-term performance of groups of companies and provide results that are the product of effective diversification, rather than the overweighting of one or more outperforming groups. Because FIS defines the functional parts of the economy, it produces a more stable composite of those functional parts. While the major cap-weighted indices are designed to be a proxy for the total market, Syntax, LLC believes that the Syntax Stratified Weight methodology serves as a better basis for medium-to-long-term investments over index-tracking funds. A number of factors may affect the Fund's or a Syntax Underlying Fund’s ability to achieve its objective, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund or a Syntax Underlying Fund will achieve its objective.
These situations should be uncommon in U.S. large and mid-cap companies, but in the event that a bankruptcy or other event occurs making a security illiquid, the Advisor of a Syntax Underlying Fund intends to allocate to other similar holdings in the portfolio.
The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of Syntax ETF Trust may change the Fund's or a Syntax Underlying Fund’s investment strategies and other policies without shareholder approval, except as otherwise indicated in this Prospectus or in the statement of additional information (“SAI”) or in the relevant Prospectus or SAI of a Syntax Underlying Fund. The Board may not change the Fund’s investment objective without shareholder approval.
The following section provides additional information regarding the principal risks identified under “Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund” in the Fund Summary along with additional risk information.
LEVERAGING RISK: The use of leverage, such as that embedded in options, could magnify the Fund’s gains or losses.
MARKET RISK: Overall securities market risks will affect the value of individual instruments in which the Fund and Underlying Funds invest. Factors such as economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, epidemics and pandemics, and political events affect the US securities markets. When the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value and you could lose money.
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The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. The value of a security or other instrument may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other instrument, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates generally do not have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments.
The onset of an infectious respiratory disease called COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, was first identified in China in December 2019 and now has been detected globally. Among other things, COVID-19 has led to travel restrictions, closed international borders, the disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, prolonged quarantines, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, shuttering of offices, universities, schools, cultural institutions and sporting events, and lower consumer demand, contributing to extremely high equity market drawdowns and volatility, as well as general anxiety and uncertainty. The impact of COVID-19, and other infectious disease outbreaks that may arise in the future, could continue to adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many nations or the entire global economy, individual issuers and capital markets in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. In addition, the impact of infectious diseases in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems, which may have spillover effects to developed markets. Public health crises caused by the COVID-19 spread may aggravate other pre-existing political, social, financial, and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The Fund and associated strategies may be affected as adversely, or more adversely, than benchmarks. Neither the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its effects, nor the prospective health, economic, and financial risks from future pandemics, be determined with any degree of certainty.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK: The value of equity securities may increase or decrease as a result of market fluctuations, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in stock prices.
OPTIONS RISK: Purchased put options may expire worthless and may have imperfect correlation to the value of the Fund’s sector based investments. Written call and put options may limit the Fund’s participation in equity market gains and may amplify losses in market declines. The Fund’s losses are potentially large in a written put or call transaction. If unhedged, written calls expose the Fund to potentially unlimited losses.
MANAGEMENT RISK: The Fund’s dependence on stratification and judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular investments or ETFs in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results. As an active fund and pursuant to the trust’s custom basket rules, the Fund, at the Advisor’s discretion, may, from time to time, own its securities in exposures and weights that are not in their relative Stratified Weight exposures outlined in the Principal Strategy if the Advisor deems it in the interest of the Fund. During these periods, the performance of the Fund may deviate from what would be expected from the Stratified Weight exposures and may not produce the desired results. The Options Sub-Adviser’s dependence on its DRS process and judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular investments or ETFs and options in which the Funds invest or write may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results.
PASSIVE STRATEGY/INDEX RISK OF CERTAIN UNDERLYING FUNDS: The Fund may invest in Underlying Funds or Securities that are managed with a passive investment strategy, attempting to track the performance of an unmanaged index of securities. This differs from an actively-managed fund, which typically seeks to outperform a benchmark index. As a result, the Fund may hold constituent securities of the Index regardless of the current or projected performance of a specific security or a particular industry or market sector. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund's return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.
LARGE-CAPITALIZATION SECURITIES RISK: Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and mid-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and mid-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and mid-sized companies. Under certain market conditions, the capitalization of a large-size company could decline to the extent that it exhibits the characteristics of a mid-capitalization company.
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SMALL- AND MID-CAPITALIZATION SECURITIES RISK: Investing in securities of small and mid-sized companies may involve greater volatility than investing in larger and more established companies because small and mid-sized companies can be subject to more abrupt or erratic share price changes than larger, more established companies, are more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments, and are more thinly traded relative to those of larger companies.
ACTIVE MANAGEMENT RISK: The Fund and certain Underlying Funds are actively managed using proprietary investment strategies and processes. There can be no guarantee that these strategies and processes will be successful and the Fund may underperform their benchmark indices due to active management decisions or other reasons.
MARKET TRADING RISK: The Fund is a new Fund and faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund Shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Certain of the Underlying Funds are also new Funds and may face similar risks. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to Fund Shares trading at a premium or discount to net asset value (“NAV”).
LIQUIDITY RISK: Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. Certain investments may be subject to restrictions on resale, trade over-the-counter or in limited volume, or lack an active trading market. Accordingly, the Fund, or Underlying Funds may not be able to sell or close out of such investments at favorable times or prices (or at all), or at the prices approximating those at which the Fund currently values them; the Fund itself may also lack sufficient liquidity. There can be no guarantee that an investor will be able to enter or exit a desired position efficiently or promptly. While the Advisor has engaged with Authorized Participants to seek to make a liquid, efficient market in the Fund, investors in the Fund may incur fees and losses, including, but not limited to, upon taking an exiting a position, in the event that the Fund or its underlying constituents are not highly liquid. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments and may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value.
NEW FUND RISK: The Fund, and certain Underlying Funds, are new Funds. As new Funds, there can be no assurance that they will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, which may cause them to experience greater tracking error to the Index, or to the referent indices than they otherwise would at a higher asset level. There can be no assurance regarding Fund or Underlying Fund performance. Either factor may also cause the Fund or Underlying Funds to liquidate.
OPTIONS BASIS RISK: Purchasing exchange-traded put options based upon the S&P 500 Index to hedge against downward movements in the Underlying Funds or Securities creates the risk that the hedge may not be effective because the Underlying Funds or Securities contain more constituents and at different weightings than the S&P 500 Index. At times, the performance of the Underlying Funds and Securities can and will differ from the S&P 500 Index upon which the options are based. The implementation of the Defined Risk Strategy also will involve additional purchases and sales of options based on indices other than the S&P 500, which also could create options basis risk.
CYBER SECURITY RISK: The Fund and Syntax Underlying Funds and their service providers may be susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a breach in cyber security, including cyber-attacks. A breach in cyber security, intentional or unintentional, may adversely impact the Fund and the Syntax Underlying Funds in many ways, including, but not limited to, disruption of the Fund’s or a Syntax Underlying Fund’s operational capacity, loss of proprietary information, theft or corruption of data, denial-of-service attacks on websites or network resources, and the unauthorized release of confidential information. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund’s and Syntax Underlying Funds’ third-party service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund or the Syntax Underlying Funds invest may subject the Fund or the Syntax Underlying Funds to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches.
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Market Trading Risk:
Absence of Active Market. Although Fund Shares are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, the Fund is a new fund
and there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Shares will develop or be maintained by market makers or Authorized
Participants.
Risk of Secondary Listings. Fund Shares may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the U.S. stock exchange where the Fund's primary listing is maintained. There can be no assurance that Fund Shares will continue to trade on any such stock exchange or in any market or that Fund Shares will continue to meet the requirements for listing or trading on any exchange or in any market. Fund Shares may be less actively traded in certain markets than in others, and investors are subject to the execution and settlement risks and market standards of the market where they or their broker direct their trades for execution. Certain information available to investors who trade Fund Shares on a U.S. stock exchange during regular U.S. market hours may not be available to investors who trade in other markets, which may result in secondary market prices in such markets being less efficient.
Shares are not Individually Redeemable. Fund Shares may be redeemed at NAV by the Fund only in large lot sizes known as “Creation Units”, which are expected to be worth in excess of one million dollars each. The Trust may not redeem Fund Shares in fractional Creation Units. Only certain large institutions that enter into agreements with the Distributor are authorized to transact in Creation Units with the Fund. These entities are referred to as “Authorized Participants.” All other persons or entities transacting in Fund Shares must do so in the secondary market.
Derivatives Risk: The Fund’s use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) the risk that the counterparty to a derivative transaction may not fulfill its contractual obligations; (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset. Derivative prices are highly volatile and may fluctuate substantially during a short period of time. Such prices are influenced by numerous factors that affect the markets, including, but not limited to: changing supply and demand relationships; government programs and policies; national and international political and economic events, changes in interest rates, inflation and deflation and changes in supply and demand relationships. Trading derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities. Derivative contracts ordinarily have leverage inherent in their terms. The low margin deposits normally required in trading derivatives, including futures contracts, permit a high degree of leverage. Accordingly, a relatively small price movement may result in an immediate and substantial loss to the underlying ETF. The use of leverage may also cause the underlying ETF to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its obligations or to meet collateral segregation requirements. The use of leveraged derivatives can magnify the underlying ETFs’ potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on share price. Because option premiums paid or received are small in relation to the market value of the investments underlying the options, buying and selling put and call options can be more speculative than investing directly in securities.
Additional Non-Principal Risks
Secondary Market Trading Risk. Fund Shares may trade in the secondary market at times when the Fund does not accept orders to purchase or redeem Shares. At such times, Fund Shares may trade in the secondary market with more significant premiums or discounts than might be experienced at times when the Fund accepts purchase and redemption orders.
Secondary market trading in Fund Shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of market conditions or for other reasons. In addition, trading in Fund Shares on a stock exchange or in any market may be subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to “circuit breaker” rules on the stock exchange or market. There can be no assurance that the requirements necessary to maintain the listing or trading of Fund Shares will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. Fund Shares, similar to shares of other issuers listed on a stock exchange, may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility associated with short selling.
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Fund Shares may trade at prices other than NAV. Fund Shares trade on stock exchanges at prices at, above or below the Fund's most recent NAV. The NAV of the Fund is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund's holdings. The trading price of Fund Shares fluctuates continuously throughout trading hours based on both market supply of and demand for Fund Shares and the underlying value of the Fund's portfolio holdings or NAV. Also, in times of market stress, market makers or Authorized Participants may step away from their respective roles in making a market for Fund Shares and in executing purchase or redemption orders. As a result, the trading prices of Fund Shares may deviate significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility. ANY OF THESE FACTORS, AMONG OTHERS, MAY LEAD TO THE FUND’S SHARES TRADING AT A PREMIUM OR DISCOUNT TO NAV. However, because Fund Shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at NAV (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their NAVs), Syntax believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of the Fund are not likely to be sustained over the long term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it more likely that Fund Shares normally will trade on stock exchanges at prices close to the Fund's next calculated NAV, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with the Fund's NAV due to timing reasons, supply and demand imbalances and other factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions, including disruptions at market makers or Authorized Participants, or to market participants or during periods of significant market volatility, may result in trading prices for Fund Shares that differ significantly from its NAV.
Costs of Buying or Selling Fund Shares. Buying or selling Fund Shares on an exchange involves two types of costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling Fund Shares through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by that broker. In addition, you may incur the cost of the “spread,” that is, the difference between what investors are willing to pay for Fund Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which they are willing to sell Fund Shares (the “ask” price). Because of the costs inherent in buying or selling Fund Shares, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment results and an investment in Fund Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
Continuous Offering. The method by which Creation Units are purchased and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Transfer Agent, breaks them down into individual Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of Secondary Market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to categorization as an underwriter.
U.S. Tax Risks: To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment accorded to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain income, asset diversification and distribution requirements. If, for any taxable year, the Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company, all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain) for that year would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to its shareholders, and such distributions would be taxable to its shareholders as dividend income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. The tax treatment of certain derivatives is unclear for purpose of determining the Fund’s tax status.
MANAGEMENT BOARD OF TRUSTEES. The Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the management and business affairs of the Fund. The Board oversees the operations of the Fund by its officers. The Board also reviews management of the Fund’s assets by the investment Advisor and sub-Advisor. Information about the Board of Trustees and executive officers of the Fund is contained in the SAI.
ADVISOR. Syntax Advisors, LLC (“Syntax” or the “Advisor”) serves as the investment Advisor to the Fund and the Underlying Funds and, subject to the supervision of the Board, is responsible for the investment management of the Fund and the Underlying Funds, executed through the selection of the Sub-Advisor for portfolio management and other agreed upon activities, which include the oversight of subadvisors, administrative work, risk management, the management of compliance, legal, and reporting, and intellectual property services. Syntax has been a registered investment Advisor since April 21, 2017. Syntax is owned by Syntax, LLC and is controlled by Rory Riggs. As the Fund’s investment Advisor, Syntax provides an investment management program for the Fund and manages the investment of the Fund’s assets through sub-advisory relationships. The Advisor’s principal business address is One Liberty Plaza, 46th Fl., New York, NY 10006.
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For the services provided to the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Fund expects to pay the Advisor the annual fee set forth below, which is based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
Fund |
Advisory
Fee |
|||
Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF | 1.09 | % |
Syntax Advisors, LLC (the “Advisor”) has agreed to waive its fees to ensure that Total Annual Operating Expenses (except any (i) interest expense, (ii) taxes, (iii) brokerage expenses and other expenses (such as stamp taxes) connected with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions, (iv) expenses associated with shareholder meetings, (v) compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees, (vi) compensation and expenses of the Trust’s chief compliance officer and his or her staff, (vii) distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, (viii) legal fees or expenses in connection with any arbitration, litigation or pending or threatened arbitration or litigation, including any settlements in connection therewith, and (ix) extraordinary expenses of the Fund) do not exceed 0.65%. The Fund has agreed to waive a portion of its management fee in an amount equal to 0.44%.
The fee waiver agreement also includes the Advisor’s waiver of 30 basis points of Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses reflect the Fund's pro rata share of the fees and expenses incurred by investing in the Advisor’s underlying ETFs and securities. The impact of Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses is included in the total returns of the Fund. The Advisor to the Fund has contractually agreed to reimburse a portion of its management fees for the Fund in an amount equal to the Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, if any, attributable to the Fund in other series of the Trust through May 1, 2021. The contractual waiver may be terminated only upon written agreement of the Trust and the Advisor. You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions and other charges when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which may not be reflected in the Example Fee Table above.
Subject to approval by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, any waiver under the Expense Limitation Agreement is subject to repayment by the Fund within 36 months following the day on which fees are waived or reimbursed, if on any particular business day of the Fund, such repayment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed either: (i) the expense cap in place at the time such amounts were waived; or (ii) the current expense cap noted above. These arrangements cannot be terminated prior to one year from the effective date of this prospectus without the approval of the Board of Trustees. If the Advisor decides to terminate the fee waiver agreement, it will provide written notice on the Fund’s website at least 60 calendar days in advance of the termination date.
Fund |
Total Operating
Expenses after Waiver/Reimbursement |
||
Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF | 0.65 | % |
SUB-ADVISORS.
Pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement with Syntax, Vantage Consulting Group serves as the equity sub-Advisor to the Fund and performs the day to day management of the Fund and places orders for the purchase and sale of securities for the Fund. For its services to the Fund, the Sub-Advisor is compensated by the Advisor. The Sub-Advisor has been a registered investment Advisor since June 2, 1986 and is owned by Mark T. Finn. As of December 31, 2019, the Sub-Advisor managed approximately $2.3 billion in assets. The Sub-Advisor’s principal business address is 3500 Pacific Ave. Virginia Beach, VA 23451.
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Pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement with Syntax, Swan Global Investments, LLC (the “Options Sub-Adviser”) serves as the options sub-adviser to the Fund and performs the day to day management of the Fund’s option strategies and places orders for the purchase and sale of options for the Fund. For its services to the Fund, the Options Sub-Adviser is compensated by the Advisor. The Options Sub-Adviser has been an SEC-registered investment adviser since 2010 and is majority owned by Randy Swan. As of December 31, 2019, the Options Sub-Adviser managed approximately $3.1 billion in assets. The Options Sub-Adviser’s principal business address is 277 E. Third Ave, Unit A, Durango, CO 81301.
A discussion regarding the Board’s consideration of the investment advisory and sub-advisory agreements will be found in the Trust’s next Annual or Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders, as applicable.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS. The Fund is managed by the portfolio managers listed below.
Portfolio Manager | Firm | Business Experience over Past 5 Years |
James Thomas Wolfe | Vantage Consulting Group | Mr. Wolfe currently serves as portfolio manager. He has held a variety of positions since joining Vantage in 1988 including trader, operations manager, and systems developer specializing in quantitative modeling, and he is currently head trader. Mr. Wolfe is an investment professional with over 30 years of experience. Mr. Wolfe received his BA from Virginia Wesleyan College in 1983 and an MBA from the College of William and Mary in 1989. |
Randy Swan | Swan Global Investments, LLC | Randy Swan is the President and founder of Swan Capital Management and oversees the team that runs all of the firm’s investment activities. Before starting the Sub-Adviser in 2014 and Swan Global Investments, LLC in 1997, Mr. Swan was a Senior Manager for KPMG working in the financial services sector. Mr. Swan is a 1990 graduate of the University of Texas with a BBA and a MPA (Master’s Degree in Professional Accounting). |
Robert Swan | Swan Global Investments, LLC | Robert Swan serves as the Chief Operating Officer and a portfolio manager of Swan Capital Management, providing daily oversight of operations, investment management, trading, and the development and maintenance of proprietary technologies enabling the firms to scale and execute the DRS strategy across multiple funds and platforms. Prior to joining affiliated Adviser Swan Global Investments, LLC in 2010 and the sub-adviser in 2014, Mr. Swan worked at Boeing Company as a flight testing and aerodynamics engineer. Mr. Swan graduated from the University of Texas with a BS in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. |
Chris Hausman | Swan Global Investments, LLC | Chris Hausman serves as a portfolio manager of the sub-adviser, with responsibility for risk management and assisting in the daily operations and trading for all DRS investments and positions. Prior to joining the Sub-Adviser in 2015, Mr. Hausman served in various roles at Saliba Portfolio Management, including Senior Portfolio Manager, Chief Portfolio Strategist and Director of Trading Operations. Mr. Hausman is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business with a BS in Finance, and is also a Chartered Market Technician. |
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Micah Wakefield | Swan Global Investments, LLC | Micah Wakefield serves as a portfolio manager of the Sub-Adviser, with responsibility for risk management and assisting in the daily management for all DRS investments and positions. Prior to joining the sub-adviser in 2014, Mr. Wakefield spent over five years as director of trading and operations at a financial advisory firm. Mr. Wakefield has a B.A. in Liberal Studies and an MBA from Liberty University. He also holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation (CAIA®). |
Additional information about each portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, and the portfolio manager’s ownership of securities in the Fund is available in the SAI.
Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent
State Street Bank and Trust Company is the Administrator for the Fund and the Syntax Underlying Funds, the Transfer Agent to the Fund and the Custodian for the Fund's assets.
Distributor
Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) is the distributor of the Fund Shares. The Distributor will not distribute Fund Shares in less than Creation Units, and it does not maintain a secondary market in the Fund Shares. The Distributor may enter into selected dealer agreements with other broker-dealers or other qualified financial institutions for the sale of Creation Units of Fund Shares.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust.
Legal Counsel
Chapman and Cutler LLP serves as legal counsel to the Trust, the Fund and the Syntax Underlying Funds.
INDEX/TRADEMARK LICENSES AND DISCLAIMER
The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices. S&P Dow Jones Indices does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the Index to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices’ only relationship to Syntax, LLC with respect to the referent Indices is the licensing of the S&P 500® Index, the S&P MidCap 400® Index, and the S&P SmallCap 600® Index and their constituents, certain trademarks, service marks and trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices, and the provision of the calculation services related to the Index. S&P Dow Jones Indices is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of the Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund may be converted into cash or other redemption mechanics. S&P Dow Jones Indices has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within the Index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it investment advice.
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S&P DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION WITH RESPECT THERETO, INCLUDING, ORAL, WRITTEN, OR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN EXCEPT THOSE ARISING FROM FRAUD OR GROSS NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF S&P. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY SYNTAX, LLC, OWNERS OF THE FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME, OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Shares are listed for secondary trading on NYSE Arca (the “Exchange”) and individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. The secondary markets are closed on weekends and also are generally closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Exchange may close early on the business day before certain holidays and on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Exchange holiday schedules are subject to change without notice. If you buy or sell Shares in the secondary market, you will pay the secondary market price for Shares. In addition, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction.
The trading prices of Fund Shares will fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than the Fund’s NAV, which is calculated at the end of each business day. Fund Shares will trade on the Exchange at prices that may be above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount), to varying degrees, the daily NAV of the Shares. The trading prices of Fund Shares may deviate significantly from its net asset value during periods of market volatility. Given, however, that Fund Shares can be issued and redeemed daily in Creation Units, the Advisor believes that large discounts and premiums to NAV should not be sustained over long periods. Information showing the number of days the market price of Fund Shares was greater than the Fund’s NAV and the number of days it was less than the Fund’s NAV (i.e., premium or discount) for various time periods is available by visiting the Fund’s website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com.
The Exchange will disseminate, every fifteen seconds during the regular trading day, an indicative optimized portfolio value (“IOPV”) relating to the Fund. The IOPV calculations are estimates of the value of the Fund’s NAV per Share using market data converted into U.S. dollars at the current currency rates. The IOPV price is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities’ local market and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market’s close. Premiums and discounts between the IOPV and the market price may occur. This should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV per Share of the Fund, which is calculated only once a day. Neither the Fund, nor the Advisor or any of their affiliates are involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of such IOPVs and make no warranty as to their accuracy.
The Fund does not impose any restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions; however, the Fund reserves the right to reject or limit purchases at any time as described in the SAI. When considering that no restriction or policy was necessary, the Board evaluated the risks posed by market timing activities, such as whether frequent purchases and redemptions would occur, for example from an investor’s efforts to take advantage of a potential arbitrage opportunity, and would interfere with the efficient implementation of the Fund’s investment strategies, or whether they would cause the Fund to experience increased transaction costs. The Board considered that, unlike traditional mutual funds, Fund Shares are issued and redeemed only in the large quantities of Creation Units available only from the Fund directly, and that most trading in the Fund occurs on the Exchange at prevailing market prices and does not involve the Fund directly. Given this structure, the Board determined that it is unlikely that (a) market timing would be attempted by the Fund’s shareholders or (b) any attempts to market time the Fund by shareholders would result in negative impact to the Fund or its shareholders.
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BOOK ENTRY. Fund Shares are held in book-entry form and no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), through its nominee Cede & Co., is the record owner of all outstanding Shares.
Investors owning Fund Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all Fund Shares. Participants in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of Fund Shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have Fund Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of Fund Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Fund Shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants.
These procedures are the same as those that apply to any securities that you hold in book entry or “street name” form for any publicly-traded company. Specifically, in the case of a shareholder meeting of the Fund, DTC assigns applicable Cede & Co. voting rights to its participants that have Fund Shares credited to their accounts on the record date, issues an omnibus proxy and forwards the omnibus proxy to the Fund. The omnibus proxy transfers the voting authority from Cede & Co. to the DTC participant. This gives the DTC participant through whom you own Shares (namely, your broker, dealer, bank, trust company or other nominee) authority to vote the shares, and, in turn, the DTC participant is obligated to follow the voting instructions you provide.
DIVIDENDS AND CAPITAL GAINS. As a shareholder, you are entitled to your share of the Fund’s income and net realized gains on its investments. The Fund pays out substantially all of its net earnings to its shareholders as “distributions.”
The Fund typically earns income dividends from stocks. These amounts, net of expenses and taxes (if applicable), are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividend distributions.” The Fund realizes capital gains or losses whenever it sells securities. Net long-term capital gains are distributed to shareholders as “capital gain distributions.”
Income dividend distributions, if any, for the Fund are generally distributed to shareholders annually, but may vary significantly from period to period. Net capital gains for the Fund are distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently or at any other times or to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”).
Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Fund Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Fund Shares makes such option available. Distributions which are reinvested will nevertheless be taxable to the same extent as if such distributions had not been reinvested.
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to an investment in Fund Shares. The summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code, U.S. Treasury Department regulations promulgated thereunder, and judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all as in effect on the date of this Prospectus and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, this summary assumes that a shareholder holds Shares as capital assets within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code and does not hold Shares in connection with a trade or business. This summary does not address all potential U.S. federal income tax considerations possibly applicable to an investment in Fund Shares, and does not address the consequences to Fund shareholders subject to special tax rules, including, but not limited to, partnerships and the partners therein, tax-exempt shareholders, those who hold Fund Shares through an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged account, and, except to the extent discussed below, “non-U.S. shareholders” (as defined below). This discussion does not discuss any aspect of U.S. state, local, estate, and gift, or non-U.S., tax law. Furthermore, this discussion is not intended or written to be legal or tax advice to any shareholder in the Fund or other person and is not intended nor written to be used or relied on, and cannot be used or relied on, by any such person for the purpose of avoiding any U.S. federal tax penalties that may be imposed on such person. Prospective Fund shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the specific U.S. federal, state and local, and non-U.S., tax consequences of investing in Fund Shares, based on their particular circumstances.
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The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) as to the U.S. federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors with regard to the U.S. federal tax consequences of the purchase, ownership or disposition of Fund Shares, as well as the tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, locality, non-U.S. country or other taxing jurisdiction. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the section in the SAI entitled “U.S. Federal Income Taxation.”
Tax Treatment of the Fund
The Fund intends to qualify and elect to be treated as a separate “regulated investment company” (a “RIC”) under the Internal Revenue Code. To qualify and remain eligible for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs, the Fund must meet certain annual income and quarterly asset diversification requirements and must distribute annually at least 90% of the sum of (i) its “investment company taxable income” (which includes dividends, interest and net short-term capital gains) and (ii) certain net tax-exempt income, if any.
As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be required to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders. If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for any year (subject to certain curative measures allowed by the Internal Revenue Code), the Fund will be subject to regular corporate-level U.S. federal income tax in that year on all of its taxable income, regardless of whether the Fund makes any distributions to its shareholders. In addition, in such case, distributions will be taxable to the Fund’s shareholders generally as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. The remainder of this discussion assumes that the Fund will qualify for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs.
The Fund will be subject to a 4% excise tax on certain undistributed income if the Fund does not distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year at least 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year, 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the twelve months ended October 31 of such year, plus 100% of any undistributed amounts from prior years. For these purposes, the Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it has been subject to U.S. corporate income tax for the taxable year ending within the calendar year. The Fund intends to make distributions necessary to avoid this 4% excise tax, although there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so.
The Fund may be required to recognize taxable income in advance of receiving the related cash payment. For example, if the Fund invests in original issue discount obligations (such as zero coupon debt instruments or debt instruments with payment-in-kind interest), the Fund will be required to include in income each year a portion of the original issue discount that accrues over the term of the obligation, even if the related cash payment is not received by the Fund until a later year. Under the “wash sale” rules, the Fund may not be able to deduct currently a loss on a disposition of a portfolio security. As a result, the Fund may be required to make an annual income distribution greater than the total cash actually received during the year. Such distribution may be made from the existing cash assets of the Fund or cash generated from selling portfolio securities. The Fund may realize gains or losses from such sales, in which event its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution than they would in the absence of such transactions.
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Tax Treatment of Fund Shareholders
Taxation of U.S. Shareholders
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Fund Shares applicable to “U.S. shareholders.” For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of Fund Shares who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation (or an entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, or of any state thereof, or the District of Columbia; (iii) an estate, the income of which is includable in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or (iv) a trust, if (1) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (2) the trust has a valid election in place to be treated as a U.S. person.
Fund Distributions. In general, Fund distributions are subject to U.S. federal income tax when paid, regardless of whether they consist of cash or property, and regardless of whether they are re-invested in Fund Shares. However, any Fund distribution declared in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date during such month will be deemed to have been received by the Fund shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year, provided such dividend is actually paid during January of the following calendar year.
Distributions of the Fund’s net investment income (except, as discussed below, qualified dividend income) and net short-term capital gains are taxable as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. To the extent designated as capital gain dividends by the Fund, distributions of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains in excess of net short-term capital losses (“net capital gain”) are taxable at long-term capital gain tax rates to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, regardless of the Fund shareholder’s holding period in Fund Shares. Distributions of qualified dividend income are, to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, taxed to certain non-corporate Fund shareholders at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gain, provided that the Fund shareholder meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to the distributing Fund Shares and the distributing Fund meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to its dividend-paying stocks. Substitute payments received on Fund Shares that are lent out will be ineligible for being reported as qualified dividend income.
The Fund intends to distribute its net capital gain at least annually. However, by providing written notice to its shareholders no later than 60 days after its year-end, the Fund may elect to retain some or all of its net capital gain and designate the retained amount as a “deemed distribution.” In that event, the Fund pays U.S. federal income tax on the retained net capital gain, and the Fund shareholder recognizes a proportionate share of the Fund’s undistributed net capital gain. In addition, the Fund shareholder can claim a tax credit or refund for the shareholder’s proportionate share of the Fund’s U.S. federal income taxes paid on the undistributed net capital gain and increase the shareholder’s tax basis in the Fund Shares by an amount equal to the shareholder’s proportionate share of the Fund’s undistributed net capital gain, reduced by the amount of the shareholder’s tax credit or refund.
The Fund’s hedging strategy may reduce or eliminate amounts that would otherwise be treated as qualified dividend income or capital gain dividends. Such dividends are likely to be treated as ordinary dividends.
Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the shareholder’s tax basis in its Fund Shares, and generally as capital gain thereafter.
In addition, high-income individuals (and certain trusts and estates) generally will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare tax on “net investment income” in addition to otherwise applicable U.S. federal income tax. “Net investment income” generally will include dividends (including capital gain dividends) received from the Fund and net gains from the redemption or other disposition of Fund Shares. Please consult your tax advisor regarding this tax.
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Investors considering buying Fund Shares just prior to a distribution should be aware that, although the price of the Fund Shares purchased at such time may reflect the forthcoming distribution, such distribution nevertheless may be taxable (as opposed to a non-taxable return of capital).
Sales of Fund Shares. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Fund Shares generally is treated as a long-term gain or loss if the Fund Shares have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Fund Shares held for one year or less generally is treated as a short-term gain or loss, except that any capital loss on the sale or exchange of Fund Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid (or deemed to be paid) with respect to the Fund Shares.
Creation Unit Issues and Redemptions. On an issue of Fund Shares as part of a Creation Unit where the creation is conducted in-kind, an Authorized Participant recognizes capital gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the fair market value (at issue) of the issued Fund Shares (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) and (ii) the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the exchanged securities (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). On a redemption of Fund Shares as part of a Creation Unit where the redemption is conducted in-kind, an Authorized Participant recognizes capital gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the fair market value (at redemption) of the securities received (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and (ii) the Authorized Participant’s basis in the redeemed Shares (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption). However, the IRS may assert, under the “wash sale” rules or on the basis that there has been no significant change in the Authorized Participant’s economic position, that any loss on creation or redemption of Creation Units cannot be deducted currently.
In general, any capital gain or loss recognized upon the issue or redemption of Fund Shares (as components of a Creation Unit) is treated either as long-term capital gain or loss, if the deposited securities (in the case of an issue) or the Fund Shares (in the case of a redemption) have been held for more than one year, or otherwise as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any capital loss on a redemption of Fund Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid (or deemed to be paid) with respect to such Fund Shares.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Fund Shares applicable to “non-U.S. shareholders.” For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of Fund Shares that is not a U.S. shareholder (as defined above) and is not an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The following discussion is based on current law and is for general information only. It addresses only selected, and not all, aspects of U.S. federal income taxation.
With respect to non-U.S. shareholders of the Fund, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or at a lower rate established under an applicable tax treaty), subject to certain exceptions for “interest-related dividends” and “short-term capital gain dividends” discussed below. U.S. federal withholding tax generally will not apply to any gain realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of the Fund’s net capital gain. Special rules apply with respect to dividends of the Fund that are attributable to gain from the sale or exchange of “U.S. real property interests.”
In general, all “interest-related dividends” and “short-term capital gain dividends” (each defined below) will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax, provided that the non-U.S. shareholder furnished the Fund with a completed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, (or acceptable substitute documentation) establishing the non-U.S. shareholder’s non-U.S. status and the Fund does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the non-U.S. shareholder would be subject to such withholding tax if the non-U.S. shareholder were to receive the related amounts directly rather than as dividends from the Fund. “Interest-related dividends” generally means dividends designated by the Fund as attributable to such Fund’s U.S.-source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which such Fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income. “Short-term capital gain dividends” generally means dividends designated by the Fund as attributable to the excess of such Fund’s net short-term capital gain over its net long-term capital loss. Depending on its circumstances, the Fund may treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for these exemptions from withholding.
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In general, subject to certain exceptions, non-U.S. shareholders will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax in respect of a sale or other disposition of Shares of the Fund.
To claim a credit or refund for any Fund-level taxes on any undistributed net capital gain (as discussed above) or any taxes collected through back-up withholding (discussed below), a non-U.S. shareholder must obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number and file a U.S. federal income tax return even if the non-U.S. shareholder would not otherwise be required to do so.
Back-Up Withholding.
The Fund (or a financial intermediary such as a broker through which a shareholder holds Shares in the Fund) may be required to report certain information on the Fund shareholder to the IRS and withhold U.S. federal income tax (“backup withholding”) at a current rate of 24% from taxable distributions and redemption or sale proceeds payable to the Fund shareholder if (i) the Fund shareholder fails to provide the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number or make required certifications, or if the IRS notifies the Fund that the Fund shareholder is otherwise subject to backup withholding, and (ii) the Fund shareholder is not otherwise exempt from backup withholding. Non-U.S. shareholders can qualify for exemption from backup withholding by submitting a properly completed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against the Fund shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
The U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on “withholdable payments” (defined below) made to (i) a “foreign financial institution” (“FFI”), unless the FFI enters into an agreement with the IRS to provide information regarding certain of its direct and indirect U.S. account holders and satisfy certain due diligence and other specified requirements, and (ii) a “non-financial foreign entity” (“NFFE”) unless such NFFE provides certain information about its direct and indirect “substantial U.S. owners” to the withholding agent or certifies that it has no such U.S. owners. The beneficial owner of a withholdable payment may be eligible for a refund or credit of the withheld tax. The U.S. government also has entered into several intergovernmental agreements with other jurisdictions to provide an alternative, and generally easier, approach for FFIs to comply with FATCA.
Withholdable payments generally include, among other items, (i) U.S.-source interest and dividends, and (ii) gross proceeds from the sale or disposition, occurring on or after January 1, 2019, of property of a type that can produce U.S.-source interest or dividends. Proposed regulations would eliminate the requirement to withhold on dispositions.
The Fund may be required to impose a 30% withholding tax on withholdable payments to a shareholder if the shareholder fails to provide the Fund with the information, certifications or documentation required under FATCA, including information, certification or documentation necessary for the Fund to determine if the shareholder is a non-U.S. shareholder or a U.S. shareholder and, if it is a non-U.S. shareholder, if the non-U.S. shareholder has “substantial U.S. owners” and/or is in compliance with (or meets an exception from) FATCA requirements. The Fund will not pay any additional amounts to shareholders in respect of any amounts withheld. The Fund may disclose any shareholder information, certifications or documentation to the IRS or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA.
The requirements of, and exceptions from, FATCA are complex. All prospective shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential application of FATCA with respect to their own situation.
For a more detailed tax discussion regarding an investment in the Fund, please see the section of the SAI entitled “U.S. Federal Income Taxation.”
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Syntax ETF Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on June 27, 2013. If shareholders of the Fund are required to vote on any matters, shareholders are entitled to one vote for each Share they own. Annual meetings of shareholders will not be held except as required by the 1940 Act and other applicable law. See the SAI for more information concerning the Trust’s form of organization.
For purposes of the 1940 Act, shares of the Trust are issued by the respective series of the Trust and the acquisition of shares by investment companies is subject to the restrictions of section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. The Trust has received exemptive relief from Section 12(d)(1) to allow registered investment companies to invest in the Fund and the Syntax Underlying Funds beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions as set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust.
From time to time, the Fund may advertise yield and total return figures. Yield is a historical measure of dividend income, and total return is a measure of past dividend income (assuming that it has been reinvested) plus capital appreciation. Neither yield nor total return should be used to predict the future performance of the Fund.
Information showing the number of days the market price of Fund Shares was greater than the Fund’s NAV per Share (i.e. at a premium) and the number of days it was less than the Fund’s NAV per Share (i.e. at a discount) for various time periods is available by visiting the Fund’s website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com.
The Trust, the Advisor, the Equity Sub-Adviser, the Options Sub-Adviser and Foreside Financial Group, LLC (on behalf of Foreside Fund Officer Services, LLC) have each adopted a code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics permit, subject to certain conditions, personnel of each of those entities to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. The Distributor relies on the principal underwriters exception under Rule 17j-1(c)(3), specifically where the Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust or the Advisor, and no officer, director or general partner of the Distributor serves as an officer, director or general partner of the Trust or the Advisor. Each code of ethics is on public file with, and is available from, the SEC.
The Fund has adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act pursuant to which payments of up to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets may be made for the sale and distribution of its Shares. However, the Board of Trustees has determined not to authorize payment of a 12b-1 Plan fee at this time. The 12b-1 Plan fee may only be imposed or increased when the Board of Trustees determines that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets, and over time, these fees increase the cost of your investment and they may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
OTHER INFORMATION
The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Fund Shares or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the Fund to achieve its objectives. The Exchange has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund.
For purposes of the 1940 Act, the Fund is a registered investment company, and the acquisition of Fund Shares by other registered investment companies and companies relying on exemption from registration as investment companies under Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except as permitted by an exemptive order that permits registered investment companies to invest in the Fund beyond those limitations.
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Financial Highlights are not included in this Prospectus because the Fund has not yet commenced operations.
WHERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FUND
This Prospectus does not contain all the information included in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC with respect to the Fund’s Shares. The Fund’s SAI and, when available, the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, each of which will be filed with the SEC, provide more information about the Fund. In the annual report, when available, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during the Fund’s last fiscal year, as applicable. The SAI and the financial statements included in the Trust’s annual report to shareholders are incorporated herein by reference (i.e., they are legally part of this Prospectus). These materials may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Distributor, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine, 04101, by visiting the Fund’s website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com or by calling the following number: (866) 972-4492.
Investor Information:
The Registration Statement, including this Prospectus, the SAI, and the exhibits as well as any shareholder reports, when available, may be reviewed on the EDGAR Database on the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). You may get copies of this and other information after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520.
Shareholder inquiries may be directed to the Fund in writing to Syntax Advisors, LLC at One Liberty Plaza, 46th Fl., New York, NY 10006 or by calling the Investor Information number listed above.
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this Prospectus in connection with the offer of the Fund's Shares, and, if given or made, the information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Trust or the Fund. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale of Shares shall under any circumstance imply that the information contained herein is correct as of any date after the date of this Prospectus.
Dealers effecting transactions in the Fund’s Shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, are generally required to deliver a Prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters.
Investment Company Act File No.:
[811-23227]
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SYNTAX ETF TRUST (THE “TRUST”)
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
APRIL 22, 2020
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the prospectus for the Trust dated April 22, 2020, as it may be revised from time to time (the “Prospectus”).
Fund | Ticker |
SYNTAX STRATIFIED U.S. TOTAL MARKET HEDGED ETF | SHUS |
Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.
Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by writing to the Trust’s Distributor, Foreside Fund Services, LLC, at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine, 04101, by visiting the Fund’s website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com or calling (866) 972-4492.
Table of Contents
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST
The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), currently consisting of six investment series (the “Funds”). The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on June 27, 2013. The offering of the Funds’ shares (“Shares”) is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”). The investment objective of the Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF (the “Fund”) is to obtain capital growth that meets or exceeds the performance of the S&P Composite 1500® Index (the 1500) over a full market cycle by investing in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) or underlying securities that provide Stratified WeightTM U.S. total equity market exposure to companies in the 1500 while seeking risk-managed growth via a defined risk hedging process. Syntax Advisors, LLC (“Syntax” or the “Advisor”) serves as the investment adviser for the Fund. Vantage Consulting Group (“Vantage” or the “Equity Sub-Advisor,”) serves as the investment sub-advisor for the Fund. In addition to Vantage, Swan Global Investments, LLC (“Swan” or the “Options Sub-Advisor,” and together with Vantage, the “Sub-Advisors”) sub-advises the options strategy for the Syntax Stratified U.S. Hedged Equity ETF. Syntax, Vantage and Swan are referred collectively as “Advisors”)
The Fund offers and issues Shares at its net asset value (sometimes referred to herein as “NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each, a “Creation Unit”). The Fund generally offers and issues Shares in exchange for a basket of securities included in its Index (“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. The Shares have been approved for listing and secondary trading on a national securities exchange (“Exchange”). The Shares will trade on the Exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the Shares’ net asset values. The Shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment. A Creation Unit of the Fund consists of 25,000 Shares, as set forth in the Prospectus.
Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of all 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 market value of the missing Deposit Securities as set forth in the Participant Agreement (as defined below). See “Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units.” 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. In addition to the fixed creation or redemption transaction fee, an additional transaction fee of up to three times the fixed creation or redemption transaction fee and/or an additional variable charge may apply.
The Fund intends to invest in other ETFs that are managed by the Advisor and that certain of the ETFs that track, or are benchmarked to, certain of the indices described below. The Syntax Stratified MidCap Index, Syntax Stratified LargeCap Index and the Syntax Stratified SmallCap Index (each an “Index”, collectively the “Indices”) are the Stratified Weight versions of the widely used S&P MidCap 400® Index, S&P LargeCap 500® Index and S&P SmallCap 600® Index, respectively. Each Index holds the same constituents as its corresponding index, S&P MidCap 400, S&P LargeCap 500 or S&P SmallCap 600, but the weight of each company in the Index is based on Syntax’s patented methodology to control exposure to related business risks (RBRs).
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The Indices were developed and are maintained in accordance with the following criteria: (1) each of the component securities in each Index is a constituent company of the S&P MidCap 400® Index, S&P LargeCap 500® Index or S&P SmallCap 600® Index, as applicable; and (2) the Indices are calculated by S&P Opco, LLC (a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC) based on methodology proprietary to Syntax, LLC an affiliate of the investment advisor (the “Index Provider”), using a stratification methodology. The Index Provider publishes information regarding the market value of each Index. For more information, please visit the Fund’s website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com.
Syntax Stratified Weight Indices represent a major breakthrough in passive index weighting methodology in that they are designed to control for the negative impacts of related business risks. When two or more companies’ earnings are affected by the same fundamental drivers (e.g. the product/services the company makes/provides, the customers or end users the company sells to, or the inputs that it utilizes to make its product or service), we say that they share a related business risk. Syntax Indices utilize a proprietary functional information system (“FIS”) developed by Syntax, LLC, to identify related business risks and implement a patented stratified weighting methodology that controls for the inadvertent overweighting of related business risk that regularly occurs in capitalization-weighted and equal-weighted indices. To learn more about FIS, please visit www.SyntaxAdvisors.com.
Stratified Weight Indices are a new class of passive indexing that mitigates the negative impacts of overweighting related business risks without sacrificing upside performance in normal markets. Stratified Weight indices, together with capitalization-weight and equal-weight indices, form a complementary suite of index weighting methods that each provide a different measure of market performance. Capitalization-weight indices measure aggregate market performance, equal-weight indices measure average company performance, and Stratified Weight indices measure diversified business performance. Each is an important market benchmark that offers different perspectives.
The investment objective of every passive Syntax Index is to deliver returns consistent with the performance objectives of the underlying companies that make up the index. By using FIS and stratification to control for exposure to related business risks, Syntax Indices are designed to improve the tracking of the actual medium-to long-term performance of groups of companies and provide results that are the product of effective diversification, rather than the overweighting of one or more outperforming group. Because FIS defines the related business risks, Syntax Indices are built as a more stable composite of those functional parts. While the major cap-weighted indices are designed to be a proxy for the total market, Syntax, LLC believes that the Syntax Indices serve as a better basis for medium-to-long-term investments in active and passive ETFs.
Disclaimer
Syntax, LLC, the Index Provider, is affiliated with the Trust and the Advisor. The Advisor (“Licensee”) has entered into license agreements with the Index Provider pursuant to which the Advisor pays a fee to use the Indices. The Advisor is sub-licensing rights to the Indices to the Fund at no charge.
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Each Index is the property of Syntax, LLC, which has contracted with S&P Opco, LLC (a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC) to calculate and maintain the Indices. The Indices are not sponsored by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates or its third-party licensors, including Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”). S&P Dow Jones Indices will not be liable for any errors or omissions in calculating the Indices. “Calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices” and the related stylized mark(s) are service marks of S&P Dow Jones Indices and have been licensed for use by Syntax, LLC. S&P® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC, and Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC.
The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices. S&P Dow Jones Indices do not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the Indices to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices’ only relationship to Syntax, LLC with respect to the Indices is the licensing of the S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P LargeCap 500 Index and S&P SmallCap 600 Index and their constituents, certain trademarks, service marks and trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices, and the provision of the calculation services related to each Index. S&P Dow Jones Indices is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of the Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund may be converted into cash or other redemption mechanics. S&P Dow Jones Indices has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within each Index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it investment advice.
S&P DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION WITH RESPECT THERETO, INCLUDING, ORAL, WRITTEN, OR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN EXCEPT THOSE ARISING FROM FRAUD OR GROSS NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF S&P. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY SYNTAX, LLC, OWNERS OF THE FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME, OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE.
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INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
DIVERSIFICATION STATUS
The Fund is classified as a “diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act.
ACTIVE MANAGEMENT
The Fund is actively managed and provides Advisor and/or Subadvisor discretion regarding security selection and weighting subject to restrictions and strategies enumerated in the Prospectus and herein.
The following contains more detailed information about the types of instruments in which the Fund may invest, or with which the Fund may be seeded or receive contributions-in-kind.
EQUITY SECURITIES
Equity securities in which the Fund invests, or may be seeded with, include common stocks and preferred stocks and securities convertible into common stocks, including, but not limited to, options. The value of equity securities varies in response to many factors, including the activities and financial condition of individual companies, the business market in which individual companies compete and general market and economic conditions. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such fluctuations can be significant.
COMMON STOCK
Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually possesses voting rights and earns dividends. Dividends on common stock are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer. Common stock generally represents the riskiest investment in a company. In addition, common stock generally has the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential because increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a company’s stock price.
PREFERRED STOCK
The Fund may invest in, or be seeded with or receive contributions in kind with, preferred stock with no minimum credit rating. Preferred stock is a class of stock having a preference over common stock as to the payment of dividends and the recovery of investment should a company be liquidated, although preferred stock is usually junior to the debt securities of the issuer. Preferred stock typically does not possess voting rights and its market value may change based on changes in interest rates. The fundamental risk of investing in common and preferred stock is the risk that the value of the stock might decrease. Stock values fluctuate in response to the activities of an individual company or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Historically, common stocks have provided greater long-term returns and have entailed greater short-term risks than preferred stocks, fixed-income securities and money market investments. The market value of all securities, including common and preferred stocks, is based upon the market’s perception of value and not necessarily the book value of an issuer or other objective measures of a company’s worth.
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS.
Within its equities strategy, the Fund will invest in equity ETFs issued by the Advisor. ETFs are generally passive funds that track their related index and have the flexibility of trading like a security. They are managed by professionals and provide the investor with diversification, cost and tax efficiency, liquidity, marginability, are useful for hedging, have the ability to go long and short, and some provide quarterly dividends. Additionally, some ETFs are unit investment trusts. ETFs typically have two markets. The primary market is where institutions swap “creation units” in block multiples of, for example, 50,000 shares for in-kind securities and cash in the form of dividends. The secondary market is where individual investors can trade as little as a single share during trading hours on the exchange. This is different from open-ended mutual funds that are traded after hours once the NAV is calculated. ETFs share many similar risks with open-end and closed-end funds.
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SECURITIES OPTIONS
The Fund may purchase and write (i.e., sell) put and call options. Such options may relate to particular securities or stock indices, and may or may not be listed on a domestic or foreign securities exchange and may or may not be issued by the Options Clearing Corporation. Options trading is a highly specialized activity that entails greater than ordinary investment risk. Options may be more volatile than the underlying instruments, and therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying instruments themselves. A call option for a particular security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer (seller) the obligation to sell, the underlying security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option, regardless of the market price of the security. The premium paid to the writer is in consideration for undertaking the obligation under the option contract. A put option for a particular security gives the purchaser the right to sell the security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration date of the option, regardless of the market price of the security. Stock index options are put options and call options on various stock indices. In most respects, they are identical to listed options on common stocks. The primary difference between stock options and index options occurs when index options are exercised. In the case of stock options, the underlying security, common stock, is delivered. However, upon the exercise of an index option, settlement does not occur by delivery of the securities comprising the index. The option holder who exercises the index option receives an amount of cash if the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based is greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the stock index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market value of the stocks included in the index. For example, some stock index options are based on a broad market index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index or the Value Line Composite Index or a narrower market index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 100®.
Options on stock indices are currently traded on the NYSE, the American Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ PHLX. The Fund’s obligation to sell an instrument subject to a call option written by it, or to purchase an instrument subject to a put option written by it, may be terminated prior to the expiration date of the option by the Fund’s execution of a closing purchase transaction, which is effected by purchasing on an exchange an option of the same series (i.e., same underlying instrument, exercise price and expiration date) as the option previously written. A closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying instrument from being called, to permit the sale of the underlying instrument or to permit the writing of a new option containing different terms on such underlying instrument. The cost of such a liquidation purchase plus transactions costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event the Fund will have paid a loss in the transaction. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option. An option writer unable to effect a closing purchase transaction will not be able to sell the underlying instrument or liquidate the assets held in a segregated account, as described below, until the option expires or the optioned instrument is delivered upon exercise. In such circumstances, the writer will be subject to the risk of market decline or appreciation in the instrument during such period. If an option purchased by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a loss equal to the premium paid. If the Fund enters into a closing sale transaction on an option purchased by it, the Fund will realize a gain if the premium received by the Fund on the closing transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, or a loss if it is less. If an option written by the Fund expires on the stipulated expiration date or if a Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will realize a gain (or loss if the cost of a closing purchase transaction exceeds the net premium received when the option is sold). If an option written by the Fund is exercised, the proceeds of the sale will be increased by the net premium originally received and the Fund will realize a gain or loss.
Cover for Options Positions. Transactions using options (other than options that the Fund has purchased) expose the Fund to an obligation to another party. The Fund will not seek to enter into any such transactions unless they own either (i) an offsetting (“covered”) position in securities or other options or (ii) cash or liquid securities with a value sufficient at all times to cover its potential obligations not covered as provided in (i) above. The Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid securities in a segregated account with the Fund’s custodian in the prescribed amount. Under current SEC guidelines, the Fund will segregate assets to cover transactions in which the Fund writes or sells options. Assets used as cover or held in a segregated account cannot be sold while the position in the corresponding option is open, unless they are replaced with similar assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of the Fund’s assets to cover or segregated accounts could impede portfolio management or the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
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REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements with commercial banks, brokers or dealers 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 – as defined below). 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 Fund and is unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying instrument.
In these repurchase agreement transactions, the securities acquired by the Fund (including accrued interest earned thereon) must have a total value in excess of the value of the repurchase agreement and be held by the Custodian until repurchased. No more than an aggregate of 15 percent of a Fund’s net assets will be invested in illiquid securities, 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, the 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 the 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.
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OTHER SHORT-TERM INSTRUMENTS
In addition to repurchase agreements, the Fund may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, cash and cash equivalents, 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 Investors Service (“Moody’s”) or “A-1” by Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”), or if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Advisor; (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 Advisor, 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.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND RISKS
A discussion of the risks associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.
GENERAL
Investment in the Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of securities generally and other factors.
An investment in the Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the securities markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Shares). Securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic and banking crises.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Further, unlike debt securities which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, will be 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.
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The principal trading market for some of the securities in the Index may be in the over-the-counter market. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of the Fund’s Shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent or if bid/ask spreads are wide.
OPTIONS RISKS
There are several additional risks associated with transactions in options. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options, whether traded over-the-counter or on an exchange, may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities or currencies; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading value; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
Successful use by the Fund of options on stock indices will be subject to the ability of the Adviser to correctly predict movements in the directions of the stock market. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. In addition, the Fund’s ability to effectively hedge all or a portion of the securities in its portfolio, in anticipation of or during a market decline, through transactions in put options on stock indices, depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying index correlate with the price movements of the securities held by the Fund. Attempts to hedge may be partially ineffective due to divergences in composition and/or weighting between the equity strategy of the Fund and the underlying instruments of the options strategy. Inasmuch as the Fund’s securities will not duplicate the components of an index, the correlation will not be perfect. Consequently, the Fund bears the risk that the prices of its securities being hedged will not move in the same amount as the prices of its put options on the stock indices.
It is also possible that there may be a negative correlation between the index and the Fund’s securities that would result in a loss on both such securities and the options on stock indices acquired by the Fund. The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets. The purchase of options is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions.
The purchase of stock index options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by the Fund in purchasing an option will be lost as a result of unanticipated movements in prices of the securities comprising the stock index on which the option is based. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time, and for some options no secondary market on an exchange or elsewhere may exist. If the Fund is unable to close out a call option on securities that it has written before the option is exercised, the Fund may be required to purchase the optioned securities in order to satisfy their obligation under the option to deliver such securities. If the Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options on securities that they have purchased, they would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase and sale of the underlying securities.
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ILLIQUID AND RESTRICTED SECURITIES
The Fund may be seeded with, receive contributions-in-kind associated with, or invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale (e.g., because they have not been registered under the Securities Act) and securities that are otherwise not readily marketable (e.g., because trading in the security is suspended or because market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers). Securities that have not been registered under the Securities Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Foreign securities that are freely tradable in their principal markets are not considered to be illiquid. Restricted and other illiquid securities may be subject to the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. The Fund might be unable to dispose of illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty in satisfying redemption requests from shareholders. The Fund might have to register restricted securities in order to dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.
TAX RISKS
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Shares of the Fund 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 of the Fund.
CONTINUOUS OFFERING
The method by which Creation Units of Shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of Shares are issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Transfer Agent, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus-delivery obligation with respect to Shares of the Fund are reminded that under Securities Act Rule 153, a prospectus-delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Fund’s Prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.
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The Trust has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Fund. These restrictions cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. For purposes of the 1940 Act, a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund means the vote, at an annual or a special meeting of the security holders of the Trust, of the lesser of (1) 67 percent or more of the voting securities of the Fund present at such meeting, if the holders of more than 50 percent of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (2) more than 50 percent of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the Fund may not:
1. | Change its investment objective; |
2. | Lend any funds or other assets except through the purchase of all or a portion of an issue of securities or obligations of the type in which it is permitted to invest (including participation interests in such securities or obligations) and except that the Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets; |
3. | Issue senior securities or borrow money, except borrowings from banks for temporary or emergency purposes in an amount up to 10% of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed), valued at market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) valued at the time the borrowing is made, and the Fund will not purchase securities while borrowings in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets are outstanding, provided, that for purposes of this restriction, short-term credits necessary for the clearance of transactions are not considered borrowings (this limitation on purchases does not apply to acceptance by the Fund of a deposit principally of securities included in the relevant Index for creation of Creation Units); |
4. | Pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings. (The deposit of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral arrangements with respect to initial or variation margin for futures contracts or options contracts will not be deemed to be pledges of the Fund’s assets); |
5. | Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, or oil, gas or mineral interests or leases, but the Fund may purchase and sell securities that are issued by companies that invest or deal in such assets; |
6. | Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except to the extent the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the sale of securities in its portfolio; |
7. | Purchase securities on margin, except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and except that the Fund may make margin deposits in connection with transactions in options, futures and options on futures; |
8. | Sell securities short within its equities strategy, although the Fund may sell options short; |
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9. | Invest directly in commodities or commodity contracts, except that the Fund may transact in exchange traded futures contracts on securities, stock indices and options on such futures contracts and make margin deposits in connection with such contracts; or |
10. | Concentrate its investments in securities of issuers in the same industry (the SEC Staff considers concentration to involve more than 25 percent of the Fund’s assets to be invested in an industry or group of industries). |
In addition to the investment restrictions adopted as fundamental policies as set forth above, the Fund observes the following restrictions, which may be changed by the Board without a shareholder vote. The Fund:
1. | Will not invest in the securities of a company for the purpose of exercising management or control, provided that the Trust may vote the investment securities owned by the Fund in accordance with its views. |
2. | Will not hold illiquid assets in excess of 15% of its net assets. An illiquid asset is any asset which may not be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the investment. |
3. | Will, under normal circumstances, invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of U.S. issuers and derivatives that have similar economic characteristics to such securities. Prior to any change in the Fund’s 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days written notice. |
4. | Will not invest in securities issued by other investment companies that are not affiliated ETFs so that, as determined immediately after a purchase of such securities is made: (i) not more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of any one investment company; (ii) not more than 10% of the value of its total assets will be invested in the aggregate in securities of investment companies as a group; and (iii) not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company will be owned by the Fund. The Fund has the ability to exceed these percentages with respect to investments in affiliated ETFs. |
If a percentage limitation is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any change in value or total or net assets will not result in a violation of such restriction, except that the percentage limitations with respect to the borrowing of money and illiquid securities will be observed continuously. With respect to the limitation on illiquid securities, in the event that a subsequent change in net assets or other circumstances cause the Fund to exceed its limitation, the Fund will take steps to bring the aggregate amount of illiquid instruments back within the limitations as soon as reasonably practicable.
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A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Prospectus under “ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION.” The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Prospectus.
The Shares of the Fund are approved for listing and trading on the Exchange, subject to notice of issuance. The Shares trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to some degree from their net asset value. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Shares of the Fund will continue to be met.
The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the Shares of the Fund from listing if: (1) following the initial twelve-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial holders of the Shares for 30 or more consecutive trading days; (2) the value of its underlying Index or portfolio of securities on which the Fund is based is no longer calculated or available; (3) the “indicative optimized portfolio value” (“IOPV”) of the Fund is no longer calculated or available; or (4) such other event shall occur or condition exists that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. In addition, the Exchange will remove the Shares from listing and trading upon termination of the Trust or the Fund.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the Share price of the Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.
As in the case of other publicly-traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
The base and trading currencies of the Fund is the U.S. dollar. The base currency is the currency in which a Fund’s net asset value per Share is calculated and the trading currency is the currency in which Shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the Exchange.
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “MANAGEMENT.”
The Board has responsibility for the overall management, operations and business affairs of the Trust, including general supervision and review of its investment activities. The Trustees elect the officers of the Trust who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Trust and the Fund.
The Trustees and executive officers of the Trust, along with their year of birth, principal occupations over the past five years, length of time served, total number of portfolios overseen in the fund complex, public and fund directorships held and other positions and their affiliations, if any, with the Advisor, are listed below:
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TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST
TRUSTEES
NAME, ADDRESS
AND YEAR OF BIRTH |
POSITION(S)
WITH TRUST |
TERM OF OFFICE
AND LENGTH OF TIME SERVED |
PRINCIPAL
OCCUPATION(S) DURING PAST 5 YEARS |
NUMBER OF
PORTFOLIOS IN FUND COMPLEX OVERSEEN BY TRUSTEE |
OTHER
DIRECTORSHIPS HELD BY TRUSTEE DURING THE LAST 5 YEARS |
Independent Trustees | |||||
Deborah Fuhr (1959) | Independent Trustee | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2018 | Co-Founder and Managing Partner, ETFGI LLP (research and consulting) (2012 to present); | 2 | Co-Founder and Board Member, Women in ETFs (Not for Profit) (2014 to present); Co-founder and Board Member, Women in ETFs Europe Limited (Educational Association) (2015 to present); Director and Board Member, 2 Culford Gardens RTM (Property) (2011 to present); Director and Board Member (2 Culford Gardens Freehold (Property) (2011 to present) |
George Hornig (1954) | Independent Trustee and Chairman of the Audit Committee | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2018 | Managing Member, George Hornig, LLC (2017 to present) (investments); Senior Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, Pinebridge Investments (investment adviser) (2010 to 2016). | 2 | Director, Forrester Research, Inc. (technology research company) (1996 to 2018); Director, Daniel J. Edelman Holding (2016 to present) (communications marketing firm); Director, Xometry (advanced manufacturing platform business) (2014 to present); Director, KBL Merger Corp IV (2017 to present) (healthcare). |
Richard Lyons (1961) | Lead Independent Trustee and Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2018 | Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer, UC Berkeley (since 2020); Professor and William & Janet Cronk Chair in Innovative Leadership (2019), Dean (2008-19), Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley; Chief Learning Officer (2006 to 2008), Goldman Sachs (investment banking and investment management); Executive Associate Dean (2005 to 2006), Acting Dean (2004 to 2005), Professor (2000 to 2004), Associate Professor (1996 to 2000), Assistant Professor (1993 to 1996), Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley. | 2 | Director (2013 to 2016), Matthews A Share Selections Fund, LLC (mutual funds). |
Stewart Myers (1940) | Independent Trustee | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2018 | Professor Emeritus and Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management (since 2015); Principal, The Brattle Group, Inc. (since 1991). | 2 | Director, Entergy Corp. (2009 to 2015). |
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Interested Trustees | |||||
Rory Riggs (1953) | Trustee and Chief Executive Officer | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2017 | Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Locus Analytics, LLC (since 2010); Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Syntax Advisors, LLC (Since 2013); and Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Syntax LLC (Since 2009). | 2 | Managing Member of Balfour, LLC (since 2001); Board Member, Nuredis, Inc. (2016 to present); President, Biomatrix Corporation (1996 to 2000); Director, Biomatrix Corporation (1990 to 2000); Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of RF&P Corporation (1991 to 1995); Managing Director, PaineWebber Incorporated (1981 to 1990); Co-founder and Chairman, RP Management, LLC Chairman and co-founder, Royalty Pharma (1996 to present) (biopharmaceuticals); Chairman and Co-Founder, Cibus Global, Ltd. (2001 to present) (gene editing agriculture); Director GeneNews Limited (2000 to present); Director, Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. (since 2014); Director, FibroGen, Inc. (1993 to present). |
Kathy Cuocolo (1952) | Trustee and President | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2018 | President and Senior Vice President, Syntax Advisors, LLC and predecessor companies (2014 to present); Managing Director, Head of Global ETF Services, BNY Mellon (2008 to 2013); Executive Vice President, State Street (1982 to 2003). | 2 | Greenbacker Renewable Energy LLC, Audit Chair (2013 to present); Guardian Life Family of Funds (2005 – 2007); Select Sector Trust, Chairman (2000 to 2007); The China Fund (1999 to 2003). |
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OFFICERS
NAME, ADDRESS
AND YEAR OF BIRTH |
POSITION(S)
WITH TRUST |
TERM OF OFFICE
AND LENGTH OF TIME SERVED |
PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S)
DURING PAST 5 YEARS |
OFFICERS | |||
Rory Riggs (1953) | Chief Executive | Since 2018 | See Trustee table above |
Kathy Cuocolo (1952) | President | Since 2018 | See Trustee table above |
David Jaffin (1954) | Treasurer | Since 2019 | Partner, B2B CFO® (January 2019 to present); Chief Financial Officer, Poliwogg Holdings, Inc. (October 2012 to August 2018). |
Carly Arison (1990) | Secretary | Since 2018 | Senior Vice President, Vice President, and Manager, Syntax Advisors, LLC and predecessor companies (2012 to present) |
Brandon Kipp (1983) | Chief Compliance Officer | Since 2019 | Director, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (since May 2019); Senior Fund Compliance Officer, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (from July 2017 to May 2019); Assistant Vice President and Compliance Manager, UMB Fund Services, Inc. (March 2014 to July 2017). |
Leadership Structure and Board of Trustees
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and its series, including the Fund described in this SAI, are overseen by the Trustees. The Board has approved contracts, as described in this SAI, under which certain companies provide essential management services to the Trust.
Like most mutual funds, the day-to-day business of the Trust, including the management of risk, is performed by third party service providers, such as the Advisor, Sub-Advisors, Distributor and Administrator. The Trustees are responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, have 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 the Fund. The Fund and its service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various of those possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust’s business (e.g., a Sub-Advisor is responsible for the day-to-day management of a Fund’s portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that business. The Board has emphasized to the Fund’s service providers the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management.
The Trustees’ role in risk oversight begins before the inception of a Fund, at which time the Fund’s Advisor presents the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies and risks of the Fund, as well as proposed investment limitations for the Fund. Additionally, the Fund’s Advisor provides the Board with an overview of, among other things, their investment philosophies, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructures. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the Advisor and other service providers, such as the Fund’s independent accountants, make periodic reports to the Audit Committee or to the Board with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which the Fund may be exposed.
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The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund by the Advisor and Sub-Advisors and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis, in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Advisory Agreement with the Advisor, Sub-Advisory Agreements with the Sub-Advisors, the Board meets with the Advisor and Sub-Advisors to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Advisor and Sub-Advisors’ adherence to the Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about the Fund’s investments.
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues. 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 Advisor and Sub-Advisors. 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 Fund service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. Regular reports are made to the Board concerning investments for which market quotations are not readily available. Annually, the independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of the Fund’s financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Fund and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Fund’s internal controls. Additionally, in connection with its oversight function, the Board oversees Fund management’s implementation of disclosure controls and procedures, which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in its periodic reports with the SEC are recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the required time periods. The Board also oversees the Trust’s internal controls over financial reporting, which comprise policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Trust’s financial reporting and the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements.
From their review of these reports and discussions with the Advisor, Sub-Advisors, the Chief Compliance Officer, the independent registered public accounting firm and other service providers, the Board and the Audit Committee learn in detail about the material risks of a 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 the Fund’s goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Trustees as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the Fund’s investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Fund’s Advisor, Sub-Advisors 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 Fund’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s ability to monitor and manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
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Trustees and Officers. There are 6 members of the Board of Trustees, 4 of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”). Mr. Riggs, an Interested Trustee, serves as Chairman of the Board to act as liaison with the investment Advisor, other service providers, counsel and other Trustees generally between meetings. Mr. Lyons serves as Lead Independent Trustee and is a spokesperson for and leader of the Independent Trustees. The Board has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust. The Board made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees constitute a majority of the Board, the fact that the chairperson of each Committee of the Board is an Independent Trustee, the amount of assets under management in the Trust, and the number of funds (and classes of shares) 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.
The Board of Trustees has two standing committees: the Audit Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Audit Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee are each chaired by an Independent Trustee and composed of all of the Independent Trustees.
Individual Trustee Qualifications
The Board has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of his or her ability to review and understand information about the Fund provided to him or her by management, to identify and request other information he or she may deem relevant to the performance of his or her duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Fund, and to exercise his or her business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders. The Board 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.
Rory Riggs: Rory Riggs is the CEO and Founder of Syntax LLC.
Rory’s idea for Syntax Stratified Indices came from his career in healthcare and the industry’s statistical use of population sampling and stratification across sub-populations to control for inadvertent biases in clinical trial results. To address the potential of similar biases in index results, he and his team identified a new risk category called related business risks; developed a new classification system with which to identify and group related business risk; and implemented a stratified weighting methodology to control for the inadvertent over-weighting of related business risks that regularly occur capitalization-weight and equal-weight methodologies. Using this Stratified Weight methodology, Syntax operates a family of Syntax Stratified Indices that includes a Stratified Syntax LargeCap, SmallCap Index and MidCap Index that provide Stratified Weight versions of the widely-followed S&P 500, S&P 600 and the S&P 400.
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Prior to founding Syntax and its parent, Locus LP, Rory has been involved in the creation and development of many successful companies in healthcare and bio-technology. These companies include: Royalty Pharma; Fibrogen, Inc.; Cibus, LLC; GeneNews Ltd.; Sugen, Inc. and eReceivables Inc. He is currently the chairman and co-founder of Royalty Pharma, the largest investor in revenue-producing intellectual property, principally royalty interests in marketed and late-stage development biopharmaceutical products. In addition, Rory is Chairman and Co-founder of Cibus, the leader in non-transgenic (non-GMO) gene editing in agriculture. He also served as the president and director of Biomatrix Corporation (NYSE: BXM) where he launched Synvisc, an important product in the treatment of osteoarthritis.
Rory received a BA from Middlebury College and an MBA from Columbia University.
Kathy Cuocolo: Kathy Cuocolo has served as President and Senior Vice President of Syntax Advisors, LLC, bringing over 30 years of experience in the asset management and ETF industry to Syntax.
Prior to Syntax, Kathy was Managing Director, Head of Global ETF Services at BNY Mellon. Before BNY, Kathy spent 22 years at State Street Corporation, where she rose to Executive Vice President. While at State Street, Kathy brought the first ETF to market, the S&P 500 SPDR, as well as several of the other early ETF products such as the Select Sector SPDR, the Dow Diamond, and CountryBaskets. She began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers as an audit and consulting manager. She is a Board Member and Audit Chair of Greenbacker Renewable Energy LLC and has been on the Boards of Select Sector SPDRs, The China Fund and Guardian Family of Funds. She is a frequent speaker at industry events and conferences on topics ranging from the effectiveness of risk management to the alignment of Board composition.
Kathy received her B.A. in Accounting Summa Cum Laude from Boston College and is a Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts. She holds an Executive Masters Professional Director Certification from the American College of Corporate Directors.
George Hornig: George Hornig has had a career as a senior operating officer in the financial services industry (asset management, investment banking, insurance and fin-tech).
From 2010 - 2016, George was a Senior Managing Director of PineBridge Investments. George led the restructuring of the operations of this former division of AIG Insurance to make it an independent company after its divestiture. Prior to joining PineBridge, George spent 11 years at Credit Suisse Asset Management as Global Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Americas, at Deutsche Bank. In 1988, he was a co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Wasserstein Perella and Company, following his tenure at The First Boston Corp. George also practiced law for two years at Skadden Arps at the start of his career. In addition, George’s career has spanned investments, management and advisor in industries as diverse as health care, manufacturing and the outsourcing of business services, social media, cybersecurity, augmented reality, and e-waste management. Presently he is managing a portfolio of acquisition transactions and venture capital investments. Also he is the Chairman of KBL Merger Corp IV (healthcare industry SPAC), a Director of Edelman (communications marketing firm), and a Director of Xometry (advanced manufacturing platform business). From 1992 to 2012, he was a Director of Unity Mutual Life and from 1996 to 2018, he was a Director of Forrester Research and Chairman of the Audit Committee.
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George received his AB in Economics from Harvard College, his MBA from Harvard Business School and his JD from Harvard Law School.
Deborah Fuhr: Deborah Fuhr is the managing partner and co-founder of ETFGI. Previously she served as global head of ETF research and implementation strategy and as a managing director at BlackRock/Barclays Global Investors from 2008-2011. Fuhr also worked as a managing director and head of the investment strategy team at Morgan Stanley in London from 1997-2008, and as an associate at Greenwich Associates.
Deborah Fuhr is the recipient of the 2014 William F. Sharpe Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding and lasting contributions to the field of index investing, the Nate Most Greatest Contributor to the ETF industry award, and the ETF.com Lifetime achievement award. She has been named as one of the “100 Most Influential Women in Finance” by Financial News in 2014, 2013, 2012, 2009, 2008 and 2007. Ms. Fuhr won the award for the Greatest Overall Contribution to the development of the Global ETF industry in the ExchangeTradedFunds.com survey in 2011 and 2008, Ms. Fuhr is one of the founders and on the board of Women in ETFs and is on the board of Cancer Research UK’s ‘Women of Influence’ initiative to support female scientists. Ms. Fuhr is on the editorial board of the Journal of Indexes, and Money Management Executive; the advisory board for the Journal of Index Investing; and the investment panel of experts for Portfolio Adviser, the FTSE ICB Advisory Committee, the NASDAQ listing and hearing review council, the International Advisory Committee for the Egyptian Exchange, and the University of Connecticut School of Business International Advisory Board.
She holds a BS degree from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Richard Lyons: Richard Lyons is Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer at UC Berkeley, and previously served as the dean of the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, where he held the Bank of America Dean’s Chair.
Prior to becoming dean in July 2008, he served as the chief learning officer at Goldman Sachs in New York, a position he held since 2006. As chief learning officer, Rich was responsible for leadership development among the firm’s managing directors. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Rich served as acting dean of the Haas School from 2004 to 2005 and as executive associate dean and Sylvan Coleman Professor of Finance from 2005 to 2006.
He received his BS with highest honors from UC Berkeley (finance) and his Ph.D. from MIT (economics). Before coming to Haas, Professor Lyons spent six years on the faculty at Columbia Business School. His teaching expertise is in international finance.
Stewart Myers: Stewart C. Myers is the Robert C. Merton (1970) Professor of Finance, Emeritus at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
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Mr. Myers is past President of the American Finance Association, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and a principal of the Brattle Group, Inc. His textbook Principles of Corporate Finance (12th ed., with Richard Brealey and Franklin Allen) is known as the “bible” of financial management. His research focuses on the valuation of real and financial assets, corporate finance and financial aspects of government regulation of business. He introduced both the tradeoff and pecking order theories of capital structure and was the first to recognize the importance of real options in corporate finance. Myers is the author of influential research papers on many topics, including adjusted present value (APV), rate of return regulation, capital allocation and risk management in banking and insurance, real options, payout policy, and moral hazard and information issues in financing decisions. He has served as a director of Entergy Corporation and CAT Ltd. and as a manager of the Cambridge Endowment for Research in Finance.
He holds an AB from Williams College and an MBA and a PhD from Stanford University.
References to the experience, attributes and skills of Trustees above are pursuant to requirements of the SEC and do not constitute holding out of the Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board by reason thereof.
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 Fund.
REMUNERATION OF THE TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
No officer, director or employee of the Advisor, its parent or subsidiaries receives any compensation from the Trust for serving as an officer or Trustee of the Trust. The Trust pays, in the aggregate, each Independent Trustee an annual fee of $25,000. Trustee fees are allocated between the Funds in such a manner as deemed equitable, taking into consideration the relative net assets of the series.
STANDING COMMITTEES
Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee consisting of all Independent Trustees. George Hornig serves as Chair. The Audit Committee meets with the Trust’s independent auditors to review and approve the scope and results of their professional services; to review the procedures for evaluating the adequacy of the Trust’s accounting controls; to consider the range of audit fees; and to make recommendations to the Board regarding the engagement of the Trust’s independent auditors. The Audit Committee was established on March 28, 2018 and met three times during the calendar year ending December 31, 2019.
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Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has established a Nominating and Governance Committee consisting of all Independent Trustees. Richard Lyons serves as Chairperson. The responsibilities of the Nominating and Governance Committee are to: (1) nominate Independent Trustees; (2) review on a periodic basis the governance structures and procedures of the Funds; (3) periodically review Trustee compensation, (4) annually review committee and committee chair assignments, (5) annually review the responsibilities and charter of each committee, (6) plan and administer the Board’s annual self-evaluation, (7) annually consider the structure, operations and effectiveness of the Nominating and Governance Committee, and (8) at least annually evaluate the independence of counsel to the Independent Trustees. The Nominating and Governance Committee was established on March 28, 2018 and did not meet during the calendar year ended December 31, 2019.
The Trustees adopted the following procedures with respect to the consideration of nominees recommended by security holders.
1. | The shareholder must submit any such recommendation (a “Shareholder Recommendation”) in writing to the Trust, to the attention of the Trust’s Secretary, at the address of the principal executive offices of the Trust. |
2. | The Shareholder Recommendation must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Trust not less than sixty (60) calendar days nor more than ninety (90) calendar days prior to the date of the Board or shareholder meeting at which the nominee candidate would be considered for election. Shareholder Recommendations will be kept on file for two years after receipt of the Shareholder Recommendation. A Shareholder Recommendation considered by the Committee in connection with the Committee’s nomination of any candidate(s) for appointment or election as an independent Trustee need not be considered again by the Committee in connection with any subsequent nomination(s). |
3. | The Shareholder Recommendation must include: (i) a statement in writing setting forth (A) the name, age, date of birth, business address, residence address and nationality of the person recommended by the shareholder (the “candidate”), and the names and addresses of at least three professional references; (B) the number of all shares of the Trust (including the series and class, if applicable) owned of record or beneficially by the candidate, the date such shares were acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition(s), as reported to such shareholder by the candidate; (C) any other information regarding the candidate called for with respect to director nominees by paragraphs (a), (d), (e) and (f) of Item 401 of Regulation S-K or paragraph (b) of Item 22 of Rule 14a-101 (Schedule 14A) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), adopted by the SEC (or the corresponding provisions of any applicable regulation or rule subsequently adopted by the SEC or any successor agency with jurisdiction related to the Trust); (D) any other information regarding the candidate that would be required to be disclosed if the candidate were a nominee in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitation of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or any other applicable law or regulation; and (E) whether the recommending shareholder believes that the candidate is or will be an “interested person” of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) and, if not an “interested person,” information regarding the candidate that will be sufficient, in the discretion of the Board or the Committee, for the Trust to make such determination; (ii) the written and signed consent of the candidate to be named as a nominee and to serve as a Trustee if elected; (iii) the recommending shareholder’s name as it appears on the Trust’s books; (iv) the number of all shares of the Trust (including the series and class, if applicable) owned beneficially and of record by the recommending shareholder; (v) a complete description of all arrangements or understandings between the recommending shareholder and the candidate and any other person or persons (including their names) pursuant to which the recommendation is being made by the recommending shareholder including, without limitation, all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings between the candidate and recommending shareholder during the past three years, and (vi) a brief description of the candidate’s relevant background and experience for membership on the Board, such as qualification as an audit committee financial expert. |
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4. | The Committee may require the recommending shareholder to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require or deem necessary to verify any information furnished pursuant to paragraph 3 above or to determine the eligibility of the candidate to serve as a Trustee of the Trust or to satisfy applicable law. If the recommending shareholder fails to provide such other information in writing within seven days of receipt of a written request from the Committee, the recommendation of such candidate as a nominee will be deemed not properly submitted for consideration, and the Committee will not be required to consider such candidate. |
OWNERSHIP OF FUND SHARES
As of December 31, 2019, neither the Independent Trustees nor their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities in the Advisor, Sub-Advisors, Principal Underwriter or any person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Advisor, Sub-Advisors or Principal Underwriter.
The following table sets forth information describing the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Trustee in the Trust as of December 31, 2019.
Name of Trustee | Fund |
Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in All Funds Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies |
|||||
Independent Trustees: | ||||||||
Deborah Fuhr | None | None | None | |||||
George Hornig | None | None | $0-$10,000 | |||||
Richard Lyons | None | None | $10,000-$50,000 | |||||
Stewart Myers | None | None | $10,000-$50,000 | |||||
Interested Trustees: | ||||||||
Rory Riggs | None | None | $10,000-$50,000 | |||||
Kathy Cuocolo | None | None | Over $100,000 |
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CODE OF ETHICS. The Trust, the Advisor, the Sub-Advisors and Foreside Financial Group, LLC (on behalf of Foreside Fund Officer Services, LLC) have each adopted a code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics permit, subject to certain conditions, personnel of each of those entities to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds. The Distributor relies on the principal underwriters exception under Rule 17j-1(c)(3), specifically where the Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust or the Advisor, and no officer, director or general partner of the Distributor serves as an officer, director or general partner of the Trust or the Advisor. Each code of ethics, filed as an exhibit to the Trust’s registration statement, may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C. or on the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
PROXY VOTING POLICY. The Board believes that the voting of proxies on securities held by the Funds is an important element of the overall investment process. As such, the Board has delegated the responsibility to vote such proxies to the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor’s proxy voting policy is attached at the end of this SAI as Appendix A. Information regarding how a Fund voted proxies relating to its portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available: (1) without charge by calling (866) 972-4492; (2) on the Funds’ website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com; and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS POLICY. The Trust has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about the Trust’s portfolio holdings. The Board must approve all material amendments to this policy. The Fund’s portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Fund is open for business through financial reporting and news services including publicly accessible Internet web sites. In addition, a basket composition file, which includes the security names and share quantities to deliver in exchange for the Fund’s shares, together with estimates and actual cash components, is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of the Exchange via the National Securities Clearing Corporation (the “NSCC”). The basket represents one Creation Unit of the Fund. The Trust, the Advisor or State Street will not disseminate non-public information concerning the Trust, except: (i) to a party for a legitimate business purpose related to the day-to-day operations of the Fund or (ii) to any other party for a legitimate business or regulatory purpose, upon waiver or exception.
THE INVESTMENT ADVISOR
Syntax Advisors, LLC (“Syntax” or the “Advisor”) acts as investment Advisor to the Trust and, subject to the supervision of the Board, is responsible for the investment management of the Fund. The Advisor’s principal address is One Liberty Plaza, 46th Fl. New York, NY 10006.
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The Advisor serves as investment Advisor to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (“Investment Advisory Agreement”) between the Trust and the Advisor. The Investment Advisory Agreement, with respect to the Fund, continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (1) the Board or (2) vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, provided that in either event such continuance also is approved by a majority of the Board who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund is terminable without penalty, on 60 days’ notice, by the Board or by a vote of the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. The Investment Advisory Agreement is also terminable upon 60 days’ notice by the Advisor and will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Advisor, subject to the supervision of the Board and in conformity with the stated investment policies of the Fund, manages the investment of the Fund’s assets. The Advisor is responsible for placing purchase and sale orders and providing continuous supervision of the investment portfolio of the Fund. Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Trust has agreed to indemnify the Advisor for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws, unless such loss or liability results from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or the reckless disregard of its obligations and duties.
For the services provided to the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Fund pays the Advisor monthly fees based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus. From time to time, the Advisor may waive all or a portion of its fee. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, Syntax Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”) has agreed to waive its fees to ensure that Total Annual Operating Expenses (except any (i) interest expense, (ii) taxes, (iii) brokerage expenses and other expenses (such as stamp taxes) connected with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions, (iv) expenses associated with shareholder meetings, (v) compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees, (vi) compensation and expenses of the Trust’s chief compliance officer and his or her staff, (vii) distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, (viii) legal fees or expenses in connection with any arbitration, litigation or pending or threatened arbitration or litigation, including any settlements in connection therewith, and (ix) extraordinary expenses of the Fund) do not exceed 0.65%.
The advisory fees paid to the Advisor for the last three fiscal years have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced investment operations as of the date of this SAI.
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The fee waiver agreement also includes the Advisor’s waiver of 30 basis points of Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses reflect the Fund's pro rata share of the fees and expenses incurred by investing in underlying Advisor ETFs and securities. The impact of Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses is included in the total returns of the Fund. The Advisor to the Fund has contractually agreed to reimburse a portion of its management fees for the Fund in an amount equal to the Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, if any, attributable to the Fund in other series of the Trust through May 1, 2021. The contractual waiver may be terminated only upon written agreement of the Trust and the Advisor. You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions and other charges when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which may not be reflected in the Example Fee Table above.
Subject to approval by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, any waiver under the Expense Limitation Agreement is subject to repayment by the Fund within 36 months following the day on which fees are waived or reimbursed, if on any particular business day of the Fund, such repayment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed either: (i) the expense cap at the time such amounts were waived; or (ii) the current expense cap noted above. These arrangements cannot be terminated prior to one year from the effective date of this prospectus without the approval of the Board of Trustees. If the Advisor decides to terminate the fee waiver agreement, it will provide written notice on the Fund’s website at least 60 calendar days in advance of the termination date.
Fund |
Total Operating Expenses after
Waiver/Reimbursement |
SYNTAX STRATIFIED U.S. TOTAL MARKET HEDGED ETF | 0.65% |
A discussion regarding the Board’s consideration of the Trust’s Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements can be found in the Trust’s next Annual or Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders, as applicable.
SUB-ADVISORS
Vantage Consulting Group (“Vantage” or the “Equity Sub-Advisor”), 3500 Pacific Ave. Virginia Beach, VA 23451, serves as the investment sub-advisor for the Fund pursuant to an Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Advisor and Vantage, dated March 2, 2018 (referred to as a “Sub-Advisory Agreement). The Equity Sub-Advisor is responsible for placing purchase and sale orders and shall make investment decisions for the Fund, subject to the supervision by the Advisor. For its services, the Equity Sub-Advisor is compensated by the Advisor.
Swan Global Investments, LLC (“Swan” or the “Options Sub-Advisor”), 277 E. Third Ave, Unit A, Durango, CO 81301, serves only as the investment sub-advisor for the options strategy of the Syntax Stratified U.S. Hedged Equity ETF pursuant to an Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Advisor and Swan, dated February 19, 2020 (referred to as a “Sub-Advisory Agreement”). Swan is responsible for placing options purchase and sale orders and shall make options investment decisions for the Syntax Stratified U.S. Hedged Equity ETF, subject to the supervision of the Advisor. For its services, Swan is compensated by the Advisor.
VANTAGE PORTFOLIO MANAGER
The Equity Sub-Advisor manages the Fund using a team of investment professionals. The professional primarily responsible for the day-to-day equity portfolio management of the Fund is James Thomas Wolfe.
The following table lists the number and types of accounts, other than the Fund, managed by Mr. Wolfe and the assets under management in those accounts.
Other Accounts Managed as of December 31, 2019
Registered
Investment Company Accounts |
Assets
Managed (millions) |
Pooled
Investment Vehicle Accounts |
Assets
Managed (millions) |
Other
Accounts |
Assets
Managed (millions) |
|
James Thomas Wolfe | 1 | $62,148,931 | 2 | $26,083,283 | N/A | N/A |
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OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
The portfolio manager listed above does not beneficially own any Shares of the Fund as of December 31, 2019.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Description of Material Conflicts of Interest. Because the portfolio manager may manage multiple portfolios for multiple clients, the potential for conflicts of interest exists. The portfolio manager generally manages portfolios having substantially the same investment style as the Fund. However, the portfolios managed by the portfolio manager may not have portfolio compositions identical to those of the Fund due, for example, to specific investment limitations or guidelines present in some portfolios or accounts but not others. The portfolio manager may purchase securities for one portfolio and not another portfolio, and the performance of securities purchased for one portfolio may vary from the performance of securities purchased for other portfolios. The portfolio manager may place transactions on behalf of other accounts that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of the Fund, or make investment decisions that are similar to those made for the Fund, both of which have the potential to adversely impact the Fund depending on market conditions. For example, the portfolio manager may purchase a security in one portfolio while appropriately selling that same security in another portfolio. In addition, some of these portfolios have fee structures that are or have the potential to be higher than the advisory fees paid by the Fund, which can cause potential conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and the other accounts. However, the compensation structure for portfolio manager does not generally provide incentive to favor one account over another because that part of a manager’s bonus based on performance is not based on the performance of one account to the exclusion of others. There are many other factors considered in determining the portfolio manager’s bonus and there is no formula that is applied to weight the factors listed.
COMPENSATION
The Equity Sub-Advisor’s compensation and incentive program varies by professional and discipline. A portfolio manager’s compensation is comprised of a fixed based salary and a bonus. The base salary is not based on the value of the assets managed but rather on the individual portfolio manager’s experience and responsibilities. The bonus also varies by individual and is based upon criteria that incorporate the Sub-Advisor’s assessment of each Fund’s performance as well as a portfolio manager’s corporate citizenship and overall contribution to the Firm.
SWAN PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Swan manages only the options strategy for the Syntax Stratified U.S. Hedged Equity ETF using a team of investment professionals. The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Syntax Stratified U.S. Hedged Equity ETF are Chris Hausman and Micah Wakefield.
The following table lists the number and types of accounts, other than the Fund, managed by Mr. Swan and the assets under management in those accounts.
Other Accounts Managed as of June 30, 2019
Portfolio Manager |
Registered
Investment Company Accounts |
Assets
Managed (millions) |
Pooled
Investment Vehicle Accounts |
Assets
Managed (millions) |
Other
Accounts |
Assets
Managed (millions) |
Randy Swan | None | $0 | 5 | $266.05 | 4,460 | $1,402 |
Robert Swan | None | $0 | 5 | $266.05 | 4,460 | $1,402 |
Christopher Hausman | None | $0 | 5 | $266.05 | 4,460 | $1,402 |
Micah Wakefield | None | $0 | 5 | $266.05 | 4,460 | $1,402 |
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OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
The portfolio managers listed above does not beneficially own any Shares of the Fund since the Fund has not yet commenced operations.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
As indicated in the table above, the portfolio managers may manage numerous accounts for multiple clients. These accounts may include registered investment companies, other types of pooled accounts (e.g., collective investment funds), and separate accounts (i.e., accounts managed on behalf of individuals or public or private institutions). The portfolio managers make investment decisions for each account based on the investment objectives and policies and other relevant investment considerations applicable to that portfolio. When a portfolio manager has responsibility for managing more than one account, potential conflicts of interest may arise. Those conflicts could include preferential treatment of one account over others in terms of allocation of resources or of investment opportunities. For instance, the Options Sub-Advisor may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fee it receives from the Fund. In this instance, a portfolio manager may have an incentive to favor the account with the higher fee over the Fund. The Options Sub-Advisor has adopted policies and procedures designed to address these potential material conflicts. For instance, a portfolio manager is normally responsible for all accounts within a certain investment discipline, and do not, absent special circumstances, differentiate among the various accounts when allocating resources. Additionally, the Options Sub-Advisor utilizes a system for allocating investment opportunities among portfolios that is designed to provide a fair and equitable allocation.
The Options Sub-Advisor attempts to avoid conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the management of multiple client accounts. From time to time, the Sub-Adviser may recommend or cause a client to invest in a security in which another client of the Adviser has an ownership position. The Options Sub-Advisor has adopted certain procedures intended to treat all client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. To the extent that the Options Sub-Advisor seeks to purchase or sell the same security for multiple client accounts, the Sub-Advisor may aggregate, or bunch, these orders where it deems this to be appropriate and consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. When a bunched order is filled in its entirety, each participating client account will participate at the average share prices for the bunched order. When a bunched order is only partially filled, the securities purchased will be allocated proportionately to each account participating in the bunched order based upon the initial amount requested for the account, subject to certain exceptions. Each participating account will receive the average share price for the bunched order on the same business day.
COMPENSATION
For services as portfolio manager to the Fund, Mr. Randy Swan receives a fixed salary from the Options Sub-Advisor and also shares in its profits, if any, due to his majority ownership of the Sub-Adviser. Mr. Robert Swan receives a fixed salary from the Options Sub-Advisor and also shares in profits of the Options Sub-Advisor due to his minority ownership of the Options Sub-Advisor. Mr. Wakefield and Mr. Hausman receive a fixed salary from the Options Sub-Advisor and also share in the profits of the Options Sub-Advisor due to their minority ownership of the Options Sub-Advisor.
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THE ADMINISTRATOR, CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT
State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), located at State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as Administrator for the Trust pursuant to an administration agreement (“Administration Agreement”). Under the Administration Agreement, State Street is responsible for certain administrative services associated with day-to-day operations of the Fund.
Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, the Trust has agreed to a limitation on damages and to indemnify the Administrator for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws; provided, however, such indemnity of the Administrator shall not apply in the case of the Administrator’s gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties. Under the Custodian Agreement and Transfer Agency Agreement, as described below, the Trust has also provided indemnities to State Street for certain liabilities.
State Street also serves as Custodian for the Fund pursuant to a custodian agreement (“Custodian Agreement”). As Custodian, State Street holds the Fund’s assets, calculates the net asset value of the Shares and calculates net income and realized capital gains or losses. State Street and the Trust will comply with the self-custodian provisions of Rule 17f-2 under the 1940 Act.
State Street also serves as Transfer Agent of the Fund pursuant to a transfer agency agreement (“Transfer Agency Agreement”).
Compensation. As compensation for its services under the Administration Agreement, the Custodian Agreement and Transfer Agency Agreement, State Street shall receive a fee for its services, calculated based on the average aggregate net assets of the Trust as follows:
For its services as Administrator, State Street is paid an annual fee based on the net assets of the Fund. As the Fund has not yet commenced operation, the Fund has not paid State Street fees for its services as Administrator.
For its services as Custodian and fund accountant, State Street is paid an annual fee based on the net assets of the Fund. It also receives an annual fee for ETF basket creation services. As the Fund has not yet commenced operation, the Fund has not paid State Street fees for its services as Custodian or fund accountant.
THE DISTRIBUTOR
Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the “Distributor”) is the principal underwriter and Distributor of the Fund’s Creation Units. Its principal address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine, 04101. Investor information can be obtained by calling (866) 972-4492. The Distributor has entered into a distribution agreement (“Distribution Agreement”) with the Trust pursuant to which it distributes Creation Units of the Fund. The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually thereafter. Shares will be continuously offered for sale by the Trust through the Distributor only in Creation Units, as described in the Prospectus and below under “PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS.” Shares in numbers less than Creation Units are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor will deliver the Prospectus to Authorized Participants (as defined below) purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The Distributor has no role in determining the investment policies of the Trust or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Trust.
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The Advisor, or an affiliate of the Advisor, may directly or indirectly make cash payments to certain broker-dealers for participating in activities that are designed to make registered representatives and other professionals more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as participation in marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems.
The Fund has adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act pursuant to which payments of up to 0.25% of a Fund’s average daily net assets may be made for the sale and distribution of its Shares. However, the Board of Trustees has determined not to authorize payment of a 12b-1 Plan fee at this time. The 12b-1 Plan fee may only be imposed or increased when the Board of Trustees determines that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of a Fund’s assets, and over time, these fees increase the cost of your investment and they may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
The Distribution Agreement provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, as to the Fund: (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, on at least 60 days written notice to the Distributor. The Distribution Agreement is also terminable upon 60 days’ notice by the Distributor and will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
The continuation of the Distribution Agreement, any Investor Services Agreements and any other related agreements is subject to annual approval of the Board, including by a majority of the Independent Trustees, as described above.
Each of the Investor Services Agreements will provide that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the relevant Fund, on at least 60 days’ written notice to the other party. The Distribution Agreement is also terminable upon 60 days’ notice by the Distributor and will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act). Each Investor Services Agreement is also terminable by the applicable Investor Service Organization upon 60 days’ notice to the other party thereto.
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The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Unit aggregations of Fund Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Participating Parties (as defined in the “Book Entry Only System” section below), DTC Participants (as defined below) and/or Investor Services Organizations.
Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Trust has agreed to indemnify the Distributor, and may indemnify Soliciting Dealers and Authorized Participants (as described below) entering into agreements with the Distributor, for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws, unless such loss or liability results from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or the reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Distribution Agreement or other agreement, as applicable.
The policy of the Trust regarding purchases and sales of securities for the 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 are traded 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 Fund and the Advisors from obtaining a high quality of brokerage and research services. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Advisors rely upon their experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage and research services received from the broker effecting the transaction. Such determinations are necessarily subjective and imprecise, as in most cases an exact dollar value for those services is not ascertainable. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of a Fund’s Shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.
In selecting a broker/dealer for each specific transaction, the Advisors choose the broker/dealer deemed most capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable execution and does not take the sale of Fund Shares into account. The Advisors consider the full range of brokerage services applicable to a particular transaction that 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 Advisors will also use electronic crossing networks when appropriate.
The Advisors do not currently use the Fund’s assets for, or participate in, third party soft dollar arrangements, although the Advisors may receive proprietary research from various full service brokers, the cost of which is bundled with the cost of the broker’s execution services. The Advisors do not “pay up” for the value of any such proprietary research.
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The Advisors assume general supervision over placing orders on behalf of the Trust for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities of the Trust and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the Advisors 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 the fiduciary obligations to all by the Advisors. In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security so far as the Trust 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 the Trust. The primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price.
The Fund will not deal with affiliates in principal transactions unless permitted by exemptive order or applicable rule or regulation. The aggregate dollar amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the last three fiscal years have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced investment operations as of the date of this SAI.
The Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) which it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers or dealers” of the Trust are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Trust’s portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Trust; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of the Trust’s Shares.
Holdings in Securities of Regular Broker-Dealers for the most recent fiscal year have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced investment operations as of the date of this SAI.
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 or transaction costs. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions and transaction costs is evaluated by the Advisor and reviewed by the Board based upon their knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions and transaction costs paid by other institutional investors for comparable services.
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION.”
DTC acts as securities depositary for the Shares. Shares of the Fund 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 the limited circumstance provided below, certificates will not be issued for Shares.
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DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, 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 the FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).
Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of Shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the Shares of the Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust, either directly or through a third party service, shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding Shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust, either directly or through a third party service, 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 and/or third party service 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 Shares of the 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 aspects of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such Shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.
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DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to Shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost or, if such a 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.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
The Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI and therefore did not have any beneficial owners that owned greater than 5% of the outstanding voting securities as of the date of this SAI.
An Authorized Participant (as defined below) may hold of record more than 25% of the outstanding Shares of the Fund. From time to time, Authorized Participants may be a beneficial and/or legal owner of the Fund, may be deemed to have control of the Fund and may be able to affect the outcome of matters presented for a vote of the shareholders of the Fund. Authorized Participants may execute an irrevocable proxy granting the Distributor, State Street or an affiliate (the “Agent”) power to vote or abstain from voting such Authorized Participant’s beneficially or legally owned Shares of the Fund. In such cases, the Agent shall mirror vote (or abstain from voting) such Shares in the same proportion as all other beneficial owners of the Fund.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS
The Fund issues and redeems its Shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in a large specified number of Shares called a “Creation Unit,” either principally in-kind for securities included in the relevant Index or in cash for the value of such securities. The value of the Fund is determined once each business day, as described under “Determination of Net Asset Value.” Creation Unit sizes are set forth in the table below:
FUND | Creation Unit Size | |
Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF | 25,000 |
PURCHASE (CREATION). The Trust issues and sells Shares of the Fund only: in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Principal Underwriter, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), at their NAV per Share next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day (as defined below), in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”). A “Business Day” with respect to the Fund is, generally, any day on which the NYSE Arca is open for business.
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FUND DEPOSIT. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of either (i) the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities instruments (“Deposit Instruments”) per each Creation Unit, constituting a substantial replication, or (ii) the Deposit Cash constituting the cash value of the Deposit Instruments and “Cash Amount,” computed as described below. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for cash, the Fund may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit Instruments that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser.
Together, the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Amount constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund. The “Cash Amount” is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Shares (per Creation Unit) and the aggregate market value of the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Amount is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit exceeds the market value of the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Amount shall be such positive amount. If the Cash Amount is a negative number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit is less than the market value of the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Amount shall be such negative amount and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Amount. The Cash Amount serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the market value of the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable. Computation of the Cash Amount excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Instruments, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).
The Custodian, through NSCC, makes available on each Business Day, immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time), the list of the names and the required amount of the instruments comprising the Deposit Instruments or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, as well as the estimated amount of the Cash Amount to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, in order to effect purchases of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Instruments or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.
The identity and required amount of each instrument comprising the Deposit Instruments or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for the Fund Deposit for the Fund changes as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Advisor with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Instruments may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities of the Fund’s Index.
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As noted above, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Instrument which shall be added to the Deposit Instruments, including, without limitation, in situations where such Deposit Instrument: (i) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (ii) in the case of foreign funds holding non-US Deposit Instruments, where such instruments are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers, or other similar circumstances; (iii) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (iv) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting; or (v) a holder of Shares of a foreign fund holding non-US instruments would be subject to unfavorable income tax treatment if the holder receives redemption proceed “in-kind” (collectively, “non-standard orders”). The Trust also reserves the right to include or remove Deposit Instruments from the basket in anticipation of index rebalancing changes. The adjustments described above will reflect changes, known to the Advisor on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Fund Deposit, in the composition of the subject Index being tracked by the Fund or resulting from certain corporate actions.
PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASE OF CREATION UNITS. To be eligible to place orders with the Principal Underwriter, as facilitated via the Transfer Agent, to purchase a Creation Unit of the 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 Principal Underwriter and the Transfer Agent, and that has been accepted by the Trust, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of a Participant Agreement, on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that it will pay to the Trust, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Deposit Instruments together with the creation transaction fee (described below) and any other applicable fees, taxes and additional variable charge.
All orders to purchase Shares directly from the Fund, including non-standard orders, must be placed for one or more whole Creation Units and in the manner and by the time set forth in 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 the 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.
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On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which the Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed, the Fund will also generally not accept orders on such day(s). Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. Those placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order by the cut-off time on such Business Day. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant.
Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a subcustody agent for (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Instruments, the Custodian shall cause the subcustodian of the Fund 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 Instruments. Foreign Deposit Instruments 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 Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the Fund or its agents by no later than the Settlement Date. The “Settlement Date” for the Fund is generally the third Business Day after the Order Placement Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Instruments 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 Deposit Instruments 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 Amount and the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received 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 the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Transfer Agent.
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 (per applicable instructions), 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 (per applicable instructions) on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, order form and this SAI are properly followed.
ISSUANCE OF A CREATION UNIT. Except as provided herein, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Instruments or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Deposit Instruments has been completed. When the sub-custodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Instruments (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the Principal Underwriter and the Advisor shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units.
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In instances where the Trust accepts Deposit Instruments for the purchase of a Creation Unit, the Creation Unit may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Instruments as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the net asset value of the Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since in addition to available Deposit Instruments, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Deposit Instruments, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the market value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Instruments (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which shall be maintained in a general non-interest bearing collateral account. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Instruments to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Instruments. The Trust may use such Additional Cash Deposit to buy the missing Deposit Instruments at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for all costs, expenses, dividends, income and taxes associated with missing Deposit Instruments, including the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Instruments exceeds the market value of such Deposit Instruments on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Principal Underwriter plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Instruments have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee as set forth below under “Creation Transaction Fees” will be charged and an additional variable charge may also be applied. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.
ACCEPTANCE OF ORDERS OF CREATION UNITS. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted in respect of a Fund at its discretion, including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80 percent or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (d) acceptance of the Deposit Instruments would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (e) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (f) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust or the Advisor, have an adverse effect on the Trust or the rights of beneficial owners; (g) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; (h) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent and/or the Advisor make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process orders for Creation Units; or (i) there are tax consequences for the Fund, the Advisor, and/or existing investors. 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 Principal Underwriter, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Trust or its agents shall communicate to the Authorized Participant its rejection of an order. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Principal Underwriter 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 Principal Underwriter shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units.
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All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Instruments and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
REDEMPTION. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their net asset value next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the 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 WHOLE CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit in order to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.
With respect to the Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and share quantities of the Fund’s portfolio instruments that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Redemption Instruments”). In certain circumstances, Redemption Instruments received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Instruments.
Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit are paid either in-kind or in cash, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Trust. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the Fund, redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of Redemption 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 net asset value of the Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Redemption Instruments (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less a fixed redemption transaction fee and any applicable additional variable charge as set forth below. In the event that the Redemption Instruments have a value greater than the net asset value of the Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Trust’s discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more redemption Instruments.
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PROCEDURES FOR REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS. After the Trust has deemed an order for redemption received, the Trust will initiate procedures to transfer the requisite Redemption Instruments and the Cash Redemption Amount to the Authorized Participant by the Settlement Date. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the Fund, the calculation of the value of the Redemption Instruments and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered upon redemption will be made by the Custodian according to the procedures set forth under “Determination of Net Asset Value,” computed on the Business Day on which a redemption order is deemed received by the Trust. Therefore, if a redemption order in proper form is submitted to the Principal Underwriter by a DTC Participant by the specified time on the Order Placement Date, and the requisite number of Shares of the Fund are delivered to the Custodian prior to 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time (per applicable instructions) on the Settlement Date, then the value of the Redemption Instruments and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered will be determined by the Custodian on such Order Placement Date. If the requisite number of Shares of the Fund are not delivered by 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time (per applicable instructions) on the Settlement Date, the Fund will not release the underlying securities for delivery unless collateral is posted in such percentage amount of missing Shares as set forth in the Participant Agreement (marked to market daily).
With respect to in kind redemptions of the Fund, in connection with taking delivery of shares of Redemption Instruments upon redemption of Creation Units, an Authorized Participant must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Redemption Instruments are customarily traded (or such other arrangements as allowed by the Trust or its agents), to which account such Redemption Instruments will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within three Business Days of the trade date. Due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, however, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds may take longer than three business days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. The section below entitled “Local Market Holidays Schedules” identifies the instances where more than seven days would be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Pursuant to an order of the SEC, in respect of the Fund, the Trust will make delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds within the number of days stated in the Local Market Holidays section to be the maximum number of days necessary to deliver redemption proceeds. If the Authorized Participant has not made appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Redemption Instruments in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Redemption Instruments in such jurisdiction, the Trust may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the Authorized Participant will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.
If it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Redemption Instruments, 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 the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Shares based on the NAV of Shares of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Redemption Instruments). The 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 Redemption Instruments but does not differ in net asset value.
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An Authorized Participant submitting a redemption request is deemed to represent to the Trust that it (or its client) (i) owns outright or has full legal authority and legal beneficial right to tender for redemption the requisite number of Shares to be redeemed and can receive the entire proceeds of the redemption, and (ii) the Shares to be redeemed have not been loaned or pledged to another party nor are they the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or such other arrangement which would preclude the delivery of such Shares to the Trust. The Trust reserves the right to verify these representations at its discretion, but will typically require verification with respect to a redemption request from the Fund in connection with higher levels of redemption activity and/or short interest in the Fund. If the Authorized Participant, upon receipt of a verification request, does not provide sufficient verification of its representations as determined by the Trust, the redemption request will not be considered to have been received in proper form and may be rejected by the Trust.
Redemptions of Shares for Redemption Instruments will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the 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 Redemption Instruments upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Redemption Instruments 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 Redemption Instruments applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming investor of the Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” (“QIB”), as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive Redemption Instruments 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 in order to receive Redemption Instruments.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares of the Fund or determination of the NAV of the Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
CREATION AND REDEMPTION TRANSACTION FEES. A transaction fee, as set forth in the table below, is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase or redemption of Creation Units, as applicable, with fees capped at 2% of transaction amount. Authorized Participants will be required to pay a fixed creation transaction fee and/or a fixed redemption transaction fee, as applicable, on a given day regardless of the number of Creation Units created or redeemed on that day. The Fund may adjust the transaction fee from time to time. The Creation/Redemption Transaction Fee may be waived for the Fund when the Advisor believes that waiver of such fee is in the best interest of the Fund. When determining whether to waive the Creation/Redemption Transaction Fee, the Advisor considers a number of factors including whether waiving such fee will facilitate the initial launch of the Fund; facilitate portfolio rebalancings in a less costly manner; improve the quality of the secondary trading market for the Fund’s shares; and not result in the Fund bearing additional costs or expenses as a result of such waiver.
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An additional charge or a variable charge (discussed below) will be applied to certain creation and redemption transactions, including non-standard orders and whole or partial cash purchases or redemptions. With respect to creation orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Instruments to the account of the Trust and with respect to redemption orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the Redemption Instruments from the Trust to their account or on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may also be charged a fee for such services.
FUND |
TRANSACTION
FEE |
MAXIMUM
TRANSACTION FEE |
||||||
Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF | $ | 2,000 | $ | 2,000 |
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the sections in the Prospectus entitled “PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES” and “ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION.”
Net asset value per Share for the Fund of the Trust is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Shares outstanding. Expenses and fees, including the management, administration and distribution fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining net asset value. The net asset value of the Fund is calculated by the Custodian and determined as of the close of the regular trading session on the (ordinarily 4:00p.m. Eastern time) on each day that such exchange is open.
In computing the Fund’s net asset value per Share, the Fund’s securities holdings are based on the market price of the securities, which generally means a valuation obtained from an exchange or other market (or based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of value supplied by an exchange or other market) or a valuation obtained from an independent pricing service. In the case of shares of funds that are not traded on an exchange (e.g., mutual funds), last sale price means such fund’s published net asset value per share. Other portfolio securities and assets for which market quotations are not readily available are valued based on fair value as determined in good faith by the Oversight Committee in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board. In these cases, the Fund’s net asset value may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than their market prices. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security. In addition, fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate the Fund’s net asset value and the prices used by the Index. This may result in a difference between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index.
Exchange traded options are valued at the last quoted sales price or, in the absence of a sale, at the mean between the current bid and ask prices on the exchange on which such options are traded. Other securities for which market quotes are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees or persons acting at their direction.
Certain securities or investments for which daily market quotes are not readily available may be valued, pursuant to guidelines established by the Board of Trustees, with reference to other securities or indices.
The Fund may hold securities, such as private placements, other non-traded securities or temporarily illiquid securities through seeding or contribution-in-kind transactions, for which market quotations are not readily available or are determined to be unreliable. These securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined using the “fair value” procedures approved by the Board. The Board may also enlist third party consultants such as an audit firm or financial officer of a security issuer on an as-needed basis to assist in determining a security-specific fair value.
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The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “DISTRIBUTIONS.”
GENERAL POLICIES. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid annually for the Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Trust may make distributions on a more frequent basis for a Fund to improve index tracking or to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act. In addition, the Trust intends to distribute at least annually amounts representing the full dividend yield on the underlying portfolio securities of the Fund, net of expenses of such Fund, as if such Fund owned such underlying portfolio securities for the entire dividend period. As a result, some portion of each distribution may result in a return of capital for tax purposes for shareholders.
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.
The Trust may make additional distributions to the extent necessary (i) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the Trust, plus any net capital gains and (ii) to avoid imposition of the excise tax imposed by Section 4982 of the Internal Revenue 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 the status of the Fund as a “regulated investment company” under the Internal Revenue Code or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT. Broker dealers, at their own discretion, may also offer a dividend reinvestment service under which Shares are purchased in the secondary market at current market prices. Investors should consult their broker dealer for further information regarding any dividend reinvestment service offered by such broker dealer.
Set forth below is a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and the purchase, ownership and disposition of Shares. It is based upon the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), U.S. Treasury Department regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial authorities, and administrative rulings and practices, all as in effect as of the date of this SAI and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “U.S. Federal Income Taxation.”
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Except to the extent discussed below, this summary assumes that the Fund’s shareholder holds Shares as capital assets within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code, and does not hold Shares in connection with a trade or business. This summary does not address all potential U.S. federal income tax considerations possibly applicable to an investment in Shares, and does not address the tax consequences to Fund shareholders subject to special tax rules, including, but not limited to, partnerships and the partners therein, those who hold Shares through an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged account, and, except to the extent discussed below, tax-exempt shareholders. This discussion does not discuss any aspect of U.S. state, local, estate, and gift, or non-U.S., tax law. This discussion is not intended or written to be legal or tax advice to any shareholder in the Fund or other person and is not intended or written to be used or relied on, and cannot be used or relied on, by any such person for the purpose of avoiding any U.S. federal tax penalties that may be imposed on such person. Prospective Fund shareholders are urged to consult their own tax Advisors with respect to the specific U.S. federal, state, and local, and non-U.S., tax consequences of investing in Shares based on their particular circumstances.
The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) as to the U.S. federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors with regard to the U.S. federal tax consequences of the purchase, ownership or disposition of Shares, as well as the tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, non-U.S. country or other taxing jurisdiction.
Tax Treatment of the Fund
In General. The Fund intends to qualify and elect to be treated as a separate regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the Internal Revenue Code. As a RIC, a Fund generally will not be required to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.
To qualify and remain eligible for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs, a Fund must meet certain income, asset and distribution requirements, described in more detail below. Specifically, the Fund must (i) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (“QPTPs”) (i.e., partnership that are traded on an established securities market or readily tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive at least 90% of their income from interest, dividends, and other qualifying RIC income described above), and (ii) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other RICs, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers of which 20% or more of the voting stock of each such issuer is held by the Fund and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or business or in the securities of one or more QPTPs. Furthermore, a Fund must distribute annually at least 90% of the sum of (i) its “investment company taxable income” (which includes dividends, interest and net short-term capital gains) and (ii) certain net tax-exempt income, if any.
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Failure to Maintain RIC Status. If a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for any year (subject to certain curative measures allowed by the Internal Revenue Code), the Fund will be subject to regular corporate-level U.S. federal income tax in that year on all of its taxable income, regardless of whether the Fund makes any distributions to its shareholders. In addition, in such case, distributions will be taxable to the Fund’s shareholders generally as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, possibly eligible for (i) in the case of an individual Fund shareholder, treatment as a qualified dividend (as discussed below) subject to tax at preferential long-term capital gains rates or (ii) in the case of a corporate Fund shareholder, a dividends-received deduction. The remainder of this discussion assumes that the Fund will qualify for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs.
Excise Tax. A Fund will be subject to a 4% excise tax on certain undistributed income generally if the Fund does not distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year at least 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year, 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the twelve months ended October 31 of such year, plus 100% of any undistributed amounts from prior years. For these purposes, the Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it has been subject to U.S. corporate income tax for the taxable year ending within such calendar year. The Fund intends to make distributions necessary to avoid this 4% excise tax, although there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so.
Phantom Income. With respect to some or all of its investments, a Fund may be required to recognize taxable income in advance of receiving the related cash payment. For example, under the “wash sale” rules, the Fund may not be able to deduct currently a loss on a disposition of a portfolio security. As a result, the Fund may be required to make an annual income distribution greater than the total cash actually received during the year. Such distribution may be made from the existing cash assets of the Fund or cash generated from selling Portfolio Securities. The Fund may realize gains or losses from such sales, in which event the Fund’s shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution than they would in the absence of such transactions. (See also —“Certain Debt Instruments” below.)
Options. To the extent such investments are permissible for the Fund, the Fund’s transactions in options, hedging transactions, and other derivatives will be subject to special tax rules (including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules), the effect of which may be to accelerate income to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund’s securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains and convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to shareholders. To the extent such investments are permissible, certain of the Fund’s hedging activities are likely to produce a difference between its book income and its taxable income. If the Fund’s book income exceeds its taxable income, the distribution (if any) of such excess book income will be treated as (i) a dividend to the extent of the Fund’s remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income), (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipient’s basis in the shares, and (iii) thereafter, as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. If the Fund’s book income is less than taxable income, the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regular investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.
Certain Debt Instruments. Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund (such as zero coupon debt instruments or debt instruments with payment in-kind interest) may be treated as debt securities that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of original issue discount is treated as interest income and is included in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures.
If the Fund acquires debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) in the secondary market, such debt securities may be treated as having market discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the “accrued market discount” on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having market discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
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Some debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as having acquisition discount, or original issue discount in the case of certain types of debt securities. Generally, the Fund will be required to include the acquisition discount, or original issue discount, in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having acquisition discount, or original issue discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
Non-U.S. Investments. Dividends, interest and proceeds from the direct or indirect sale of non-U.S. securities may be subject to non-U.S. withholding tax and other taxes, including financial transaction taxes. Even if the Fund is entitled to seek a refund in respect of such taxes, it may not have sufficient information to do so or may choose not to do so. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. Non-U.S. taxes paid by the Fund will reduce the return from the Fund’s investments.
Special or Uncertain Tax Consequences. The Fund’s investment or other activities could be subject to special and complex tax rules that may produce differing tax consequences, such as disallowing or limiting the use of losses or deductions, causing the recognition of income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, affecting the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur or altering the characterization of certain complex financial transactions.
The Fund may engage in investment or other activities the treatment of which may not be clear or may be subject to recharacterization by the IRS. In particular, the tax treatment of swaps and certain other derivatives and income from foreign currency transactions is unclear for purposes of determining the Fund’s status as a RIC. If a final determination on the tax treatment of the Fund’s investment or other activities differs from the Fund’s original expectations, the final determination could adversely affect the Fund’s status as a RIC or the timing or character of income recognized by the Fund, requiring the Fund to purchase or sell assets, alter its portfolio or take other action in order to comply with the final determination.
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Tax Treatment of Fund Shareholders
Taxation of U.S. Shareholders
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Fund Shares applicable to “U.S. shareholders.” For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of Fund Shares who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation (or an entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, or of any state thereof, or the District of Columbia; (iii) an estate, the income of which is includable in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or (iv) a trust, if (a) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (b) the trust has a valid election in place to be treated as a U.S. person.
Fund Distributions. In general, Fund distributions are subject to U.S. federal income tax when paid, regardless of whether they consist of cash or property and regardless of whether they are re-invested in Shares. However, any Fund distribution declared in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date during such month will be deemed to have been received by the Fund shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year, provided such dividend is actually paid during January of the following calendar year.
Distributions of a Fund’s net investment income and the Fund’s net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses (collectively referred to as “ordinary income dividends”) are taxable as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits (subject to an exception for “qualified dividend income, as discussed below). Corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible to take a dividends-received deduction with respect to such distributions, provided the distributions are attributable to dividends received by the Fund on stock of U.S. corporations with respect to which the Fund meets certain holding period and other requirements. To the extent designated as “capital gain dividends” by the Fund, distributions of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains in excess of net short-term capital losses (“net capital gain”) are taxable at long-term capital gain tax rates to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, regardless of the Fund shareholder’s holding period in the Fund’s Shares. Such dividends will not be eligible for a dividends-received deduction by corporate shareholders.
A Fund’s net capital gain is computed by taking into account the Fund’s capital loss carryforwards, if any. Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, capital losses incurred in tax years beginning after December 22, 2010 can be carried forward indefinitely and retain the character of the original loss. To the extent that these carryforwards are available to offset future capital gains, it is probable that the amount offset will not be distributed to shareholders. In the event that a Fund were to experience an ownership change as defined under the Code, the Fund’s loss carryforwards, if any, may be subject to limitation.
Distributions of “qualified dividend income” (defined below) are taxed to certain non-corporate shareholders at the reduced rates applicable to long-term capital gain to the extent of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, provided that the Fund shareholder meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to the distributing Fund’s Shares and the distributing Fund meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to the dividend-paying stocks. Dividends subject to these special rules, however, are not actually treated as capital gains and, thus, are not included in the computation of a non-corporate shareholder’s net capital gain and generally cannot be used to offset capital losses. The portion of distributions that a Fund may report as qualified dividend income generally is limited to the amount of qualified dividend income received by the Fund, but if for any Fund taxable year 95% or more of the Fund’s gross income (exclusive of net capital gain from sales of stock and securities) consist of qualified dividend income, all distributions of such income for that taxable year may be reported as qualified dividend income. For this purpose, “qualified dividend income” generally means income from dividends received by a Fund from U.S. corporations and qualified non-U.S. corporations. Income from dividends received by the Fund from a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) or another RIC generally is qualified dividend income only to the extent that the dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income received by such REIT or other RIC.
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To the extent that the Fund makes a distribution of income received by such Fund in lieu of dividends 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.
Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the shareholder’s tax basis in its Shares of the Fund, and as a capital gain thereafter (assuming the shareholder holds its Shares of the Fund as capital assets).
The Fund intends to distribute its net capital gain at least annually. However, by providing written notice to its shareholders no later than 60 days after its year-end, a Fund may elect to retain some or all of its net capital gain and designate the retained amount as a “deemed distribution.” In that event, the Fund pays U.S. federal income tax on the retained net capital gain, and the Fund shareholder recognizes a proportionate share of the Fund’s undistributed net capital gain. In addition, a shareholder can claim a tax credit or refund for the shareholder’s proportionate share of the Fund’s U.S. federal income taxes paid on the undistributed net capital gain and increase the shareholder’s tax basis in the Fund Shares by an amount equal to the shareholder’s proportionate share of the Fund’s undistributed net capital gain, reduced by the amount of the shareholder’s tax credit or refund. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such net capital gain may be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the Fund upon timely filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the IRS.
With respect to non-corporate Fund shareholders (i.e., individuals, trusts and estates), ordinary income and short-term capital gain are taxed at a current maximum rate of 39.6% and long-term capital gain is taxed at a current maximum rate of 20%. Corporate shareholders are taxed at a current maximum rate of 35% on their income and gain.
In addition, high-income individuals (and certain trusts and estates) generally will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare tax on “net investment income,” in addition to otherwise applicable U.S. federal income tax. “Net investment income” generally will include dividends (including capital gain dividends) received from a Fund and net gains from the redemption or other disposition of Shares. Please consult your tax advisor regarding this tax.
Investors considering buying Shares just prior to a distribution should be aware that, although the price of the Shares purchased at such time may reflect the forthcoming distribution, such distribution nevertheless may be taxable (as opposed to a non-taxable return of capital).
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Sales of Shares. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Shares generally is treated as a long-term gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Shares held for one year or less generally is treated as a short-term gain or loss, except that any capital loss on the sale of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid (or deemed to be paid) with respect to such Shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Fund Shares will be disallowed under the “wash sale” rules if substantially identical shares are purchased (through reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the Fund Shares. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
Legislation passed by Congress requires reporting to the IRS and to taxpayers of adjusted cost basis information for “covered securities,” which generally include shares of a RIC acquired on or after January 1, 2012. Shareholders should contact their brokers to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and available elections for their accounts.
Creation Unit Issues and Redemptions. On an issue of Shares as part of a Creation Unit, made by means of an in-kind deposit, an Authorized Participant recognizes capital gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the fair market value (at issue) of the issued Shares (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) and (ii) the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the exchanged securities (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). On a redemption of Shares as part of a Creation Unit where the redemption is conducted in-kind by a payment of Fund Securities, an Authorized Participant recognizes capital gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the fair market value (at redemption) of the securities received (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and (ii) the Authorized Participant’s basis in the redeemed Shares (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption). However, the IRS may assert, under the “wash sale” rules or on the basis that there has been no significant change in the Authorized Participant’s economic position, that any loss on an issue or redemption of Creation Units cannot be deducted currently.
In general, any capital gain or loss recognized upon the issue or redemption of Shares (as components of a Creation Unit) is treated either as long-term capital gain or loss, if the deposited securities (in the case of an issue) or the Shares (in the case of a redemption) have been held for more than one year, or otherwise as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any capital loss on a redemption of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid (or deemed to be paid) with respect to such Shares.
Reportable Transactions. If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to Shares of $2 million or more (for an individual Fund shareholder) or $10 million or more (for a corporate shareholder) in any single taxable year (or a greater loss over a combination of years), the Fund shareholder may be required to file a disclosure statement with the IRS. Significant penalties may be imposed upon the failure to comply with these reporting rules. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these rules in light of their individual circumstances.
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Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Fund Shares applicable to “non-U.S. shareholders.” For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of Fund Shares that is not a U.S. shareholder (as defined above) and is not an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The following discussion is based on current law, and is for general information only. It addresses only selected, and not all, aspects of U.S. federal income taxation.
Dividends. With respect to non-U.S. shareholders of a Fund, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or at a lower rate established under an applicable tax treaty). However, ordinary income dividends that are “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends” (each as defined below) and capital gain dividends generally will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding (or income tax), provided that the non-U.S. shareholder furnishes the Fund with a completed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, (or acceptable substitute documentation) establishing the non-U.S. shareholder’s non-U.S. status and the Fund does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the non-U.S. shareholder would be subject to such withholding tax if the non-U.S. shareholder were to receive the related amounts directly rather than as dividends from the Fund. “Interest-related dividends” generally means dividends designated by the Fund as attributable to such Fund’s U.S.-source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which such Fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income. “Short-term capital gain dividends” generally means dividends designated by the Fund as attributable to the excess of such Fund’s net short-term capital gain over its net long-term capital loss. Depending on its circumstances, the Fund may treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for these exemptions from withholding.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, special rules apply in certain cases, including as described below. For example, in cases where dividend income from a non-U.S. shareholder’s investment in the Fund is effectively connected with a trade or business of the non-U.S. shareholder conducted in the United States, the non-U.S. shareholder generally will be exempt from withholding tax, but will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. shareholders. Such income generally must be reported on a U.S. federal income tax return. Furthermore, such income also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax in the case of a non-U.S. shareholder that is a corporation. In addition, if a non-U.S. shareholder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, any gain incurred by such shareholder with respect to his or her capital gain dividends and short-term capital gain dividends would be subject to a 30% U.S. federal income tax (which, in the case of short-term capital gain dividends, may, in certain instances, be withheld at source by the Fund). Lastly, special rules apply with respect to dividends that are subject to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Act (“FIRPTA”), discussed below (see—“Investments in U.S. Real Property”).
Sales of Fund Shares. Under current law, gain on a sale or exchange of Shares generally will be exempt from U.S. federal income tax (including withholding at the source) unless (i) the non-U.S. shareholder is an individual who was physically present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, in which case the non-U.S. shareholder would incur a 30% U.S. federal income tax on his capital gain, (ii) the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. shareholder (in which case the non-U.S. shareholder generally would be taxable on such gain at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. shareholders, would be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return and, in the case of a corporate non-U.S. shareholder, may also be subject to the 30% branch profits tax), or (iii) the gain is subject to FIRPTA, as discussed below (see —“Investments in U.S. Real Property”).
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Credits or Refunds. To claim a credit or refund for any Fund-level taxes on any undistributed long-term capital gains (as discussed above) or any taxes collected through withholding, a non-U.S. Fund shareholder must obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number and file a U.S. federal income tax return even if the non-U.S. Fund shareholder would not otherwise be required to do so.
Investments in U.S. Real Property. Subject to the exemptions described below, a non-U.S. shareholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax under FIRPTA on any gain from the sale or exchange of Shares if the Fund is a “U.S. real property holding corporation” (as defined below) at any time during the shorter of the period during which the non-U.S. shareholder held such Shares and the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition of those Shares. Any such gain will be taxed in the same manner as for a U.S. Fund shareholder and in certain cases will be collected through withholding at the source in an amount equal to 15% of the sales proceeds. A Fund will be a “U.S. real property holding corporation” if the fair market value of its “U.S. real property interests” (“USRPIs”) (which includes shares of U.S. real property holding corporations and certain participating debt securities) equals or exceeds 50% of the fair market value of such interests plus its interests in real property located outside the United States plus any other assets used or held for use in a business.
An exemption from FIRPTA applies if either (i) the class of Shares disposed of by the non-U.S. shareholder is regularly traded on an established securities market (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and the non-U.S. shareholder did not actually or constructively hold more than 5% of such class of Shares at any time during the five-year period prior to the disposition, or (ii) the Fund is a “domestically-controlled RIC.” A “domestically-controlled RIC” is any RIC in which at all times during the relevant testing period 50% or more in value of the RIC’s stock is owned by U.S. persons.
Furthermore, special rules apply under FIRPTA in respect of distributions attributable to gains from USRPIs. In general, if a Fund is a U.S. real property holding corporation (taking certain special rules into account), distributions by such Fund attributable to gains from USRPIs will be treated as income effectively connected with a trade or business within the United States, subject generally to tax at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. shareholders and, in the case of a corporation that is a non-U.S. shareholder, a “branch profits” tax at a rate of 30% (or other applicable lower treaty rate). Such distributions will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax and generally will give rise to an obligation on the part of the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return.
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Even if a Fund is treated as a U.S. real property holding corporation, distributions on the Fund’s Shares will not be treated, under the rule described above, as income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business in the case of a non-U.S. shareholder that owns (for the applicable period) 5% or less (by class) of Shares and such class is regularly traded on an established securities market for U.S. federal income tax purposes (but such distribution will be treated as ordinary dividends subject to a 30% withholding tax or lower applicable treaty rate).
Non-U.S. shareholders that engage in certain “wash sale” and/or substitute dividend payment transactions the effect of which is to avoid the receipt of distributions from the Fund that would be treated as gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business will be treated as having received such distributions.
All shareholders of the Fund should consult their tax advisers regarding the application of the rules described above.
Back-Up Withholding
The Fund (or a financial intermediary such as a broker through which a shareholder holds Shares in the Fund) may be required to report certain information on the Fund shareholder to the IRS and withhold U.S. federal income tax (“backup withholding”) at a 28% rate from taxable distributions and redemption or sale proceeds payable to the Fund shareholder if (i) the Fund shareholder fails to provide the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number or make required certifications, or if the IRS notifies the Fund that the Fund shareholder is otherwise subject to backup withholding, and (ii) the Fund shareholder is not otherwise exempt from backup withholding. Non-U.S. shareholders can qualify for exemption from backup withholding by submitting a properly completed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against the Fund shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
The U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on “withholdable payments” (defined below) made to (i) a “foreign financial institution” (“FFI”), unless the FFI enters into an agreement with the IRS to provide information regarding certain of its direct and indirect U.S. account holders and satisfy certain due diligence and other specified requirements, and (ii) a “non-financial foreign entity” (“NFFE”) unless such NFFE provides certain information to the withholding agent about certain of its direct and indirect “substantial U.S. owners” or certifies that it has no such U.S. owners. The beneficial owner of a "withholdable payment" may be eligible for a refund or credit of the withheld tax. The U.S. government also has entered into several intergovernmental agreements with other jurisdictions to provide an alternative, and generally easier, approach for FFIs to comply with FATCA.
“Withholdable payments” generally include, among other items, (i) U.S.-source interest and dividends, and (ii) gross proceeds from the sale or disposition, occurring on or after January 1, 2019, of property of a type that can produce U.S.-source interest or dividends.
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The Fund may be required to impose a 30% withholding tax on withholdable payments to a shareholder if the shareholder fails to provide the Fund with the information, certifications or documentation required under FATCA, including information, certification or documentation necessary for the Fund to determine if the shareholder is a non-U.S. shareholder or a U.S. shareholder and, if it is a non-U.S. shareholder, if the non-U.S. shareholder has “substantial U.S. owners” and/or is in compliance with (or meets an exception from) FATCA requirements. The Fund will not pay any additional amounts to shareholders in respect of any amounts withheld. The Fund may disclose any shareholder information, certifications or documentation to the IRS or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA.
The requirements of, and exceptions from, FATCA are complex. All prospective shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential application of FATCA with respect to their own situation.
Section 351
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has the right to reject an order for a purchase of shares of the Fund if the purchase (including any purchases of shares in the same Fund by a related group of purchasers) would not qualify as a tax-free transaction described in Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Trust also has the right to require information from a purchaser of shares in a Fund for purposes of determining if an order for a purchase of shares of the Fund qualifies as a tax-free transaction described in Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code.
CAPITAL STOCK AND SHAREHOLDER REPORTS
The Fund issues Shares of beneficial interest, par value zero per Share. The Board may designate additional funds.
Each Share issued by the Trust has a pro rata interest in the assets of the corresponding series of the Trust. Shares have no preemptive, exchange, subscription or conversion rights and are freely transferable. Each Share is entitled to participate equally in dividends and distributions declared by the Board with respect to the Fund, and in the net distributable assets of the Fund on liquidation.
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 series of the Trust (i.e., Shares of the Fund) 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. Under Delaware law, the Trust is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. The policy of the Trust is not to hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. All Shares of the Trust (regardless of the Fund) have noncumulative voting rights for the election of Trustees. Under Delaware law, Trustees of the Trust may be removed by vote of the shareholders.
The Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust, requires that Trust obligations include such disclaimer, and provides for indemnification and reimbursement of expenses out of the Trust’s property for any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Trust itself would be unable to meet its obligations. Given the above limitations on shareholder personal liability, and the nature of a Fund’s assets and operations, the risk to shareholders of personal liability is believed to be remote.
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Shareholder inquiries may be made by writing to the Trust, c/o Syntax Advisors, LLC, One Liberty Plaza, 46th Fl. New York, NY 10006.
Chapman and Cutler LLP serves as counsel to the Trust and the Fund.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Ernst & Young LLP serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Financial statements are not included for the Fund, which had not commenced operation prior to the date of this SAI.
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PROXY VOTING POLICIES
Background
An investment adviser has a duty of care and loyalty to its Clients and Investors with respect to monitoring corporate events and exercising proxy authority in the best interests of such Clients and Investors. Vantage Consulting Group Inc. (“VCG”) will adhere to Rule 206(4)-6 of the Advisers Act and all other applicable laws and regulations in regard to the voting of proxies.
Policies and Procedures
As an investment advisor, VCG may have the authority to vote proxies relating to securities on behalf of clients. In certain circumstances, when permitted by the client VCG may outsource the proxy voting. These policies and procedures are designed to deal with the complexities which may arise in cases where VCG's interests conflict or appear to conflict with the interests of its clients and to communicate to clients the methods and rationale whereby VCG exercises proxy authority. This document is available to any client upon request. VCG will also make available the record of VCG's votes promptly upon request.
The CCO of VCG is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of this policy. Unless contractually obligated to vote in a certain manner, VCG will reach its voting decisions independently, after appropriate investigation. It does not generally intend to delegate its decision making or to rely on the recommendations of any third party, although it may take such recommendations into consideration. Where VCG deviates from the guidelines listed below, or depends upon a third party to make the decision, the reasons shall be documented. VCG may consult with such other experts, such as CPA's, investment bankers, attorneys, etc., as it regards necessary to help it reach informed decisions.
Non-Voting of Proxies
VCG will generally not vote proxies in the following situations:
• | Proxies are received for equity securities where, at the time of receipt, VCG's position, across all clients that it advises, is less than, or equal to, 1% of the total outstanding voting equity (an "immaterial position"). |
• | Proxies are received for equity securities where, at the time of receipt, VCG's Clients and Investors no longer hold that position. |
Management Proposals
Absent good reason to the contrary, VCG will generally give substantial weight to management recommendations regarding voting. This is based on the view that management is usually in the best position to know which corporate actions are in the best interests of common shareholders as a whole.
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VCG will generally vote for routine matters proposed by issuer management, such as setting a time or place for an annual meeting, changing the name or fiscal year of the company, or voting for directors in favor of the management proposed slate. Other routine matters in which VCG will generally vote along with company management include: appointment of auditors, fees paid to board members, and change in the board structure. As long as the proposal does not: i) measurably change the structure, management, control or operations of the company; ii) measurably change the terms of, or fees or expenses associated with, an investment in the company; and the proposal is consistent with customary industry standards and practices, as well as the laws of the state of incorporation applicable to the company, VCG will generally vote along with management.
Non-Routine Matters
Non-routine matters might include such things as:
• | Amendments to management incentive plans |
• | The authorization of additional common or preferred stock |
• | Initiation or termination of barriers to takeover or acquisition |
• | Mergers or acquisitions |
• | Corporate reorganizations |
• | "Contested" director slates |
In non-routine matters, VCG will attempt to be generally familiar with the questions at issue. Non- routine matters will be voted on a case-by-case basis, given the complexity of many of these issues.
Processing Proxy Votes
The CCO will be responsible for determining whether each proxy is for a "routine" matter, as described above, and whether the Policy and Procedures set forth herein actually address the specific issue. For proxies that are not clearly "routine", VCG, in conjunction with the CCO, will determine how to vote each such proxy by applying these policies and procedures. Upon making a decision, the proxy will be executed and returned for submission to the company. VCG's proxy voting record will be updated at the time the proxy is submitted.
An independent proxy voting advisory and research firm may be appointed as a "Proxy Service" for voting VCG's proxies after approval by the CCO.
Documenting Proxy Voting
VCG will maintain copies of each proxy statement received and of each executed proxy; however, VCG may rely on the SEC's EDGAR system for records of proxy statements. VCG will also maintain records relating to each proxy, including the voting decision on each proxy, and any documents that were material to making the voting decision.
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VCG will also maintain a record of each written request from a Client or Investor for proxy voting information and VCG's written response to any request from a Client or Investor for proxy voting information. These records shall be maintained in compliance with Rule 204-2.
Actual and Apparent Conflicts of Interest
Potential conflicts of interest between VCG and its clients may arise when VCG's relationships with an issuer or with a related third party actually conflict, or appear to conflict, with the best interests of the VCG's clients.
If the issue is specifically addressed in these policies and procedures, VCG will vote in accordance with these policies. In a situation where the issue is not specifically addressed in these Policies and Procedures and an apparent or actual conflict exists, VCG shall either: i) delegate the voting decision to an independent third party; ii) inform clients of the conflict of interest and obtain advance consent of a majority of such clients for a particular voting decision; or iii) obtain approval of a voting decision from VCG's CCO, who will be responsible for documenting the rationale for the decision made and voted.
In all such cases, VCG will make disclosures to clients of all material conflicts and will keep documentation supporting its voting decisions.
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Syntax ETF Trust (the “Trust”)
Syntax Stratified LargeCap II ETF (SPYS) |
April 22, 2020
Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. Shares in the Fund are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other agency of the U.S. Government, nor are Shares deposits or obligations of any bank. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.
Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Fund intends to no longer mail paper copies of the Fund’s shareholder reports, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank). Instead, the reports will be made available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already have elected to receive shareholder reports electronically (“e-delivery”), you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary.
You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. Please contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. That election will apply to all Syntax funds held directly in your account.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. Shares in the Fund are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other agency of the U.S. Government, nor are Shares deposits or obligations of any bank. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.
Table of Contents
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OBJECTIVE
The Syntax Stratified LargeCap II ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to obtain capital growth that meets or exceeds the performance of the S&P 500® Index (“S&P 500”) by investing in securities that provide U.S. large capitalization (“large cap”) equity market exposure.
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund (“Fund Shares”). This table and the Example below reflect the expenses of the Fund and do not reflect brokerage commissions you may pay on purchases and sales of Fund Shares.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
Management fees | 0.45 | % | ||
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees | None | |||
Other expenses1 | 0.00 | % | ||
Total annual Fund operating expenses | 0.45 | % | ||
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement2 | 0.15 | % | ||
Total annual Fund operating expenses after Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement2 | 0.30 | % |
(1) Other expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year. Actual expenses may be different.
(2) Syntax Advisors, LLC (the “Advisor”) has agreed to waive its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund to ensure that Total Annual Operating Expenses (except any (i) interest expense, (ii) taxes, (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses, (iv) brokerage expenses and other expenses (such as stamp taxes) connected with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions, (v) expenses associated with shareholder meetings, (vi) compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees, (vii) compensation and expenses of the Trust’s chief compliance officer and his or her staff, (viii) distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, (ix) legal fees or expenses in connection with any arbitration, litigation or pending or threatened arbitration or litigation, including any settlements in connection therewith, and (x) extraordinary expenses of the Fund) do not exceed 0.30%.You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions and other charges when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which may not be reflected in the Example Fee Table above. Subject to approval by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, any waiver under the Expense Limitation Agreement is subject to repayment by the Fund within 36 months following the day on which fees are waived or reimbursed, if such repayment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both: (i) the expense cap in place at the time such amounts were waived; and (ii) the Fund’s current expense cap noted above. These arrangements cannot be terminated prior to one year from the effective date of this prospectus without the approval of the Board of Trustees. If the Advisor decides to terminate the fee waiver agreement, it will provide written notice on the Fund’s website at least 60 calendar days in advance of the termination date.
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, and then sell all of your Fund 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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the example. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Year 1 | Year 3 |
$31 | $129 |
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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 generate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund has not yet commenced operations, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
PRINCIPAL STRATEGY
The Fund seeks Stratified WeightTM exposure to the securities in the U.S. large cap equity market, principally the S&P 500 Index, through active investments. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of U.S. issuers that have similar economic characteristics to such securities. The fund utilizes Syntax's Stratified Weight™ methodology to spread exposure more evenly across the business risks in large-cap U.S. securities. In addition, the Fund may invest in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds.
Syntax’s Stratified Weight™ is designed to correct for business risk concentrations that regularly occur in cap-weighted and equal-weighted indices and funds. Cap weighting can cause an investor’s ownership to accumulate in the largest, most momentum-driven companies and industries, while equal weighting can cause an investor’s ownership to accumulate in the industries that have the most company representatives in an index or fund. Instead of concentrating in the largest companies or the most represented industries, Syntax diversifies (or stratifies) index or fund weight across a fixed number of business risk groups in a manner designed to provide a diversified exposure to of all the business opportunities of a benchmark.
“Stratified Weight” refers to the weighting methodology and is the method by which Syntax diversifies by hierarchically grouping and distributing the weight of constituent companies that share “Related Business Risks.” Related Business Risk occurs when two or more companies’ earnings are affected by the same fundamental drivers (e.g. the product/services the company makes/provides, the customers or end users the company sells to, or the inputs that it utilizes to make its product or service). The process of identifying, grouping, and diversifying across related business risk is called stratification. The market capitalization of companies in the S&P 500 as of March 31, 2020 was between $1.5 billion and $1.2 trillion.
The Fund, at the Advisor’s discretion, may from time to time own securities that are not included in the S&P 500 Index or and may hold securities that are not in a Stratified Weight exposure if the Advisor deems it in the interest of the Fund.
The Fund is actively managed, and the weighting of the underlying securities is expected to shift over time, based on the outlook of the Advisor who is responsible for directing the investments of the Fund.
Please see the Additional Strategies Information section of the Fund’s prospectus for more information on the methodology of the Advisor.
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PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.
MARKET RISK: Overall securities market risks will affect the value of individual instruments in which the Fund invests. Factors such as economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, epidemics and pandemics, and political events affect the US securities markets. When the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value and you could lose money.
The onset of an infectious respiratory disease called COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, was first identified in China in December 2019 and now has been detected globally. Among other things, COVID-19 has led to travel restrictions, closed international borders, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, prolonged quarantines, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, shuttering of offices, universities, schools, cultural institutions and sporting events, and lower consumer demand, contributing to extremely high equity market drawdowns and volatility as well as general anxiety and uncertainty. The impact of COVID-19, and other infectious disease outbreaks that may arise in the future, could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many nations or the entire global economy and financial system, as well as individual issuers and capital markets in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. In addition, the impact of infectious diseases in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems. Public health crises caused by the COVID-19 spread may aggravate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its effects cannot be determined with certainty.
EQUITY SECURITIES RISK: The value of equity securities may increase or decrease as a result of market fluctuations, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in stock prices.
MANAGEMENT RISK: The Fund’s dependence on stratification and judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular investments or ETFs in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results. As an active fund and pursuant to the trust’s custom basket rules, the Fund, at the Advisor’s discretion, may, from time to time, own its securities in exposures and weights that are not in their relative Stratified Weight exposures outlined in the Principal Strategy if the Advisor deems it in the interest of the Fund. During these periods, the performance of the Fund may deviate from what would be expected from the Stratified Weight exposures and may not produce the desired results.
ACTIVE MANAGEMENT RISK: The Fund is actively managed using proprietary investment strategies and processes. There can be no guarantee that these strategies and processes will be successful and the Fund may underperform the S&P 500 due to active management decisions or other reasons.
LARGE-CAPITALIZATION SECURITIES RISK: Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and mid-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and mid-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and mid-sized companies. Under certain market conditions the capitalization of a large-size company could decline to the extent that it exhibits the characteristics of a mid-capitalization company.
SMALL- AND MID-CAPITALIZATION SECURITIES RISK: Investing in securities of small and mid-sized companies may involve greater volatility than investing in larger and more established companies because small and mid-sized companies can be subject to more abrupt or erratic share price changes than larger, more established companies, are more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments, and are more thinly traded relative to those of larger companies.
MARKET TRADING RISK: The Fund is a new Fund and faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund Shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.
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NEW FUND RISK: The Fund is a new Fund. As a new Fund, there can be no assurance that it will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, which may make it more difficult to achieve its investment objective than it otherwise would at a higher asset level, nor can there be assurance regarding Fund performance; either factor may also cause the Fund to liquidate.
CYBER SECURITY RISK: The Fund and its service providers may be susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a breach in cyber security, including cyber-attacks. A breach in cyber security, intentional or unintentional, may adversely impact the Fund in many ways, including, but not limited to, disruption of the Fund’s operational capacity, loss of proprietary information, theft or corruption of data, denial-of-service attacks on websites or network resources, and the unauthorized release of confidential information. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund’s third-party service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invest may subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches.
FUND PERFORMANCE
The Fund is new and does not yet have a full calendar year of performance. After the Fund has been in operation for a full calendar year, total return information will be presented. Updated performance information, which will be available by calling (866) 972-4492 or visiting our website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com, will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Advisor
Syntax Advisors, LLC serves as the investment advisor to the Fund.
Sub-Advisor
Vantage Consulting Group serves as the investment sub-advisor to the Fund.
Portfolio Manager
The professional primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund is:
Name | Start Date |
James Thomas Wolfe | Since the Fund’s inception. |
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on a national securities exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Fund Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 25,000 Shares or multiples thereof (“Creation Units”) to authorized participants who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor. The Fund generally will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a designated portfolio of securities (and an amount of cash) that the Fund specifies each day.
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TAX INFORMATION
The Fund’s distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from such a tax-advantaged account may be subject to U.S. federal income tax. You should consult your tax advisor about your specific situation.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create conflicts of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES INFORMATION
The Fund seeks Stratified Weight exposure to the securities in the U.S. large cap equity market, principally those in the S&P 500 Index, through active investments in underlying securities. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in large cap equity investments. The Advisor considers a large cap company to be one that has a market capitalization within the range of the S&P 500. The fund utilizes Syntax's Stratified Weight™ methodology to seek to spread exposure more evenly across the business risks in large-cap U.S. securities. In addition, the Fund may invest in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements and money market funds.
Syntax’s Stratified Weight™ is designed to correct for business risk concentrations that regularly occur in cap-weighted and equal-weighted indices and funds. Cap weighting can cause an investor’s ownership to accumulate in the largest, most momentum-driven companies and industries, while equal weighting can cause an investor’s ownership to accumulate in the industries that have the most company representatives in an index or fund. Instead of concentrating in the largest companies or the most represented industries, Syntax diversifies (or stratifies) fund and index weight across a fixed number of business risk groups in a manner designed to provide a diversified exposure to of all the business opportunities of a benchmark.
“Stratified Weight” refers to the weighting methodology of the Fund and is the method by which Syntax diversifies by hierarchically grouping and distributing the weight of constituent companies that share “Related Business Risks.” Related Business Risk occurs when two or more companies’ earnings are affected by the same fundamental drivers (e.g. the product/services the company makes/provides, the customers or end users the company sells to, or the inputs that it utilizes to make its product or service). The process of identifying, grouping, and diversifying across related business risk is called stratification. The market capitalization of companies in the S&P 500® Index as of March 31, 2020 was between $1.5 billion and $1.2 trillion.
The Fund, at the Advisor’s discretion, may from time to time own securities that are not included in the S&P 500 Index and may hold securities that are not in a Stratified Weight exposure if the Advisor deems it in the interest of the Fund.
The Fund is actively managed, and the weighting of the underlying securities is expected to shift over time, based on the outlook of the Advisor who is responsible for directing investments in the Fund.
For more information, please visit the Fund’s website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com.
Syntax LLC, an affiliate of Syntax Advisors, LLC, utilizes a proprietary functional information system (“FIS”) developed for use by the Fund’s Advisor, to categorize, group, and stratify constituent securities. FIS is a patented technology for mapping economic relationships between the constituent securities and for managing concentrations of related business risks. Related business risks are not based on companies’ capitalization or past performance, but rather, are based on each company’s current business functions and the functional economic relationships between them. By identifying these underlying business relationships – common suppliers, customers, competitors, products, etc. – FIS identifies shared business risks in a securities portfolio. When financial indices lack tools for identifying these risks, they can become highly exposed to groups of companies that share related business risks.
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FIS makes it possible to control for risks shared by groups of related companies by: 1) organizing companies that share related business risks into well-defined functional groups; and 2) weighting these groups to spread exposure across these underlying risks. Other commonly used industry and sector classifications like Global Industry Classification Standard (“GICS”) and Standard Industrial Classification (“SIC”) lack codified definitions and instead simply group together companies that “seem similar.” FIS-based industries are engineered to minimize performance distortions caused by the uncontrolled risk exposures that are present in cap-weighted financial indices. FIS-based sectors effectively group and limit weighting in companies that have shared business functions that can make them perform similarly when events happen to change expectations in a given part of the economy.
By using FIS and stratification to control for related business risks, the Advisor’s Funds are designed to seek to improve medium-to long-term performance of groups of companies and provide results that are the product of effective diversification, rather than the overweighting of one or more outperforming group. Because FIS defines the functional parts of the economy, Syntax’s Funds are designed to be built as a more stable composite of those functional parts. While the major cap-weighted indices are designed to be a proxy for the total market, Syntax believes that its Funds serve as a better basis for medium-to-long-term investments.
A number of factors may affect the Fund’s ability to match or exceed the performance of its benchmark Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will meet or exceed that performance.
These situations should be uncommon in U.S. large and mid-cap companies, but in the event that a bankruptcy or other event occurs making a security illiquid, the Adviser intends to allocate to other similar holdings in the portfolio.
The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of Syntax ETF Trust may change the Fund’s investment strategy and other policies without shareholder approval, except as otherwise indicated in this Prospectus or in the SAI. The Board may not change the Fund’s investment objective without shareholder approval.
The following section provides additional information regarding the principal risks identified under “Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund” in the Fund Summary along with additional risk information.
Market Risk: Overall securities market risks will affect the value of individual instruments in which the Fund invests. Factors such as economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, epidemics and pandemics, and political events affect the US securities markets. When the value of the Fund’s investments goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value and you could lose money.
The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. The value of a security or other instrument may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other instrument, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates generally do not have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments.
The onset of an infectious respiratory disease called COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, was first identified in China in December 2019 and now has been detected globally. Among other things, COVID-19 has led to travel restrictions, closed international borders, the disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, prolonged quarantines, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, shuttering of offices, universities, schools, cultural institutions and sporting events, and lower consumer demand, contributing to extremely high equity market drawdowns and volatility, as well as general anxiety and uncertainty. The impact of COVID-19, and other infectious disease outbreaks that may arise in the future, could continue to adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many nations or the entire global economy, individual issuers and capital markets in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. In addition, the impact of infectious diseases in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems, which may have spillover effects to developed markets. Public health crises caused by the COVID-19 spread may aggravate other pre-existing political, social, financial, and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The Fund and associated strategies may be affected as adversely, or more adversely, than benchmarks. Neither the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its effects, nor the prospective health, economic, and financial risks from future pandemics, be determined with any degree of certainty.
Equity Securities Risk: The Fund invests in equity securities, which are subject to changes in value that may be attributable to market perception of a particular issuer or to general stock market fluctuations that affect all issuers. Investments in equity securities may be more volatile than investments in other asset classes.
Management Risk: The Fund’s dependence on stratification and judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular investments or ETFs in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results. As an active fund and pursuant to the trust’s custom basket rules, the Fund, at the Advisor’s discretion, may, from time to time, own its securities in exposures and weights that are not in their relative Stratified Weight exposures outlined in the Principal Strategy if the Advisor deems it in the interest of the Fund. During these periods, the performance of the Fund may deviate from what would be expected from the Stratified Weight exposures and may not produce the desired results.
Active Management Risk: The Fund is actively managed using proprietary investment strategies and processes. The Fund’s dependence on stratification and judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular investments may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results. There can be no guarantee that these strategies and processes will be successful and the Fund may underperform the S&P 500 due to active management decisions or other reasons.
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Large-Capitalization Securities Risk: Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and mid-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and mid-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and mid-sized companies. Under certain market conditions the capitalization of a large-size company could decline to the extent that it exhibits the characteristics of a mid-capitalization company.
Small- And Mid-Capitalization Securities Risk: Investing in securities of small and mid-sized companies may involve greater volatility than investing in larger and more established companies because small and mid-sized companies can be subject to more abrupt or erratic share price changes than larger, more established companies, are more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments, and are more thinly traded relative to those of larger companies.
Market Trading Risk:
Absence of Active Market. Although Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, the Fund is a new fund and there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Shares will develop or be maintained by market makers or Authorized Participants.
Risk of Secondary Listings. The Fund’s Shares may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the U.S. stock exchange where the Fund’s primary listing is maintained. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s Shares will continue to trade on any such stock exchange or in any market or that the Fund’s Shares will continue to meet the requirements for listing or trading on any exchange or in any market. The Fund’s Shares may be less actively traded in certain markets than in others, and investors are subject to the execution and settlement risks and market standards of the market where they or their broker direct their trades for execution. Certain information available to investors who trade Fund Shares on a U.S. stock exchange during regular U.S. market hours may not be available to investors who trade in other markets, which may result in secondary market prices in such markets being less efficient.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is a new Fund. As a new Fund, there can be no assurance that it will
grow to or maintain an economically viable size, which may cause it to experience greater tracking error to the S&P 500 than it otherwise would at a higher asset level. There can be no assurance regarding Fund performance. Any or all of these factors may also cause the Fund to liquidate.
Cyber Security Risk: The Fund and its service providers may be susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a breach in cyber security, including cyber-attacks. A breach in cyber security, intentional or unintentional, may adversely impact the Fund in many ways, including, but not limited to, disruption of the Fund’s operational capacity, loss of proprietary information, theft or corruption of data, denial-of-service attacks on websites or network resources, and the unauthorized release of confidential information. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund’s third-party service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invest may subject the Fund
to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches.
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Shares are not Individually Redeemable
Shares may be redeemed at NAV by the Fund only in large lot sizes known as “Creation Units”, which are expected to be worth in excess of one million dollars each. The Trust may not redeem Shares in fractional Creation Units. Only certain large institutions that enter into agreements with the Distributor are authorized to transact in Creation Units with the Fund. These entities are referred to as “Authorized Participants.” All other persons or entities transacting in Fund Shares must do so in the secondary market.
Additional Non-Principal Risks
Secondary Market Trading Risk. Shares of the Fund may trade in the secondary market at times when the Fund does not accept orders to purchase or redeem Shares. At such times, Fund Shares may trade in the secondary market with more significant premiums or discounts than might be experienced at times when the Fund accepts purchase and redemption orders.
Secondary market trading in Fund Shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of market conditions or for other reasons. In addition, trading in Fund Shares on a stock exchange or in any market may be subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to “circuit breaker” rules on the stock exchange or market. There can be no assurance that the requirements necessary to maintain the listing or trading of Fund Shares will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Shares of the Fund, similar to shares of other issuers listed on a stock exchange, may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility associated with short selling.
Shares of the Fund may trade at prices other than NAV. Shares of the Fund trade on stock exchanges at prices at, above or below the Fund’s most recent NAV. The NAV of the Fund is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The trading price of the Fund’s Shares fluctuates continuously throughout trading hours based on both market supply of and demand for Fund Shares and the underlying value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings or NAV. Also, in times of market stress, market makers or Authorized Participants may step away from their respective roles in making a market for Shares of the Fund and in executing purchase or redemption orders. As a result, the trading prices of the Fund’s Shares may deviate significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility. ANY OF THESE FACTORS, AMONG OTHERS, MAY LEAD TO THE FUND’S SHARES TRADING AT A PREMIUM OR DISCOUNT TO NAV. However, because Shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at NAV (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their NAVs), Syntax believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of the Fund are not likely to be sustained over the long term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it more likely that the Fund’s Shares normally will trade on stock exchanges at prices close to the Fund’s next calculated NAV, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with the Fund’s NAV due to timing reasons, supply and demand imbalances and other factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions, including disruptions at market makers or Authorized Participants, or to market participants or during periods of significant market volatility, may result in trading prices for Shares of the Fund that differ significantly from its NAV.
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Costs of Buying or Selling Fund Shares. Buying or selling Fund Shares on an exchange involves two types of costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling Shares of the Fund through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by that broker. In addition, you may incur the cost of the “spread,” that is, the difference between what investors are willing to pay for Fund Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which they are willing to sell Fund Shares (the “ask” price). Because of the costs inherent in buying or selling Fund Shares, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment results and an investment in Fund Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
Continuous Offering. The method by which Creation Units are purchased and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Transfer Agent, breaks them down into individual Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of Secondary Market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to categorization as an underwriter.
U.S. Tax Risks: To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment accorded to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain income, asset diversification and distribution requirements. If, for any taxable year, the Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company, all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain) for that year would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to its shareholders, and such distributions would be taxable to its shareholders as dividend income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. The tax treatment of certain derivatives is unclear for purpose of determining the Fund’s tax status.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES. The Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the management and business affairs of the Fund. The Board oversees the operations of the Fund by its officers. The Board also reviews management of the Fund’s assets by the investment adviser and sub-adviser. Information about the Board of Trustees and executive officers of the Fund is contained in the SAI.
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ADVISER. Syntax Advisors, LLC (“Syntax” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund and, subject to the supervision of the Board, is responsible for the investment management of the Fund, executed through the selection of the Sub-Adviser for portfolio management and other agreed upon activities. Syntax has been a registered investment adviser since April 21, 2017. Syntax is owned by Syntax, LLC and is controlled by Rory Riggs. As the Fund’s investment adviser, Syntax provides an investment management program for the Fund and manages the investment of the Fund’s assets through sub-advisory relationships. The Adviser’s principal business address is One Liberty Plaza, 46th Floor, New York, NY 10006.
For the services provided to the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Fund expects to pay the Adviser the annual fee set forth below, which is based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
Fund | Advisory Fee |
Syntax Stratified LargeCap II ETF | 0.45% |
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Advisor agrees to pay all expenses of the Fund, except (i) interest expense, (ii) taxes, (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses, (iv) brokerage expenses and other expenses (such as stamp taxes) connected with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions, (v) expenses associated with shareholder meetings, (vi) compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees, (vii) compensation and expenses of the Trust’s chief compliance officer and his or her staff, (viii) distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, (ix) legal fees or expenses in connection with any arbitration, litigation or pending or threatened arbitration or litigation, including any settlements in connection therewith, (x) extraordinary expenses of the Fund and (xi) fees payable to the Adviser. The payment or assumption by the Adviser of any expense of the Fund that the Advisor is not required by the Investment Advisory Agreement to pay or assume shall not obligate the Advisor to pay or assume the same or any similar expense of the Fund on any subsequent occasion. The Adviser has agreed to waive a portion of its management fee in an amount equivalent to 0.15%.
Contractual arrangements have been made with Syntax, through one year from the effective date of this prospectus, to waive fees and/or reimburse fund expenses to the extent that the Fund’s total operating expenses exceed the rates below, excluding, as applicable, (i) interest expense, (ii) taxes, (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses, (iv) brokerage expenses and other expenses (such as stamp taxes) connected with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions, (v) expenses associated with shareholder meetings, (vi) compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees, (vii) compensation and expenses of the Trust’s chief compliance officer and his or her staff, (viii) distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, (ix) legal fees or expenses in connection with any arbitration, litigation or pending or threatened arbitration or litigation, including any settlements in connection therewith, and (x) extraordinary expenses of the Fund. These arrangements cannot be terminated prior to one year from the effective date of this prospectus, without the approval of the Fund’s Board of Trustees. Syntax is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of fees waived or expenses reduced during any of the previous 36 months if on any day the estimated annualized fund operating expenses are less than the cap. The Fund may only make repayments to the Syntax if such repayment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both: (1) the Fund’s net expense ratio in place at the time such amounts were waived; and (2) the Fund’s current net expense ratio (before recoupment).
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Fund |
Total Operating
Expenses after Waiver/Reimbursement |
Syntax Stratified LargeCap II ETF | 0.30% |
SUB-ADVISOR. Pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement with Syntax, Vantage Consulting Group (“Vantage” or the “Sub-Advisor”) serves as the sub-advisor to the Fund and performs the day to day management of the Fund and places orders for the purchase and sale of securities for the Fund. For its services to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser is compensated by Syntax. The Sub-Advisor has been a registered investment adviser since June 2, 1986 and is owned by Mark T. Finn. As of December 31st, 2019, the Sub-Adviser managed approximately $2.3 billion in assets. The Sub-Adviser’s principal business address is 3500 Pacific Ave. Virginia Beach, VA 23451.
A discussion regarding the Board’s consideration of the investment advisory and sub-advisory agreements will be found in the Trust’s next Annual or Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders, as applicable.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER. The Fund is managed by the portfolio manager listed below.
Portfolio Manager | Business Experience over Past 5 Years |
James Thomas Wolfe | Mr. Wolfe currently serves as portfolio manager. He has held a variety of positions since joining Vantage in 1988 including trader, operations manager, and systems developer specializing in quantitative modeling, and he is currently head trader. Mr. Wolfe is an investment professional with over 25 years of experience. Mr. Wolfe received his BA from Virginia Wesleyan College in 1983 and an MBA from the College of William and Mary in 1989. |
Additional information about the portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, and the portfolio manager’s ownership of securities in the Fund is available in the SAI.
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Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent
State Street Bank and Trust Company is the Administrator for the Fund, the Transfer Agent to the Fund and the Custodian for the Fund’s assets.
Distributor
Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) is the distributor of the Fund Shares. The Distributor will not distribute Fund Shares in less than Creation Units, and it does not maintain a secondary market in the Fund Shares. The Distributor may enter into selected dealer agreements with other broker-dealers or other qualified financial institutions for the sale of Creation Units of Fund Shares.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust.
Legal Counsel
Chapman and Cutler LLP serves as legal counsel to the Trust and the Fund.
INDEX/TRADEMARK LICENSES AND DISCLAIMER
The Fund is not sponsored by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates or its third-party licensors, including Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”). S&P® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, and Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC.
The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices. S&P Dow Jones Indices does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the Fund to track or exceed general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices’ only relationship to Syntax, LLC is the licensing of the S&P 500® Index and its constituents, certain trademarks, service marks and trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices, and the provision of the calculation services related to the Index. S&P Dow Jones Indices is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of the Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund may be converted into cash or other redemption mechanics. S&P Dow Jones Indices has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within the Index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it investment advice.
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S&P DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION WITH RESPECT THERETO, INCLUDING, ORAL, WRITTEN, OR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN EXCEPT THOSE ARISING FROM FRAUD OR GROSS NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF S&P. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY SYNTAX, LLC, OWNERS OF THE FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME, OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE.
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ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION
The Shares are listed for secondary trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. The secondary markets are closed on weekends and also are generally closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Exchange may close early on the business day before certain holidays and on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Exchange holiday schedules are subject to change without notice. If you buy or sell Shares in the secondary market, you will pay the secondary market price for Shares. In addition, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction.
The trading prices of the Fund’s Shares will fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than the Fund’s net asset value, which is calculated at the end of each business day. The Shares will trade on the Exchange at prices that may be above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount), to varying degrees, the daily net asset value of the Shares. The trading prices of the Fund’s Shares may deviate significantly from its net asset value during periods of market volatility. Given, however, that Shares can be issued and redeemed daily in Creation Units, the Adviser believes that large discounts and premiums to net asset value should not be sustained over long periods. Information showing the number of days the market price of the Fund’s Shares was greater than the Fund’s net asset value and the number of days it was less than the Fund’s net asset value (i.e., premium or discount) for various time periods is available by visiting the Fund’s website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com.
The Exchange will disseminate, every fifteen seconds during the regular trading day, an indicative optimized portfolio value (“IOPV”) relating to the Fund. The IOPV calculations are estimates of the value of the Fund’s net asset value per Share using market data converted into U.S. dollars at the current currency rates. The IOPV price is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities’ local market and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market’s close. Premiums and discounts between the IOPV and the market price may occur. This should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the net asset value per Share of the Fund, which is calculated only once a day. Neither the Fund, nor the Adviser or any of their affiliates are involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of such IOPVs and make no warranty as to their accuracy.
The Fund does not impose any restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions; however, the Fund reserves the right to reject or limit purchases at any time as described in the SAI. When considering that no restriction or policy was necessary, the Board evaluated the risks posed by market timing activities, such as whether frequent purchases and redemptions would occur, for example from an investor’s efforts to take advantage of a potential arbitrage opportunity, and would interfere with the efficient implementation of the Fund’s investment strategy, or whether they would cause the Fund to experience increased transaction costs. The Board considered that, unlike traditional mutual funds, Fund Shares are issued and redeemed only in the large quantities of Creation Units available only from the Fund directly, and that most trading in the Fund occurs on the Exchange at prevailing market prices and does not involve the Fund directly. Given this structure, the Board determined that it is unlikely that (a) market timing would be attempted by the Fund’s shareholders or (b) any attempts to market time the Fund by shareholders would result in negative impact to the Fund or its shareholders.
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BOOK ENTRY. Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form and no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), through its nominee Cede & Co., 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. Participants in DTC 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 securities that you hold in book entry or “street name” form for any publicly-traded company. Specifically, in the case of a shareholder meeting of the Fund, DTC assigns applicable Cede & Co. voting rights to its participants that have Shares credited to their accounts on the record date, issues an omnibus proxy and forwards the omnibus proxy to the Fund. The omnibus proxy transfers the voting authority from Cede & Co. to the DTC participant. This gives the DTC participant through whom you own Shares (namely, your broker, dealer, bank, trust company or other nominee) authority to vote the shares, and, in turn, the DTC participant is obligated to follow the voting instructions you provide.
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DIVIDENDS AND CAPITAL GAINS. As a shareholder, you are entitled to your share of the Fund’s income and net realized gains on its investments. The Fund pays out substantially all of its net earnings to its shareholders as “distributions.”
The Fund typically earns income dividends from stocks. These amounts, net of expenses and taxes (if applicable), are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividend distributions.” The Fund realizes capital gains or losses whenever it sells securities. Net long-term capital gains are distributed to shareholders as “capital gain distributions.”
Income dividend distributions, if any, for the Fund are generally distributed to shareholders annually, but may vary significantly from period to period. Net capital gains for the Fund are distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently or at any other times or to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”).
Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Fund Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Shares makes such option available. Distributions which are reinvested will nevertheless be taxable to the same extent as if such distributions had not been reinvested.
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
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The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to an investment in Shares of the Fund. The summary is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), U.S. Treasury Department regulations promulgated thereunder, and judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all as in effect on the date of this Prospectus and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, this summary assumes that a shareholder holds Shares as capital assets within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code and does not hold Shares in connection with a trade or business. This summary does not address all potential U.S. federal income tax considerations possibly applicable to an investment in Shares of the Fund, and does not address the consequences to Fund shareholders subject to special tax rules, including, but not limited to, partnerships and the partners therein, tax-exempt shareholders, those who hold Fund Shares through an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged account, and, except to the extent discussed below, “non-U.S. shareholders” (as defined below). This discussion does not discuss any aspect of U.S. state, local, estate, and gift, or non-U.S., tax law. Furthermore, this discussion is not intended or written to be legal or tax advice to any shareholder in the Fund or other person and is not intended or written to be used or relied on, and cannot be used or relied on, by any such person for the purpose of avoiding any U.S. federal tax penalties that may be imposed on such person. Prospective Fund shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the specific U.S. federal, state and local, and non-U.S., tax consequences of investing in Shares, based on their particular circumstances.
The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) as to the U.S. federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors with regard to the U.S. federal tax consequences of the purchase, ownership or disposition of Shares, as well as the tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, locality, non-U.S. country or other taxing jurisdiction. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the section in the SAI entitled “U.S. Federal Income Taxation.”
Tax Treatment of the Fund
The Fund intends to qualify and elect to be treated as a separate “regulated investment company” (a “RIC”) under the Internal Revenue Code. To qualify and remain eligible for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs, the Fund must meet certain annual income and quarterly asset diversification requirements and must distribute annually at least 90% of the sum of (i) its “investment company taxable income” (which includes dividends, interest and net short-term capital gains) and (ii) certain net tax-exempt income, if any.
As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be required to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders. If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for any year (subject to certain curative measures allowed by the Internal Revenue Code), the Fund will be subject to regular corporate-level U.S. federal income tax in that year on all of its taxable income, regardless of whether the Fund makes any distributions to its shareholders. In addition, in such case, distributions will be taxable to the Fund’s shareholders generally as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. The remainder of this discussion assumes that the Fund will qualify for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs.
The Fund will be subject to a 4% excise tax on certain undistributed income if the Fund does not distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year at least 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year, 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the twelve months ended October 31 of such year, plus 100% of any undistributed amounts from prior years. For these purposes, the Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it has been subject to U.S. corporate income tax for the taxable year ending within the calendar year. The Fund intends to make distributions necessary to avoid this 4% excise tax, although there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so.
The Fund may be required to recognize taxable income in advance of receiving the related cash payment. For example, if the Fund invests in original issue discount obligations (such as zero coupon debt instruments or debt instruments with payment-in-kind interest), the Fund will be required to include in income each year a portion of the original issue discount that accrues over the term of the obligation, even if the related cash payment is not received by the Fund until a later year. Under the “wash sale” rules, the Fund may not be able to deduct currently a loss on a disposition of a portfolio security. As a result, the Fund may be required to make an annual income distribution greater than the total cash actually received during the year. Such distribution may be made from the existing cash assets of the Fund or cash generated from selling portfolio securities. The Fund may realize gains or losses from such sales, in which event its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution than they would in the absence of such transactions.
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Tax Treatment of Fund Shareholders
Taxation of U.S. Shareholders
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Fund Shares applicable to “U.S. shareholders.” For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of Fund Shares who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation (or an entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, or of any state thereof, or the District of Columbia; (iii) an estate, the income of which is includable in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or (iv) a trust, if (1) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (2) the trust has a valid election in place to be treated as a U.S. person.
Fund Distributions. In general, Fund distributions are subject to U.S. federal income tax when paid, regardless of whether they consist of cash or property, and regardless of whether they are re-invested in Shares. However, any Fund distribution declared in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date during such month will be deemed to have been received by the Fund shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year, provided such dividend is actually paid during January of the following calendar year.
Distributions of the Fund’s net investment income (except, as discussed below, qualified dividend income) and net short-term capital gains are taxable as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. To the extent designated as capital gain dividends by the Fund, distributions of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains in excess of net short-term capital losses (“net capital gain”) are taxable at long-term capital gain tax rates to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, regardless of the Fund shareholder’s holding period in the Fund’s Shares. Distributions of qualified dividend income are, to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, taxed to certain non-corporate Fund shareholders at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gain, provided that the Fund shareholder meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to the distributing Fund’s Shares and the distributing Fund meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to its dividend-paying stocks. Substitute payments received on Fund Shares that are lent out will be ineligible for being reported as qualified dividend income.
The Fund intends to distribute its net capital gain at least annually. However, by providing written notice to its shareholders no later than 60 days after its year-end, the Fund may elect to retain some or all of its net capital gain and designate the retained amount as a “deemed distribution.” In that event, the Fund pays U.S. federal income tax on the retained net capital gain, and the Fund shareholder recognizes a proportionate share of the Fund’s undistributed net capital gain. In addition, the Fund shareholder can claim a tax credit or refund for the shareholder’s proportionate share of the Fund’s U.S. federal income taxes paid on the undistributed net capital gain and increase the shareholder’s tax basis in the Shares by an amount equal to the shareholder’s proportionate share of the Fund’s undistributed net capital gain, reduced by the amount of the shareholder’s tax credit or refund.
Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the shareholder’s tax basis in its Shares of the Fund, and generally as capital gain thereafter.
In addition, high-income individuals (and certain trusts and estates) generally will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare tax on “net investment income” in addition to otherwise applicable U.S. federal income tax. “Net investment income” generally will include dividends (including capital gain dividends) received from the Fund and net gains from the redemption or other disposition of Shares. Please consult your tax advisor regarding this tax.
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Investors considering buying Shares just prior to a distribution should be aware that, although the price of the Shares purchased at such time may reflect the forthcoming distribution, such distribution nevertheless may be taxable (as opposed to a non-taxable return of capital).
Sales of Shares. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Shares generally is treated as a long-term gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Shares held for one year or less generally is treated as a short-term gain or loss, except that any capital loss on the sale or exchange of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid (or deemed to be paid) with respect to the Shares.
Creation Unit Issues and Redemptions. On an issue of Shares of the Fund as part of a Creation Unit where the creation is conducted in-kind, an Authorized Participant recognizes capital gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the fair market value (at issue) of the issued Shares (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) and (ii) the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the exchanged securities (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). On a redemption of Shares as part of a Creation Unit where the redemption is conducted in-kind, an Authorized Participant recognizes capital gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the fair market value (at redemption) of the securities received (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and (ii) the Authorized Participant’s basis in the redeemed Shares (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption). However, the IRS may assert, under the “wash sale” rules or on the basis that there has been no significant change in the Authorized Participant’s economic position, that any loss on creation or redemption of Creation Units cannot be deducted currently.
In general, any capital gain or loss recognized upon the issue or redemption of Shares (as components of a Creation Unit) is treated either as long-term capital gain or loss, if the deposited securities (in the case of an issue) or the Shares (in the case of a redemption) have been held for more than one year, or otherwise as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any capital loss on a redemption of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid (or deemed to be paid) with respect to such Shares.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Fund Shares applicable to “non-U.S. shareholders.” For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of Fund Shares that is not a U.S. shareholder (as defined above) and is not an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The following discussion is based on current law and is for general information only. It addresses only selected, and not all, aspects of U.S. federal income taxation.
With respect to non-U.S. shareholders of the Fund, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or at a lower rate established under an applicable tax treaty), subject to certain exceptions for “interest-related dividends” and “short-term capital gain dividends” discussed below. U.S. federal withholding tax generally will not apply to any gain realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of the Fund’s net capital gain. Special rules apply with respect to dividends of the Fund that are attributable to gain from the sale or exchange of “U.S. real property interests.”
In general, all “interest-related dividends” and “short-term capital gain dividends” (each defined below) will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax, provided that the non-U.S. shareholder furnished the Fund with a completed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, (or acceptable substitute documentation) establishing the non-U.S. shareholder’s non-U.S. status and the Fund does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the non-U.S. shareholder would be subject to such withholding tax if the non-U.S. shareholder were to receive the related amounts directly rather than as dividends from the Fund. “Interest-related dividends” generally means dividends designated by the Fund as attributable to such Fund’s U.S.-source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which such Fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income. “Short-term capital gain dividends” generally means dividends designated by the Fund as attributable to the excess of such Fund’s net short-term capital gain over its net long-term capital loss. Depending on its circumstances, the Fund may treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for these exemptions from withholding.
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In general, subject to certain exceptions, non-U.S. shareholders will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax in respect of a sale or other disposition of Shares of the Fund.
To claim a credit or refund for any Fund-level taxes on any undistributed net capital gain (as discussed above) or any taxes collected through back-up withholding (discussed below), a non-U.S. shareholder must obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number and file a U.S. federal income tax return even if the non-U.S. shareholder would not otherwise be required to do so.
Back-Up Withholding.
The Fund (or a financial intermediary such as a broker through which a shareholder holds Shares in the Fund) may be required to report certain information on the Fund shareholder to the IRS and withhold U.S. federal income tax (“backup withholding”) at a current rate of 28% from taxable distributions and redemption or sale proceeds payable to the Fund shareholder if (i) the Fund shareholder fails to provide the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number or make required certifications, or if the IRS notifies the Fund that the Fund shareholder is otherwise subject to backup withholding, and (ii) the Fund shareholder is not otherwise exempt from backup withholding. Non-U.S. shareholders can qualify for exemption from backup withholding by submitting a properly completed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against the Fund shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
The U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on “withholdable payments” (defined below) made to (i) a “foreign financial institution” (“FFI”), unless the FFI enters into an agreement with the IRS to provide information regarding certain of its direct and indirect U.S. account holders and satisfy certain due diligence and other specified requirements, and (ii) a “non-financial foreign entity” (“NFFE”) unless such NFFE provides certain information about its direct and indirect “substantial U.S. owners” to the withholding agent or certifies that it has no such U.S. owners. The beneficial owner of a withholdable payment may be eligible for a refund or credit of the withheld tax. The U.S. government also has entered into several intergovernmental agreements with other jurisdictions to provide an alternative, and generally easier, approach for FFIs to comply with FATCA.
Withholdable payments generally include, among other items, (i) U.S.-source interest and dividends, and (ii) gross proceeds from the sale or disposition, occurring on or after January 1, 2019, of property of a type that can produce U.S.-source interest or dividends.
The Fund may be required to impose a 30% withholding tax on withholdable payments to a shareholder if the shareholder fails to provide the Fund with the information, certifications or documentation required under FATCA, including information, certification or documentation necessary for the Fund to determine if the shareholder is a non-U.S. shareholder or a U.S. shareholder and, if it is a non-U.S. shareholder, if the non-U.S. shareholder has “substantial U.S. owners” and/or is in compliance with (or meets an exception from) FATCA requirements. The Fund will not pay any additional amounts to shareholders in respect of any amounts withheld. The Fund may disclose any shareholder information, certifications or documentation to the IRS or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA.
The requirements of, and exceptions from, FATCA are complex. All prospective shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential application of FATCA with respect to their own situation.
For a more detailed tax discussion regarding an investment in the Fund, please see the section of the SAI entitled “U.S. Federal Income Taxation.”
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Syntax ETF Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on June 27, 2013. If shareholders of the Fund are required to vote on any matters, shareholders are entitled to one vote for each Share they own. Annual meetings of shareholders will not be held except as required by the 1940 Act and other applicable law. See the SAI for more information concerning the Trust’s form of organization.
For purposes of the 1940 Act, Shares of the Trust are issued by the respective series of the Trust and the acquisition of Shares by investment companies is subject to the restrictions of section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. The Trust has received exemptive relief from Section 12(d)(1) to allow registered investment companies to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions as set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust.
From time to time, the Fund may advertise yield and total return figures. Yield is a historical measure of dividend income, and total return is a measure of past dividend income (assuming that it has been reinvested) plus capital appreciation. Neither yield nor total return should be used to predict the future performance of the Fund.
Information showing the number of days the market price of the Fund’s Shares was greater than the Fund’s NAV per Share (i.e. at a premium) and the number of days it was less than the Fund’s NAV per Share (i.e. at a discount) for various time periods is available by visiting the Fund’s website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com.
The Trust, the Advisor, the Sub-Advisor and Foreside Financial Group, LLC (on behalf of Foreside Fund Officer Services, LLC) have each adopted a code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics permit, subject to certain conditions, personnel of each of those entities to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. The Distributor relies on the principal underwriters exception under Rule 17j-1(c)(3), specifically where the Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust or the Advisor, and no officer, director or general partner of the Distributor serves as an officer, director or general partner of the Trust or the Advisor. Each code of ethics is on public file with, and is available from, the SEC.
The Fund has adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act pursuant to which payments of up to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets may be made for the sale and distribution of its Shares. However, the Board of Trustees has determined not to authorize payment of a 12b-1 Plan fee at this time. The 12b-1 Plan fee may only be imposed or increased when the Board of Trustees determines that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets, and over time, these fees increase the cost of your investment and they may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
OTHER INFORMATION
The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by NYSE Arca, Inc. NYSE Arca makes 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 Fund particularly or the ability of the Fund to achieve its objectives. NYSE Arca has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund.
For purposes of the 1940 Act, the Fund is a registered investment company, and the acquisition of Shares by other registered investment companies and companies relying on exemption from registration as investment companies under Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except as permitted by an exemptive order that permits registered investment companies to invest in the Fund beyond those limitations.
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Financial Highlights are not included in this Prospectus because the Fund has not yet commenced operations.
WHERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FUND
This Prospectus does not contain all the information included in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC with respect to the Fund’s Shares. The Fund’s SAI and, when available, the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, each of which will be filed with the SEC, provide more information about the Fund. In the annual report, when available, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during the Fund’s last fiscal year, as applicable. The SAI and the financial statements included in the Trust’s annual report to shareholders are incorporated herein by reference (i.e., they are legally part of this Prospectus). These materials may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Distributor, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine, 04101, by visiting the Fund’s website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com or by calling the following number: (866) 972-4492.
Investor Information:
Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
Shareholder inquiries may be directed to the Fund in writing to Syntax Advisors, LLC at One Liberty Plaza, 46th Floor, New York, NY 10006 or by calling the Investor Information number listed above.
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this Prospectus in connection with the offer of the Fund’s Shares, and, if given or made, the information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Trust or the Fund. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale of Shares shall under any circumstance imply that the information contained herein is correct as of any date after the date of this Prospectus.
Dealers effecting transactions in the Fund’s Shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, are generally required to deliver a Prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters.
Investment Company Act File No.:
811-23227
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SYNTAX ETF TRUST (THE “TRUST”)
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
APRIL 22, 2020
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the prospectus for the Trust dated April 22, 2020, as it may be revised from time to time (the “Prospectus”).
Fund | Ticker |
Syntax Stratified LargeCap II ETF | SPYS |
Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.
Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by writing to the Trust’s Distributor, Foreside Fund Services, LLC, at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine, 04101, by visiting the Fund’s website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com or calling (866) 972-4492.
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Table of Contents
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST
The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), currently consisting of six investment series (the “Funds”). The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on June 27, 2013. The offering of the Funds’ shares (“Shares”) is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”). The investment objective of the Syntax Stratified LargeCap II ETF (the “Fund”) is to obtain capital growth that meets or exceeds the performance of the S&P 500® Index (“S&P 500”) by investing in securities that provide U.S. large capitalization (“large cap”) equity market exposure . Syntax Advisors, LLC (“Syntax” or the “Advisor”) serves as the investment adviser for the Fund. Vantage Consulting Group (“Vantage” or the “Sub-Advisor,” and together with the Advisor, “Advisors”) serves as the investment sub-adviser for the Fund.
The Fund offers and issues Shares at its net asset value (sometimes referred to herein as “NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each, a “Creation Unit”). The Fund generally offers and issues Shares in exchange for a basket of securities included in its Index (“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. The Shares have been approved for listing and secondary trading on a national securities exchange (“Exchange”). The Shares will trade on the Exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the Shares’ net asset values. The Shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment. A Creation Unit of the Fund consists of 25,000 Shares, as set forth in the Prospectus.
Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of all 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 market value of the missing Deposit Securities as set forth in the Participant Agreement (as defined below). See “Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units.” 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. In addition to the fixed creation or redemption transaction fee, an additional transaction fee of up to three times the fixed creation or redemption transaction fee and/or an additional variable charge may apply.
Syntax Stratified Weight represents a major breakthrough in weighting methodology in that it is designed to control for the negative impacts of related business risks. When two or more companies’ earnings are affected by the same fundamental drivers (e.g. the product/services the company makes/provides, the customers or end users the company sells to, or the inputs that it utilizes to make its product or service), we say that they share a related business risk. The Advisor utilize a proprietary functional information system (“FIS”) developed by Syntax, LLC, to identify related business risks and implement a patented stratified weighting methodology that controls for the inadvertent overweighting of related business risk that regularly occurs in capitalization-weighted and equal-weighted indices. To learn more about FIS, please visit www.SyntaxAdvisors.com.
Stratified Weight funds are a new class of investments that mitigate the negative impacts of overweighting related business risks without sacrificing upside performance in normal markets. Stratified Weight funds and indices, together with capitalization-weight and equal-weight indices and funds, form a complementary suite of index and fund weighting methods that each provide a different measure of market performance. Capitalization-weight indices and funds measure aggregate market performance, equal-weight indices and funds measure average company performance, and Stratified Weight indices and funds measure diversified business performance. Each is an important market benchmark that offers different perspectives.
The investment objective Stratified Weight funds is to deliver returns consistent with the performance objectives of the underlying companies that it holds. By using FIS and stratification to control for exposure to related business risks, Stratified Weight funds are designed to improve the tracking of the actual medium-to long-term performance of groups of companies and provide results that are the product of effective diversification, rather than the overweighting of one or more outperforming group. Because FIS defines the related business risks, Syntax funds and indices are built as a more stable composite of those functional parts. While the major cap-weighted indices are designed to be a proxy for the total market, Syntax believes that the Syntax funds serve as a better basis for medium-to-long-term investments.
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Disclaimer
Syntax, LLC is affiliated with the Trust and the Adviser. The Adviser (“Licensee”) has entered into license agreements with Syntax, LLC pursuant to which the Adviser pays a fee to use the strategies. The Adviser is sub-licensing rights to the strategies to the Fund at no charge.
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S&P® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC, and Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC.
The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices. S&P Dow Jones Indices do not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the Indices to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of the Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund may be converted into cash or other redemption mechanics. S&P Dow Jones Indices has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within each Index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it investment advice.
S&P DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION WITH RESPECT THERETO, INCLUDING, ORAL, WRITTEN, OR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN EXCEPT THOSE ARISING FROM FRAUD OR GROSS NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF S&P. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY SYNTAX, LLC, OWNERS OF THE FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME, OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE.
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INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
DIVERSIFICATION STATUS
The Fund is classified as a “diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act.
ACTIVE MANAGEMENT
The Fund is actively managed and provides Advisor and/or Subadvisor discretion regarding security selection and weighting subject to restrictions and strategies enumerated in the Prospectus and herein.
The following contains more detailed information about the types of instruments in which the Fund may invest, or with which the Fund may be seeded or receive contributions-in-kind.
EQUITY SECURITIES
Equity securities in which the Fund invests, or may be seeded with, include common stocks and preferred stocks and securities convertible into common stocks, including, but not limited to, options. The value of equity securities varies in response to many factors, including the activities and financial condition of individual companies, the business market in which individual companies compete and general market and economic conditions. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such fluctuations can be significant.
COMMON STOCK
Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually possesses voting rights and earns dividends. Dividends on common stock are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer. Common stock generally represents the riskiest investment in a company. In addition, common stock generally has the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential because increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a company’s stock price.
PREFERRED STOCK
The Fund may invest in, or be seeded with or receive contributions in kind with, preferred stock with no minimum credit rating. Preferred stock is a class of stock having a preference over common stock as to the payment of dividends and the recovery of investment should a company be liquidated, although preferred stock is usually junior to the debt securities of the issuer. Preferred stock typically does not possess voting rights and its market value may change based on changes in interest rates. The fundamental risk of investing in common and preferred stock is the risk that the value of the stock might decrease. Stock values fluctuate in response to the activities of an individual company or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Historically, common stocks have provided greater long-term returns and have entailed greater short-term risks than preferred stocks, fixed-income securities and money market investments. The market value of all securities, including common and preferred stocks, is based upon the market’s perception of value and not necessarily the book value of an issuer or other objective measures of a company’s worth.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements with commercial banks, brokers or dealers 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 – as defined below). 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 Fund and is unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying instrument.
In these repurchase agreement transactions, the securities acquired by the Fund (including accrued interest earned thereon) must have a total value in excess of the value of the repurchase agreement and be held by the Custodian until repurchased. No more than an aggregate of 15 percent of a Fund’s net assets will be invested in illiquid securities, 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, the 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 the 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.
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OTHER SHORT-TERM INSTRUMENTS
In addition to repurchase agreements, the Fund may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, cash and cash equivalents, 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 Investors Service (“Moody’s”) or “A-1” by Standard & Poor’s (“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.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND RISKS
A discussion of the risks associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.
GENERAL
Investment in the Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of securities generally and other factors.
An investment in the Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the securities markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Shares). Securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic and banking crises.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Further, unlike debt securities which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, will be 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.
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The principal trading market for some of the securities in the Index may be in the over-the-counter market. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of the Fund’s Shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent or if bid/ask spreads are wide.
TAX RISKS
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Shares of the Fund 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 of the Fund.
CONTINUOUS OFFERING
The method by which Creation Units of Shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of Shares are issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Transfer Agent, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus-delivery obligation with respect to Shares of the Fund are reminded that under Securities Act Rule 153, a prospectus-delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Fund’s Prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.
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The Trust has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Fund. These restrictions cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. For purposes of the 1940 Act, a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund means the vote, at an annual or a special meeting of the security holders of the Trust, of the lesser of (1) 67 percent or more of the voting securities of the Fund present at such meeting, if the holders of more than 50 percent of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (2) more than 50 percent of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the Fund may not:
1. | Change its investment objective; |
2. | Lend any funds or other assets except through the purchase of all or a portion of an issue of securities or obligations of the type in which it is permitted to invest (including participation interests in such securities or obligations) and except that the Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets; |
3. | Issue senior securities or borrow money, except borrowings from banks for temporary or emergency purposes in an amount up to 10% of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed), valued at market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) valued at the time the borrowing is made, and the Fund will not purchase securities while borrowings in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets are outstanding, provided, that for purposes of this restriction, short-term credits necessary for the clearance of transactions are not considered borrowings (this limitation on purchases does not apply to acceptance by the Fund of a deposit principally of securities included in the relevant Index for creation of Creation Units); |
4. | Pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings. (The deposit of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral arrangements with respect to initial or variation margin for futures contracts or options contracts will not be deemed to be pledges of the Fund’s assets); |
5. | Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, or oil, gas or mineral interests or leases, but the Fund may purchase and sell securities that are issued by companies that invest or deal in such assets; |
6. | Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except to the extent the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the sale of securities in its portfolio; |
7. | Purchase securities on margin, except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, except that the Fund may make margin deposits in connection with transactions in options, futures and options on futures; |
8. | Sell securities short; |
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9. | Invest in commodities or commodity contracts, except that the Fund may transact in exchange traded futures contracts on securities, stock indices and options on such futures contracts and make margin deposits in connection with such contracts; or |
10. | Concentrate its investments in securities of issuers in the same industry (the SEC Staff considers concentration to involve more than 25 percent of the Fund’s assets to be invested in an industry or group of industries). |
In addition to the investment restrictions adopted as fundamental policies as set forth above, the Fund observes the following restrictions, which may be changed by the Board without a shareholder vote. The Fund:
1. | Will not invest in the securities of a company for the purpose of exercising management or control, provided that the Trust may vote the investment securities owned by the Fund in accordance with its views. |
2. | Will not hold illiquid assets in excess of 15% of its net assets. An illiquid asset is any asset which may not be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the investment. |
3. | Will, under normal circumstances, invest at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of U.S. issuers that have similar economic characteristics to such securities. Prior to any change in the Fund’s 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days written notice. |
4. | Will not invest in securities issued by other investment companies that are not affiliated ETFs so that, as determined immediately after a purchase of such securities is made: (i) not more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of any one investment company; (ii) not more than 10% of the value of its total assets will be invested in the aggregate in securities of investment companies as a group; and (iii) not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company will be owned by the Fund. |
If a percentage limitation is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any change in value or total or net assets will not result in a violation of such restriction, except that the percentage limitations with respect to the borrowing of money and illiquid securities will be observed continuously. With respect to the limitation on illiquid securities, in the event that a subsequent change in net assets or other circumstances cause the Fund to exceed its limitation, the Fund will take steps to bring the aggregate amount of illiquid instruments back within the limitations as soon as reasonably practicable.
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A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Prospectus under “ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION.” The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Prospectus.
The Shares of the Fund are approved for listing and trading on the Exchange, subject to notice of issuance. The Shares trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to some degree from their net asset value. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Shares of the Fund will continue to be met.
The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the Shares of the Fund from listing if: (1) following the initial twelve-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial holders of the Shares for 30 or more consecutive trading days; (2) the value of its underlying Index or portfolio of securities on which the Fund is based is no longer calculated or available; (3) the “indicative optimized portfolio value” (“IOPV”) of the Fund is no longer calculated or available; or (4) such other event shall occur or condition exists that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. In addition, the Exchange will remove the Shares from listing and trading upon termination of the Trust or the Fund.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the Share price of the Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.
As in the case of other publicly-traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
The base and trading currencies of the Fund is the U.S. dollar. The base currency is the currency in which a Fund’s net asset value per Share is calculated and the trading currency is the currency in which Shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the Exchange.
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “MANAGEMENT.”
The Board has responsibility for the overall management, operations and business affairs of the Trust, including general supervision and review of its investment activities. The Trustees elect the officers of the Trust who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Trust and the Fund.
The Trustees and executive officers of the Trust, along with their year of birth, principal occupations over the past five years, length of time served, total number of portfolios overseen in the fund complex, public and fund directorships held and other positions and their affiliations, if any, with the Adviser, are listed below:
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TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST
TRUSTEES
NAME, ADDRESS
AND YEAR OF BIRTH |
POSITION(S)
WITH TRUST |
TERM OF OFFICE
AND LENGTH OF TIME SERVED |
PRINCIPAL
OCCUPATION(S) DURING PAST 5 YEARS |
NUMBER OF
PORTFOLIOS IN FUND COMPLEX OVERSEEN BY TRUSTEE |
OTHER
DIRECTORSHIPS HELD BY TRUSTEE DURING THE LAST 5 YEARS |
Independent Trustees | |||||
Deborah Fuhr (1959) | Independent Trustee | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2018 | Co-Founder and Managing Partner, ETFGI LLP (research and consulting) (2012 to present); | 2 | Co-Founder and Board Member, Women in ETFs (Not for Profit) (2014 to present); Co-founder and Board Member, Women in ETFs Europe Limited (Educational Association) (2015 to present); Director and Board Member, 2 Culford Gardens RTM (Property) (2011 to present); Director and Board Member (2 Culford Gardens Freehold (Property) (2011 to present) |
George Hornig (1954) | Independent Trustee and Chairman of the Audit Committee | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2018 | Managing Member, George Hornig, LLC (2017 to present) (investments); Senior Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, Pinebridge Investments (investment adviser) (2010 to 2016). | 2 | Director, Forrester Research, Inc. (technology research company) (1996 to 2018); Director, Daniel J. Edelman Holding (2016 to present) (communications marketing firm); Director, Xometry (advanced manufacturing platform business) (2014 to present); Director, KBL Merger Corp IV (2017 to present) (healthcare). |
Richard Lyons (1961) | Lead Independent Trustee and Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2018 | Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer, UC Berkeley (since 2020); Professor and William & Janet Cronk Chair in Innovative Leadership (2019), Dean (2008-19), Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley; Chief Learning Officer (2006 to 2008), Goldman Sachs (investment banking and investment management); Executive Associate Dean (2005 to 2006), Acting Dean (2004 to 2005), Professor (2000 to 2004), Associate Professor (1996 to 2000), Assistant Professor (1993 to 1996), Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley. | 2 | Director (2013 to 2016), Matthews A Share Selections Fund, LLC (mutual funds). |
Stewart Myers (1940) | Independent Trustee | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2018 | Professor Emeritus and Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management (since 2015); Principal, The Brattle Group, Inc. (since 1991). | 2 | Director, Entergy Corp. (2009 to 2015). |
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Interested Trustees | |||||
Rory Riggs (1953) | Trustee and Chief Executive Officer | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2017 | Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Locus Analytics, LLC (since 2010); Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Syntax Advisors, LLC (Since 2013); and Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Syntax LLC (Since 2009). | 2 | Managing Member of Balfour, LLC (since 2001); Board Member, Nuredis, Inc. (2016 to present); President, Biomatrix Corporation (1996 to 2000); Director, Biomatrix Corporation (1990 to 2000); Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of RF&P Corporation (1991 to 1995); Managing Director, PaineWebber Incorporated (1981 to 1990); Co-founder and Chairman, RP Management, LLC Chairman and co-founder, Royalty Pharma (1996 to present) (biopharmaceuticals); Chairman and Co-Founder, Cibus Global, Ltd. (2012 to present) (gene editing agriculture); Director GeneNews Limited (2000 to present); Director, Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. (since 2014); Director, FibroGen, Inc. (1993 to present). |
Kathy Cuocolo (1952) | Trustee and President | Term: Unlimited Trustee since 2018 | President and Senior Vice President, Syntax Advisors, LLC and predecessor companies (2014 to present); Managing Director, Head of Global ETF Services, BNY Mellon (2008 to 2013); Executive Vice President, State Street (1982 to 2003). | 2 | Greenbacker Renewable Energy LLC, Audit Chair (2013 to present); Guardian Life Family of Funds (2005 – 2007); Select Sector Trust, Chairman (2000 to 2007); The China Fund (1999 to 2003). |
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OFFICERS
NAME, ADDRESS AND YEAR OF BIRTH
|
POSITION(S)
|
TERM OF
OFFICE
|
PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING PAST 5 YEARS
|
OFFICERS | |||
Rory Riggs (1953) |
Chief Executive | Since 2018 | See Trustee table above |
Kathy Cuocolo (1952) |
President | Since 2018 | See Trustee table above |
David Jaffin (1954) |
Treasurer | Since 2019 |
Partner, B2B CFO® (January 2019 to present); Chief Financial Officer, Poliwogg Holdings, Inc. (October 2012 to August 2018). |
Carly Arison (1990) |
Secretary | Since 2018 | Senior Vice President, Vice President, and Manager, Syntax Advisors, LLC and predecessor companies (2012 to present) |
Brandon Kipp (1983) |
Chief Compliance Officer | Since 2019 | Director, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (since May 2019); Senior Fund Compliance Officer, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (from July 2017 to May 2019); Assistant Vice President and Compliance Manager, UMB Fund Services, Inc. (March 2014 to July 2017). |
Leadership Structure and Board of Trustees
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and its series, including the Fund described in this SAI, are overseen by the Trustees. The Board has approved contracts, as described in this SAI, under which certain companies provide essential management services to the Trust.
Like most mutual funds, the day-to-day business of the Trust, including the management of risk, is performed by third party service providers, such as the Advisor, Sub-Advisor, Distributor and Administrator. The Trustees are responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, have 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 the Fund. The Fund and its service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various of those possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust’s business (e.g., a Sub-Advisor is responsible for the day-to-day management of a Fund’s portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that business. The Board has emphasized to the Fund’s service providers the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management.
The Trustees’ role in risk oversight begins before the inception of a Fund, at which time the Fund’s Advisor presents the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies and risks of the Fund, as well as proposed investment limitations for the Fund. Additionally, the Fund’s Advisor provides the Board with an overview of, among other things, their investment philosophies, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructures. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the Advisor and other service providers, such as the Fund’s independent accountants, make periodic reports to the Audit Committee or to the Board with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which the Fund may be exposed.
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The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund by the Advisor and Sub-Advisor and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis, in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Advisory Agreement with the Advisor, Sub-Advisory Agreements with the Sub-Advisor, the Board meets with the Advisor and Sub-Advisor to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Advisor and Sub-Advisor’s adherence to the Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about the Fund’s investments.
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues. At least annually, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including the Adviser and Sub-Adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; any material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and any material compliance matters since the date of the last report.
The Board receives reports from Fund service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. Regular reports are made to the Board concerning investments for which market quotations are not readily available. Annually, the independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of the Fund’s financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Fund and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Fund’s internal controls. Additionally, in connection with its oversight function, the Board oversees Fund management’s implementation of disclosure controls and procedures, which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in its periodic reports with the SEC are recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the required time periods. The Board also oversees the Trust’s internal controls over financial reporting, which comprise policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Trust’s financial reporting and the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements.
From their review of these reports and discussions with the Advisor, Sub-Advisor, the Chief Compliance Officer, the independent registered public accounting firm and other service providers, the Board and the Audit Committee learn in detail about the material risks of a 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 the Fund’s goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Trustees as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the Fund’s investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Fund’s Advisor, Sub-Advisor 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 Fund’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s ability to monitor and manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
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Trustees and Officers. There are 6 members of the Board of Trustees, 4 of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”). Mr. Riggs, an Interested Trustee, serves as Chairman of the Board to act as liaison with the investment Advisor, other service providers, counsel and other Trustees generally between meetings. Mr. Lyons serves as Lead Independent Trustee and is a spokesperson for and leader of the Independent Trustees. The Board has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust. The Board made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees constitute a majority of the Board, the fact that the chairperson of each Committee of the Board is an Independent Trustee, the amount of assets under management in the Trust, and the number of funds (and classes of shares) 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.
The Board of Trustees has two standing committees: the Audit Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Audit Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee are each chaired by an Independent Trustee and composed of all of the Independent Trustees.
Individual Trustee Qualifications
The Board has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of his or her ability to review and understand information about the Fund provided to him or her by management, to identify and request other information he or she may deem relevant to the performance of his or her duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Fund, and to exercise his or her business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders. The Board 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.
Rory Riggs: Rory Riggs is the CEO and Founder of Syntax LLC.
Rory’s idea for Syntax Stratified Indices came from his career in healthcare and the industry’s statistical use of population sampling and stratification across sub-populations to control for inadvertent biases in clinical trial results. To address the potential of similar biases in index results, he and his team identified a new risk category called related business risks; developed a new classification system with which to identify and group related business risk; and implemented a stratified weighting methodology to control for the inadvertent over-weighting of related business risks that regularly occur capitalization-weight and equal-weight methodologies. Using this Stratified Weight methodology, Syntax operates a family of Syntax Stratified Indices that includes a Stratified Syntax LargeCap, SmallCap Index and MidCap Index that provide Stratified Weight versions of the widely-followed S&P 500, S&P 600 and the S&P 400.
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Prior to founding Syntax and its parent, Locus LP, Rory has been involved in the creation and development of many successful companies in healthcare and bio-technology. These companies include: Royalty Pharma; FibroGen, Inc.; Cibus, LLC; GeneNews Ltd., Sugen, Inc. and eReceivables Inc. He is currently the chairman and co-founder of Royalty Pharma, the largest investor in revenue-producing intellectual property, principally royalty interests in marketed and late-stage development biopharmaceutical products. In addition, Rory is Chairman and Co-founder of Cibus, the leader in non-transgenic (non-GMO) gene editing in agriculture. He also served as the president and director of Biomatrix Corporation (NYSE: BXM) where he launched Synvisc, an important product in the treatment of osteoarthritis.
Rory received a BA from Middlebury College and an MBA from Columbia University.
Kathy Cuocolo: Kathy Cuocolo has served as President and Senior Vice President of Syntax Advisors, LLC, bringing over 30 years of experience in the asset management and ETF industry to Syntax.
Prior to Syntax, Kathy was Managing Director, Head of Global ETF Services at BNY Mellon. Before BNY, Kathy spent 22 years at State Street Corporation, where she rose to Executive Vice President. While at State Street, Kathy brought the first ETF to market, the S&P 500 SPDR, as well as several of the other early ETF products such as the Select Sector SPDR, the Dow Diamond, and CountryBaskets. She began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers as an audit and consulting manager. She is a Board Member and Audit Chair of Greenbacker Renewable Energy LLC and has been on the Boards of Select Sector SPDRs, The China Fund and Guardian Family of Funds. She is a frequent speaker at industry events and conferences on topics ranging from the effectiveness of risk management to the alignment of Board composition.
Kathy received her B.A. in Accounting Summa Cum Laude from Boston College and is a Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts. She holds an Executive Masters Professional Director Certification from the American College of Corporate Directors.
George Hornig: George Hornig has had a career as a senior operating officer in the financial services industry (asset management, investment banking, insurance and fin-tech).
From 2010 - 2016, George was a Senior Managing Director of PineBridge Investments. George led the restructuring of the operations of this former division of AIG Insurance to make it an independent company after its divestiture. Prior to joining PineBridge, George spent 11 years at Credit Suisse Asset Management as Global Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Americas, at Deutsche Bank. In 1988, he was a co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Wasserstein Perella and Company, following his tenure at The First Boston Corp. George also practiced law for two years at Skadden Arps at the start of his career. In addition, George’s career has spanned investments, management and advisor in industries as diverse as health care, manufacturing and the outsourcing of business services, social media, cybersecurity, augmented reality, and e-waste management. Presently he is managing a portfolio of acquisition transactions and venture capital investments. Also he is the Chairman of KBL Merger Corp IV (healthcare industry SPAC), a Director of Edelman (communications marketing firm), and a Director of Xometry (advanced manufacturing platform business). From 1992 to 2012, he was a Director of Unity Mutual Life and from 1996 to 2018, he was a Director of Forrester Research and Chairman of the Audit Committee.
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George received his AB in Economics from Harvard College, his MBA from Harvard Business School and his JD from Harvard Law School.
Deborah Fuhr: Deborah Fuhr is the managing partner and co-founder of ETFGI. Previously she served as global head of ETF research and implementation strategy and as a managing director at BlackRock/Barclays Global Investors from 2008-2011. Fuhr also worked as a managing director and head of the investment strategy team at Morgan Stanley in London from 1997-2008, and as an associate at Greenwich Associates.
Deborah Fuhr is the recipient of the 2014 William F. Sharpe Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding and lasting contributions to the field of index investing, the Nate Most Greatest Contributor to the ETF industry award, and the ETF.com Lifetime achievement award. She has been named as one of the “100 Most Influential Women in Finance” by Financial News in 2014, 2013, 2012, 2009, 2008 and 2007. Ms. Fuhr won the award for the Greatest Overall Contribution to the development of the Global ETF industry in the ExchangeTradedFunds.com survey in 2011 and 2008, Ms. Fuhr is one of the founders and on the board of Women in ETFs and is on the board of Cancer Research UK’s ‘Women of Influence’ initiative to support female scientists. Ms. Fuhr is on the editorial board of the Journal of Indexes, and Money Management Executive; the advisory board for the Journal of Index Investing; and the investment panel of experts for Portfolio Adviser, the FTSE ICB Advisory Committee, the NASDAQ listing and hearing review council, the International Advisory Committee for the Egyptian Exchange, and the University of Connecticut School of Business International Advisory Board.
She holds a BS degree from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Richard Lyons: Richard Lyons is Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer at UC Berkeley, and previously served as the dean of the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, where he held the Bank of America Dean’s Chair.
Prior to becoming dean in July 2008, he served as the chief learning officer at Goldman Sachs in New York, a position he held since 2006. As chief learning officer, Rich was responsible for leadership development among the firm’s managing directors. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Rich served as acting dean of the Haas School from 2004 to 2005 and as executive associate dean and Sylvan Coleman Professor of Finance from 2005 to 2006.
He received his BS with highest honors from UC Berkeley (finance) and his Ph.D. from MIT (economics). Before coming to Haas, Professor Lyons spent six years on the faculty at Columbia Business School. His teaching expertise is in international finance.
Stewart Myers: Stewart C. Myers is the Robert C. Merton (1970) Professor of Finance, Emeritus at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
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Mr. Myers is past President of the American Finance Association, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and a principal of the Brattle Group, Inc. His textbook Principles of Corporate Finance (12th ed., with Richard Brealey and Franklin Allen) is known as the “bible” of financial management. His research focuses on the valuation of real and financial assets, corporate finance and financial aspects of government regulation of business. He introduced both the tradeoff and pecking order theories of capital structure and was the first to recognize the importance of real options in corporate finance. Myers is the author of influential research papers on many topics, including adjusted present value (APV), rate of return regulation, capital allocation and risk management in banking and insurance, real options, payout policy, and moral hazard and information issues in financing decisions. He has served as a director of Entergy Corporation and CAT Ltd. and as a manager of the Cambridge Endowment for Research in Finance.
He holds an AB from Williams College and an MBA and a PhD from Stanford University.
References to the experience, attributes and skills of Trustees above are pursuant to requirements of the SEC and do not constitute holding out of the Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board by reason thereof.
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 Fund.
REMUNERATION OF THE TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
No officer, director or employee of the Adviser, its parent or subsidiaries receives any compensation from the Trust for serving as an officer or Trustee of the Trust. The Trust pays, in the aggregate, each Independent Trustee an annual fee of $25,000. Trustee fees are allocated between the Funds in such a manner as deemed equitable, taking into consideration the relative net assets of the series.
STANDING COMMITTEES
Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee consisting of all Independent Trustees. George Hornig serves as Chair. The Audit Committee meets with the Trust’s independent auditors to review and approve the scope and results of their professional services; to review the procedures for evaluating the adequacy of the Trust’s accounting controls; to consider the range of audit fees; and to make recommendations to the Board regarding the engagement of the Trust’s independent auditors. The Audit Committee was established on March 28, 2018 and met three times during the calendar year ending December 31, 2019.
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Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has established a Nominating and Governance Committee consisting of all Independent Trustees. Richard Lyons serves as Chairperson. The responsibilities of the Nominating and Governance Committee are to: (1) nominate Independent Trustees; (2) review on a periodic basis the governance structures and procedures of the Funds; (3) periodically review Trustee compensation, (4) annually review committee and committee chair assignments, (5) annually review the responsibilities and charter of each committee, (6) plan and administer the Board’s annual self-evaluation, (7) annually consider the structure, operations and effectiveness of the Nominating and Governance Committee, and (8) at least annually evaluate the independence of counsel to the Independent Trustees. The Nominating and Governance Committee was established on March 28, 2018 and did not meet during the calendar year ending December 31, 2019.
The Trustees adopted the following procedures with respect to the consideration of nominees recommended by security holders.
1. | The shareholder must submit any such recommendation (a “Shareholder Recommendation”) in writing to the Trust, to the attention of the Trust’s Secretary, at the address of the principal executive offices of the Trust. |
2. | The Shareholder Recommendation must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Trust not less than sixty (60) calendar days nor more than ninety (90) calendar days prior to the date of the Board or shareholder meeting at which the nominee candidate would be considered for election. Shareholder Recommendations will be kept on file for two years after receipt of the Shareholder Recommendation. A Shareholder Recommendation considered by the Committee in connection with the Committee’s nomination of any candidate(s) for appointment or election as an independent Trustee need not be considered again by the Committee in connection with any subsequent nomination(s). |
3. | The Shareholder Recommendation must include: (i) a statement in writing setting forth (A) the name, age, date of birth, business address, residence address and nationality of the person recommended by the shareholder (the “candidate”), and the names and addresses of at least three professional references; (B) the number of all shares of the Trust (including the series and class, if applicable) owned of record or beneficially by the candidate, the date such shares were acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition(s), as reported to such shareholder by the candidate; (C) any other information regarding the candidate called for with respect to director nominees by paragraphs (a), (d), (e) and (f) of Item 401 of Regulation S-K or paragraph (b) of Item 22 of Rule 14a-101 (Schedule 14A) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), adopted by the SEC (or the corresponding provisions of any applicable regulation or rule subsequently adopted by the SEC or any successor agency with jurisdiction related to the Trust); (D) any other information regarding the candidate that would be required to be disclosed if the candidate were a nominee in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitation of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or any other applicable law or regulation; and (E) whether the recommending shareholder believes that the candidate is or will be an “interested person” of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) and, if not an “interested person,” information regarding the candidate that will be sufficient, in the discretion of the Board or the Committee, for the Trust to make such determination; (ii) the written and signed consent of the candidate to be named as a nominee and to serve as a Trustee if elected; (iii) the recommending shareholder’s name as it appears on the Trust’s books; (iv) the number of all shares of the Trust (including the series and class, if applicable) owned beneficially and of record by the recommending shareholder; (v) a complete description of all arrangements or understandings between the recommending shareholder and the candidate and any other person or persons (including their names) pursuant to which the recommendation is being made by the recommending shareholder including, without limitation, all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings between the candidate and recommending shareholder during the past three years, and (vi) a brief description of the candidate’s relevant background and experience for membership on the Board, such as qualification as an audit committee financial expert. |
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4. | The Committee may require the recommending shareholder to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require or deem necessary to verify any information furnished pursuant to paragraph 3 above or to determine the eligibility of the candidate to serve as a Trustee of the Trust or to satisfy applicable law. If the recommending shareholder fails to provide such other information in writing within seven days of receipt of a written request from the Committee, the recommendation of such candidate as a nominee will be deemed not properly submitted for consideration, and the Committee will not be required to consider such candidate. |
OWNERSHIP OF FUND SHARES
As of December 31, 2019, neither the Independent Trustees nor their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities in the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, Principal Underwriter or any person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser, Sub-Adviser or Principal Underwriter.
The following table sets forth information describing the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Trustee in the Trust as of December 31, 2019.
Name of Trustee | Fund |
Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate Dollar
Range of Equity Securities in All Funds Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies |
|||||
Independent Trustees: | ||||||||
Deborah Fuhr | None | None | None | |||||
George Hornig | None | None | $0-$10,000 | |||||
Richard Lyons | None | None | $10,000-$50,000 | |||||
Stewart Myers | None | None | $10,000-$50,000 | |||||
Interested Trustees: | ||||||||
Rory Riggs | None | None | $10,000-$50,000 | |||||
Kathy Cuocolo | None | None | Over $100,000 |
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CODE OF ETHICS. The Trust, the Advisor, the Sub-Advisor and Foreside Financial Group, LLC (on behalf of Foreside Fund Officer Services, LLC) have each adopted a code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics permit, subject to certain conditions, personnel of each of those entities to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds. The Distributor relies on the principal underwriters exception under Rule 17j-1(c)(3), specifically where the Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust or the Advisor, and no officer, director or general partner of the Distributor serves as an officer, director or general partner of the Trust or the Advisor. Each code of ethics, filed as an exhibit to the Trust’s registration statement, may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C. or on the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
PROXY VOTING POLICY. The Board believes that the voting of proxies on securities held by the Funds is an important element of the overall investment process. As such, the Board has delegated the responsibility to vote such proxies to the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor’s proxy voting policy is attached at the end of this SAI as Appendix A. Information regarding how a Fund voted proxies relating to its portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available: (1) without charge by calling (866) 972-4492; (2) on the Funds’ website at www.SyntaxAdvisors.com; and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS POLICY. The Trust has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about the Trust’s portfolio holdings. The Board must approve all material amendments to this policy. The Fund’s portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Fund is open for business through financial reporting and news services including publicly accessible Internet web sites. In addition, a basket composition file, which includes the security names and share quantities to deliver in exchange for the Fund’s shares, together with estimates and actual cash components, is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of the Exchange via the National Securities Clearing Corporation (the “NSCC”). The basket represents one Creation Unit of the Fund. The Trust, the Adviser or State Street will not disseminate non-public information concerning the Trust, except: (i) to a party for a legitimate business purpose related to the day-to-day operations of the Fund or (ii) to any other party for a legitimate business or regulatory purpose, upon waiver or exception.
THE INVESTMENT ADVISOR
Syntax Advisors, LLC (“Syntax” or “Advisor”) acts as investment adviser to the Trust and, subject to the supervision of the Board, is responsible for the investment management of the Fund. The Advisor’s principal address is One Liberty Plaza, 46th Fl. New York, NY 10006.
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The Advisor serves as investment advisor to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (“Investment Advisory Agreement”) between the Trust and the Advisor. The Investment Advisory Agreement, with respect to the Fund, continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (1) the Board or (2) vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, provided that in either event such continuance also is approved by a majority of the Board who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund is terminable without penalty, on 60 days’ notice, by the Board or by a vote of the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. The Investment Advisory Agreement is also terminable upon 60 days’ notice by the Advisor and will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Advisor, subject to the supervision of the Board and in conformity with the stated investment policies of the Fund, manages the investment of the Fund’s assets. The Advisor is responsible for placing purchase and sale orders and providing continuous supervision of the investment portfolio of the Fund. Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Trust has agreed to indemnify the Advisor for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws, unless such loss or liability results from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or the reckless disregard of its obligations and duties.
For the services provided to the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Fund pays the Advisor monthly fees based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus. From time to time, the Advisor may waive all or a portion of its fee. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Advisor agrees to pay all expenses of the Trust, except (i) interest expense, (ii) taxes, (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses, (iv) brokerage expenses and other expenses (such as stamp taxes) connected with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions, (v) expenses associated with shareholder meetings, (vi) compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees, (vii) compensation and expenses of the Trust’s chief compliance officer and his or her staff, (viii) distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, (ix) legal fees or expenses in connection with any arbitration, litigation or pending or threatened arbitration or litigation, including any settlements in connection therewith, and (x) extraordinary expenses of the Fund.
The advisory fees paid to the Adviser for the last three fiscal years have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced investment operations as of the date of this SAI.
Syntax Advisors, LLC (the “Advisor”) has agreed to waive its fees and/or absorb expenses of the Fund to ensure that Total Annual Operating Expenses (except any (i) interest expense, (ii) taxes, (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses, (iv) brokerage expenses and other expenses (such as stamp taxes) connected with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions, (v) expenses associated with shareholder meetings, (vi) compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees, (vii) compensation and expenses of the Trust’s chief compliance officer and his or her staff, (viii) distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, (ix) legal fees or expenses in connection with any arbitration, litigation or pending or threatened arbitration or litigation, including any settlements in connection therewith, and (x) extraordinary expenses of the Fund) do not exceed 0.30%.
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Subject to approval by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, any waiver under the Expense Limitation Agreement is subject to repayment by the Fund within 36 months following the day on which fees are waived or reimbursed, if such repayment does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both: (i) the expense cap in place at the time such amounts were waived; and (ii) the Fund’s current expense cap noted above. These arrangements cannot be terminated prior to one year from the effective date of this prospectus without the approval of the Board of Trustees.
Fund |
Total Operating Expenses after
Waiver/Reimbursement |
SYNTAX STRATIFIED LARGECAP II ETF | 0.30% |
A discussion regarding the Board’s consideration of the Trust’s Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement can be found in the Trust’s next Annual or Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders, as applicable.
SUB-ADVISOR
Vantage Consulting Group (“Vantage” or the “Equity Sub-Advisor”), 3500 Pacific Ave. Virginia Beach, VA 23451, serves as the investment sub-advisor for the Fund pursuant to an Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Advisor and Vantage, dated March 2, 2018 (referred to as a “Sub-Advisory Agreement). The Sub-Advisor is responsible for placing purchase and sale orders and shall make investment decisions for the Fund, subject to the supervision by the Advisor. For its services, the Sub-Advisor is compensated by the Adviser.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
The Equity Sub-Advisor manages the Fund using a team of investment professionals. The professional primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Funds is James Thomas Wolfe.
The following table lists the number and types of accounts, other than the Funds, managed by Mr. Wolfe and the assets under management in those accounts.
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Other Accounts Managed as of December 31, 2019
Registered
Investment Company Accounts |
Assets
Managed (millions) |
Pooled
Investment Vehicle Accounts |
Assets
Managed (millions) |
Other
Accounts |
Assets
Managed (millions) |
|
James Thomas Wolfe | 1 | $62,148,931 | 2 | $26,083,283 | N/A | N/A |
OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
The portfolio manager listed above does not beneficially own any Shares of the Fund as of December 31, 2019.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Description of Material Conflicts of Interest. Because the portfolio manager may manage multiple portfolios for multiple clients, the potential for conflicts of interest exists. The portfolio manager generally manages portfolios having substantially the same investment style as the Fund. However, the portfolios managed by the portfolio manager may not have portfolio compositions identical to those of the Funds due, for example, to specific investment limitations or guidelines present in some portfolios or accounts but not others. The portfolio manager may purchase securities for one portfolio and not another portfolio, and the performance of securities purchased for one portfolio may vary from the performance of securities purchased for other portfolios. The portfolio manager may place transactions on behalf of other accounts that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of the Fund, or make investment decisions that are similar to those made for the Fund, both of which have the potential to adversely impact the Fund depending on market conditions. For example, the portfolio manager may purchase a security in one portfolio while appropriately selling that same security in another portfolio. In addition, some of these portfolios have fee structures that are or have the potential to be higher than the advisory fees paid by the Funds, which can cause potential conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities between the Funds and the other accounts. However, the compensation structure for portfolio manager does not generally provide incentive to favor one account over another because that part of a manager’s bonus based on performance is not based on the performance of one account to the exclusion of others. There are many other factors considered in determining the portfolio manager’s bonus and there is no formula that is applied to weight the factors listed.
COMPENSATION
The Sub-Adviser’s compensation and incentive program varies by professional and discipline. A portfolio manager’s compensation is comprised of a fixed based salary and a bonus. The base salary is not based on the value of the assets managed but rather on the individual portfolio manager’s experience and responsibilities. The bonus also varies by individual and is based upon criteria that incorporate the Sub-Adviser’s assessment of each Fund’s performance as well as a portfolio manager’s corporate citizenship and overall contribution to the Firm.
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THE ADMINISTRATOR, CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT
State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), located at State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as Administrator for the Trust pursuant to an administration agreement (“Administration Agreement”). Under the Administration Agreement, State Street is responsible for certain administrative services associated with day-to-day operations of the Fund.
Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, the Trust has agreed to a limitation on damages and to indemnify the Administrator for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws; provided, however, such indemnity of the Administrator shall not apply in the case of the Administrator’s gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties. Under the Custodian Agreement and Transfer Agency Agreement, as described below, the Trust has also provided indemnities to State Street for certain liabilities.
State Street also serves as Custodian for the Fund pursuant to a custodian agreement (“Custodian Agreement”). As Custodian, State Street holds the Fund’s assets, calculates the net asset value of the Shares and calculates net income and realized capital gains or losses. State Street and the Trust will comply with the self-custodian provisions of Rule 17f-2 under the 1940 Act.
State Street also serves as Transfer Agent of the Fund pursuant to a transfer agency agreement (“Transfer Agency Agreement”).
Compensation. As compensation for its services under the Administration Agreement, the Custodian Agreement and Transfer Agency Agreement, State Street shall receive a fee for its services, calculated based on the average aggregate net assets of the Trust as follows:
For its services as Administrator, State Street is paid an annual fee based on the net assets of the Fund. As the Fund has not yet commenced operation, the Fund has not paid State Street fees for its services as Administrator.
For its services as Custodian and fund accountant, State Street is paid an annual fee based on the net assets of the Fund. It also receives an annual fee for ETF basket creation services. As the Fund has not yet commenced operation, the Fund has not paid State Street fees for its services as Custodian or fund accountant.
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THE DISTRIBUTOR
Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the “Distributor”) is the principal underwriter and Distributor of the Fund’s Creation Units. Its principal address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine, 04101. Investor information can be obtained by calling (866) 972-4492. The Distributor has entered into a distribution agreement (“Distribution Agreement”) with the Trust pursuant to which it distributes Creation Units of the Fund. The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually thereafter. Shares will be continuously offered for sale by the Trust through the Distributor only in Creation Units, as described in the Prospectus and below under “PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS.” Shares in numbers less than Creation Units are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor will deliver the Prospectus to Authorized Participants (as defined below) purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The Distributor has no role in determining the investment policies of the Trust or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Trust.
The Advisor, or an affiliate of the Adviser, may directly or indirectly make cash payments to certain broker-dealers for participating in activities that are designed to make registered representatives and other professionals more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as participation in marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems.
The Fund has adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act pursuant to which payments of up to 0.25% of a Fund’s average daily net assets may be made for the sale and distribution of its Shares. However, the Board of Trustees has determined not to authorize payment of a 12b-1 Plan fee at this time. The 12b-1 Plan fee may only be imposed or increased when the Board of Trustees determines that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of a Fund’s assets, and over time, these fees increase the cost of your investment and they may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
The Distribution Agreement provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, as to the Fund: (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, on at least 60 days written notice to the Distributor. The Distribution Agreement is also terminable upon 60 days’ notice by the Distributor and will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
The continuation of the Distribution Agreement, any Investor Services Agreements and any other related agreements is subject to annual approval of the Board, including by a majority of the Independent Trustees, as described above.
Each of the Investor Services Agreements will provide that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the relevant Fund, on at least 60 days’ written notice to the other party. The Distribution Agreement is also terminable upon 60 days’ notice by the Distributor and will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act). Each Investor Services Agreement is also terminable by the applicable Investor Service Organization upon 60 days’ notice to the other party thereto.
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The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Unit aggregations of Fund Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Participating Parties (as defined in the “Book Entry Only System” section below), DTC Participants (as defined below) and/or Investor Services Organizations.
Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Trust has agreed to indemnify the Distributor, and may indemnify Soliciting Dealers and Authorized Participants (as described below) entering into agreements with the Distributor, for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws, unless such loss or liability results from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or the reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Distribution Agreement or other agreement, as applicable.
The policy of the Trust regarding purchases and sales of securities for the 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 Fund and the Advisor from obtaining a high quality of brokerage and research services. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Advisor rely upon its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage and research services received from the broker effecting the transaction. Such determinations are necessarily subjective and imprecise, as in most cases an exact dollar value for those services is not ascertainable. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of a Fund’s Shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.
In selecting a broker/dealer for each specific transaction, the Sub-Advisor chooses the broker/dealer deemed most capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable execution and does not take the sale of Fund Shares into account. The Sub-Advisor considers the full range of brokerage services applicable to a particular transaction that may be considered when making this judgment, which may include, but is not limited to: liquidity, price, commission, timing, aggregated trades, capable floor brokers or traders, competent block trading coverage, ability to position, capital strength and stability, reliable and accurate communications and settlement processing, use of automation, knowledge of other buyers or sellers, arbitrage skills, administrative ability, underwriting and provision of information on a particular security or market in which the transaction is to occur. The specific criteria will vary depending upon the nature of the transaction, the market in which it is executed, and the extent to which it is possible to select from among multiple broker/dealers. The Sub-Advisor will also use electronic crossing networks when appropriate.
The Sub-Advisor does not currently use the Fund’s assets for, or participate in, third party soft dollar arrangements, although the Sub-Advisor may receive proprietary research from various full service brokers, the cost of which is bundled with the cost of the broker’s execution services. The Sub-Advisor does not “pay up” for the value of any such proprietary research.
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The Sub-Advisor assumes general supervision over placing orders on behalf of the Trust for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities of the Trust and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the Sub-Advisors 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 Advisor. In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security so far as the Trust 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 the Trust. The primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price.
The Fund will not deal with affiliates in principal transactions unless permitted by exemptive order or applicable rule or regulation. The aggregate dollar amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the last three fiscal years have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced investment operations as of the date of this SAI.
The Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) which it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers or dealers” of the Trust are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Trust’s portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Trust; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of the Trust’s Shares.
Holdings in Securities of Regular Broker-Dealers for the most recent fiscal year have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced investment operations as of the date of this SAI.
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 or transaction costs. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions and transaction costs is evaluated by the Advisor based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions and transaction costs paid by other institutional investors for comparable services.
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION.”
DTC acts as securities depositary for the Shares. Shares of the Fund 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 the limited circumstance provided below, certificates will not be issued for Shares.
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DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, 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 the FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).
Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of Shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the Shares of the Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust, either directly or through a third party service, shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding Shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust, either directly or through a third party service, 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 and/or third party service 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 Shares of the 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 aspects of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such Shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.
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DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to Shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost or, if such a 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.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
The Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI and therefore did not have any beneficial owners that owned greater than 5% of the outstanding voting securities as of the date of this SAI.
An Authorized Participant (as defined below) may hold of record more than 25% of the outstanding Shares of the Fund. From time to time, Authorized Participants may be a beneficial and/or legal owner of the Fund, may be deemed to have control of the Fund and may be able to affect the outcome of matters presented for a vote of the shareholders of the Fund. Authorized Participants may execute an irrevocable proxy granting the Distributor, State Street or an affiliate (the “Agent”) power to vote or abstain from voting such Authorized Participant’s beneficially or legally owned Shares of the Fund. In such cases, the Agent shall mirror vote (or abstain from voting) such Shares in the same proportion as all other beneficial owners of the Fund.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS
The Fund issues and redeems its Shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in a large specified number of Shares called a “Creation Unit,” either principally in-kind for securities included in the relevant Index or in cash for the value of such securities. The value of the Fund is determined once each business day, as described under “Determination of Net Asset Value.” Creation Unit sizes are set forth in the table below:
FUND | Creation Unit Size | |||
Syntax Stratified LargeCap II ETF | 25,000 |
PURCHASE (CREATION). The Trust issues and sells Shares of the Fund only: in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Principal Underwriter, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), at their NAV per Share next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day (as defined below), in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”). A “Business Day” with respect to the Fund is, generally, any day on which the NYSE Arca is open for business.
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FUND DEPOSIT. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of either (i) the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities instruments (“Deposit Instruments”) per each Creation Unit, constituting a substantial replication, or (ii) the Deposit Cash constituting the cash value of the Deposit Instruments and “Cash Amount,” computed as described below. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for cash, the Fund may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit Instruments that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser.
Together, the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Amount constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund. The “Cash Amount” is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Shares (per Creation Unit) and the aggregate market value of the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Amount is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit exceeds the market value of the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Amount shall be such positive amount. If the Cash Amount is a negative number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit is less than the market value of the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Amount shall be such negative amount and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Amount. The Cash Amount serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the market value of the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable. Computation of the Cash Amount excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Instruments, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).
The Custodian, through NSCC, makes available on each Business Day, immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time), the list of the names and the required amount of the instruments comprising the Deposit Instruments or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, as well as the estimated amount of the Cash Amount to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, in order to effect purchases of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Instruments or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.
The identity and required amount of each instrument comprising the Deposit Instruments or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for the Fund Deposit for the Fund changes as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Advisor with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Instruments may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities of the Fund’s Index.
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As noted above, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Instrument which shall be added to the Deposit Instruments, including, without limitation, in situations where such Deposit Instrument: (i) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (ii) in the case of foreign funds holding non-US Deposit Instruments, where such instruments are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers, or other similar circumstances; (iii) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (iv) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting; or (v) a holder of Shares of a foreign fund holding non-US instruments would be subject to unfavorable income tax treatment if the holder receives redemption proceed “in-kind” (collectively, “non-standard orders”). The Trust also reserves the right to include or remove Deposit Instruments from the basket in anticipation of index rebalancing changes. The adjustments described above will reflect changes, known to the Advisor on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Fund Deposit, in the composition of the subject Index being tracked by the Fund or resulting from certain corporate actions.
PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASE OF CREATION UNITS. To be eligible to place orders with the Principal Underwriter, as facilitated via the Transfer Agent, to purchase a Creation Unit of the 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 Principal Underwriter and the Transfer Agent, and that has been accepted by the Trust, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of a Participant Agreement, on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that it will pay to the Trust, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Deposit Instruments together with the creation transaction fee (described below) and any other applicable fees, taxes and additional variable charge.
All orders to purchase Shares directly from the Fund, including non-standard orders, must be placed for one or more whole Creation Units and in the manner and by the time set forth in 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 the 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.
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On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which the Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed, the Fund will also generally not accept orders on such day(s). Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. Those placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order by the cut-off time on such Business Day. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant.
Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a subcustody agent for (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Instruments, the Custodian shall cause the subcustodian of the Fund 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 Instruments. Foreign Deposit Instruments 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 Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the Fund or its agents by no later than the Settlement Date. The “Settlement Date” for the Fund is generally the third Business Day after the Order Placement Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Instruments 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 Deposit Instruments 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 Amount and the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received 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 the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Transfer Agent.
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 (per applicable instructions), 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 (per applicable instructions) on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, order form and this SAI are properly followed.
ISSUANCE OF A CREATION UNIT. Except as provided herein, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Instruments or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Deposit Instruments has been completed. When the sub-custodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Instruments (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the Principal Underwriter and the Advisor shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units.
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In instances where the Trust accepts Deposit Instruments for the purchase of a Creation Unit, the Creation Unit may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Instruments as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the net asset value of the Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since in addition to available Deposit Instruments, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Deposit Instruments, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the market value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Instruments (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which shall be maintained in a general non-interest bearing collateral account. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Instruments to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Instruments. The Trust may use such Additional Cash Deposit to buy the missing Deposit Instruments at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for all costs, expenses, dividends, income and taxes associated with missing Deposit Instruments, including the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Instruments exceeds the market value of such Deposit Instruments on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Principal Underwriter plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Instruments have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee as set forth below under “Creation Transaction Fees” will be charged and an additional variable charge may also be applied. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.
ACCEPTANCE OF ORDERS OF CREATION UNITS. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted in respect of a Fund at its discretion, including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Instruments or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80 percent or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (d) acceptance of the Deposit Instruments would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (e) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (f) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust or the Advisor, have an adverse effect on the Trust or the rights of beneficial owners; (g) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (h) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent and/or the Advisor 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 Principal Underwriter, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Trust or its agents shall communicate to the Authorized Participant its rejection of an order. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Principal Underwriter 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 Principal Underwriter shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units.
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All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Instruments and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
REDEMPTION. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their net asset value next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the 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 WHOLE CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit in order to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.
With respect to the Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and share quantities of the Fund’s portfolio instruments that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Redemption Instruments”). In certain circumstances, Redemption Instruments received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Instruments.
Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit are paid either in-kind or in cash, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Trust. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the Fund, redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of Redemption 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 net asset value of the Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Redemption Instruments (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less a fixed redemption transaction fee and any applicable additional variable charge as set forth below. In the event that the Redemption Instruments have a value greater than the net asset value of the Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Trust’s discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more redemption Instruments.
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PROCEDURES FOR REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS. After the Trust has deemed an order for redemption received, the Trust will initiate procedures to transfer the requisite Redemption Instruments and the Cash Redemption Amount to the Authorized Participant by the Settlement Date. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the Fund, the calculation of the value of the Redemption Instruments and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered upon redemption will be made by the Custodian according to the procedures set forth under “Determination of Net Asset Value,” computed on the Business Day on which a redemption order is deemed received by the Trust. Therefore, if a redemption order in proper form is submitted to the Principal Underwriter by a DTC Participant by the specified time on the Order Placement Date, and the requisite number of Shares of the Fund are delivered to the Custodian prior to 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time (per applicable instructions) on the Settlement Date, then the value of the Redemption Instruments and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered will be determined by the Custodian on such Order Placement Date. If the requisite number of Shares of the Fund are not delivered by 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time (per applicable instructions) on the Settlement Date, the Fund will not release the underlying securities for delivery unless collateral is posted in such percentage amount of missing Shares as set forth in the Participant Agreement (marked to market daily).
With respect to in kind redemptions of the Fund, in connection with taking delivery of shares of Redemption Instruments upon redemption of Creation Units, an Authorized Participant must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Redemption Instruments are customarily traded (or such other arrangements as allowed by the Trust or its agents), to which account such Redemption Instruments will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within three Business Days of the trade date. Due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, however, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds may take longer than three business days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. The section below entitled “Local Market Holidays Schedules” identifies the instances where more than seven days would be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Pursuant to an order of the SEC, in respect of the Fund, the Trust will make delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds within the number of days stated in the Local Market Holidays section to be the maximum number of days necessary to deliver redemption proceeds. If the Authorized Participant has not made appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Redemption Instruments in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Redemption Instruments in such jurisdiction, the Trust may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the Authorized Participant will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.
If it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Redemption Instruments, 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 the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Shares based on the NAV of Shares of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Redemption Instruments). The 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 Redemption Instruments but does not differ in net asset value.
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An Authorized Participant submitting a redemption request is deemed to represent to the Trust that it (or its client) (i) owns outright or has full legal authority and legal beneficial right to tender for redemption the requisite number of Shares to be redeemed and can receive the entire proceeds of the redemption, and (ii) the Shares to be redeemed have not been loaned or pledged to another party nor are they the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or such other arrangement which would preclude the delivery of such Shares to the Trust. The Trust reserves the right to verify these representations at its discretion, but will typically require verification with respect to a redemption request from the Fund in connection with higher levels of redemption activity and/or short interest in the Fund. If the Authorized Participant, upon receipt of a verification request, does not provide sufficient verification of its representations as determined by the Trust, the redemption request will not be considered to have been received in proper form and may be rejected by the Trust.
Redemptions of Shares for Redemption Instruments will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the 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 Redemption Instruments upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Redemption Instruments 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 Redemption Instruments applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming investor of the Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” (“QIB”), as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive Redemption Instruments 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 in order to receive Redemption Instruments.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares of the Fund or determination of the NAV of the Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
CREATION AND REDEMPTION TRANSACTION FEES. A transaction fee, as set forth in the table below, is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase or redemption of Creation Units, as applicable, with fees capped at 2% of transaction amount. Authorized Participants will be required to pay a fixed creation transaction fee and/or a fixed redemption transaction fee, as applicable, on a given day regardless of the number of Creation Units created or redeemed on that day. The Fund may adjust the transaction fee from time to time. The Creation/Redemption Transaction Fee may be waived for the Fund when the Advisor believes that waiver of such fee is in the best interest of the Fund. When determining whether to waive the Creation/Redemption Transaction Fee, the Advisor considers a number of factors including whether waiving such fee will facilitate the initial launch of the Fund; facilitate portfolio rebalancings in a less costly manner; improve the quality of the secondary trading market for the Fund’s shares; and not result in the Fund bearing additional costs or expenses as a result of such waiver.
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An additional charge or a variable charge (discussed below) will be applied to certain creation and redemption transactions, including non-standard orders and whole or partial cash purchases or redemptions. With respect to creation orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Instruments to the account of the Trust and with respect to redemption orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the Redemption Instruments from the Trust to their account or on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may also be charged a fee for such services.
FUND |
TRANSACTION
FEE |
MAXIMUM
TRANSACTION FEE |
||||||
Syntax Stratified LargeCap II ETF | $ | 1,250 | $ | 2,000 |
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the sections in the Prospectus entitled “PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES” and “ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION.”
Net asset value per Share for the Fund of the Trust is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Shares outstanding. Expenses and fees, including the management, administration and distribution fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining net asset value. The net asset value of the Fund is calculated by the Custodian and determined as of the close of the regular trading session on the (ordinarily 4:00p.m. Eastern time) on each day that such exchange is open.
In computing the Fund’s net asset value per Share, the Fund’s securities holdings are based on the market price of the securities, which generally means a valuation obtained from an exchange or other market (or based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of value supplied by an exchange or other market) or a valuation obtained from an independent pricing service. In the case of shares of funds that are not traded on an exchange (e.g., mutual funds), last sale price means such fund’s published net asset value per share. Other portfolio securities and assets for which market quotations are not readily available are valued based on fair value as determined in good faith by the Oversight Committee in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board. In these cases, the Fund’s net asset value may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than their market prices. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security. In addition, fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate the Fund’s net asset value and the prices used by the Index. This may result in a difference between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index.
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The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “DISTRIBUTIONS.”
GENERAL POLICIES. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid annually for the Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Trust may make distributions on a more frequent basis for a Fund to improve index tracking or to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act. In addition, the Trust intends to distribute at least annually amounts representing the full dividend yield on the underlying portfolio securities of the Fund, net of expenses of such Fund, as if such Fund owned such underlying portfolio securities for the entire dividend period. As a result, some portion of each distribution may result in a return of capital for tax purposes for shareholders.
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.
The Trust may make additional distributions to the extent necessary (i) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the Trust, plus any net capital gains and (ii) to avoid imposition of the excise tax imposed by Section 4982 of the Internal Revenue 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 the status of the Fund as a “regulated investment company” under the Internal Revenue Code or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT. Broker dealers, at their own discretion, may also offer a dividend reinvestment service under which Shares are purchased in the secondary market at current market prices. Investors should consult their broker dealer for further information regarding any dividend reinvestment service offered by such broker dealer.
Set forth below is a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and the purchase, ownership and disposition of Shares. It is based upon the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), U.S. Treasury Department regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial authorities, and administrative rulings and practices, all as in effect as of the date of this SAI and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “U.S. Federal Income Taxation.”
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Except to the extent discussed below, this summary assumes that the Fund’s shareholder holds Shares as capital assets within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code, and does not hold Shares in connection with a trade or business. This summary does not address all potential U.S. federal income tax considerations possibly applicable to an investment in Shares, and does not address the tax consequences to Fund shareholders subject to special tax rules, including, but not limited to, partnerships and the partners therein, those who hold Shares through an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged account, and, except to the extent discussed below, tax-exempt shareholders. This discussion does not discuss any aspect of U.S. state, local, estate, and gift, or non-U.S., tax law. This discussion is not intended or written to be legal or tax advice to any shareholder in the Fund or other person and is not intended or written to be used or relied on, and cannot be used or relied on, by any such person for the purpose of avoiding any U.S. federal tax penalties that may be imposed on such person. Prospective Fund shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the specific U.S. federal, state, and local, and non-U.S., tax consequences of investing in Shares based on their particular circumstances.
The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) as to the U.S. federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors with regard to the U.S. federal tax consequences of the purchase, ownership or disposition of Shares, as well as the tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, non-U.S. country or other taxing jurisdiction.
Tax Treatment of the Fund
In General. The Fund intends to qualify and elect to be treated as a separate regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the Internal Revenue Code. As a RIC, a Fund generally will not be required to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.
To qualify and remain eligible for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs, a Fund must meet certain income, asset and distribution requirements, described in more detail below. Specifically, the Fund must (i) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (“QPTPs”) (i.e., partnership that are traded on an established securities market or readily tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive at least 90% of their income from interest, dividends, and other qualifying RIC income described above), and (ii) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other RICs, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers of which 20% or more of the voting stock of each such issuer is held by the Fund and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or business or in the securities of one or more QPTPs. Furthermore, a Fund must distribute annually at least 90% of the sum of (i) its “investment company taxable income” (which includes dividends, interest and net short-term capital gains) and (ii) certain net tax-exempt income, if any.
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Failure to Maintain RIC Status. If a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for any year (subject to certain curative measures allowed by the Internal Revenue Code), the Fund will be subject to regular corporate-level U.S. federal income tax in that year on all of its taxable income, regardless of whether the Fund makes any distributions to its shareholders. In addition, in such case, distributions will be taxable to the Fund’s shareholders generally as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, possibly eligible for (i) in the case of an individual Fund shareholder, treatment as a qualified dividend (as discussed below) subject to tax at preferential long-term capital gains rates or (ii) in the case of a corporate Fund shareholder, a dividends-received deduction. The remainder of this discussion assumes that the Fund will qualify for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs.
Excise Tax. A Fund will be subject to a 4% excise tax on certain undistributed income generally if the Fund does not distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year at least 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year, 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the twelve months ended October 31 of such year, plus 100% of any undistributed amounts from prior years. For these purposes, the Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it has been subject to U.S. corporate income tax for the taxable year ending within such calendar year. The Funds intends to make distributions necessary to avoid this 4% excise tax, although there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so.
Phantom Income. With respect to some or all of its investments, a Fund may be required to recognize taxable income in advance of receiving the related cash payment. For example, under the “wash sale” rules, the Fund may not be able to deduct currently a loss on a disposition of a portfolio security. As a result, the Fund may be required to make an annual income distribution greater than the total cash actually received during the year. Such distribution may be made from the existing cash assets of the Fund or cash generated from selling Portfolio Securities. The Fund may realize gains or losses from such sales, in which event the Fund’s shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution than they would in the absence of such transactions. (See also —“Certain Debt Instruments” below.)
Certain Debt Instruments. Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund (such as zero coupon debt instruments or debt instruments with payment in-kind interest) may be treated as debt securities that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of original issue discount is treated as interest income and is included in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures.
If the Fund acquires debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) in the secondary market, such debt securities may be treated as having market discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the “accrued market discount” on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having market discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
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Some debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as having acquisition discount, or original issue discount in the case of certain types of debt securities. Generally, the Fund will be required to include the acquisition discount, or original issue discount, in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having acquisition discount, or original issue discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
Non-U.S. Investments. Dividends, interest and proceeds from the direct or indirect sale of non-U.S. securities may be subject to non-U.S. withholding tax and other taxes, including financial transaction taxes. Even if the Fund is entitled to seek a refund in respect of such taxes, it may not have sufficient information to do so or may choose not to do so. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. Non-U.S. taxes paid by the Fund will reduce the return from the Fund’s investments.
Special or Uncertain Tax Consequences. The Fund’s investment or other activities could be subject to special and complex tax rules that may produce differing tax consequences, such as disallowing or limiting the use of losses or deductions, causing the recognition of income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, affecting the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur or altering the characterization of certain complex financial transactions.
The Fund may engage in investment or other activities the treatment of which may not be clear or may be subject to recharacterization by the IRS. In particular, the tax treatment of swaps and certain other derivatives and income from foreign currency transactions is unclear for purposes of determining the Fund’s status as a RIC. If a final determination on the tax treatment of the Fund’s investment or other activities differs from the Fund’s original expectations, the final determination could adversely affect the Fund’s status as a RIC or the timing or character of income recognized by the Fund, requiring the Fund to purchase or sell assets, alter its portfolio or take other action in order to comply with the final determination.
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Tax Treatment of Fund Shareholders
Taxation of U.S. Shareholders
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Fund Shares applicable to “U.S. shareholders.” For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of Fund Shares who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation (or an entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, or of any state thereof, or the District of Columbia; (iii) an estate, the income of which is includable in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or (iv) a trust, if (a) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (b) the trust has a valid election in place to be treated as a U.S. person.
Fund Distributions. In general, Fund distributions are subject to U.S. federal income tax when paid, regardless of whether they consist of cash or property and regardless of whether they are re-invested in Shares. However, any Fund distribution declared in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date during such month will be deemed to have been received by the Fund shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year, provided such dividend is actually paid during January of the following calendar year.
Distributions of a Fund’s net investment income and the Fund’s net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses (collectively referred to as “ordinary income dividends”) are taxable as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits (subject to an exception for “qualified dividend income, as discussed below). Corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible to take a dividends-received deduction with respect to such distributions, provided the distributions are attributable to dividends received by the Fund on stock of U.S. corporations with respect to which the Fund meets certain holding period and other requirements. To the extent designated as “capital gain dividends” by the Fund, distributions of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains in excess of net short-term capital losses (“net capital gain”) are taxable at long-term capital gain tax rates to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, regardless of the Fund shareholder’s holding period in the Fund’s Shares. Such dividends will not be eligible for a dividends-received deduction by corporate shareholders.
A Fund’s net capital gain is computed by taking into account the Fund’s capital loss carryforwards, if any. Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, capital losses incurred in tax years beginning after December 22, 2010 can be carried forward indefinitely and retain the character of the original loss. To the extent that these carryforwards are available to offset future capital gains, it is probable that the amount offset will not be distributed to shareholders. In the event that a Fund were to experience an ownership change as defined under the Code, the Fund’s loss carryforwards, if any, may be subject to limitation.
Distributions of “qualified dividend income” (defined below) are taxed to certain non-corporate shareholders at the reduced rates applicable to long-term capital gain to the extent of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, provided that the Fund shareholder meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to the distributing Fund’s Shares and the distributing Fund meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to the dividend-paying stocks. Dividends subject to these special rules, however, are not actually treated as capital gains and, thus, are not included in the computation of a non-corporate shareholder’s net capital gain and generally cannot be used to offset capital losses. The portion of distributions that a Fund may report as qualified dividend income generally is limited to the amount of qualified dividend income received by the Fund, but if for any Fund taxable year 95% or more of the Fund’s gross income (exclusive of net capital gain from sales of stock and securities) consist of qualified dividend income, all distributions of such income for that taxable year may be reported as qualified dividend income. For this purpose, “qualified dividend income” generally means income from dividends received by a Fund from U.S. corporations and qualified non-U.S. corporations. Income from dividends received by the Fund from a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) or another RIC generally is qualified dividend income only to the extent that the dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income received by such REIT or other RIC.
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To the extent that the Fund makes a distribution of income received by such Fund in lieu of dividends 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.
Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the shareholder’s tax basis in its Shares of the Fund, and as a capital gain thereafter (assuming the shareholder holds its Shares of the Fund as capital assets).
The Fund intends to distribute its net capital gain at least annually. However, by providing written notice to its shareholders no later than 60 days after its year-end, a Fund may elect to retain some or all of its net capital gain and designate the retained amount as a “deemed distribution.” In that event, the Fund pays U.S. federal income tax on the retained net capital gain, and the Fund shareholder recognizes a proportionate share of the Fund’s undistributed net capital gain. In addition, a shareholder can claim a tax credit or refund for the shareholder’s proportionate share of the Fund’s U.S. federal income taxes paid on the undistributed net capital gain and increase the shareholder’s tax basis in the Fund Shares by an amount equal to the shareholder’s proportionate share of the Fund’s undistributed net capital gain, reduced by the amount of the shareholder’s tax credit or refund. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such net capital gain may be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the Fund upon timely filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the IRS.
With respect to non-corporate Fund shareholders (i.e., individuals, trusts and estates), ordinary income and short-term capital gain are taxed at a current maximum rate of 39.6% and long-term capital gain is taxed at a current maximum rate of 20%. Corporate shareholders are taxed at a current maximum rate of 35% on their income and gain.
In addition, high-income individuals (and certain trusts and estates) generally will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare tax on “net investment income,” in addition to otherwise applicable U.S. federal income tax. “Net investment income” generally will include dividends (including capital gain dividends) received from a Fund and net gains from the redemption or other disposition of Shares. Please consult your tax advisor regarding this tax.
Investors considering buying Shares just prior to a distribution should be aware that, although the price of the Shares purchased at such time may reflect the forthcoming distribution, such distribution nevertheless may be taxable (as opposed to a non-taxable return of capital).
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Sales of Shares. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Shares generally is treated as a long-term gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Shares held for one year or less generally is treated as a short-term gain or loss, except that any capital loss on the sale of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid (or deemed to be paid) with respect to such Shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a sale or exchange of Fund Shares will be disallowed under the “wash sale” rules if substantially identical shares are purchased (through reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the Fund Shares. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
Legislation passed by Congress requires reporting to the IRS and to taxpayers of adjusted cost basis information for “covered securities,” which generally include shares of a RIC acquired on or after January 1, 2012. Shareholders should contact their brokers to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and available elections for their accounts.
Creation Unit Issues and Redemptions. On an issue of Shares as part of a Creation Unit, made by means of an in-kind deposit, an Authorized Participant recognizes capital gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the fair market value (at issue) of the issued Shares (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) and (ii) the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the exchanged securities (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). On a redemption of Shares as part of a Creation Unit where the redemption is conducted in-kind by a payment of Fund Securities, an Authorized Participant recognizes capital gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the fair market value (at redemption) of the securities received (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and (ii) the Authorized Participant’s basis in the redeemed Shares (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption). However, the IRS may assert, under the “wash sale” rules or on the basis that there has been no significant change in the Authorized Participant’s economic position, that any loss on an issue or redemption of Creation Units cannot be deducted currently.
In general, any capital gain or loss recognized upon the issue or redemption of Shares (as components of a Creation Unit) is treated either as long-term capital gain or loss, if the deposited securities (in the case of an issue) or the Shares (in the case of a redemption) have been held for more than one year, or otherwise as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any capital loss on a redemption of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid (or deemed to be paid) with respect to such Shares.
Reportable Transactions. If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to Shares of $2 million or more (for an individual Fund shareholder) or $10 million or more (for a corporate shareholder) in any single taxable year (or a greater loss over a combination of years), the Fund shareholder may be required to file a disclosure statement with the IRS. Significant penalties may be imposed upon the failure to comply with these reporting rules. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these rules in light of their individual circumstances.
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Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Fund Shares applicable to “non-U.S. shareholders.” For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of Fund Shares that is not a U.S. shareholder (as defined above) and is not an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The following discussion is based on current law, and is for general information only. It addresses only selected, and not all, aspects of U.S. federal income taxation.
Dividends. With respect to non-U.S. shareholders of a Fund, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or at a lower rate established under an applicable tax treaty). However, ordinary income dividends that are “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends” (each as defined below) and capital gain dividends generally will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding (or income tax), provided that the non-U.S. shareholder furnishes the Fund with a completed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, (or acceptable substitute documentation) establishing the non-U.S. shareholder’s non-U.S. status and the Fund does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the non-U.S. shareholder would be subject to such withholding tax if the non-U.S. shareholder were to receive the related amounts directly rather than as dividends from the Fund. “Interest-related dividends” generally means dividends designated by the Fund as attributable to such Fund’s U.S.-source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which such Fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income. “Short-term capital gain dividends” generally means dividends designated by the Fund as attributable to the excess of such Fund’s net short-term capital gain over its net long-term capital loss. Depending on its circumstances, the Fund may treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for these exemptions from withholding.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, special rules apply in certain cases, including as described below. For example, in cases where dividend income from a non-U.S. shareholder’s investment in the Fund is effectively connected with a trade or business of the non-U.S. shareholder conducted in the United States, the non-U.S. shareholder generally will be exempt from withholding tax, but will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. shareholders. Such income generally must be reported on a U.S. federal income tax return. Furthermore, such income also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax in the case of a non-U.S. shareholder that is a corporation. In addition, if a non-U.S. shareholder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, any gain incurred by such shareholder with respect to his or her capital gain dividends and short-term capital gain dividends would be subject to a 30% U.S. federal income tax (which, in the case of short-term capital gain dividends, may, in certain instances, be withheld at source by the Fund). Lastly, special rules apply with respect to dividends that are subject to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Act (“FIRPTA”), discussed below (see—“Investments in U.S. Real Property”).
Sales of Fund Shares. Under current law, gain on a sale or exchange of Shares generally will be exempt from U.S. federal income tax (including withholding at the source) unless (i) the non-U.S. shareholder is an individual who was physically present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, in which case the non-U.S. shareholder would incur a 30% U.S. federal income tax on his capital gain, (ii) the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by the non-U.S. shareholder (in which case the non-U.S. shareholder generally would be taxable on such gain at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. shareholders, would be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return and, in the case of a corporate non-U.S. shareholder, may also be subject to the 30% branch profits tax), or (iii) the gain is subject to FIRPTA, as discussed below (see —“Investments in U.S. Real Property”).
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Credits or Refunds. To claim a credit or refund for any Fund-level taxes on any undistributed long-term capital gains (as discussed above) or any taxes collected through withholding, a non-U.S. Fund shareholder must obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number and file a U.S. federal income tax return even if the non-U.S. Fund shareholder would not otherwise be required to do so.
Investments in U.S. Real Property. Subject to the exemptions described below, a non-U.S. shareholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax under FIRPTA on any gain from the sale or exchange of Shares if the Fund is a “U.S. real property holding corporation” (as defined below) at any time during the shorter of the period during which the non-U.S. shareholder held such Shares and the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition of those Shares. Any such gain will be taxed in the same manner as for a U.S. Fund shareholder and in certain cases will be collected through withholding at the source in an amount equal to 15% of the sales proceeds. A Fund will be a “U.S. real property holding corporation” if the fair market value of its “U.S. real property interests” (“USRPIs”) (which includes shares of U.S. real property holding corporations and certain participating debt securities) equals or exceeds 50% of the fair market value of such interests plus its interests in real property located outside the United States plus any other assets used or held for use in a business.
An exemption from FIRPTA applies if either (i) the class of Shares disposed of by the non-U.S. shareholder is regularly traded on an established securities market (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and the non-U.S. shareholder did not actually or constructively hold more than 5% of such class of Shares at any time during the five-year period prior to the disposition, or (ii) the Fund is a “domestically-controlled RIC.” A “domestically-controlled RIC” is any RIC in which at all times during the relevant testing period 50% or more in value of the RIC’s stock is owned by U.S. persons.
Furthermore, special rules apply under FIRPTA in respect of distributions attributable to gains from USRPIs. In general, if a Fund is a U.S. real property holding corporation (taking certain special rules into account), distributions by such Fund attributable to gains from USRPIs will be treated as income effectively connected with a trade or business within the United States, subject generally to tax at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. shareholders and, in the case of a corporation that is a non-U.S. shareholder, a “branch profits” tax at a rate of 30% (or other applicable lower treaty rate). Such distributions will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax and generally will give rise to an obligation on the part of the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return.
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Even if a Fund is treated as a U.S. real property holding corporation, distributions on the Fund’s Shares will not be treated, under the rule described above, as income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business in the case of a non-U.S. shareholder that owns (for the applicable period) 5% or less (by class) of Shares and such class is regularly traded on an established securities market for U.S. federal income tax purposes (but such distribution will be treated as ordinary dividends subject to a 30% withholding tax or lower applicable treaty rate).
Non-U.S. shareholders that engage in certain “wash sale” and/or substitute dividend payment transactions the effect of which is to avoid the receipt of distributions from the Fund that would be treated as gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business will be treated as having received such distributions.
All shareholders of the Fund should consult their tax advisers regarding the application of the rules described above.
Back-Up Withholding
The Fund (or a financial intermediary such as a broker through which a shareholder holds Shares in the Fund) may be required to report certain information on the Fund shareholder to the IRS and withhold U.S. federal income tax (“backup withholding”) at a 28% rate from taxable distributions and redemption or sale proceeds payable to the Fund shareholder if (i) the Fund shareholder fails to provide the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number or make required certifications, or if the IRS notifies the Fund that the Fund shareholder is otherwise subject to backup withholding, and (ii) the Fund shareholder is not otherwise exempt from backup withholding. Non-U.S. shareholders can qualify for exemption from backup withholding by submitting a properly completed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against the Fund shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
The U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on “withholdable payments” (defined below) made to (i) a “foreign financial institution” (“FFI”), unless the FFI enters into an agreement with the IRS to provide information regarding certain of its direct and indirect U.S. account holders and satisfy certain due diligence and other specified requirements, and (ii) a “non-financial foreign entity” (“NFFE”) unless such NFFE provides certain information to the withholding agent about certain of its direct and indirect “substantial U.S. owners” or certifies that it has no such U.S. owners. The beneficial owner of a "withholdable payment" may be eligible for a refund or credit of the withheld tax. The U.S. government also has entered into several intergovernmental agreements with other jurisdictions to provide an alternative, and generally easier, approach for FFIs to comply with FATCA.
“Withholdable payments” generally include, among other items, (i) U.S.-source interest and dividends, and (ii) gross proceeds from the sale or disposition, occurring on or after January 1, 2019, of property of a type that can produce U.S.-source interest or dividends.
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The Fund may be required to impose a 30% withholding tax on withholdable payments to a shareholder if the shareholder fails to provide the Fund with the information, certifications or documentation required under FATCA, including information, certification or documentation necessary for the Fund to determine if the shareholder is a non-U.S. shareholder or a U.S. shareholder and, if it is a non-U.S. shareholder, if the non-U.S. shareholder has “substantial U.S. owners” and/or is in compliance with (or meets an exception from) FATCA requirements. The Fund will not pay any additional amounts to shareholders in respect of any amounts withheld. The Fund may disclose any shareholder information, certifications or documentation to the IRS or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA.
The requirements of, and exceptions from, FATCA are complex. All prospective shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential application of FATCA with respect to their own situation.
Section 351
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has the right to reject an order for a purchase of shares of a Fund if the purchase (including any purchases of shares in the same Fund by a related group of purchasers) would not qualify as a tax-free transaction described in Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Trust also has the right to require information from a purchaser of shares in a Fund for purposes of determining if an order for a purchase of shares of the Fund qualifies as a tax-free transaction described in Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code.
CAPITAL STOCK AND SHAREHOLDER REPORTS
The Fund issues Shares of beneficial interest, par value zero per Share. The Board may designate additional funds.
Each Share issued by the Trust has a pro rata interest in the assets of the corresponding series of the Trust. Shares have no preemptive, exchange, subscription or conversion rights and are freely transferable. Each Share is entitled to participate equally in dividends and distributions declared by the Board with respect to the Fund, and in the net distributable assets of the Fund on liquidation.
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 series of the Trust (i.e., Shares of the Fund) 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. Under Delaware law, the Trust is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. The policy of the Trust is not to hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. All Shares of the Trust (regardless of the Fund) have noncumulative voting rights for the election of Trustees. Under Delaware law, Trustees of the Trust may be removed by vote of the shareholders.
The Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust, requires that Trust obligations include such disclaimer, and provides for indemnification and reimbursement of expenses out of the Trust’s property for any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Trust itself would be unable to meet its obligations. Given the above limitations on shareholder personal liability, and the nature of a Fund’s assets and operations, the risk to shareholders of personal liability is believed to be remote.
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Shareholder inquiries may be made by writing to the Trust, c/o Syntax Advisors, LLC, One Liberty Plaza, 46th Fl. New York, NY 10006.
Chapman and Cutler LLP serves as counsel to the Trust and the Fund.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Ernst & Young LLP serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Financial statements are not included for the Fund, which had not commenced operation prior to the date of this SAI.
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Background
An investment adviser has a duty of care and loyalty to its Clients and Investors with respect to monitoring corporate events and exercising proxy authority in the best interests of such Clients and Investors. Vantage Consulting Group Inc. (“VCG”) will adhere to Rule 206(4)-6 of the Advisers Act and all other applicable laws and regulations in regard to the voting of proxies.
Policies and Procedures
As an investment advisor, VCG may have the authority to vote proxies relating to securities on behalf of clients. In certain circumstances, when permitted by the client VCG may outsource the proxy voting. These policies and procedures are designed to deal with the complexities which may arise in cases where VCG's interests conflict or appear to conflict with the interests of its clients and to communicate to clients the methods and rationale whereby VCG exercises proxy authority. This document is available to any client upon request. VCG will also make available the record of VCG's votes promptly upon request.
The CCO of VCG is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of this policy. Unless contractually obligated to vote in a certain manner, VCG will reach its voting decisions independently, after appropriate investigation. It does not generally intend to delegate its decision making or to rely on the recommendations of any third party, although it may take such recommendations into consideration. Where VCG deviates from the guidelines listed below, or depends upon a third party to make the decision, the reasons shall be documented. VCG may consult with such other experts, such as CPA's, investment bankers, attorneys, etc., as it regards necessary to help it reach informed decisions.
Non-Voting of Proxies
VCG will generally not vote proxies in the following situations:
• | Proxies are received for equity securities where, at the time of receipt, VCG's position, across all clients that it advises, is less than, or equal to, 1% of the total outstanding voting equity (an "immaterial position"). |
• | Proxies are received for equity securities where, at the time of receipt, VCG's Clients and Investors no longer hold that position. |
Management Proposals
Absent good reason to the contrary, VCG will generally give substantial weight to management recommendations regarding voting. This is based on the view that management is usually in the best position to know which corporate actions are in the best interests of common shareholders as a whole.
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VCG will generally vote for routine matters proposed by issuer management, such as setting a time or place for an annual meeting, changing the name or fiscal year of the company, or voting for directors in favor of the management proposed slate. Other routine matters in which VCG will generally vote along with company management include: appointment of auditors, fees paid to board members, and change in the board structure. As long as the proposal does not: i) measurably change the structure, management, control or operations of the company; ii) measurably change the terms of, or fees or expenses associated with, an investment in the company; and the proposal is consistent with customary industry standards and practices, as well as the laws of the state of incorporation applicable to the company, VCG will generally vote along with management.
Non-Routine Matters
Non-routine matters might include such things as:
• | Amendments to management incentive plans |
• | The authorization of additional common or preferred stock |
• | Initiation or termination of barriers to takeover or acquisition |
• | Mergers or acquisitions |
• | Corporate reorganizations |
• | "Contested" director slates |
In non-routine matters, VCG will attempt to be generally familiar with the questions at issue. Non- routine matters will be voted on a case-by-case basis, given the complexity of many of these issues.
Processing Proxy Votes
The CCO will be responsible for determining whether each proxy is for a "routine" matter, as described above, and whether the Policy and Procedures set forth herein actually address the specific issue. For proxies that are not clearly "routine", VCG, in conjunction with the CCO, will determine how to vote each such proxy by applying these policies and procedures. Upon making a decision, the proxy will be executed and returned for submission to the company. VCG's proxy voting record will be updated at the time the proxy is submitted.
An independent proxy voting advisory and research firm may be appointed as a "Proxy Service" for voting VCG's proxies after approval by the CCO.
Documenting Proxy Voting
VCG will maintain copies of each proxy statement received and of each executed proxy; however, VCG may rely on the SEC's EDGAR system for records of proxy statements. VCG will also maintain records relating to each proxy, including the voting decision on each proxy, and any documents that were material to making the voting decision.
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VCG will also maintain a record of each written request from a Client or Investor for proxy voting information and VCG's written response to any request from a Client or Investor for proxy voting information. These records shall be maintained in compliance with Rule 204-2.
Actual and Apparent Conflicts of Interest
Potential conflicts of interest between VCG and its clients may arise when VCG's relationships with an issuer or with a related third party actually conflict, or appear to conflict, with the best interests of the VCG's clients.
If the issue is specifically addressed in these policies and procedures, VCG will vote in accordance with these policies. In a situation where the issue is not specifically addressed in these Policies and Procedures and an apparent or actual conflict exists, VCG shall either: i) delegate the voting decision to an independent third party; ii) inform clients of the conflict of interest and obtain advance consent of a majority of such clients for a particular voting decision; or iii) obtain approval of a voting decision from VCG's CCO, who will be responsible for documenting the rationale for the decision made and voted.
In all such cases, VCG will make disclosures to clients of all material conflicts and will keep documentation supporting its voting decisions.
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Syntax ETF Trust
PART C - OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. | Exhibits |
Item 29. | Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant. |
To the knowledge of the Registrant, neither the Registrant nor any Series thereof is directly or indirectly controlled by or under common control with any other person. The Registrant has no subsidiaries.
Additionally, see the “Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities” section of the Statement of Additional Information for a list of shareholders who own more than 5% of the funds’ outstanding shares and such information is incorporated by reference to this Item.
Item 30. | Indemnification |
Reference is made to Section 8 of the Registrant’s Trust Instrument referenced in Item 28(a)(1) with respect to the indemnification of the Registrant’s trustees and officers, which is set forth below:
Section 8.1 General Provisions.
Section 8.1.1 General Limitation of Liability. No personal liability for any debt or obligation of the Trust shall attach to any Trustee of the Trust. Without limiting the foregoing, a Trustee shall not be responsible for or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, investment advisor, subadvisor, principle underwriter or custodian of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible or liable for the act or omission of any other Trustee. Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate, Share or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees or any Trustee in connection with Trust shall be conclusively deemed to have been executed or done only in or with respect to their, his or her capacity as Trustees or Trustee and neither such Trustees or Trustee nor the Shareholders shall be personally liable thereon.
Section 8.1.2 Notice of Limited Liability. Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking made or issued by the Trustees or by any officers or officer shall recite that the same was executed or made by or on behalf of the Trust by them as Trustees or Trustee or as officers or officer and not individually and that the obligations of such instrument are not binding upon any of them or the Shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust or belonging or attributable to a Series or Class thereof, and may contain such further recitals as they, he or she may deem appropriate, but the omission thereof shall not operate to bind any Trustees or Trustee or officers or officer or Shareholders or Shareholder individually.
Section 8.1.3 Liability Limited to Assets of the Trust. All persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the Trust shall look only to the assets of the Trust or belonging to a Series or Class thereof, as appropriate, for payment under such credit, contract or claim, and neither the Shareholders nor the Trustees nor any of the Trust’s officers, employees or agents, whether past, present or future, shall be personally liable therefor.
Section 8.2 Liability of Trustee. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretion hereunder shall be binding upon the Trust, the Shareholders and any other person dealing with the Trust. The liability of this Trustees, however, shall be limited by this Section 8.2.
Section 8.2.1 Liability for Own Actions. A Trustee shall be liable to the Trust or the Shareholders 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 for nothing else, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law.
Section 8.2.2 Liability for Actions of Others. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, consultant, advisor, administrative distributor, principal underwriter, custodian, transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, Shareholder servicing agent or accounting agent of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for any act or omission of any other Trustee.
Section 8.2.3 Advice of Experts and Reports of Others. The Trustees may take advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the meaning and operation of this Declaration of Trust and their duties as Trustees hereunder, and shall be under no liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice or for failing to follow such advice. In discharging their duties, the Trustees, when acting in good faith, shall be entitled to rely upon the books of account of the Trust and upon written reports made to the Trustees by any officers appointed by them, any independent public accountant and (with respect to the subject matter of the contract involved) any officer, partner or responsible employee of any other party to any contract entered into hereunder.
Section 8.2.4 Bond. Except as provided for in Section 8.5.4, the Trustees shall not be required to give any bond as such, nor any surety if a bond is required.
Section 8.2.5 Declaration of Trust Governs Issues of Liability. The provisions of this Declaration of Trust, to the extent that they restrict the duties and liabilities of the Trustees otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Shareholders and all other Persons bound by this Declaration of Trust to replace such other duties and liabilities of the Trustees.
Section 8.3 Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees. No person dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction made or to be made by the Trustees or to see to the application of any payments made or property transferred to the Trust or upon the order of the Trustees.
Section 8.4 Liability of Shareholders. Without limiting the provisions of this Section 8.4 or the DSTA, the Shareholders shall be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to stockholders of private corporations organized for profit under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
Section 8.4.1 Limitation of Liability. No personal liability for any debt or obligation of the Trust shall attach to any Shareholder or former Shareholder of the Trust, and neither the Trustees, nor any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall have any power to bind any Shareholder personally or to call upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree to pay by way of subscription for any Shares or otherwise.
Section 8.4.2 Indemnification of Shareholders. In case any Shareholder or former Shareholder of the Trust shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of being or having been a Shareholder and not because of such Shareholder’s acts or omissions or for some other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or, in the case of a natural person, his or her heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives or, in the case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled out of the assets of the Trust to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability; provided, however, there shall be no liability or obligation of the Trust arising hereunder to reimburse any Shareholder for taxes paid by reason of such Shareholder’s ownership of any Shares or for losses suffered by reason of any changes in value of any Trust assets. The Trust shall, upon request by the Shareholder or former Shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against the Shareholder for any act or obligation of the Trust and satisfy any judgment thereon.
Section 8.5 Indemnification.
Section 8.5.1 Indemnification of Covered Persons. Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in Section 8.5.2, every person who is or has been a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, including persons who serve at the request of the Trust as directors, trustees, officers, employees or agents of another organization in which the Trust has an interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise (each, a “Covered Person”), shall be indemnified by the Trust to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him or her in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he or she becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his or her being or having been such a director, trustee, officer, employee or agent and against amounts paid or incurred by him or her in settlement thereof.
Section 8.5.2 Exceptions. No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person:
(a) for any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders arising out of a final adjudication by the court or other body before which the proceeding was brought that the Covered Persons engaged in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office;
(b) with respect to any matter as to which the Covered Person shall have been finally adjudicated not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interests of the Trust; or
(c) in the event of a settlement or other disposition not involving a final adjudication (as provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 8.5.2) and resulting in a payment by a Covered Person, unless there has been either a determination that such Covered Person did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office or position by the court or other body approving the settlement or other disposition, or a reasonable determination, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that he or she did not engage in such conduct, such determination being made by: (i) a vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees (as such term is defined in Section 8.5.2) acting on the matter (provided that a majority of Disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter); or (ii) a written opinion of independent legal counsel.
Section 8.5.3 Rights of Indemnification. The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, and shall be severable, shall not affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled, shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Covered Person, and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which Trust personnel other than Covered Persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law.
Section 8.5.4 Expenses of Indemnification. Expenses of preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding subject to a claim for indemnification under this Section 8.5 shall be advanced by the Trust prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the recipient to repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification under this Section 8.5, provided that either:
(a) Such undertaking is secured by a surety bond or some other appropriate security of the Trust shall be insured against losses arising out of any such advances; or
(b) a majority of the Disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the Disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter) or independent legal counsel in a written opinion shall determine, based upon a review of the readily available facts (as opposed to the facts available upon a full trial), that there is a reason to believe that the recipient ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
Section 8.5.5 Certain Defined Terms Relating to Indemnification. As used in this Section 8.5, the following words shall have the meanings set forth below:
(a) “Claim,” “action,” “suit” or “proceeding” shall apply to all claims, actions, suits, proceedings (civil, criminal, administrative or other, including appeals), actual or threatened;
(b) a “Disinterested Trustee” is one (i) who is not an Interested Person of the Trust (including anyone, as such Disinterested Trustee, who has been exempted from being an Interested Person by any rule, regulation or order of the Commission), and (ii) against whom none of such actions, suits or other proceedings or another action, suit or other proceeding on the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending; and
(c) “Liability” and “expenses” shall include, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities.
Section 8.6 Jurisdiction, Venue, and Waiver of Jury Trial. In accordance with Section 3804(e) of the DSTA, any suit, action or proceeding brought by or in the right of any Shareholder or any person claiming any interest in any Shares seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of, or in connection with, this Declaration of Trust or the Trust, any Series or Class or any Shares, including any claim of any nature against the Trust, any Series or Class, the Trustees or officers of the Trust, shall be brought exclusively in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware to the extent there is subject matter jurisdiction in such court for the claims asserted or, if not, then in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, and all Shareholders and other such Persons hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of such courts (and the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection they may make now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum and further, IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION, OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN THE SUPERIOR COURT IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, ALL SHAREHOLDERS AND ALL OTHER SUCH PERSONS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. All Shareholders and other such persons agree that service of summons, complaint or other process in connection with any proceedings may be made by registered or certified mail or by overnight courier addressed to such person at the address shown on the books and records of the Trust for such person or at the address of the person shown on the books and records of the Trust with respect to the Shares that such person claims an interest in. Service of process in any such suit, action or proceeding against the Trust or any Trustee or officer of the Trust may be made at the address of the Trust’s registered agent in the State of Delaware. Any service so made shall be effective as if personally made in the State of Delaware.
Item 31. | Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser |
Syntax Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser for the Registrant with respect to each of its series. The principal business address of the Adviser is One Liberty Plaza, 46th Floor, New York, NY 10006. With respect to the Adviser, the response to this Item is incorporated by reference to the Adviser’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (“Form ADV”) on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and dated October 9, 2019.
Vantage Consulting Group (the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as the investment sub-adviser for the Registrant with respect to each of its series. The principal business address of the Sub-Adviser is 3500 Pacific Ave. Virginia Beach, VA 23451. With respect to the Sub-Adviser, the response to this Item is incorporated by reference to the Sub-Adviser’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (“Form ADV”) on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and dated August 22, 2019.
Swan Global Investments, LLC ( the “Options Sub-Advisor”) serves as an investment sub-adviser to only the options strategies of Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market ETF. The principal business address of the Options Sub-Adviser is 1099 Main Avenue Suite 206, Durango, CO 81301. With respect to the Options Sub-Adviser, the response to this Item is incorporated by reference to the Sub-Adviser’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (“Form ADV”) on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and dated March 13, 2020.
The Adviser’s and Sub-Adviser’s respective Form ADVs may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC's website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
Item 32. | Principal Underwriters. | |
(a) | Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended: |
1. | ABS Long/Short Strategies Fund |
2. | Absolute Shares Trust |
3. | AdvisorShares Trust |
4. | AGF Investments Trust (f/k/a FQF Trust) |
5. | AlphaCentric Prime Meridian Income Fund |
6. | American Century ETF Trust |
7. | American Customer Satisfaction ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
8. | Amplify ETF Trust |
9. | ARK ETF Trust |
10. | Bluestone Community Development Fund (f/k/a The 504 Fund) |
11. | Braddock Multi-Strategy Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust |
12. | Brand Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
13. | Bridgeway Funds, Inc. |
14. | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust |
15. | Calamos Convertible and High Income Fund |
16. | Calamos Convertible Opportunities and Income Fund |
17. | Calamos Global Total Return Fund |
18. | Carlyle Tactical Private Credit Fund |
19. | Center Coast Brookfield MLP & Energy Infrastructure Fund |
20. | Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund |
21. | CornerCap Group of Funds |
22. | Davis Fundamental ETF Trust |
23. | Defiance Next Gen Connectivity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
24. | Defiance Next Gen Food & Agriculture ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
25. | Defiance Quantum ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
26. | Direxion Shares ETF Trust |
27. | Eaton Vance NextShares Trust |
28. | Eaton Vance NextShares Trust II |
29. | EIP Investment Trust |
30. | Ellington Income Opportunities Fund |
31. | EntrepreneurShares Series Trust |
32. | Esoterica Thematic Trust |
33. | Evanston Alternative Opportunities Fund |
34. | EventShares U.S. Legislative Opportunities ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
35. | Exchange Listed Funds Trust (f/k/a Exchange Traded Concepts Trust II) |
36. | Fiera Capital Series Trust |
37. | FlexShares Trust |
38. | Forum Funds |
39. | Forum Funds II |
40. | Friess Small Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series |
41. | GraniteShares ETF Trust |
42. | Guinness Atkinson Funds |
43. | Infinity Core Alternative Fund |
44. | Innovator ETFs Trust |
45. | Innovator ETFs Trust II (f/k/a Elkhorn ETF Trust) |
46. | Ironwood Institutional Multi-Strategy Fund LLC |
47. | Ironwood Multi-Strategy Fund LLC |
48. | IVA Fiduciary Trust |
49. | John Hancock Exchange-Traded Fund Trust |
50. | Manor Investment Funds |
51. | Miller/Howard Funds Trust |
52. | Miller/Howard High Income Equity Fund |
53. | Moerus Worldwide Value Fund, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV |
54. | Morningstar Funds Trust |
55. | OSI ETF Trust |
56. | Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
57. | Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
58. | Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
59. | Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
60. | Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
61. | Pacific Global ETF Trust |
62. | Palmer Square Opportunistic Income Fund |
63. | Partners Group Private Income Opportunities, LLC |
64. | PENN Capital Funds Trust |
65. | Performance Trust Mutual Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
66. | Plan Investment Fund, Inc. |
67. | PMC Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers |
68. | Point Bridge GOP Stock Tracker ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
69. | Quaker Investment Trust |
70. | Renaissance Capital Greenwich Funds |
71. | Reverse Cap Weighted U.S. Large Cap ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions |
72. | RMB Investors Trust (f/k/a Burnham Investors Trust) |
73. | Robinson Opportunistic Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust |
74. | Robinson Tax Advantaged Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust |
75. | Roundhill BITKRAFT Esports & Digital Entertainment ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
76. | Salient MF Trust |
77. | SharesPost 100 Fund |
78. | Six Circles Trust |
79. | Sound Shore Fund, Inc. |
80. | Source Dividend Opportunity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
81. | Strategy Shares |
82. | Syntax ETF Trust |
83. | Tactical Income ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust |
84. | The Chartwell Funds |
85. | The Community Development Fund |
86. | The Relative Value Fund |
87. | Third Avenue Trust |
88. | Third Avenue Variable Series Trust |
89. | Tidal ETF Trust |
90. | TIFF Investment Program |
91. | Timothy Plan High Dividend Stock ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan |
92. | Timothy Plan International ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan |
93. | Timothy Plan US Large Cap Core ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan |
94. | Timothy Plan US Small Cap Core ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan |
95. | Transamerica ETF Trust |
96. | TrueMark AI & Deep Learning Fund, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
97. | TrueMark ESG Active Opportunities Fund, Series of Listed Funds Trust |
98. | U.S. Global Investors Funds |
99. | Variant Alternative Income Fund |
100. | VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
101. | VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
102. | VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
103. | VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
104. | VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
105. | VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
106. | VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
107. | VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
108. | VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
109. | VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
110. | VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
111. | VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
112. | VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
113. | VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
114. | VictoryShares USAA Core Intermediate-Term Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
115. | VictoryShares USAA Core Short-Term Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
116. | VictoryShares USAA MSCI Emerging Markets Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
117. | VictoryShares USAA MSCI International Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
118. | VictoryShares USAA MSCI USA Small Cap Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
119. | VictoryShares USAA MSCI USA Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II |
120. | Vivaldi Opportunities Fund |
121. | West Loop Realty Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust (f/k/a Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund) |
122. | WisdomTree Trust |
123. | WST Investment Trust |
124. | XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Term Trust |
Item 32(b) | The following are the Officers and Manager of the Distributor, the Registrant’s underwriter. The Distributor’s main business address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101. |
Name | Address | Position with Underwriter | Position with Registrant |
Richard J. Berthy | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | President, Treasurer and Manager | None |
Mark A. Fairbanks |
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 |
Vice President
|
None
|
Jennifer K. DiValerio
|
899 Cassatt Road, 400 Berwyn Park, Suite 110, Berwyn, PA 19312 | Vice President | None |
Nanette K. Chern | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer | None |
Jennifer E. Hoopes | Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 | Secretary | None |
Item 32(c) | Not applicable. |
Item 33. | Location of Accounts and Records |
The account books and other documents required to be maintained by Registrant pursuant to Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Rules thereunder will be maintained at the offices of:
(a) | Syntax Advisors, LLC, One Liberty Plaza, 46th Floor, New York, NY 10006 (records as investment adviser); |
(b) | Vantage Consulting Group, 3500 Pacific Ave. Virginia Beach, VA 23451; |
(c) | Swan Global Investments, LLC, 1099 Main Avenue Suite 206, Durango, CO 81301; | |
(d) | State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111 |
(records as administrator, custodian and transfer agent); and
(e) | Foreside Fund Services, LLC, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101 (records as distributor). |
Item 34. | Management Services |
The Registrant has no management related service contract which is not discussed in Part A or Part B of this form.
Item 35. | Undertakings |
Not Applicable.
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 requirement for effectiveness of this registration statement under rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to Registration Statement No. 333-215607 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on the 21th day of April, 2020.
SYNTAX ETF TRUST | ||
(Registrant) | ||
By: | /s/ Rory B. Riggs | |
Rory B. Riggs | ||
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to its Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ Rory B. Riggs | Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Trustee | April 21, 2020 | ||
Rory B. Riggs | ||||
/s/ David Jaffin | Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer) | April 21, 2020 | ||
David Jaffin | ||||
/s/ Kathy Cuocolo | President, and Trustee | April 21, 2020 | ||
Kathy Cuocolo | ||||
/s/ Deborah Fuhr* | Trustee | April 21, 2020 | ||
Deborah Fuhr | ||||
/s/ George Hornig* | Trustee | April 21, 2020 | ||
George Hornig | ||||
/s/ Richard Lyons* | Trustee | April 21, 2020 | ||
Richard Lyons | ||||
/s/ Stewart Myers* | Trustee | April 21, 2020 | ||
Steward Myers | ||||
* by: /s/ Carly Arison | Secretary | April 21, 2020 | ||
Carly Arison **
(**Secretary and attorney-in-fact pursuant to power of attorney previously filed.) |
Exhibits Filed With
Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to
Registration Statement on
Form N-1A
Syntax ETF Trust
Registration No. 333-215607
Exhibit 99 (d)(iii)
INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
This Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and entered into on February , 2020 by and among Syntax Advisors, LLC a Limited Liability Corporation located at One Liberty Plaza, 46th floor, New York, New York 10006 "Advisor"), and Swan Global Investments LLC. a Delaware Corporation, located at 1099 Main Avenue Suite 206, Durango, CO 81301("Sub-Advisor")
WHEREAS, Syntax ETF Trust a Delaware statutory trust located at One Liberty Plaza, 46th Floor, New York, New York 10006 ("Trust"), is an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, each of the Funds to be formed named in Appendix A hereto (each, a "Fund", and collectively, "Funds" or "designated Funds") is a separate series of the Trust having separate assets and liabilities;
WHEREAS, the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor are each engaged in the business of rendering investment advice; and
WHEREAS, the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor are each registered as investment advisers under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended ("Advisers Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has retained the Advisor to render investment management services to the Funds pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement dated as of August 1, 2017 ("Investment Advisory Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, the Investment Advisory Agreement allows the Advisor to delegate certain of its responsibilities under the Investment Advisory Agreement to others; and
WHEREAS, the Advisor desires to retain the Sub-Advisor to provide discretionary investment advice to the Funds (as defined below) and the Sub-Advisor is willing to do so pursuant to this Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement ("Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, the Advisor has the authority to determine, subject to the oversight of the Board of Trustees of the Trust ("Board"), the amount of each Fund's assets as to which the Sub-Advisor is to provide investment advice.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein, it is agreed among the parties hereto as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT OF SUB-ADVISOR.
(a) Appointment and Acceptance. The Sub-Advisor is hereby appointed and the Sub- Advisor hereby accepts the appointment, on the terms herein set forth and for the compensation herein provided, to act as a discretionary investment advisor relating to that portion of each Fund's options portfolio designated by the Advisor ("Services"), plus all investments, reinvestments and proceeds of the sale of options thereof, including interest, dividends and appreciation on investments in options, less depreciation thereof and withdrawals or redemptions therefrom (those assets being referred to as the "Funds"). In performing its obligations under this Agreement, the Sub-Advisor may not delegate performance of its duties to any other person or entity, including any one or more of its affiliates, without the prior consent of the Advisor.
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(b) Independent Contractor. The Sub-Advisor shall for all purposes herein be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or be deemed an agent of the Funds.
(c) Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Sub-Advisor. The Sub-Advisor represents, warrants, covenants and agrees that it:
(i) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement;
(ii) has duly executed and delivered this Agreement, and assuming due approval, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Investment Advisory Agreement by the Advisor and the Funds, this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Sub-Advisor enforceable against the Sub-Advisor in accordance with its terms;
(iii) is registered and will maintain its registration as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act;
(iv) shall promptly notify the Advisor of the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Sub-Advisor from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act or under the Advisers Act or otherwise;
(v) shall comply with such other requirements of the Advisers Act that apply to Sub-Advisor with regard to the Services;
(vii) will maintain each such registration, license or membership in effect at all times during the term of this Agreement and will obtain and maintain such additional governmental, self-regulatory, exchange or other licenses, approvals and/or memberships and file and maintain effective such other registrations as may be required to enable the Sub-Advisor to perform its obligations under this Agreement;
(viii) shall cooperate by reasonably assisting the Advisor in fulfilling any disclosure or reporting requirements applicable to the Funds under the Advisers Act relating to the Funds or the Services;
(ix) has delivered to the Advisor and the Trust a copy of its Form ADV as most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and shall promptly furnish the Advisor and the Trust any material amendments or supplements to its Form ADV;
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(x) pursuant to Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act, has adopted written policies and procedures designed to prevent violations of the Advisers Act and the rules thereunder, including policies and procedures designed to minimize potential conflicts of interest among the Funds and any other accounts advised or managed by it or its affiliates, such as cross trading policies, as well as those designed to ensure the equitable allocation of portfolio transactions and brokerage commissions;
(xi) has adopted a written code of ethics complying with the requirements of Rule 204A-1of the Advisers Act, which will allow the Advisor to comply with the requirements of Rule 17j-1under the 1940 Act, and, if it has not already done so, will provide the Advisor and the Trust with a copy of such code of ethics upon the execution of this Agreement. On at least an annual basis, the Sub-Advisor will comply with the reporting requirements of Rule 17j-1, which may include: (i) certifying to the Advisor that the Sub-Advisor and its access persons have complied with the Sub- Advisor's code of ethics with respect to the Funds, and (ii) identifying any material violations of the Sub-Advisor's code of ethics that has occurred with respect to the Funds;
(xii) has adopted policies and procedures as required under Section 204A of the Advisers Act, which are reasonably designed in light of the nature of its business to prevent the misuse, in violation of the Advisers Act or the rules thereunder, of material non-public information by the Sub-Advisor or certain associated persons, and has adopted policies and procedures to monitor and restrict securities trading by certain employees of the Sub-Advisor;
(xiii) shall not receive any incentive fees, whether for outperforming the underlying Licensed Index of any Fund or otherwise;
(xiv) to the best of Sub-Advisor's knowledge, is not currently the subject of, and has not been the subject of during the last (3) years, any enforcement action by the SEC, or other financial regulatory authority;
(xv) shall provide the Trust with the certification required by Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act;
(xvi) shall promptly notify the Advisor in the event that the Sub-Advisor becomes aware that the Sub-Advisor (a) is the subject of an administrative proceeding or enforcement action by the SEC or other financial regulatory authority or (b) is served notice of any action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, before or by any court, governmental authority or administrative or self-regulatory agency, involving the Sub- Advisor's management of the Funds or that may, in the reasonable determination of the Sub-Advisor in respect of the period beginning on the date of determination and the subsequent sixty (60) calendar days, have a material impact on the ability of the Sub-Advisor to provide the Services;
(xvii) maintains errors and omissions insurance coverage in an appropriate scope and amount and shall upon request provide to Advisor a certificate of insurance evidencing same;
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(xviii) is not a party to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding such as a non-compete that would restrict or limit the ability of the Trust, the Advisor or any of their respective affiliates to employ or engage the Sub-Advisor now or in the future, to manage the Funds;
(xix) has adopted and implemented written policies and procedures, as required by Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act, which are reasonably designed to prevent violations of federal securities laws by the Sub-Advisor, its employees, officers, and agents. Upon reasonable notice to and reasonable request, the Sub-Advisor shall provide the Advisor with access to the Sub-Advisor's chief compliance officer in order to enable the Funds to comply with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act. The Sub-Advisor will also provide, at the reasonable request of the Advisor, periodic certifications as to the Sub-Advisor's compliance with the Federal Securities Laws, as defined in Rule 38a-1under the 1940 Act, in providing the Services and regarding the adequacy of the Sub- Advisor's compliance policies and procedures as they relate to the Funds, and the effectiveness of their implementation;
(xx) acknowledges receipt of the Funds' most current prospectus and statement of additional information contained in the Trust's registration statement (collectively, the "Prospectus");
(xxi) acknowledges and agrees that it has not received legal or regulatory advice from the Funds, the Advisor or any of their respective employees or representatives, and is not entitled to rely on any statements or omissions by such employees or representatives regarding applicable law or regulation in satisfying its obligations hereunder, including its obligation to comply with all applicable laws and regulations; provided, however, that the Sub-Advisor may rely on statements made in the Funds' Prospectus and on the Investment Guidelines provided by Advisor, to the extent such documentation sets forth the investment principles and restrictions relating to the management of the Funds;
(xxii) shall comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders applicable to the Sub-Advisor with regard to the Services; and
(xxiii) will promptly notify the Advisor if any of the above representations in this Section 1(c) are no longer true and accurate.
(d) Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Advisor. The Advisor represents, warrants, covenants and agrees that it:
(i) has been appointed by the Board to serve as the investment adviser to the Funds pursuant to a duly executed Investment Advisory Agreement that has been approved by the Board and shareholders of the Funds, consistent with the requirements of Section 15 of the 1940 Act;
(ii) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement;
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(iii) is and will maintain its registration as an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act;
(iv) has the authority under the Investment Advisory Agreement to appoint the Sub-Advisor, subject to the approval by the Board;
(v) will promptly notify the Sub-Advisor of the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Advisor from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act or otherwise;
(vi) to the best of Advisor's knowledge, is not currently the subject of, and has not been the subject of during the last three (3) years, any enforcement action by the SEC or other financial regulatory authority;
(vii) shall promptly notify the Sub-Advisor in the event that the Advisor becomes aware that the Advisor (a) is the subject of an administrative proceeding or enforcement action by the SEC or other financial regulatory authority or (b) is served notice of any action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, before or by any court, governmental authority or administrative or self-regulatory agency, involving the Advisor's management of the Funds or that may, in the reasonable determination of the Advisor in respect of the period beginning on the date of determination and the subsequent sixty (60) calendar days, have a material impact on the ability of the Advisor to provide investment advisory services to the Funds or to engage the Sub- Advisor for the services;
(viii) has provided the Sub-Advisor with the Funds' most current Prospectus, with the Investment Guidelines (as defined in Section 4), the Funds' investment policies and investment restrictions and the instructions, policies and directions of the Trustees and the Advisor pertaining to the Funds. The Advisor shall promptly furnish to the Sub-Advisor copies of all amendments or supplements to the foregoing documents as well as such other information as is reasonably necessary for the Sub-Advisor to carry out its obligations under this Agreement;
(ix) except as required by applicable law or in accordance with a regulatory inquiry, will keep confidential any identifiable information in respect of the sub- advisory fees paid to the Sub-Advisor pursuant to this Agreement;
(x) shall comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders applicable to the Advisor with regard to the Funds; and
(xi) will promptly notify the Sub-Advisor if any of the above representations in this Section 1(d) are no longer true and accurate.
2. PROVISION OF INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY SERVICES.
Within the framework of the Fundamental policies, investment objectives, investment restrictions of the Funds as set forth in the Prospectus and the Investment Guidelines, and subject to policy statements, supervision of the Advisor and oversight of the Board, the Sub-Advisor shall manage the options strategy associated with the designated Funds. Subject to the supervision of the Advisor and oversight of the Board, the Sub-Advisor shall be responsible to make all decisions to purchase and sell options for the designated Funds and to place all orders for the purchase and disposition of options. The Sub-Advisor shall manage the options strategy associated with the designated Funds, in accordance with the Funds' investment objectives, policies and restrictions as stated in the Prospectus and in accordance with this Agreement
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(a) In providing the Services under this Agreement, the Sub-Advisor acknowledges that the Funds and Services are subject to and should comply with:
(i) this Agreement, the 1940 Act, and all other applicable laws and regulations, including rules and regulations adopted by the SEC and Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as applicable to registered investment companies, as defined therein), as amended from time to time (collectively, "Relevant Law");
(ii) the terms and conditions of all exemptive orders, no-action letters and any other form of regulatory relief granted by the SEC or other regulatory authority to, or on behalf of, the Trust, including but not limited to relief granted in connection with the structure and operation of an "exchange-traded fund";
(iii) the Investment Guidelines of the Funds furnished pursuant to Section 4;
(iv) the investment restrictions, objectives, strategies and policies set forth in the Prospectus;
(v) the written instructions of the Board as provided to the Sub-Advisor;
(vi) the Trust's Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, as each may be amended from time to time and as provided to the Sub-Advisor; and
(vii) such specific written instructions as the Board or the Advisor may adopt and provide to the Sub-Advisor.
All documents, instructions and policies referenced in this Section 2(a), and any changes thereto, shall be provided reasonably in advance in writing to the Sub- Advisor. The Advisor acknowledges and agrees, however, that ultimate responsibility for the Fund's compliance with the Relevant Law, documents, instructions and policies referenced in this Section 2(a) lies with the Advisor. The Sub-Advisor shall promptly notify the Advisor if it is unable to comply with any of the foregoing in the provision of the Services.
(b) For the purpose of complying with Rule 10f-3(a)(6)(ii), Rule 12d3-1(c)(3)(ii) and Rule 17a-10(a)(2) under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Advisor hereby agrees that: (i) it will not consult with any other sub-advisor to the Funds, or with any sub-advisor that is a principal underwriter for the Funds or an affiliated person of such principal underwriter; (ii) it will not consult with any sub-advisor to a separate series of the Trust for which the Advisor serves as investment advisor, or with any sub-advisor to the Funds that is a principal underwriter to the Funds or an affiliated person of such principal underwriter; and (iii) its responsibility in providing investment advisory services shall be limited to the Funds.
(c) The Sub-Advisor shall monitor compliance of the Funds with the Investment Guidelines and the Prospectus (as applicable) and shall report to Advisor promptly upon its determination that any transactions or holdings of the Funds in its options strategy that may be in non-compliance of the Investment Guidelines or the Prospectus (as applicable), regardless of whether the non-compliance was caused by instructions provided by the Sub- Advisor. To the extent that the Sub-Advisor has actual knowledge of any such non- compliance, it shall provide advice to and consult with the Advisor to correct any such non- compliance of the Investment Guidelines or Prospectus.
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(d) The Sub-Advisor must use reasonable efforts to satisfy promptly any reasonable instruction relating to the Services being provided to the Funds.
(e) The Sub-Advisor will, at its own expense:
(i) advise the Advisor in connection with investment policy decisions to be made by the Sub-Advisor regarding the Funds;
(ii) submit such reports or information as the Advisor or the Funds may reasonably request to assist the custodian, administrator or Funds accounting agent in its or their determination of the market value of securities held in the Funds. Such assistance includes (but is not limited to): (a) designating and providing access to one or more employees or an internal committee of the Sub-Advisor who are knowledgeable about the security/issuer, its financial condition, trading and/or other relevant factors for valuation, which employees shall be reasonably made available for consultation when the Trust's Valuation Committee convenes; (b) assisting the Advisor or the custodian in obtaining bids and offers or quotes from brokers/dealers or market-makers with respect to securities held by the Funds, upon the reasonable request of the Advisor or custodian; and (c) upon the reasonable request of the Advisor or custodian, providing information to the Advisor or the Trust's Valuation Committee for purposes of fair valuations. The parties acknowledge that the Sub- Advisor and the custodian or recordkeeping agent of the Funds may use different pricing vendors, which may result in valuation discrepancies;
(iii) to the extent applicable, prepare and maintain, or cause to be prepared and maintained, for the period required by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act, all records required to be maintained by paragraphs (b)(S), (b)(6), (b)(9), (b)(10) and (f) of Rule 31a-1under the 1940 Act, in each case relating solely to the Services being provided to the Funds pursuant to this Agreement. To the extent required by law, the books and records pertaining to the Funds, which are in possession of the Sub-Advisor, shall be the property of the Trust (although the foregoing will not prohibit the Sub-Advisor from maintain copies of all such records). The Advisor or its representatives, shall have access to such books and records at all times during the Sub-Advisor's normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Advisor, copies of any such books and records shall be provided promptly by the Sub-Advisor to the Advisor or its representatives. For greater certainty, the Advisor acknowledges that it will not be given access to the Sub-Advisor's electronic database, email system or internal working files;
(iv) reasonably cooperate with the Funds' independent public accountants and shall take reasonable action to make all reasonable information (as applicable) in the Sub-Advisor's possession available to the accountants for the performance of the accountants' duties;
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(v) reasonably assist in the preparation of periodic reports by each Fund to its shareholders and all reports and filings required to maintain the registration and qualification of the Funds' shares, or to meet other regulatory or tax requirements applicable to the Funds, under federal and state securities and tax laws; provided, however, that the Sub-Advisor shall only be responsible for providing assistance with respect to the portions of such reports or filings that relate to the Funds;
(vi) furnish to the Board such information as may reasonably be necessary in order for such Trustees to evaluate this Agreement or any proposed amendments hereto for the purpose of casting a vote pursuant to Section 9 hereof;
(vii) notify the Advisor and the Trust of any change of control of the Sub-Advisor, and of any changes to key personnel who are portfolio manager(s) of the Funds and, to the extent reasonably practicable, to provide such notifications in time sufficiently prior to any such change to enable the Advisor and the Trust to comply with any applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and any other applicable law, rule or regulation with respect to any such change;
(viii) report to the Advisor prior to each meeting of the Board, all material developments in the Funds of which the Sub-Advisor is aware since the prior report, and, as reasonably requested by the Advisor, furnish the Board from time to time with such relevant background information as the Sub-Advisor may believe appropriate for this purpose, whether concerning the individual companies whose securities are included in the Funds' holdings, the industries in which they engage, the economic, social or political conditions prevailing in each country in which the Funds maintains investments, or otherwise;
(ix) provide reasonable assistance to the Trust, with respect to the Sub-Advisor's management of the Funds, in connection with (a) the Trust's compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder and (b) Rule 38a-1of the 1940 Act. With respect to compliance with Rule 38a-1of the 1940 Act, such assistance shall include, but not be limited to, (i) upon the reasonable request of the Trust, certify periodically as to the adequacy of the Sub-Advisor's compliance policies and procedures ("Sub-Advisor's Compliance Program") and the effectiveness of the implementation of the Sub-Advisor's Compliance Program, as it relates to the Funds; (ii) reasonably cooperating with third-party audits arranged by the Trust to evaluate the effectiveness of the Funds' compliance controls; (iii) providing the Trust's chief compliance officer with direct access to its chief compliance officer; (iv) upon reasonable request, providing the Trust's chief compliance officer with periodic reports relating to the effectiveness of the implementation of the Sub-Advisor's Compliance Program as it relates to the Funds; and (v) providing notice of any material compliance matters (as defined in Rule 38a-1(e)(2)) relating to the Sub-Advisor's Compliance Program in respect of the Funds;
and
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(x) attend regular business and investment related meetings with the Board and the Advisor, as reasonably requested by the Trust, the Advisor, or both.
3. PROXY VOTING AND LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
Sub-Advisor shall be responsible for voting proxies, if any, with respect to its portion of the investments of the Funds under this Agreement Sub-Advisor shall vote proxies in accordance with its proxy voting policies. Sub-Advisor will have no obligation to advise, initiate or take any other action on behalf of the Advisor, the Board or the Funds in any legal proceedings (including, without limitation, class actions and bankruptcies) relating to the securities comprising the Funds or any other matter.
4. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS.
Advisor shall provide the Sub-Advisor with a statement of each Fund's investment objectives and policies of the Funds and any specific investment restrictions applicable thereto, as amended from time to time ("Investment Guidelines"), and with the Prospectus. Advisor and the Sub-Advisor may modify the Investment Guidelines upon joint written agreement.
5. ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES.
Each party to this Agreement shall bear the costs and expenses of performing its obligations hereunder. In this regard, the Advisor specifically agrees that the Funds shall assume the expense of:
(a) the Funds' investments, including cost of options purchased by the Funds;
(b) custodian fees and expenses;
(c) registration costs;
(d) interest payable on any Funds borrowings;
(e) audit expenses.
The Sub-Advisor shall be responsible for providing the personnel, office space and equipment, including any investment related software or technology resources, reasonably necessary for it to provide the Services to the Funds. The Sub-Advisor will pay all expenses incurred by it in connection with its activities under this Agreement, including, without limitation, all costs associated with its personnel attending or otherwise participating in regular or special meetings of the Board or shareholders of the Trust, or with the Advisor, as reasonably requested. The Sub-Advisor shall be responsible for all reasonable costs (including, but not limited to, the legal fees) associated with any special meetings of the Trustees convened solely due to an action that the Trustees must take on account of the Sub-Advisor including but not limited to an assignment of this Agreement by the Sub- Advisor. Nothing in this Agreement shall alter the allocation of expenses and costs agreed upon between the Funds and the Advisor in the Investment Advisory Agreement or any other agreement to which they are parties.
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6. SUB-ADVISORY FEES.
For all of the services rendered with respect to the Funds as herein provided, the Advisor shall pay to the Sub-Advisor a management fee at the annual fee set forth on Schedule B (for the payment of which the Funds shall have no obligation or liability) based on the Average Net Assets of the Funds (as defined below). Such fee shall be accrued daily and payable quarterly, within thirty (30) days of each calendar quarter end. In the case of termination of this Agreement with respect to the Funds during any calendar month, the fee with respect to such Funds' accrued to, but excluding, the date of termination shall be paid promptly following such termination. For purposes of computing the amount of sub- advisory fee accrued for any day, "Average Net Assets" shall mean the Funds' net assets as of the most recent preceding day for which each Fund's net assets were computed.
7. PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS.
(a) Sub-Advisor may place orders for the execution of transactions with or through such brokers, dealers or banks as the Sub-Advisor may select and, subject to Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and other applicable law, may pay reasonable commissions on transactions in excess of the amount of commissions another broker or dealer would have charged. The Sub-Advisor will seek best execution under the circumstances of the particular transaction taking into consideration the full range and quality of a broker's services in placing brokerage including, among other things, execution capability, commission rate, financial responsibility and responsiveness to the Advisor.
(b) Sub-Advisor shall have the express authority to negotiate, open, continue and terminate options brokerage accounts and other trading arrangements with respect to all options transactions entered into by the Sub-Advisor for the designated Funds. Sub- Advisor is authorized to direct the Advisor to execute any documentation that may be necessary to establish such brokerage and trading arrangements and accounts.
(c) Sub-Advisor shall have the specific power to direct the custodian, in accordance with the custodian's powers under the custody agreement and provided that it is pursuant to and consistent with fiduciary duty, the Prospectus, the Services, and the Agreement, to subscribe for options, to exercise rights to options or to sell the same; provided, however, unless permitted by law or administrative rule or Advisor authorization, the Sub-Advisor shall not act (or receive fees, commissions, compensation or other payments for acting), either directly or indirectly, as either a broker, dealer, underwriter or principal to any transaction concerning the assets.
(d) Sub-Advisor shall promptly notify the Advisor of each transaction and shall be the sole entity to so notify the Advisor. The form and type of such notice shall be established by agreement by and between the Sub-Advisor and the Advisor. Any action taken for the purposes of this Agreement by the custodian at its discretion, with regard to the placement of securities transactions shall be the custodian's sole liability and responsibility, including the performance of any broker. In the event a controversy arises between the custodian and any broker or dealer or underwriter with regard to any transaction, custodian or the Funds shall be responsible to institute any proceedings it deems necessary in order to protect the assets or to promptly notify the Advisor of such controversy and to thereafter act upon the directions of the Advisor.
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8. STANDARD OF CARE; LIABILITY; INDEMNITY.
(a) The Sub-Advisor shall exercise fiduciary duty, due care and diligence and use at least the same skill and care in providing its Services hereunder as it uses in providing services to other investment companies, accounts and customers, but the Sub-Advisor and its partners, officers or employees shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted by the Sub-Advisor in the absence of bad faith, willful misconduct, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its duties under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, federal securities laws and certain state laws impose liabilities under certain circumstances on persons who have acted in good faith, and therefore nothing herein shall in any way constitute a waiver or limitation of any rights which the Trust, the Funds or any shareholder of the Funds may have under any federal securities law or state law. The Sub- Advisor shall have no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the Trust's registration statement under the 1940 Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), except for information regarding the Sub-Advisor or the Funds that has been specifically approved by the Sub-Advisor in writing for inclusion therein.
(b) Except for such Advisor Disabling Conduct (defined below), the Sub-Advisor shall indemnify the Trust, the Advisor and each of their respective affiliates, agents, control persons, directors, members of the Board, officers, employees and shareholders ("Advisor Indemnified Parties") against, and hold them harmless from, any costs, expense, claim, loss, liability, judgment, fine, settlement or damage (including reasonable legal and other expenses) (collectively, "Losses") arising out of any claim, demands, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal, administrative or investigative) asserted or threatened to be asserted by any third party (collectively, "Proceedings") in so far as such Loss (or actions with respect thereto) (i) arises out of or is based upon or in connection with any material misstatement or omission of a material fact in information regarding the Sub-Advisor furnished in writing to the Advisor by the Sub-Advisor for the purpose of inclusion in the Prospectus; (ii) arises out of or is based upon any material breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or obligations of the Sub-Advisor with respect to this Agreement; or (iii) arises out of or is based upon the willful misconduct, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of obligations or duties of the Sub-Advisor in the performance of its duties under this Agreement (collectively, "Sub-Advisor Disabling Conduct").
(c) Except for such Sub-Advisor Disabling Conduct, the Advisor shall indemnify the Sub-Advisor and the Sub-Advisor's officers, directors, partners, agents, employees, controlling persons, shareholders and any other person or entity affiliated with the Sub-Advisor (collectively, "Sub-Advisor Indemnified Parties") against, and hold such Sub- Advisor Indemnified Parties harmless from, any and all Losses (or actions with respect thereto) arising from any Proceedings in so far as such Loss (i) arises out of or is based upon any material breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or obligations of the Advisor with respect to this Agreement, or (ii) arises out of or is based upon the Advisor's bad faith, willful misconduct, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its duties under this Agreement (collectively, "Advisor Disabling Conduct").
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(d) Without limiting the foregoing, the Sub-Advisor shall not have any responsibility for and shall not be liable to the Advisor, its officers, directors, agents, employees, controlling persons or shareholders or to the Trust or its shareholders for (i) any acts of the Advisor or any other sub-advisor to the Funds with respect to the portion of the assets of the Trust not managed by the Sub-Advisor, provided, in all cases, that the liability was not attributable to the Sub-Advisor's willful misconduct, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its duties under this Agreement.
(e) The Sub-Advisor shall not be deemed by virtue of this Agreement to have made any representation or warranty that any level of investment performance or level of investment results will be achieved.
(f) For the avoidance of doubt, neither the holders of shares of the Funds nor the members of the Board shall be personally liable under this Agreement. Except as may be explicitly provided under this Agreement, the Sub-Advisor agrees that, for any claim by it against the Funds in connection with this Agreement or the services rendered under this Agreement, it shall look only to assets of the Funds for satisfaction and that it shall have no claim against the Trust's trustees or the assets of any other portfolios of the Trust.
(g) Neither party will be liable to the other for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary or punitive damages.
(h) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary contained herein, the Sub-Advisor shall not be responsible or liable for its failure to perform under this Agreement or for any losses to the Funds resulting from any event beyond the reasonable control of the Sub-Advisor or its agents, including but not limited to nationalization, expropriation, devaluation, seizure, or similar action by any governmental authority, de facto or de jure; or enactment, promulgation, imposition or enforcement by any such governmental authority of currency restrictions, exchange controls, levies or other charges affecting the Accounts' property; or the breakdown, failure or malfunction of any utilities
or telecommunications systems; or acts of war, terrorism, insurrection or revolution; or acts of God, or any other similar event.
9. TERM AND TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT; NO ASSIGNMENT.
(a) This Agreement shall go into effect with respect to an individual Fund at the time such Fund commences operations pursuant to an effective amendment to the Trust's registration statement under the 1933 Act and shall remain in effect for two years from the date thereof unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided. This Agreement shall continue in effect thereafter for additional periods not exceeding one (I) year so long as such continuation is approved for each Fund at least annually by (i) the Board or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund and (ii) the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement nor interested persons thereof, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The terms "majority of the outstanding voting securities" and "interested persons" shall have the meanings as set forth in the 1940 Act;
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(b) This Agreement may be terminated (i) by the Trust on behalf of any Fund at any time without payment of any penalty, upon ninety (90) days' written notice to the Sub Advisor (ii) by the Board, by the Advisor, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund without the payment of any penalties, upon ninety (90) days' written notice to the Sub-Advisor, (iii) by the Sub-Advisor upon ninety (90) days' written notice to the Funds and the Advisor, or (iv) by the Sub-Advisor, in the event of Advisor Disabling Conduct that is not reasonably able to be cured or has not been cured within ten (10) business days of the Trust's receipt of written notice from the Sub-Advisor of such Advisor Disabling Conduct, upon fifteen (15) days' written notice. In the event of a termination with respect to one or more Funds, the Sub-Advisor shall reasonably cooperate in the orderly transfer of the affairs of such Fund(s) and, at the request of the Board or the Advisor, transfer any and all books and records of the Fund(s) maintained by the Sub- Advisor on behalf of the Fund(s) pursuant to this Agreement;
(c) This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of any transfer or assignment thereof, as defined in the 1940 Act; and
(d) This Agreement will also terminate in the event that the Investment Advisory Agreement is terminated. Advisor will promptly notify the Sub-Advisor of any notice the Advisor receives that the Investment Advisory Agreement will be terminated.
10.OTHER SERVICES OF THE SUB-ADVISOR.
The Advisor acknowledges that the Sub-Advisor will perform its investment advisory services in accordance with the particular facts unique to particular clients and their assets, such as investment objectives, tax, legal and regulatory considerations and cash availability, and that these factors will affect investment decisions. The Advisor acknowledges that the Sub-Advisor, in its sole discretion, may give advice to and take action with respect to any of its other clients which may differ from the advice given to the Advisor. Furthermore, as the Sub-Advisor has no authority to enter into or effect portfolio transactions on behalf of the Funds, the timing of portfolio transactions effected by the Advisor upon the advice of the Sub-Advisor will differ from the timing of portfolio transactions effected by the Sub-Advisor for its other clients. The Advisor acknowledges that such timing differences may impact the price of the instruments being purchased or sold.
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11. COOPERATION AND COMPLIANCE.
(a) The Sub-Advisor agrees to cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Advisor, the Funds, the Funds' custodian, accounting agent, administrator, middle office servicer, pricing agents, independent auditors and all other agents, representatives and service providers of the Funds and the Advisor, and to provide the foregoing persons such information with respect to the Funds as they may reasonably request from time to time in the performance of their obligations; provide prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons; and establish and maintain appropriate operational programs, procedures and interfaces with such persons so as to promote the efficient exchange of information and compliance with Relevant Law, and the Investment Guidelines and other restrictions and policies of the Funds.
(b) The Sub-Advisor shall use its reasonable efforts to provide the Advisor, the Funds or the Board with such information and assurances reasonably requested (including certifications and sub-certifications) and with such reasonable assistance as the Advisor, the Funds or the Board may reasonably request from time to time in order to assist it in complying with applicable laws, rules, regulations and exemptive orders, including requirements in connection with the Advisor's, the Funds' or the Board's fulfillment of its responsibilities under Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act and the preparation and/or filing of periodic and other reports and filings required to maintain the registration and qualification of the Funds, or to meet other regulatory or tax requirements applicable to the Funds, under federal and state securities and tax laws and other applicable laws. The Sub- Advisor shall review draft reports to shareholders, registration statements or amendments thereto or portions thereof that specifically relate to the Funds or the Sub-Advisor and other documents provided to the Sub-Advisor that relate specifically to the Funds, provide comments on such drafts on a timely basis, and provide certifications or sub-certifications on a timely basis as to the accuracy of the information provided by the Sub-Advisor and/or contained in such reports or other documents.
(c) The Sub-Advisor shall notify the Advisor promptly upon determination of any material error in connection with its management of the Funds, including but not limited to any trade errors, whether the responsibility of the Sub-Advisor in delivery of the investment program of the Funds (such error, a "Sub-Advisor Error") or an error of the Advisor (such error, an "Advisor Error"). In the event of a Sub-Advisor Error, the Sub- Advisor shall provide a memorandum to the Advisor that sufficiently describes any such error and the action to be taken to prevent future occurrences of such error or, alternatively, a statement that the Sub-Advisor has reviewed the relevant controls, and has determined those controls are reasonably designed to prevent additional errors in the future (and, to the extent relevant, that such controls are reasonably designed to prevent violations of the federal securities laws), and as such no further action is required. Further, if the Sub-Advisor Error was caused by a breach of the Sub-Advisor's standard of care set forth in Section B(a), then the Sub-Advisor shall correct the Sub-Advisor Error to the satisfaction of the Advisor and the Funds, which may include reimbursement to the Funds of costs incurred due to the error. In the event of an Advisor Error, the Sub-Advisor's sole responsibility shall be to promptly notify the Advisor of such error after the Sub-Advisor has determined that an Advisor Error has occurred.
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(d) The Sub-Advisor shall notify the Advisor promptly if it becomes aware of any breach of any of the Investment Guidelines, compliance policies and procedures of the Funds relating to the Funds, and of any violation of any Relevant Law, including the 1940 Act and Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to the Funds. The Sub-Advisor shall also notify the Advisor promptly upon detection of any violations of the Sub-Advisor's own compliance policies and procedures that relate to its providing investment advice to the Funds.
(e) The Sub-Advisor shall provide access to its compliance policies and procedures pertaining to its services provided to the designated Funds under this Agreement to the Funds' Chief Compliance Officer to permit the Funds' Chief Compliance Officer to conduct review and oversight of such policies and procedures in accordance with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act and shall notify the Advisor, via quarterly certification, of: (1) any material changes to its compliance policies and procedures; (2) any new material policies and procedures that the Sub-Advisor adopts pursuant to Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act or otherwise as they pertain to activities performed for or on behalf of the designated Funds; and (3) the retirement of any material policies and procedures previously adopted by the Sub-Advisor pursuant to Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act or otherwise as they pertained to activities performed for or on behalf of the designated Funds. The designated Funds, the Advisor, or the designated Funds' Chief Compliance Officer may make any reasonable request for the provision of information or for other cooperation from the Sub- Advisor with respect to the Sub-Advisor's duties under this Agreement, and the Sub- Advisor shall use its best efforts to promptly comply with such request, including without limitation providing access to the designated Funds, the Advisor, or the Funds' Chief Compliance Officer with such documents, reports, data and other information as the designated Funds may reasonably request regarding recommendations made by the Sub- Advisor in respect of the designated Funds, the Sub-Advisor's performance hereunder or compliance with the terms hereof, and participating in such meetings (and on-site visits among representatives of the Funds and the Sub-Advisor) as the designated Funds may reasonably request.
12. INSURANCE.
The Sub-Advisor shall maintain errors and omissions insurance coverage and commercial general liability insurance coverage, each in a commercially reasonable amount, and from insurance providers that are in the business of regularly providing insurance coverage to investment advisers. Upon request, the Sub-Advisor shall provide to the Advisor certificates of insurance evidencing same.
13. NO BORROWING.
The Sub-Advisor agrees that neither it nor any of its officers or employees shall borrow from the Funds or pledge or use the Funds' assets in connection with any borrowing not directly for the Funds' benefit. For this purpose, failure to pay any amount due and payable to the Funds for a period of more than thirty (30) days shall constitute a borrowing.
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14. AMENDMENT.
No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by all parties.
15. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby and shall remain in full force and effect.
16. NONPUBLIC PERSONAL INFORMATION.
Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Sub-Advisor hereto agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, trustees, shareholders, officers, and employees (1) to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Funds (a) all records and other information relative to the Funds' prior, present, or potential shareholders (and clients of said shareholders) and (b) any Nonpublic Personal Information, as defined under Section 248.3(t) of Regulation S-P ("Regulation S-P"), promulgated under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ("G-L-B Act"),and (2) except after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Trust, not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, or as otherwise permitted by Regulation S-P or the G-L-B Act, and if in compliance therewith, the privacy policies adopted by the Trust and communicated in writing to the Sub-Advisor. Notwithstanding the foregoing and for the avoidance of doubt, such prior notification and written approval shall not be required where the Sub-Advisor has received a request to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities or is required to do so by law.
17. ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE.
The Sub-Advisor represents, warrants and agrees that, in compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended, the USA PATRIOT Act, and any implementing regulations thereunder (together, "AML Laws") it has adopted an anti-money laundering policy and program ("Sub-Advisor AML Policy"). The Sub-Advisor agrees to comply with the Sub- Advisor AML Policy.
The Advisor represents, warrants and agrees that, in compliance with AML Laws it has adopted an anti-money laundering policy and program ("Advisor AML Policy"). The Advisor agrees to comply with the Advisor AML Policy. The Advisor acknowledges that the Funds, or such service providers as it may engage to perform such services, shall be responsible for compliance with AML Laws with respect to the shareholders of the Funds.
18. CONFIDENTIALITY.
(a) Each party expressly undertakes to protect and to preserve the confidentiality of all information and know-how made available under or in connection with this Agreement, or the parties' activities hereunder, including, but not limited to, intellectual property, that is either designated as being confidential, or which, by the nature of the circumstances surrounding the disclosure, ought in good faith be treated as proprietary or confidential ("Confidential Information"). The Sub-Advisor understands that the investment program, holdings, performance or any other information regarding the Funds is the property of the Trust and may be used by the Trust, or by the Advisor as its agent, in the Funds' discretion, that the Advisor has patents, trade secrets, and other valuable intellectual property associated with the strategy of the Funds, and that no transfer of intellectual property shall be effectuated by this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor may retain and utilize holdings and performance information of the Funds for administrative purposes. Each party shall take reasonable security precautions, at least as great as the precautions it takes to protect its own confidential information but in any event using a reasonable standard of care, to keep confidential the Confidential Information. Neither party shall disclose Confidential Information except: (a) to its affiliates, employees, consultants, legal advisors or auditors having a need to know such Confidential Information; (b) (i) in accordance with a judicial or other governmental order; (ii) in accordance with a regulatory audit, inquiry or other regulatory request; or (iii) when such disclosure is required by law, provided that the receiving party shall obtain a confidentiality undertaking where possible.
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(b) Neither party will make use of any Confidential Information except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or as agreed to in writing between the parties. However, the receiving party shall have no obligation to maintain the confidentiality of information that: (a) it received rightfully from another party prior to its receipt from the disclosing party, other than through an intellectual property filing; (b) the disclosing party discloses generally without any obligation of confidentiality; (c) is or subsequently becomes publicly available without the receiving party's breach of any obligation owed the disclosing party; or (d) is independently developed by the receiving party without reliance upon or use of any Confidential Information. Each party's obligations under this clause shall survive for a period of three (3) years following the expiration or termination of this Agreement.
(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, each party to this Agreement may disclose any information with respect to the United States federal income tax treatment and tax structure (and any fact that may be relevant to understanding the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transaction) of the transactions contemplated hereby.
19. USE OF NAMES.
(a) The Sub-Advisor from time to time shall make available, without charge to the Advisor or the Trust, any marks or symbols owned by the Sub-Advisor ("Mark"), including marks or symbols containing the Mark or any variation thereof, to use in the Funds' Prospectus and/or Funds sales literature. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Advisor and the Trust must promptly cease use of the Mark.
(b) During the term of this Agreement and after its termination, the Sub-Advisor shall not use the name of the Funds, the Advisor or the Trust (or its affiliates using the Syntax name) or any combination or derivation thereof in any material relating to the Sub-Advisor in any manner not approved prior thereto in writing by the Advisor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Sub-Advisor may disclose its relationship with the Advisor in specific marketing materials to prospective accounts and include the Funds’ performance in calculating composites.
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(c) The Sub-Advisor shall not use the name of the Trust or any Funds on any checks, bank drafts, bank statements or forms for other than internal use in a manner not approved by the Trust prior thereto in writing; provided however, that the approval of the Trust shall not be required for the use of the Trust’s or Funds’ names which merely refers in accurate and factual terms to the Trust or Funds in connection with the Sub-Advisor’s role hereunder or which is required by any appropriate regulatory, governmental or judicial authority; and further provided that in no event shall such approval be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
20. NOTICES.
Notices and other communications required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing, shall be deemed to be effectively delivered when actually received, and my be delivered by US mail (first class, postage prepaid), by facsimile transmission, electronic mail, website or other widely-used electronic medium, by hand or by commercial overnight delivery service, addressed as follows:
Syntax Advisors LLC
One Liberty Plaza, 46th Floor
New York, New York 10006
/s/ Rory Riggs
By: Rory Riggs
Title: CEO
Date: 3/12/20
Swan Global Investments Inc.
1099 Main Ave,
Suite 206
Durango, CO 81301
/s/ Robert B. Swan
By: Robert B. Swan
Title: COO
Date: 02/27/20
Syntax ETF Trust
c/o Syntax Advisors, LLC
One Liberty Plaza, 46th Floor
New York, New York 10006
/s/ Rory Riggs
By: Rory Riggs
Title: CEO
Date: 3/12/20
18 |
By consenting to the electronic delivery of any notice, documentation or other communication in respect of this Agreement or as required pursuant to applicable law, the Advisor authorizes the Sub-Advisor to deliver all communications by email or other electronic means.
21. GOVERNING LAW.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles thereof; provided that nothing herein shall be construed to preempt, or to be inconsistent with, any federal law, regulation or rule, including the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
22. SERIES OF THE SYNTAX ETF TRUST
Each Fund is a series of the Trust, and the parties hereto acknowledge that each series established under the Trust has the power and authority under the Syntax ETF Trust Declaration of Trust ("Declaration of Trust") and the Syntax ETF By-Laws ("By-Laws") of
the Trust to enter into contractual arrangements solely in the name of such series and undertake obligations or liabilities separate and apart from the obligations or liabilities of any other series of the Trust or the Trust generally. Accordingly, the parties agree that this Agreement is entered into by, and shall constitute a separate agreement of, such series and shall not be binding on, or create any obligation or liability whatsoever in respect of, any other series of the Trust or the Trust generally.
23. ASSIGNMENT.
This Agreement may not be assigned by any party, either in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of each other party. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the day first set forth above.
Syntax Advisors LLC
One Liberty Plaza, 46th Floor
New York, New York 10006
/s/ Rory Riggs
By: Rory Riggs
Title: CEO
Date: 3/12/20
19 |
Swan Global Investments Inc.
1099 Main Ave,
Suite 206
Durango, CO 81301
/s/ Robert B. Swan
By: Robert B. Swan
Title: COO
Date: 02/27/20
20 |
APPENDIX A
TO INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
NAMES OF FUNDS
Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF
21 |
Exhbit (d)(iv)(b)
THIRD AMENDMENT TO EXPENSE LIMITATION AND REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT
This third amendment (“Amendment”) to the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated as of March 28, 2018 by and between Syntax Advisors, LLC (the “Advisor”) and the Syntax ETF Trust (“Trust”) is entered into as of February 19, 2020 (the “Effective Date”).
WHEREAS, the Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”); and
WHEREAS, the Advisor and the Trust wish to amend the Agreement to add the new series of the Trust identified below; and
WHEREAS, the Advisor and the Trust wish to amend the Agreement to state that the Advisor will waive any acquired fund fees and expenses of affiliated underlying funds held by Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market ETF or Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF; and
WHEREAS, the Advisor and the Trust desire to amend a certain provision of the Expense Limitation Agreement with the intent to extend the effect of the Expense Limitation Agreement from May 1, 2020 to May 1, 2021;
NOW THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
1. | Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in Agreement. |
2. | Schedule A to the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced by the Schedule A attached hereto which reflects the addition of the Syntax Stratified LargeCap ETF II, Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market ETF, Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF, Syntax Stratified 1000 ETF, Syntax Stratified Europe & Asia Developed Markets ETF and Syntax Stratified Emerging Markets ETF. |
3. | The following sentence is added after the first sentence in the first provision (1.) of the Agreement: |
“However, the Adviser shall waive a portion of its management fees for the Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market ETF or Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF in an amount equivalent to the acquired fund fees and expenses of any affiliated underlying fund.”
4. | The second provision of six provisions of the Expense Limitation Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced to read as follows: |
"The Expense Limitation will remain in effect until at least May 1,
2021 and is subject to annual approval by the Board unless and until the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its modification or termination; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Expense Limitation will terminate in the event that the investment advisory agreement in effect between the Trust on behalf of the Fund and the Advisor (or an affiliate of the Advisor) is terminated by the Trust without the consent of the Advisor or in the event such agreement terminates due to an assignment and a new investment advisory agreement with the Advisor (or an affiliate of the Advisor) does not become effective upon such termination."
5. | Except as expressly amended hereby, all of the provisions of the Agreement shall remain unamended and in full force and effect to the same extent as if fully set forth herein. |
6. | This Amendment shall be governed by, and the provisions of this Amendment shall be construed and interpreted under and in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware. |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized officers, as of the Effective Date.
SYNTAX ADVISORS, LLC SYNTAX ETF TRUST
By: | By: | ||||
Rory Riggs, CEO | Rory Riggs, CEO and Principal Executive Officer |
SYNTAX ETF TRUST
EXPENSE LIMITATION AND REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT
Schedule A
SERIES | EXPENSE CAP |
Syntax Stratified LargeCap ETF | 0.30% |
Syntax Stratified MidCap ETF | 0.30% |
Syntax Stratified SmallCap ETF | 0.30% |
Syntax Stratified LargeCap ETF II | 0.30% |
Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market ETF | 0.35% |
Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF | 0.65% |
Syntax Stratified 1000 ETF | 0.30% |
Syntax Stratified Europe & Asia Developed Markets ETF | 0.45% |
Exhibit (h)(iv)(b)
Stratified Technology and Data Statement of Work
STRATIFIED TECHNOLOGY AND DATA STATEMENT OF WORK
This Stratified Technology and Data Statement of Work (“Statement of Work”) entered into as of the Commencement Date set forth below by and between Syntax LLC, a New York limited liability company (“Licensor”) and Advisor (as set forth below), is issued pursuant to, and incorporates herein, the Master Index and Technology License Agreement by and between Syntax and Advisor (the “Agreement”), and is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below. This Statement of Work governs the use of Regulated Funds, SMAs, and Sublicensed Technology associated with Stratified Indices. Any term used herein and not defined shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the Agreement. Except as expressly provided otherwise herein, references in this Statement of Work to Exhibits shall mean the Exhibits to this Statement of Work and not to the Agreement.
Advisor: | Syntax Advisors |
Effective Date of the | |
Agreement: | April 7, 2020 |
1. Commencement Date: | April 7, 2020 |
2. Billing
Commencement Date (if different
from Commencement Date): |
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3. Initial Term (from Commencement Date): | Three (3) Years |
3.1. Renewal Term: | One (1) Year |
3.2. Stratified Data and Technology Specifications | |
(including methodology): | See attached Exhibit A. |
4. Special Terms and Conditions: | See attached Exhibit B. |
5. Fees and Expenses: | See attached Exhibit B. |
6. Delivery Specifications: | See attached Exhibit C. |
The undersigned acknowledges that he/she is authorized to execute this Statement of Work on behalf of Advisor and Licensor, as applicable. The signatures below are evidence of each party’s agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions specified in this Statement of Work and the Agreement, which are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth at length. In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Agreement and the terms of this Statement of Work, the terms of the Agreement shall prevail with respect to such conflicting terms unless this Statement of Work expressly states that a certain identified term herein shall prevail over a certain identified term in the Agreement then, to the extent that such provision of the Statement of Work conflicts with the specified provision of the Agreement, such term in the Statement of Work shall prevail.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto, each acting with proper authority, have executed this Statement of Work as of the Commencement Date set forth above.
Syntax LLC | Syntax Advisors | |||
Signature: | /s/Rory Riggs | Signature: | /s/Rory Riggs | |
Name: | Rory Riggs | Name: | Rory Riggs | |
Title: | CEO | Title: | CEO |
EXHIBIT A
STRATIFIED DATA AND TECHNOLOGY SPECIFICATIONS
Stratified Data and Technology Sets: | Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged; Syntax Stratified Large Cap |
Description of Stratified Data and Technology: The Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged technology and data comprises attributes, digital platforms, and quantitative data for approximately 1500 U.S. large, mid, and small-cap constituents and associated equity securities and options, including for 500 large-cap constituents and equity securities that comprise that the Syntax Stratified Large Cap Technology and Data. The data and technology are based on Syntax’s patented methodology to control exposure to related business risks (RBRs). Syntax stratification diversifies by establishing target weights for RBRs and rebalancing to these targets periodically. This methodology is designed to mitigate certain adverse effects of inadvertent overweightings of related businesses that occur in the market.
Stratified Data: | Constituents, attributes, tags, prices, sectors, subsectors |
Exhibit (i)(i)
Partner |
1270 Avenue of the Americas 30th Floor New York, New York 10020-1708
T 212.655.6000 D 212.655.2548 moriarty@chapman.com |
April 21, 2020
Syntax ETF Trust
1 Liberty Street, 46th Floor
New York, NY 10006
Syntax ETF Trust
Registration Nos. 333-215607 and 811-23227
with respect to
Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF
and Syntax Stratified LargeCap II ETF
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to the Syntax ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), with respect to the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Trust intends to file the Registration Statement on or about April 22, 2020 in order to register shares (the “Shares”) of beneficial interests of the Syntax Stratified U.S. Total Market Hedged ETF and the Syntax Stratified LargeCap II ETF (each a “Fund” and, collectively, the “Funds”). The Registration Statement seeks to register an unlimited number of Shares of each Fund.
We have examined the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”); its By-Laws (“By-laws”); relevant resolutions of the Trust’s Board of Trustees; and such other legal and factual matters as we have considered necessary.
This opinion is based exclusively on the Delaware Statutory Trust Act and the federal securities laws of the United States of America governing the issuance of shares of the Fund and does not extend to the securities or “blue sky” laws of the State of Delaware or other States or to other Federal securities or other laws.
We have assumed the following for purposes of this opinion:
April 21, 2020
Page 2
1. The Funds’ Shares, when issued, will be issued in accordance with the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By-laws and resolutions of the Trust’s Board of Trustees relating to the creation, authorization and issuance of Shares.
2. The Funds’ Shares, when issued, will be issued against consideration therefor as described in the Trust’s prospectus relating thereto.
This opinion relates solely to the registration of Shares of the Funds and not to the registration of any other series or classes of the Trust that may have previously been registered.
Based upon the foregoing, it is our opinion that, upon the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the Shares of beneficial interests of the Funds, when issued upon the terms and for the consideration described in the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Chapman and Cutler LLP
Chapman and Cutler LLP
Exhibit (p)(iv)
CODE OF ETHICS
Introduction
1. Purpose
The Company has adopted the policies and procedures described in this section of the Manual (the “Code of Ethics” or “Code”) in an effort to maintain a policy of strict compliance with the highest standards of ethical business conduct and the provisions of applicable laws, including state and federal securities laws and regulations. Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act") requires investment advisors to mutual funds to adopt a written Code of Ethics and to report any material compliance violations. Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act and Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (collectively, the “Rules”), require the Company to adopt a code of ethics containing provisions reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons (as defined below) from engaging in any act, practice or course of business prohibited by the Rules.
“Access Person” means (i) all management personnel (officers, directors and partners) of the Company, and (ii) any other Employee of the Company who has access to information regarding the purchase or sale of securities by the Company or the portfolio holdings of any of its Clients, or who is involved in making recommendations with respect to purchases or sales of securities. [To simplify operations and administration as well as enforce a more strict level of compliance, the Company chooses to treat all Employees as Access Persons for the purpose of this Code.]
This Code is predicated on the principle that the Company owes a fiduciary duty to its Clients. Every fiduciary has the duty and a responsibility to act in the utmost good faith and in the best interests of the Client and to always place the Client’s interests first and foremost. Accordingly, the Company’s Employees must avoid activities, interests and relationships that run contrary (or appear to run contrary) to the best interests of Clients.
In addition, this Code of Ethics has been adopted to ensure that Employees who have knowledge of the portfolio transactions will not be able to act thereon to the disadvantage of the Company or its Clients. It is the responsibility of each Employee to understand the various laws applicable to such Employee, and to conduct personal securities transactions in a manner that does not interfere with the transactions of the Company or its Clients, or otherwise take unfair advantage of the Company or its Clients.
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The Code does not address every possible situation that may arise, consequently, every Employee is responsible for exercising good judgment, applying ethical principles, and bringing violations or potential violations of the Code of Ethics to the attention of the CCO. Any questions regarding the Company’s Code of Ethics should be referred to the CCO.
2. Administration of Code
The CCO shall be responsible for all aspects of administering, and all interpretive issues arising under, this Code. The CCO is responsible for considering any requests for exceptions to, or exemptions from, the Code. Any exceptions to, or exemptions from, the Code shall be subject to such additional procedures, reviews and reporting as may be deemed appropriate by the CCO.
On an annual basis, the CCO shall prepare a written report describing any issues arising under the Code of Ethics or procedures, including information about any material violations of the Code of Ethics or its underlying procedures and any sanctions imposed due to such violations and submit the information for review by the Board; and
On an annual basis, the CCO shall certify to the Board of Trustees that it has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent its Access Persons from violating the Code of Ethics.
3. Recordkeeping Requirements
The Company shall maintain the following records at its principal place of business:
l | a copy of each Code in effect during the past five years; |
l | a record of any violation of the Code and any action taken as a result of the violation for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurs; |
l | a copy of each personal trading report required by this Code; |
l | a record of all persons required to make reports currently and during the past five years; |
l | a record of all persons who are or were responsible for reviewing these reports during the past five years; and |
l | a record of any decision and the reasons supporting that decision, to approve an person’s purchase of securities in an initial public offering or private placement, for at least five years after approval. |
Please see Section V for more information on the Company’s recordkeeping requirements.
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4. Condition of Employment or Service with the Company
This Code of Ethics applies to each Employee of the Company. Employees shall read and understand this Code and uphold the standards in the Code in their day-to-day activities at the Company. Compliance with the Code shall be a condition of employment or continued affiliation with the Company and conduct not in accordance herewith shall constitute grounds for sanctions (including, without limitation, reprimands, restrictions on activities, disgorgement, termination of employment, or removal from office). Each Employee shall sign the acknowledgement form attached to the manual as Exhibit A indicating his or her receipt and understanding of, and agreement to comply with this Code. Such signed acknowledgement should be returned to the CCO and may be submitted electronically.
Standards of Conduct
1. Employee Conduct
The following general principles should guide the individual conduct of each Employee:
l | Employees will not take any action that will violate any applicable laws or regulations, including all federal securities laws. |
l | Employees will adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct. |
l | Employees will maintain the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of employment with the Company. |
l | Employees will bring any issues reasonably believed to place the Company at risk to the attention of the CCO. |
l | Employees will not abuse or misappropriate the Company’s or any Client’s assets or use them for personal gain. |
l | Employees will disclose any activities that may create an actual or potential conflict of interest between the Employee, the Company and/or any Client. |
l | Employees will deal fairly with Clients and other Employees and will not abuse the Employee’s position of trust and responsibility with Clients or take inappropriate advantage of his or her position with the Company. |
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l Employees will comply with the Code of Ethics.
2. Falsification or Alteration of Records
Falsifying or altering records or reports of the Company, preparing records or reports that do not accurately or adequately reflect the underlying transactions or activities of the Company or its Clients, or knowingly approving such conduct is prohibited. Examples of prohibited financial or accounting practices include:
l | Making false or inaccurate entries or statements in any Company or Client books, records, or reports that intentionally hide or misrepresent the true nature of a transaction or activity; |
l | Manipulating books, records, or reports for personal gain; |
l | Failing to maintain required books and records that completely, accurately, and timely reflect all business transactions; |
l | Maintaining any undisclosed or unrecorded Company or Client funds or assets; |
l | Using funds for a purpose other than the described purpose; |
l | Making a payment or approving a receipt with the understanding that the funds will be, or have been, used for a purpose other than what is described in the record of the transaction. |
3. Competition and Fair Dealing
The Company seeks to outperform its competition fairly and honestly. The Company seeks competitive advantages through superior performance, not through unethical or illegal business practices. Stealing proprietary information, possessing trade secret information obtained without the owner’s consent, or inducing such disclosures by past or present Employees of other companies is prohibited. Each Employee should endeavor to respect the rights of and deal fairly with the Company’s Clients, vendors, service providers, suppliers, and competitors. No Employee should take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other intentional unfair dealing practice. Employees should not falsely disparage or make unfair negative comments about its competitors or their products and services. Negative public statements concerning the conduct or performance of any former Employee of the Company should also be avoided.
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Prohibition Against Insider Trading
1. Company Policy
Investment advisers and their employees often have access to material information about a public company that has not been publicly disseminated. Federal and state securities laws generally make it unlawful for any person to trade in securities of a publicly-traded issuer while in possession of material, non-public information concerning such issuer or its securities. It is also unlawful to pass material, non-public information to others (a practice known as “tipping”). The persons covered by these restrictions are not only “insiders” of publicly-traded issuers, but also any other person who, under certain circumstances, learns of material, non-public information about an issuer, such as attorneys, investment banking analysts and investment managers.
Violations of these restrictions have severe consequences for both the Company and its Employees. Trading on material, non-public information or communicating such information to others is punishable by imprisonment and criminal fines. In addition, employers may be subjected to liability for insider trading or tipping by Employees. Broker-dealers and investment advisors may be held liable for failing to take measures to deter securities laws violations where such failure is found to have substantially contributed to or permitted a violation.
In light of these rules, the Company has adopted the general policy, applicable to all Employees that an Employee may not trade in any Client or personal account in the securities of any publicly-traded issuer about which the Employee possesses material, non-public information, nor “tip” others about such information.
The laws of insider trading are continuously changing. You may legitimately be uncertain about the application of the rules contained in this Manual in a particular circumstance. Often, a single question can forestall disciplinary action or complex legal problems. You should notify the CCO immediately if you have any questions as to the propriety of any actions or about the policies and procedures contained herein.
2. Explanation of Insider Trading
The elements of insider trading and the penalties for such unlawful conduct are discussed below. If any Employee has any questions they should consult the CCO.
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What is Material Information?
“Material information” is defined generally as information for which there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making his or her investment decisions, or information that is reasonably certain to have a substantial effect on the price of a company’s securities. Information that should be considered material includes, but is not limited to:
l | business combinations (such as mergers or joint ventures), |
l | changes in financial results, |
l | changes in dividend policy, |
l | changes in earnings estimates, |
l | significant litigation exposure, |
l | new product or service announcements, |
l | private securities offerings, |
l | plans for recapitalization, |
l | repurchase of shares or other reorganization plans |
l | antitrust charges, |
l | labor disputes, |
l | pending large commercial or government contracts, |
l | significant shifts in operating or financial circumstances (such as major write-offs and strikes at major plants), and |
l | extraordinary business or management developments (such as key personnel changes). |
Material information also may relate to the market for a company’s securities. Information about a significant order to purchase or sell securities may, in some contexts, be material. Prepublication information regarding reports in the financial press also may be material. For example, the United States Supreme Court upheld the criminal convictions of insider trading defendants who capitalized on prepublication information from The Wall Street Journal’s “Heard on the Street” column.
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No simple test exists to determine when information is material; assessments of materiality involve a highly fact-specific inquiry. If you are in receipt of non-public information that you believe is not material, you should confirm such determination with the CCO.
What is Non-Public Information?
Information is non-public until it has been effectively communicated to the market place. One must be able to point to some fact to show that the information is generally public. For example, information found in a report publicly filed with the SEC, or appearing in Dow Jones, Reuters Economic Services, The Wall Street Journal or other publications of general circulation would be considered public.
If the information is not available in the general media or in a public filing, it should be treated as non-public. If you are uncertain whether or not information is non-public, you should contact the CCO.
Specific Sources of Material Non-Public Information
Below is a list of potential sources of material, non-public information that Employees of the Company may periodically access. If an Employee accesses or utilizes any of these sources of information, whether in connection with their employment duties or otherwise, they should be particularly sensitive to the possibility of receiving material non-public information about a publicly-traded company, and immediately notify the CCO if they feel that they have received material non-public information. This list is provided for general guidance and is not an exclusive list of all possible sources of material non-public information.
Contacts with Public Companies
Contacts with public companies represent an important part of the Company’s research efforts. The Company may make investment decisions on the basis of conclusions formed through such contacts and analysis of publicly-available information.
Employees must be especially alert to the potential for access to sensitive information during such contacts. Information received from company representatives during a conference call that is open to the investment community is public. The disclosure of this type of information is covered by SEC Regulation FD.
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Difficult legal issues arise, however, when, in the course of contacts with public companies, you become aware of material, non-public information. This could happen, for example, if a company’s Chief Financial Officer prematurely discloses quarterly results to an analyst, or an investor relations representative makes a selective disclosure of adverse news to a handful of investors. In such situations, the Company must make a judgment as to its further conduct. To protect yourself, the Company and its Clients, you should contact the CCO immediately if you believe that you may have received material, non-public information.
All calls or meetings with any employee of a public company must be reported to the CCO prior to the meeting. To the extent that any meeting or contact is not open to the investment community, the CCO may require that an Employee issue a standard notification at the beginning of the meeting that they do not wish to receive non-public information. The CCO will maintain a list of all Company contacts with public companies.
Contacts with Research Consultants
Employees may wish to engage the services of a third party research firms (a “Consulting Service”), to assist in their research efforts. Generally, such Consulting Services provide access to experts (each a “Consultant”) across a variety of industries and disciplines. Employees must be especially alert to the potential for access to material non-public or confidential information during such contacts.
Any engagement of a new Consulting Service or Consultant must be pre-approved by the CCO. In addition, Employees must notify the CCO prior to each contact (whether a call or meeting) with any previously approved Consultant. The CCO will maintain a list of all Company contacts with Consultants.
The following guidelines apply to all Employee contacts with Consulting Services and
Consultants:
l | Prior to any conversation with a Consultant, Employees must remind or inform such Consultant that (i) the Company invests in publicly-traded securities and (ii) neither the Company nor the Employee wish to receive material, non-public information or confidential information that the Consultant is under a duty, legal or otherwise, not to disclose. |
The consultant must acknowledge that he or she is unaware of any conflict with any law, regulation or duty owed to any person or entity that may arise by providing the Company otherwise.
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l | If a Consultant inadvertently discloses material non-public information regarding any company, the Employee must contact the CCO immediately, who will determine if the company must be added to the Restricted List. |
l | The CCO or a designee may chaperone calls with Consultants. |
l | Employees may not discuss any company (public or private) with which a Consultant is affiliated, including but not limited to a director, trustee, officer, employee or any other known affiliation. |
l | Employees are reminded of their non-disclosure obligations regarding Company information contained in the Company’s Compliance Manual. |
Tender Offers
Tender offers represent a particular concern in the law of insider trading for two reasons: First, tender offer activity often produces extraordinary volatility in the price of the target company’s securities. Trading during this time period is more likely to attract regulatory attention (and produces a disproportionate percentage of insider trading cases). Second, the SEC has adopted a rule that expressly forbids trading and “tipping” while in possession of material, non-public information regarding a tender offer received from the tender offeror, the target company, or anyone acting on behalf of either. You should exercise particular caution any time you become aware of non-public information relating to a tender offer.
Directorships and Committee Memberships
An Employee of the Company may be a member of the Board of Directors, creditor’s committee or similar committee, group or informal organization of credit holders, or have similar status with a public issuer. Any such memberships must be reported to the CCO immediately by completing Outside Business Activities questionnaire attached hereto as Exhibit C.
Confidentiality Agreements
The Company may enter into confidentiality agreements with issuers, their representatives, or third party firms relating to the evaluation of a potential transaction in an issuer’s securities. All confidentiality agreements must be approved by the CCO prior to execution.
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Confidentiality agreements generally require the Company to maintain information received thereunder in confidence, but may also contain other provisions such as restrictions on trading, restrictions on use of the information or a requirement to destroy or return such information. Employees should be particularly sensitive to information they receive pursuant to a confidentiality agreement as such information is likely to be material non-public information. Employees should also be knowledgeable regarding any restrictions or representations with respect to such information contained in a confidentiality agreement so as to avoid a breach thereunder. If you are uncertain as to your rights and obligations under a confidentiality agreement, please contact the CCO.
Market Rumors
Creating or spreading a rumor that is known to be untrue with the intent of affecting the market price of a security could constitute an unlawful attempt to manipulate market prices and should be avoided at all times. In addition, making investment decisions or otherwise acting on information received as a market rumor can carry significant risk for the Company and the Employee, given the inherent lack of certainty that a market rumor is accurate and/or does not constitute material non-public information. Employees should contact the CCO prior to acting on or sharing any information received as a market rumor.
Penalties for Insider Trading
You may face severe penalties if you trade securities while in possession of material, non-public information, or if you improperly communicate non-public information to others. The consequences to you of illegal insider trading may include:
l | The Company may terminate your employment. |
l | You may be subject to criminal sanctions which may include a fine of up to $1,000,000 and/or up to ten years imprisonment. |
l | The SEC can recover your profits gained or losses avoided through illegal trading, and a penalty of up to three times the profit from the illegal trades. |
l | The SEC may issue an order permanently barring you from the securities industry. |
l | You may be sued by investors seeking to recover damages for insider trading violations. |
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Insider trading laws provide for penalties for “controlling persons” of individuals who commit insider trading. Accordingly, under certain circumstances, a supervisor of an employee who is found liable for insider trading may also be subject to penalties.
The Company could be subject to the following penalties in the event an Employee is found liable for insider trading:
l | Civil penalties of up to the greater of $1 million or three times the amount of profits gained or losses avoided by an Employee; |
l | Criminal fines of up to $2.5 million per violation; and |
l | Restrictions on the Company’s ability to conduct certain of its business activities. |
3. Compliance Procedures
The following procedures have been established to aid Employees in addressing situations where they have access to material non-public information relating to any company. Each Employee must follow these procedures or risk serious sanctions, including dismissal, substantial personal liability and criminal penalties.
Identifying Material Non-public Information
Before executing any trade for yourself or others, including Client accounts, you must determine whether you have access to material, non-public information. Ask yourself the following questions:
l | Is the information material? Is this information that an investor would consider important in making his or her investment decisions? Is this information that would substantially affect the market price of the securities if disclosed? |
l | Is the information non-public? To whom has this information been provided? Has the information been effectively communicated to the marketplace by appearing in publications of general circulation? Is the information already available to a significant number of other traders in the market? |
If after consideration of the foregoing you believe that the information is material and non-public, or if you have questions as to whether the information is material and non-public, you should take the following steps:
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l | Report the matter immediately to the CCO. |
l | Do not purchase or sell the securities on behalf of yourself or others, including any Client account. |
l | Do not communicate the information within or outside of the Company other than to the CCO and other persons who “need to know” such information in order to perform their job responsibilities at the Company. |
Upon the determination by the CCO that the information received is material and non-public, you should complete a Restricted List Addition Form in the form of Exhibit J and return it to the CCO. The CCO will promptly add the name to the Company Restricted List (defined below).
Restricted List
Receipt by the Company or an Employee of material non-public information, as well as certain transactions in which the Company may engage, may require, for either business or legal reasons, that Client accounts or personal accounts of Employees do not trade in the subject securities for specified time periods. Any such security will be designated as “restricted.” The CCO will determine which securities are restricted, will maintain a list (the “Restricted List”) of such securities and will deny permission to effect transactions in Client or Employee personal accounts in securities on the Restricted List. The CCO will periodically disseminate the Restricted List to all Employees as it is updated. No Employee may engage in any trading activity, whether for a Client account or a personal account, with respect to a security while it is on the Restricted List. Restrictions with regard to designated securities are also considered to extend to options, rights or warrants relating to those securities and any securities convertible into those securities.
The CCO or designee will be responsible for determining whether to remove a particular company from the Restricted List. The Employee requesting the removal of an issuer from the Restricted List shall complete a Restricted List Deletion Form in the form of Exhibit K and return it to the CCO.
The Restricted List is confidential and may not be disseminated outside the Company.
Confidentiality of Material Non-Public Information
Communications
Information in your possession that you identify as material and non-public may not be communicated to anyone, including any person within the Company other than the CCO and those persons who “need to know” such information in order to perform their job responsibilities at the Company.
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Information Handling
Employees should take all appropriate actions to safeguard any material, non-public information in their possession. Care should be taken that such information is secure at all times. For example, do not leave documents or papers containing material, non-public information on your desks or otherwise for people to see, access to files containing material, non-public information and computer files containing such information should be restricted, and conversations containing such information, if appropriate at all, should be conducted in private.
You may not make unauthorized copies of material, non-public information. Additionally, you must ensure the disposal of any material, non-public information in your possession is authorized (for example, material, nonpublic information obtained pursuant to a confidentiality agreement may be required to be returned in certain circumstances). Upon termination of your employment with the Company, you must return to the Company any material, non-public information (and all copies thereof in any media) in your possession or under your control.
Personal Securities Transactions
1. General
The Company has adopted the following general principles governing personal investment activities by Company personnel:
l | the interests of Client accounts will be placed in front of any Employee personal transaction. Appropriate investment opportunities must be made for the Company’s Clients before the Company or any Employee may act on them; and |
l | all personal securities transactions will be conducted in such a manner as to avoid any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest or abuse of an individual’s position of trust and responsibility. |
2. Restrictions and Limitations on Personal Securities Transactions
The following restrictions and limitations govern investments and personal securities transactions by all Employees:
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Pre-Clearance Procedures
The Company is an asset manager that uses only ETFs, Options on ETFs and mutual funds. Publically traded stocks are not part of the portfolio investment strategy and the company does not participate in stock analysis, stock selection or stock investing. The Company generally restricts Employees from investing in the same securities as invested in client accounts.
Employees must obtain approval from the CCO prior to executing a non-exempt securities transaction in any Reportable Brokerage Account (defined below) by submitting a pre-clearance form in the form of Exhibit L.1 All approved securities transactions must be executed on the same day that the pre-clearance is obtained. Post-approval of personal securities transactions is not permitted. Any employee who fails to obtain trade-preclearance as set forth in this personal trading policy will have a record of such occurrence recorded. Based on the severity and quantity of occurrences, consequences could include but are not limited to a formal write up by the CCO or termination of employment.
Actions that occur without the direction of the Employee will be exempt from these requirements (option expiration, called bond, converted security, etc.).
The securities below are exempt from the above pre-clearance requirement:
l | Money-market funds; |
l | Open-end mutual funds (other than Reportable Funds as defined in the Advisers Act); |
l | Exchange traded funds; |
l | Bankers acceptances, bank CDs, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments; |
l | Unit investment trusts; |
l | Brokerage certificates of deposit; |
l | Direct obligations of the U.S. government (U.S. Treasury securities); |
l | Transactions through an established Automatic Investment Plan; |
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l | Any Security not traded in the Swan DRS strategy or owned by any Swan Client and managed by the Company. |
Automatic Investment 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. An Automatic Investment plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP).
Under the ICA, reportable Funds are (i) any fund for which the Company serves as an investment adviser or (ii) any fund whose investment adviser or principal underwriter controls the Employee or is under common control with the Employee.
Restricted List
No Employee personal securities transactions will be permitted in any security that is currently on the Company’s Restricted List. All Employee personal securities transactions are subject to monitoring in order to ascertain any pattern of conduct which may evidence use of material non- public information obtained in the course of their employment.
Participation in IPOs and Secondary Offerings
No Employee may acquire any security in an initial public offering (IPO) or secondary public offering without the prior approval of the CCO.
Private Placements
Private placements of any kind (including, but not limited to, limited partnership investments, limited liability companies, hedge funds, private equity funds, PIPEs, real estate, oil and gas partnerships and venture capital investments) may only be acquired with pre-approval of the CCO, and, if approved, will be subject to monitoring for possible future conflicts. A request for approval of a private placement must be submitted in advance of the proposed date of investment by completing an Outside Business Activities Disclosure Form attached hereto in Exhibit C.
Prohibition Against Front Running
The Company has established a policy that its Employees shall not execute a personal transaction in a security if an order for a Client account for the same security, same way, at the same price (whether limit or market order) remains unexecuted. Such restriction shall be effective for [four] trading days before and after any such Client account.
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Each Employee is prohibited from buying or selling for either a Client account or an Employee personal account (i) an option while in possession of non-public information concerning a block transaction by a Client account in the underlying stock, or (ii) an underlying security while in possession of non-public information concerning a block transaction by a Client account in an option covering that security (the “inter-market front running”). This prohibition extends to trading in stock index options and stock index futures while in possession of non-public information concerning a block transaction in a component stock of an index.
3. Reportable Accounts
All Employees must provide to the CCO a written or electronic disclosure in the form Exhibit D certifying all Reportable Brokerage Accounts within 10 days after first becoming an Employee and thereafter upon establishing any new Reportable Brokerage Account. For the purposes of this Manual, Reportable Brokerage Accounts include any personal brokerage account over which the Employee has control or discretionary trading authority and that has the capability to hold or trade individual securities (stocks, bonds, options etc.). The following types of accounts are NOT considered Reportable Brokerage Accounts and are not reportable:
l | Any personal brokerage account over which the Employee has no control or discretionary trading authority, including any Managed Accounts (as defined below); |
A Managed Account is a brokerage account that meets the following criteria:
l | the account is managed by a third party investment manager; and |
l | the Employee has no power to control or influence investment decisions in the account. |
A Managed Account held by an Employee will be exempted from trade pre-clearance and ongoing reporting requirements of this Code. The Employee will be required to report the account to the CCO and provide a letter signed by the investment manager on the manager’s letterhead that the above criteria will be met or alternatively, may provide a copy of the investment advisory agreement or contract.
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4. Investment Reporting
Holdings Reports
All Employees must certify their personal securities holdings via the Initial Holdings Report in the form of Exhibit E within 10 days after first becoming an Employee. The information contained in the Initial Holdings Report must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the person becomes an Employee.
Additionally, Employees must submit an Annual Holdings Report in the form of Exhibit E by January 31 of each year, provided, however, that an Employee need not submit an Annual Holdings Report if the information reported therein would be duplicative of information contained in broker trade confirmations, notices or advices or account statements received by the Company. The information contained in the Annual Holdings Report must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the Annual Holdings Report is submitted.
A report must be submitted even if no purchases or sales of securities were made during the period covered by the report.
Transactions Reports
Employees must file a written or electronic Quarterly Trade Report in the form of Exhibit F within 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter that identifies all transaction made during the quarter, provided, however, that an Employee need not submit a Quarterly Trade Report if the information reported therein would be duplicative of information contained in broker trade confirmations, notices or advices or account statements received by the Company.
A Quarterly Trade Report must be submitted even if no purchases or sales of securities were made during the period covered by the report.
5. Review
The CCO shall be responsible for (i) notifying Employees of their reporting obligations under this Code and (ii) reviewing the reports submitted by each Employee under this Code. The CCO may assign the review of Employee reports to a designee, however, no person shall be allowed to review or approve his or her own reports, and reports shall be reviewed by the CCO or other officer who is senior to the person submitting the report. The CCO shall maintain records of all reports filed pursuant to these procedures.
All Employee personal securities transactions are subject to monitoring in order to ascertain any patterns of conduct which may evidence conflicts with the principles of this Manual, including patterns of front-running or other inappropriate behavior.
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Political Contributions
1. Company Contributions
Firm funds or gifts may not be furnished, directly or indirectly, to a government official, government employee or politician for the purpose of obtaining or maintaining business on behalf of the Firm. Such conduct is illegal and may violate federal and state criminal laws. Assistance or entertainment provided to any government office should never, in form or substance, compromise the Firm’s arms- length business relationship with the government agency or official involved.
2. Pay-to-Play
Background
SEC Rule 206(4)-5 prohibits "pay-to-play" practices by investment advisers that seek to provide investment advisory services to government entities (i.e., any state or political subdivision of a state, including: any agency, authority or instrumentality of the state, a pool of assets sponsored or established by the state, a plan or program of a government entity; and officers, agents, or employees of the state acting in their official capacity). The rule applies to government assets managed by the Company, whether in a separate account or a pooled investment vehicle. Rule 206(4)-5 prohibits:
l | An adviser's receipt of compensation from a government entity for two years following any contribution by the adviser or certain of its personnel (“covered associates”), to certain officials (“covered official”) of a government entity; |
l | Payments by an adviser or any covered associate to third-party solicitors or placement agents for their solicitation of government entities unless the third party solicitor is a registered representative of a broker-dealer or registered investment adviser subject to pay- to-play regulations; and |
l | An adviser and its covered associates from soliciting or coordinating contributions for an official of a government entity to which the adviser is seeking to provide advisory services, or payments to a political party of a state or locality where any adviser is providing or seeking to provide advisory services to a government entity. |
The rule also prohibits acts done indirectly, which, if done directly, would result in a violation of the rule and includes increased recordkeeping requirements regarding political contributions made by its covered associates.
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The look back provisions of the rule require an investment adviser to look back in time to determine whether it will be subject to any business restrictions under the rule when employing or engaging a person who would be considered a covered associate due to such person’s triggering contribution to an official of a government entity. The two year time out is not triggered by a contribution made by a natural person more than 6 months prior to becoming a covered associate, unless he or she, after becoming a covered associate, solicits Clients. As a result, the full two year look back applies only to covered associates who solicit for the Company.
Definitions
A contribution means any gift, subscription, loan, advance, or deposit of money or anything of value made for:
l | The purpose of influencing any election for federal, state or local office; |
l | The payment of debt incurred in connection with any such election; or |
l | Transition or inaugural expenses incurred by the successful candidate for state or local office. |
This includes not only monetary contributions, but also in-kind contributions such as payment for services or use of facilities, personnel or other resources to benefit any federal, state or local candidate campaign, political party committee, or other political committee or political organization exempt from federal income taxes under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code (such as the Republican or Democratic Governors Association), or the inaugural committee or transition team of a successful candidate.
Volunteer services provided to a campaign by Employees on their own personal time are not treated as contributions.
A covered associate includes any of the following:
l | The Company’s general partners, executive officers or other individuals with a similar status or function; |
l | Any Employees who solicits government entities for the Company and any person who supervises, directly or indirectly, such Employee; and |
l | Any political action committee controlled by the investment adviser or its covered associates. |
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A covered official is a person (including any election committee for the person) who was, at the time of the contribution, an incumbent, candidate or successful candidate of a government entity, if the official can (1) directly or indirectly influence the governmental entity’s selection of an investment adviser; or (2) has the authority to appoint an official with such influence. This could cover state or local officials who are running for federal office.
A government entity is defined as any state and local governments and political subdivisions thereof, including their agencies and instrumentalities and pools of assets sponsored or established by the foregoing (such as public pension funds and participant-directed investment programs for the benefit of the public (e.g., 529 college tuition savings programs) or government Employees (e.g., 403(b) and 457 retirement plans)).
Compliance Procedures
The following procedures will apply to political contributions by the Company and its Employees:
l | all contemplated contributions to a political candidate (including federal, state, local or PACs) by any Employee will require pre-clearance from the CCO by submitting a pre- clearance form in the form of [Exhibit] H; |
l | coordination of, or solicitation by, the Company of political contributions to a government official, or payment to a political party of a state or locality, will not be permitted; |
l | newly hired or promoted Employees who will be considered covered associates will be required to disclose any political contributions made in the past two years to determine if the look back provisions will apply by completing and submitting a New Employee Political Contribution Declaration Form attached hereto as [Exhibit] I; and |
l | any new relationships with third-party solicitors will require pre-approval from the CCO. |
In addition, the CCO may require periodic certifications from Employees that they have not made any political contributions in violation of the Company’s policy.
Exemptions
De Minimis Contributions
Although all contributions by Employees must be pre-approved, contributions to any state or local candidate or official which are less than the statutory de minimis amounts will be approved. Contributions will be approved if:
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l | the Employee is entitled to vote for the candidate and the contribution does not exceed $350 per election; or |
l | the Employee is not entitled to vote for the candidate and the contribution does not exceed $150 per election. |
Other Limited Exemptions
Pursuant to the “returned contribution” exception, if a covered associate of an adviser makes a contribution that triggers the two-year time-out period solely because he or she was not entitled to vote for the official at the time of the contribution, the Company can effectively undo the contribution under very narrow circumstances. To be eligible for the returned contribution exception,
l | the contribution had to be less than $350, |
l | the Company must have discovered the contribution within four months of the date of such contribution, and |
l | the Company must cause the contributor to re-collect the contribution within 60 days after the Company discovers the contribution. |
The specificity of the requirements significantly limits the availability of the exception. Further, an adviser with less than 50 employees can only rely on the returned contribution exception twice in a 12-month period (three times for advisers with more than 50 employees) and an adviser can never use the returned contribution exception for the same covered associate twice.
In addition, Rule 206(4)-5 allows an adviser to apply for an order exempting it from the two- year time-out requirement in the event of an inadvertent violation that falls outside of the exceptions set forth above when, according to the SEC, the imposition of the time-out provision is unnecessary to achieve the Rule’s intended purpose.
Record-keeping
Rule 206(4)-5 also requires the Company to keep records of contributions made by the Company and its covered associates to government officials and candidates, payments to state or political parties and PACs, a list of its covered associates and government entities that invest or have invested in the past five years with the Company or a pooled investment vehicle managed by the Company. The Company must also maintain records of the names and addresses of each regulated third party adviser or broker-dealer to whom the Company provides payment for the solicitation of a government entity.
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Conflicts of Interest
1. General
Under Section 206 of the Advisers Act, the duty of the Company to refrain from fraudulent conduct includes an obligation to disclose material facts to its Clients whenever the failure to do so would defraud any Client or prospective client. The Company’s duty to disclose material facts is particularly pertinent whenever the Company is in a situation involving a conflict or potential conflict of interest with a Client. The type of disclosure required by the Company in such a situation will depend upon all the facts and circumstances, but as a general matter, the Company must disclose to Clients all material facts regarding the potential conflict of interest so that the Client can make an informed decision whether to enter into or continue an advisory relationship with the Company or whether to take some action to protect himself against the specific conflict of interest involved.
If any Employee is aware of a personal interest that is, or might be, in conflict with the interest of the Company or its Clients, that Employee shall disclose the situation or transaction and the nature of the conflict to the CCO for appropriate consideration.
Please see Section III for a complete discussion of the Company’s disclosure obligations on Form ADV.
2. Investment Conflicts
Employees who are planning to invest in or make a recommendation to invest in a security for any Client, and who have a material interest in the security or a related security, must first disclose such interest to the CCO. The CCO shall conduct an independent review of the recommendation to purchase the security for Clients and written evidence of such review shall be maintained by the CCO. Employees shall not fail to timely recommend a suitable security to, or purchase or sell of suitable security for, the Company in order to avoid an actual or apparent conflict with a personal transaction in a security.
3. Prohibited Conduct with Clients
It is a violation of an Employee’s duty of loyalty to the Company and its Clients for any Employee, without the prior written consent of the Compliance Officer, to:
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l | rebate, directly or indirectly, to any person, firm, corporation or association, other than the Company, compensation of any nature as a bonus, commission, fee, gratuity or other consideration in connection with any transaction on behalf of the Company or a Client account; |
l | accept, directly or indirectly, from any person, firm, corporation or association, other than the Company, compensation of any nature as a bonus, commission, fee, gratuity or other consideration in connection with any transaction on behalf of the Company or a Client account; |
l | own any stock or have, directly or indirectly, any financial interest in any other organization engaged in any securities, financial or related business, except for a minority stock ownership or other financial interest in any business which is publicly-owned; or |
l | borrow money from any of the Company’s suppliers or Clients; provided, however, that (i) the receipt of credit on customary terms in connection with the purchase of goods or services is not considered to be a borrowing within the foregoing prohibition and (ii) the acceptance of loans from banks or other financial institutions on customary terms to finance proper and usual activities, such as home mortgage loans, is permitted except where prohibited by law. |
4. Outside Activities of Employees
Policy
Employees are expected to devote their full professional time and efforts to the business of the Company and to avoid any activities that could present actual or perceived conflicts of interest. Employees must obtain prior approval from the CCO for any outside activity that involves:
l | a time commitment that would prevent you from performing your duties for the Company; |
l | accepting a second job or part-time job of any kind or engaging in any other business outside of the Company; |
l | active participation in any business in the financial services industry or otherwise in competition with the Company; |
l | teaching assignments, lectures, public speaking, publication of articles, or radio or television appearances, or |
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l | serving as a director, officer, general partner or trustee of, or as a consultant to, any business, corporation or partnership, including family owned businesses and charitable, non-profit and political organizations. |
Employees may not serve on the board of any company whose securities are publicly traded, or of any company in which the Company or any Client account owns securities, without the prior approval of the CCO. If such approval is granted, it may be subject to the implementation of appropriate procedures to isolate investment personnel serving as directors from making investment decisions for a Client account managed by the Company concerning the company in question.
Compliance Procedures
All outside activities conducted by an Employee must be approved prior to participation by the CCO or his/her designee by completing and submitting an Outside Business Activities questionnaire attached hereto as Exhibit C.
The CCO or his/her designee may require full details concerning the outside activity including the number of hours involved and any compensation to be received. In addition, in connection with any approval of an outside activity, such approval may, at the discretion of the CCO, be subject to certain conditions deemed necessary or appropriate to protect the interests of the Company or any Client.
In addition, to the extent that the Company files a Form U-4 for an Employee seeking to engage in an outside business activity, the Form U-4 will need to be updated to reflect the activity. Please see Section III for additional policies relating to the Form U-4.
5. Gifts and Entertainment
Policy
The Company recognizes the value of fostering good working relationships with individuals and firms doing business or seeking to do business with the Company. Subject to the guidelines below, Employees are permitted, on occasion, to accept gifts and invitations to attend entertainment events. However, Employees should always act in the best interests of the Company and its Clients and should avoid any activity that might create an actual or perceived conflict of interest or impropriety in the course of the Company’s business relationships. Employees should not accept any gifts or entertainment invitations that have the likelihood of influencing their decisions regarding the business transactions involving the Company. Employees should contact the CCO or his/her designee to discuss any offered activity or gift that may create such a conflict. The Company reserves the right to prohibit the acceptance or retention of a gift or offer of entertainment, regardless of value, as it may determine in its sole discretion.
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Entertainment may include such events as meals, shows, concerts, theatre events, sporting events or similar types of entertainment. “Entertainment” also includes in-town and out-of-town trips and seminars where the service provider or counterparty offers to pay for items such as lodging, airfare, meals and/or event expenses. For the purposes hereof, a gift will be deemed to be of significant value if it exceeds $100.00 per gift from any person or entity doing business or seeking to do business with the Company and an entertainment event will be deemed to be of significant value if it exceeds $500.00 per person, per event from any such person or entity. An entertainment event will only be deemed to be entertainment if a representative of the service provider or counterparty is also attending the event (otherwise, it will be deemed to be a gift). No gift or entertainment may be accepted or given, however, regardless of value, that has the likelihood of influencing, any business decision or relationship of the Company.
Compliance Procedures
The Company has adopted the following principles and procedures governing gifts and entertainment:
l | Any gifts or entertainment of significant value (as defined above) offered from an existing or prospective firm service provider or counterparty must be approved by the CCO via the form included in Exhibit M. |
l | Employees may not accept more than four gifts or attend more than four entertainment events per year, regardless of value, given or sponsored by the same person or entity without approval from the CCO via the form included in Exhibit M. |
l | Employees may not request or solicit gifts or particular entertainment events. |
l | No gift of cash or cash equivalents may be accepted. |
l | Items such as pens, coffee mugs or clothing items with a counterparty’s logo are excluded. |
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Confidentiality and Privacy Policies
1. Company Information
The protection of confidential business information is vital to the interests and the success of the Company. Employees may not disclose to third parties, or use for his/her own personal benefit, any information regarding:
l | Advice by the Company to its Clients; |
l | Securities or other investment positions held by the Company or its Clients; |
l | Transactions on behalf of the Company or its Clients; |
l | The name, address or other personal identification information of Clients or investors; |
l | Personal financial information of Clients or investors, such as annual income, net worth or account information; |
l | Investment and trading systems, models, processes and techniques used by the Company; |
l | Company business records, Client files, personnel information, financial information, Client agreements, supplier agreements, leases, software, licenses, other agreements, computer files, business plans, analyses; |
l | Any other non-public information or data furnished to you by the Company or any Client or investor in connection with the business of the Company or such Client or investor; or |
l | Any other information identified as or which you may otherwise be obligated to keep confidential. |
The information described above is the property of the Company and should be kept strictly confidential. Employees may not disclose any such information to any third party without the permission of the CCO or another officer of the Company, except for a purpose properly related to the business of the Company or a Client of the Company (such as to a Client’s independent accountants or administrator) or as required by law.
2. Client Information and Privacy Policy
The Company is required by federal regulations to adopt certain procedures designed to protect all Client confidential and nonpublic information and to safeguard personal information contained in both paper and electronic records. The following policy (the “Privacy Policy”) is designed to meet the standards set forth in the federal regulations as well as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Standards for Protection of Personal Information (to the extent that such standards are applicable). For purposes of this Privacy Policy, the term Client includes, where appropriate, investors in Funds managed by the Company.
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Implementation
The Company is committed to (i) safekeeping personal information collected from potential, current and former Clients and (ii) safeguarding against the unauthorized acquisition or use of unencrypted data or encrypted electronic data regarding each Client. The proper handling of personal information is one of the Company’s highest priorities.
To this end, the CCO has been designated to implement, maintain, review and revise, as necessary, a comprehensive information security program. The primary objectives for the CCO is to identify and assess any and all reasonably foreseeable internal and external risks to the security, confidentiality and/or integrity of any electronic, paper or other records containing personal information, and to evaluate and improve, where necessary, the effectiveness of current safeguards for limiting such risks. To this end, the Company
l | employs ongoing Employee training, |
l | sets policy for Employees relating to the storage, access and transportation of Client records and personal information, |
l | reviews the scope of security measures at least annually, |
l | reasonably monitors its information systems, including for unauthorized use or access, and |
l | reasonably reviews and tests electronic encryption and other elements of its computer security system (including its secure user authentication protocols, secure access control measures and system security agent software). |
The CCO reviews all contractual relationships with third party service providers engaged by the Company to ensure adequate protections are in place with respect to the safeguarding of personal information.
Client Information
The Company collects and keeps only such information that is necessary for it to provide the services requested by its Clients and to administer its Clients’ business with the Company. For instance, the Company may collect nonpublic personal information (such as name, address, social security number, assets, income, net worth, copies of financial documents and other information deemed necessary to evaluate the Client’s financial needs) from Clients when they complete a subscription or other form. The Company may also collect nonpublic personal information from Clients or potential clients as a result of transactions with the Company, its affiliates, its Clients or others (such information to include information received from outside vendors to complete transactions or to effect financial goals).
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Sharing Information
The Company only shares the nonpublic personal information of its Clients with unaffiliated entities or individuals (i) as permitted by law and as required to provide services to the Company’s Clients, such as with representatives within our firm, securities clearing firms, insurance companies and other services providers of the Company, or (ii) to comply with legal or regulatory requirements. The Company may also disclose nonpublic personal information to another financial services provider in connection with the transfer of an account to such financial services provider. Further, in the normal course of business, the Company may disclose information it collects about Clients to entities or individuals that contract with the Company to perform servicing functions such as recordkeeping or computer-related services. Finally, the Company may make good faith disclosure of the nonpublic personal information of its Clients to regulators who have regulatory authority over the Company.
Companies hired to provide support services to the Company are not allowed to use personal information for their own purposes and are contractually obligated to maintain strict confidentiality. When the Company provides personal information to service providers, it requires these providers to agree to safeguard such information, to use the information only for the intended purpose and to abide by applicable law.
The Company does not (x) provide personally identifiable information to mailing list vendors or solicitors for any purpose or (y) sell information relating to its Clients to any outside third parties.
Employee Access to Information
Only Employees with a valid business reason have access to Clients’ personal information. These Employees are educated on the importance of maintaining the confidentiality and security of such information and are required to abide by the Company’s information handling practices. The Company employs reasonable procedures to prevent terminated Employees from accessing records containing personal information.
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Protection of Information
The Company maintains security standards to protect Clients’ information, whether written, spoken, or electronic. To that end, the Company restricts access to nonpublic personal information to Company personnel who need to know such information in order to provide services to Clients. All electronic or computer files containing such information is password secured and firewall protected from access by unauthorized persons. The Company periodically updates and checks its systems to ensure the protection and integrity of information.
The Company also maintains reasonable restrictions upon physical access to records containing personal information, and stores such records in secure facilities.
Maintaining Accurate Information
The Company’s goal is to maintain accurate, up to date Client records in accordance with industry standards. The Company has procedures in place to keep information current and complete (including the timely correction of inaccurate information).
Should a Client send the Company a question or comment via e-mail, the Company will share the Client’s correspondence only with those Employees or agents most capable of addressing the Client’s question or concern. All written communications pertaining to such question or comment will be retained by the Company until such time as the Company believes (in its good faith judgment) that it has provided the Client with a complete and satisfactory response. After that time, the Company will either discard the communication or archive it according to the requirements of applicable securities laws.
Please note that, unless expressly advised otherwise, the Company’s e-mail facilities do not provide a means for completely secure and private communications. Although every attempt will be made to keep Client information confidential, from a technical standpoint, there is still a risk. For that reason, please do not use e-mail to communicate information to the Company that is considered to be confidential. If the Client wishes, communications with the Company may be conducted via telephone or by facsimile. Additional security is available to Clients if they equip their Internet browser with 128-bit “secure socket layer” encryption, which provides more secure transmissions.
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Disclosure of Privacy Policy
The Company recognizes and respects the privacy concerns of its potential, current and former Clients. The Company is committed to safeguarding this information. As a member of the financial services industry, the Company provides this Privacy Policy for informational purposes to Clients and Employees and will distribute and update it as required by law. The Privacy Policy is also available to upon request.
Violations
The Company imposes reasonable disciplinary measures, which may include termination, for violations of its Privacy Policy.
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Exhibit (p)(v)
CODE OF ETHICS
© Foreside Financial Group, LLC
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CODE OF ETHICS
INTRODUCTION | 1 |
1. | STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT | 2 |
(a) | Fiduciary Duties. | 2 | |
(b) | Compliance with Laws | 2 | |
(c) | Corporate Culture | 3 | |
(d) | Professional Misconduct | 3 | |
(e) | Disclosure of Conflicts | 3 | |
(f) | Undue Influence | 3 | |
(g) | Confidentiality and Protection of Material Nonpublic Information | 3 | |
(h) | Personal Securities Transactions | 4 | |
(i) | Gifts | 4 | |
(j) | Service on Boards | 4 | |
(k) | Prohibition Against Market Timing | 4 |
2. | WHO IS COVERED BY THIS CODE | 5 |
3. | PROHIBITED TRANSACTIONS | 5 |
(a) | Blackout Period | 5 | |
(b) | Requirement for Pre-clearance | 5 | |
(c) | Fund Officer Prohibition | 5 |
4. | REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF ACCESS PERSONS | 6 |
(a) | Reporting | 6 | |
(b) | Exceptions from Reporting Requirement of Section 4 | 6 | |
(c) | Initial Holdings Reports | 6 | |
(d) | Quarterly Transaction Reports | 7 | |
(e) | New Account Opening; Quarterly New Account Report | 7 | |
(f) | Annual Holdings Reports | 8 | |
(g) | Alternative Reporting | 8 | |
(h) | Report Qualification | 8 | |
(i) | Providing Access to Account Information | 8 | |
(j) | Confidentiality of Reports | 8 |
5. | ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE | 9 |
6. | REPORTING VIOLATIONS | 9 |
7. | TRAINING | 10 |
8. | REVIEW OFFICER | 10 |
(a) | Duties of Review Officer | 10 |
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(b) | Potential Trade Conflict | 10 | |
(c) | Required Records | 11 | |
(d) | Post-Trade Review Process | 11 | |
(e) | Submission to Fund Board | 12 | |
(f) | Report to the Risk Committee | 12 |
Appendix A - Foreside Companies | 14 |
Appendix B - Definitions | 15 |
Attachment A – Access Person Acknowledgement | 17 |
Attachment B – Pre-Clearance Request Form | 18 |
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INTRODUCTION
This Code of Ethics (the “Code”) has been adopted by Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) and each of its affiliated entities and direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries as listed in Appendix A (each, a “Company” and collectively, the “Companies”). This Code pertains to the Companies’ distribution services to registered management investment companies or series thereof, as well as those funds for which certain employees of the Companies (or an affiliate thereof) serve as an officer or director of a registered investment company (“Fund Officer”) or have been designated an Access Person by the Review Officer1 (each a “Fund” and as set forth in the List of Access Persons & Reportable Funds). This Code:
1. | establishes standards of professional conduct; |
2. | establishes standards and procedures for the detection and prevention of activities by which persons having knowledge of the investments and investment intentions of a Fund may abuse their fiduciary duties to the Fund; and |
3. | addresses other types of conflict of interest situations. |
Definitions of underlined terms are included in Appendix B.
Each Company, through its President, may impose internal sanctions should Access Persons of any Company (as identified on the List of Access Persons & Reportable Funds maintained by the Review Officer) violate these policies or procedures. A registered broker-dealer and its personnel may be subject to various regulatory sanctions, including censure, suspension, fines, expulsion or revocation of registration for violations of securities rules, industry regulations and the Company’s internal policies and procedures. In addition, negative publicity associated with regulatory investigations and private lawsuits can negatively impact and severely damage business reputation.
Furthermore, failure to comply with this Code is a very serious matter and may result in internal disciplinary action being taken. Such action may include, among other things, warnings, reprimands, restrictions on activities and/or suspension or termination of employment. Violations also may result in referral to regulatory, civil or criminal authorities where appropriate.
1 Each Company is adopting this Code pursuant to Rule 17j-1 with respect to certain funds that it distributes or for which an employee of the Company serves as a Fund Officer or has been designated as an Access Person. Pursuant to the exception noted under Rule 17j-1(c)(3), adopting and approving a Rule 17j-1 code of ethics with respect to a Fund, as well as the Code’s administration, by a principal underwriter is not required unless:
Ø | the principal underwriter is an affiliated person of the Fund or of the Fund’s adviser, or |
Ø | an officer, director or general partner of the principal underwriter serves as an officer, director or general partner of the Fund or of the Fund’s investment adviser. |
A Fund Officer is permitted to report as an Access Person under this Code with respect to the Funds listed on the List of Access Persons & Reportable Funds maintained by the Review Officer.
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Should Access Persons require additional information about this Code or have ethics-related questions, please contact the Review Officer, as defined under Section 8 below, directly.
1. STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
Each Company forbids any Access Person from engaging in any conduct that is contrary to this Code. Furthermore, certain persons subject to the Code are also subject to other restrictions or requirements that affect their ability to open securities accounts, effect securities transactions, report securities transactions, maintain information and documents in a confidential manner and other matters relating to the proper discharge of their obligations to the Company or to a Fund.
Each Company has always held itself and its employees to the highest ethical standards. Although this Code is only one manifestation of those standards, compliance with its provisions is essential. Each Company adheres to the following standards of professional conduct, as well as those
specific policies and procedures discussed throughout this Code:
(a) Fiduciary Duties. Each Company and its Access Persons are fiduciaries and at all times shall:
— act solely for the benefit of the Funds; and
— place each Fund’s interests above their own.
(b) Compliance with Laws. Access Persons shall maintain knowledge of and comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations, and shall not knowingly participate or assist in any violation of such laws, rules or regulations.
It is unlawful for Access Persons to use any information concerning a security held or to be acquired by a Fund, or their ability to influence any investment decisions, for personal gain or in a manner detrimental to the interests of a Fund.
Access Persons shall not, directly or indirectly, in connection with the trading of a Fund’s shares or the purchase or sale of a security held or to be acquired by a Fund for which they are an Access Person:
(i) | employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud a Fund or engage in any manipulative practice with respect to a Fund; |
(ii) | make to a Fund any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state to a Fund a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; |
(iii) | engage in any act, practice, or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon a Fund; or |
(iv) | engage in any manipulative practice with respect to securities, including price manipulation. |
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(c) Corporate Culture. Access Persons, through their words and actions, shall act with integrity, encourage honest and ethical conduct and adhere to a high standard of business ethics.
(d) Professional Misconduct. Access Persons shall not engage in any professional conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation, or commit any act that reflects adversely on their honesty, trustworthiness or professional competence. Access Persons shall not knowingly misrepresent, or cause others to misrepresent, facts about a Company to a Fund, a Fund’s shareholders, regulators or any member of the public. Disclosure in reports and documents should be fair and accurate.
(e) Disclosure of Conflicts. As a fiduciary, each Company and Access Person has an affirmative duty of care, loyalty, honesty and good faith to act in the best interests of a Fund. Compliance with this duty can be achieved by trying to avoid conflicts of interest and by fully disclosing all material facts concerning any conflict that does arise with respect to any Fund. Access Persons must try to avoid situations that have even the appearance of conflict or impropriety.
This Code prohibits inappropriate favoritism of one Fund over another that would constitute a breach of fiduciary duty. Access Persons shall support an environment that fosters the ethical resolution of, and appropriate disclosure of, conflicts of interest, and shall comply with any prohibition on activities imposed by a Company if a conflict of interest exists. If any Access Person is (or becomes) aware of a personal interest that is, or might be, in conflict with the interest of a Fund, that Access Person must promptly disclose the situation or transaction and the nature of the conflict to the Review Officer for appropriate consideration.
(f) Undue Influence. Access Persons shall not cause or attempt to cause any Fund to purchase, sell or hold any security in a manner calculated to create any personal benefit to them or others whose accounts they hold a beneficial ownership interest (i.e., their spouse or domestic partner, minor children or relatives who reside in the Access Person’s household) or over which they have direct or indirect influence or control.
(g) Confidentiality and Protection of Material Nonpublic Information. The term “Material Nonpublic Information” refers to information that is both material information and nonpublic information, and also may be referred to as “Inside Information.” Information is considered to be “Nonpublic Information” unless it has been publicly disclosed, for example, through public filing with a securities regulator, issuance of a press release or the issuance of a prospectus. The term “Material Information” has no specific definition, but, for the purposes of this Code, it shall refer to any information that might have an effect on the market for a security generally or any information that a reasonable person would consider important in a decision to buy, hold or sell a security. Examples of material nonpublic information may include, but are not limited to: sales results; earnings (or loss) estimates (including significant changes to previously released information); dividend actions; strategic plans; new products, discoveries or services; significant personnel changes; acquisition, merger and divestiture plans; liquidity issues; proposed securities offerings; major pending or threatened litigation or potential claims; restructurings and recapitalizations; and the negotiation or termination of major contracts or relationships.
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Information concerning the identity of portfolio holdings and financial circumstances of a Fund is confidential. Access Persons are responsible for safeguarding such material nonpublic information about a Fund, including portfolio recommendations and fund holdings. Except as required in the normal course of carrying out their business responsibilities and as permitted by a Fund’s policies and procedures, Access Persons shall not reveal information relating to the investment intentions or activities of any Fund, or securities that are being considered for purchase or sale on behalf of any Fund.
Access Persons in possession of material nonpublic information must maintain the confidentiality of such information, and each Company shall be bound by a Fund’s policies and procedures with regard to disclosure of an investment company’s identity, affairs and portfolio holdings. The obligation to safeguard such Fund information would not preclude Access Persons from providing necessary information to, for example, persons providing services to a Company or a Fund’s account such as brokers, accountants, custodians and fund transfer agents, or in other circumstances when the Fund consents, as long as such disclosure conforms to the Fund’s portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures.
In any case, Access Persons shall not:
— | trade based upon inside information, especially where Fund trades are likely to be pending or imminent; or |
— | use or share knowledge of any material nonpublic information of a Fund for personal gain or benefit or for the personal gain or benefit of others. |
(h) Personal Securities Transactions. All personal securities transactions shall be conducted in such a manner as to be consistent with this Code and to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of any Access Person’s position of trust and responsibility.
(i) Gifts. Access Persons shall not accept or provide anything in excess of $100.00 (per individual per year) or any other preferential treatment, in each case as a gift, to or from any broker-dealer or other entity with which a Company or a Fund does business.
(j) Service on Boards. Access Persons shall not serve on the boards of trustees (or directors) of publicly traded companies, absent prior authorization based upon a determination by the Review Officer that the board service would be consistent with the interests of the Company, a Fund and its shareholders.
(k) Prohibition Against Market Timing. Access Persons shall not engage in market timing of shares of Reportable Funds (a list of which are provided in the List of Access Persons & Reportable Funds maintained by the Review Officer). For purposes of this section, an Access Person’s trades shall be considered ‘market timing’ if made in violation of any stated policy in the Fund’s prospectus.
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2. WHO IS COVERED BY THIS CODE
All Access Persons, in each case only with respect to the Reportable Funds as listed on the List of Access Persons & Reportable Funds maintained by the Review Officer, shall abide by this Code. Access Persons are required to comply with specific reporting requirements as set forth in Sections 3 and 4 of this Code.
3. PROHIBITED TRANSACTIONS
(a) Blackout Period. Access Persons shall not purchase or sell a Reportable Security in an account in their name, or in the name of others in which they hold a beneficial ownership interest or over which they have direct or indirect influence or control, if they had actual knowledge at the time of the transaction that, during the 24 hour period immediately preceding or following the transaction, the
security was purchased or sold or was considered for purchase or sale by a Fund.
(b) Requirement for Pre-clearance. Access Persons must obtain prior written approval from the Review Officer before:
(i) | directly or indirectly acquiring beneficial ownership in securities in an initial public offering for which no public market in the same or similar securities of the issue has previously existed; |
(ii) | directly or indirectly acquiring beneficial ownership in securities in a private placement; and |
(iii) | directly or indirectly purchasing, selling or acquiring shares of a Reportable Fund for which they are an Access Person. |
All requests for pre-clearance of securities transactions must be submitted to the Review Officer for review using the Pre-Clearance Request Form, in the form of Attachment B.
In determining whether to pre-clear the transaction, the Review Officer shall consider, among other factors, whether such opportunity is being offered to the Access Person by virtue of his or her position with the Fund or would result in a conflict of interest. Other factors to be considered may include: discussion with the Access Person concerning the reason for the requested transaction and how he or she became aware of the investment; the Access Person’s work role; the size and holding period of the proposed investment; the market capitalization of the issuer; the liquidity of the security; and other relevant factors. The Review Officer granting or denying the request must document the basis for the decision and notify the requesting person whether the trading request is approved or denied.
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A pre-clearance request should not be submitted for a transaction that the requesting person does not intend to execute. Pre-clearance trading authorization is valid only from the time when approval is granted through the next business day. If the transaction is not executed within this period, an explanation of why the pre-cleared transaction was not completed must be submitted to the Review Officer within five (5) days. With respect to any effected transaction, the Access Person must provide the Review Officer with a transaction report evidencing the transaction consistent with the reporting requirements of Section 4.
(c) Fund Officer Prohibition. No Fund Officer shall directly or indirectly seek to obtain information (other than that necessary to accomplish the functions of the office) from any Fund portfolio manager regarding (i) the status of any pending securities transaction for a Fund or (ii) the merits of any securities transaction contemplated by the Fund Officer.
4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF ACCESS PERSONS
(a) Reporting. Access Persons must report the information described in this Section with respect to transactions in any Reportable Security in which they have, or by reason of such transaction acquire, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership. Access Persons must submit the appropriate reports to the Review Officer, unless they are otherwise required by a Fund, pursuant to a Code of Ethics adopted
by the Fund, to report to the Fund or another entity.
(b) Exceptions from Reporting Requirement of Section 4. Access Persons need not submit:
(i) | any report with respect to securities held in accounts over which the Access Person had no direct or indirect influence or control; |
(ii) | a quarterly transaction report with respect to transactions effected pursuant to an automatic investment plan. However, any transaction that overrides the pre-set schedule or allocations of the automatic investment plan must be included in a quarterly transaction report; |
(iii) | a quarterly transaction report with respect to transactions effected which were non- volitional on the part of the Access Person, including acquisitions of Reportable Securities by gift or inheritance; or |
(iv) | a quarterly transaction report if the report would duplicate information contained in broker trade confirmations or account statements that the Company holds in its records so long as the Company receives the confirmations or statements no later than thirty (30) days after the end of the applicable calendar quarter. |
(c) Initial Holdings Reports. No later than ten (10) days after a person becomes an Access Person, the person must report the following information:
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(i) | the title, type of security, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, number of shares and principal amount of each Reportable Security (whether or not publicly traded) in which the person has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership as of the date the person became an Access Person; |
(ii) | the name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the person maintains an account in which any securities were held for the Access Person’s direct or indirect benefit as of the date the person became an Access Person; and |
(iii) | the date that the report is submitted by the Access Person. |
The information contained in the initial holdings report must be current as of a date no more than forty- five (45) days prior to the date the person becomes an Access Person.
(d) Quarterly Transaction Reports. No later than thirty (30) days after the end of a calendar quarter, each Access Person must submit a quarterly transaction report which includes, at a minimum, the following information with respect to any transaction during the quarter in a Reportable Security (whether or not publicly traded) in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership:
(i) | the date of the transaction, the title, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, the interest rate and maturity date (if applicable), the number of shares and the principal amount of each Reportable Security involved; |
(ii) | the nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition); |
(iii) | the price of the Reportable Security at which the transaction was effected; |
(iv) | the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through which the transaction was effected; and |
(v) | the date that the report is submitted. |
(e) New Account Opening; Quarterly New Account Report. Each Access Person shall provide written notice to the Review Officer prior to opening any new account with any entity through which a Reportable Securities (whether or not publicly traded) transaction may be effected for which the Access Person has direct or indirect beneficial ownership.
In addition, no later than thirty (30) days after the end of a calendar quarter, each Access Person must submit a Quarterly New Account Report with respect to any account established by such a person in which any Reportable Securities (whether or not publicly traded) were held during the quarter for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person. The Quarterly New Account Report shall cover, at a minimum, all accounts at a broker-dealer, bank or other institution opened during the quarter and provide the following information:
(1) | the name of the broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person has established the account; | |
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(2) | the date the account was established; and |
(3) | the date that the report is submitted by the Access Person. |
(f) Annual Holdings Reports. Annually, each Access Person must report the following information (which information must be current as of a date no more than forty-five (45) days before the report is submitted):
(i) | the title, type of security, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, number of shares and principal amount of each Reportable Security (whether or not publicly traded) in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership; |
(ii) | the name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an account in which any securities are held for the Access Person’s direct or indirect benefit; and |
(iii) | the date that the report is submitted by the Access Person. |
(g) Alternative Reporting. The submission to the Review Officer of duplicate broker trade confirmations and account statements on all securities transactions required to be reported under this Section shall satisfy the reporting requirements of Section 4. The annual holdings report may be satisfied by confirming annually, in writing, the accuracy of the information delivered by, or on behalf of, the Access Person to the Review Officer and recording the date of the confirmation.
(h) Report Qualification. Any report may contain a statement that the report shall not be construed as an admission by the person making the report that he or she has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the Reportable Securities to which the report relates.
(i) Providing Access to Account Information. Access Persons will promptly:
(i) | provide full access to a Fund, its agents and attorneys to any and all records and documents which a Fund considers relevant to any securities transactions or other matters subject to the Code; |
(ii) | cooperate with a Fund, or its agents and attorneys, in investigating any securities transactions or other matter subject to the Code; |
(iii) | provide a Fund, its agents and attorneys with an explanation (in writing if requested) of the facts and circumstances surrounding any securities transaction or other matter subject to the Code; and |
(iv) | promptly notify the Review Officer or such other individual as a Fund may direct, in writing, from time to time, of any incident of noncompliance with the Code by anyone subject to this Code. |
(j) Confidentiality of Reports. Transaction and holdings reports will be maintained in confidence, except to the extent necessary to implement and enforce the provisions of this Code or to comply with requests for information from regulatory or government agencies or law enforcement where applicable.
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5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE
Each Access Person is required to acknowledge in writing, initially and annually (in the form of Attachment A), that the person has received, read and understands the Code (and in the case of any amendments thereto, shall similarly acknowledge such amendment) and recognizes that he or she is
subject to the Code. Further, each such person is required to certify annually that he or she has:
— | read, understood and complied with all the requirements of the Code; |
— | disclosed or reported all personal securities transactions pursuant to the requirements of the Code; and |
— | not engaged in any prohibited conduct. |
If an Access Person is unable to make the above representations, he or she shall report any violations of this Code to the Review Officer.
6. REPORTING VIOLATIONS
Access Persons shall report any violations of this Code promptly to the Review Officer, unless the violations implicate the Review Officer, in which case the individual shall report the violations to the Chief Risk Officer or Chief Executive Officer of Foreside, as appropriate. Such reports will be confidential, to the extent permitted by law, and investigated promptly and appropriately. Retaliation against an individual who reports a violation is prohibited and constitutes a further violation of this Code.
Reported violations of the Code will be investigated and appropriate actions will be taken. Types of reporting that are required include, but are not limited to:
— Noncompliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations;
— Fraud or illegal acts involving any aspect of the Company’s business;
— Material misstatements in regulatory filings, internal books and records, Fund records or reports;
— Activity that is harmful to a Fund, including Fund shareholders; and
— Deviations from required controls and procedures that safeguard a Fund or a Company.
Access Persons should seek advice from the Review Officer with respect to any action or transaction that may violate this Code, and refrain from any action or transaction that might lead to the appearance of a violation. Access Persons should promptly report any apparent or suspected violations in addition to actual or known violations of this Code to the Review Officer.
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7. TRAINING
Training with respect to the Code will occur periodically and all Access Persons are required to attend any training sessions or read any applicable materials. Training may include, among other things, (1) periodic orientation or training sessions with new and existing personnel to remind them of their obligations under the Code and/or (2) certifications that Access Persons have read and understood the Code, and require re-certification that they have re-read, understand and have complied with the Code.
8. REVIEW OFFICER
(a) Duties of Review Officer. The President of Foreside has been appointed by the President of each Company as the Review Officer to:
(i) | review all securities transaction and holdings reports and maintain the names of persons responsible for reviewing these reports; |
(ii) | identify all persons of each Company who are Access Persons subject to this Code, promptly inform each Access Person of the requirements of this Code and provide them with a copy of the Code and any amendments; |
(iii) | compare, on a quarterly basis, all Reportable Securities transactions with each Fund’s completed portfolio transactions to determine whether a Code violation may have occurred; |
(iv) | maintain signed acknowledgments and certifications by each Access Person who is then subject to this Code, in the form of Attachment A; |
(v) | inform all Access Persons of their requirements to obtain prior written approval from the Review Officer prior to directly or indirectly acquiring beneficial ownership of a security in any private placement, initial public offering or Reportable Fund; |
(vi) | ensure that Access Persons receive adequate training on the principles and procedures of this Code; |
(vii) | review, at least annually, the adequacy of this Code and the effectiveness of its implementation; and |
(viii) | submit a written report to a Fund’s Board and Foreside’s Risk Committee as described in Section 8(e) and (f), respectively. |
The Chief Risk Officer of Foreside shall review any reportable securities transactions of the Review Officer, and shall assume the responsibilities of the Review Officer in his or her absence. The Review Officer may delegate responsibilities described herein to an appropriate Foreside representative.
(b) Potential Trade Conflict. When there appears to be a Reportable Securities transaction that conflicts with the Code, the Review Officer shall request a written explanation from the Access Person with regard to the transaction. If, after post-trade review, it is determined that there has been a material violation of the Code, a report will be made by the Review Officer with a recommendation of appropriate action to be taken to the Risk Committee of Foreside, the President of each Company, where applicable, the Chief Compliance Officer of each Company’s Broker-Dealer, where applicable, and a Fund’s Board of Trustees (or Directors), where applicable.
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(c) Required Records. The Review Officer shall maintain and cause to be maintained:
(i) | a copy of any code of ethics adopted by each Company that is in effect, or at any time within the past five (5) years was in effect, in an easily accessible place; |
(ii) | a record of any violation of any code of ethics, and of any action taken as a result of such violation, in an easily accessible place for at least five (5) years after the end of the fiscal year in which the last entry was made on any such report, the first two (2) years in an easily accessible place; |
(iii) | a copy of each holdings and transaction report (including duplicate confirmations and statements) made by anyone subject to this Code as required by Section 4 for at least five (5) years after the end of the fiscal year in which the report is made, the first two (2) years in an easily accessible place; |
(iv) | a record of all written acknowledgements and certifications by each Access Person who is currently, or within the past five (5) years was, an Access Person (records must be kept for 5 years after individual ceases to be an Access Person under the Code); |
(v) | a list of all persons who are currently, or within the past five years were, required to make reports or who were responsible for reviewing these reports pursuant to any code of ethics adopted by each Company, in an easily accessible place; |
(vi) | a copy of each written report and certification required pursuant to Section 8(e) of this Code for at least five (5) years after the end of the fiscal year in which it is made, the first two (2) years in an easily accessible place; |
(vii) | a record of any decision, and the reasons supporting the decision, approving the acquisition of securities by Access Persons under Section 3(b) of this Code, for at least five (5) years after the end of the fiscal year in which the approval is granted; and |
(viii) | a record of any decision, and the reasons supporting the decision, granting an Access Person a waiver from, or exception to, the Code for at least five (5) years after the end of the fiscal year in which the waiver is granted. |
(d) Post-Trade Review Process. Following receipt of trade confirms and statements, transactions will be screened by the Review Officer (or his or her designee) for the following:
(i) | same day trades: transactions by Access Persons occurring on the same day as the purchase or sale of the same security by a Fund for which they are an Access Person. |
(ii) | blackout period trades: transactions by Access Persons occurring within 24 hours before or after the time as the purchase or sale of the same security by a Fund for which they are an Access Person. |
(iii) | fraudulent conduct: transaction by Access Persons which, within the most recent fifteen (15) days, is or has been held by a Fund or is being or has been considered by a Fund for purchase by a Fund. |
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(iv) | market timing of Reportable Funds: transactions by Access Persons that appear to be market timing of Reportable Funds. |
(v) | other activities: transactions which may give the appearance that an Access Person has executed transactions not in accordance with this Code or otherwise reflect patterns of abuse. |
(e) Submission to Fund Board.
(i) | The Review Officer shall, at a minimum, annually prepare a written report to the Board of Trustees (or Directors) of a Fund listed in the List of Access Persons & Reportable Funds maintained by the Review Officer that: |
A. | describes any issues under this Code or its procedures since the last report to the Trustees (or Directors), including, but not limited to, information about material violations of the code or procedures and sanctions imposed in response to the material violations; and |
B. | certifies that each Company has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from violating this Code. |
(ii) | The Review Officer shall ensure that this Code and any material amendments are submitted to the Board of Trustees (or Directors) for approval for those funds listed in the List of Access Persons & Reportable Funds maintained by the Review Officer. |
(f) | Report to the Risk Committee. The Review Officer shall prepare a written report to the Risk Committee of Foreside (and the President of each Company, where applicable, and the Chief Compliance Officer of each Company’s Broker-Dealer, where applicable) regarding any material issues that arose during the year under the Code, including, but not limited to, material violations of and sanctions under the Code. |
Adopted: | May 1, 2009 | |
Amended: | October 14, 2009 (updated Appendix A) | |
Amended: | September 29, 2011 (updated Appendix A) | |
Amended: | March 15, 2012 (updated Appendix A) | |
Amended: | April 4, 2012 (updated Appendix A) | |
Amended: | July 5, 2012 (updated Appendix A) | |
Amended: | November 30, 2012 (updated Appendix A) | |
Amended: | December 24, 2013 (updated Appendix A) | |
Amended: | March 26, 2014 | |
Amended: | July 11, 2014 (updated Appendix A) | |
Amended: | June 10, 2015 (updated Appendix A) | |
Amended: | October 16, 2015 (updated Appendix A) |
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Amended: | December 30, 2015 |
Amended: | April 26, 2016 (updated Appendix A) |
Amended: | August 1, 2016 (updated Appendix A) |
Amended: | August 31, 2017 (updated Appendix A) |
Amended: | December 31, 2017 (updated Appendix A) |
Amended: | February 28, 2018 (updated Appendices A and B) |
Amended: | May 1, 2019 (updated Appendix A) |
Amended: | August 6, 2019 (updated Appendix A) |
Amended: | January 10, 2020 (updated Appendix A) |
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CODE OF ETHICS
APPENDIX A
FORESIDE COMPANIES
The following affiliated entities and direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of Foreside are subject to the Code of Ethics:
BD Compliance Solutions, LLC (f/k/a IVA Funds Distributors, LLC)*
Compass Distributors, LLC*
Fairholme Distributors, LLC*
Foreside Advisory
Services, LLC
Foreside Associates, LLC*
Foreside Consulting Services, LLC
Foreside Distribution Services, L.P.*
Foreside
Distributors, LLC
Foreside Financial Services, LLC*
Foreside Fund Officer Services, LLC
Foreside Fund Partners LLC*
Foreside Fund Services, LLC*
Foreside Funds Distributors LLC*
Foreside Global Services Limited
Foreside Global
Services, LLC*
Foreside Investment Services, LLC*
Foreside Management Services, LLC
Funds Distributor, LLC*
IMST Distributors, LLC*
MGI Funds Distributors, LLC*
Northern Funds Distributors,
LLC*
Orbis Investments (U.S.), LLC*
Parnassus Funds Distributor, LLC*
PNC Funds Distributor, LLC* (Pending name change to Foreside Distribution Solutions, LLC anticipated in January 2020)
Sterling Capital Distributors, LLC*
VT Distributors
LLC*
* FINRA-registered broker-dealer
The companies listed on this Appendix A may be amended from time to time, as required.
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CODE OF ETHICS
APPENDIX B
DEFINITIONS
(a) | Access Person: |
(i)(1) | of a Company means each director or officer of the Companies who in the ordinary course of business makes, participates in or obtains information regarding the purchase or sale of Reportable Securities for a Fund or whose functions or duties as part of the ordinary course of business relate to the making of any recommendation to a Fund regarding the purchase or sale of Reportable Securities. |
(ii)(2) | of a Fund, whereby an employee or agent of a Company serves as an officer of a Fund (“Fund Officer”). Such Fund Officer is an Access Person of a Fund and is permitted to report under this Code unless otherwise required by a Fund’s Code of Ethics. |
(iii)(3) | of a Company includes anyone else specifically designated by the Review Officer. |
(b) | Beneficial Owner shall have the meaning as that set forth in Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except that the determination of direct or indirect beneficial ownership shall apply to all Reportable Securities that an Access Person owns or acquires. A beneficial owner of a security is any person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares a direct or indirect pecuniary interest (the opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or share in any profit derived from a transaction in the subject securities) in a security. An Access Person is presumed to be a beneficial owner of securities that are held by his or her immediate family members sharing the Access Person’s household. |
(c) | Indirect pecuniary interest in a security includes securities held by a person’s immediate family sharing the same household. Immediate family means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law (including adoptive relationships). |
(d) | Control means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of an entity, unless this power is solely the result of an official position with the company. Ownership of 25% or more of a company’s outstanding voting securities is presumed to give the holder thereof control over the company. This presumption may be rebutted by the Review Officer based upon the facts and circumstances of a given situation. |
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(e) | Purchase or sale includes, among other things, the writing of an option to purchase or sell a Reportable Security. |
(f) | Reportable Fund (see List of Access Persons & Reportable Funds maintained by the Review Officer) means any fund that triggers the Company’s compliance with a Rule 17j-1 Code of Ethics or any fund for which an employee or agent of the Company serves as a Fund Officer. |
(g) | Reportable Security means any security such as a stock, bond, future, investment contract or any other instrument that is considered a ‘security’ under Section 2(a)(36) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, except: |
(i) | direct obligations of the Government of the United States; |
(ii) | bankers’ acceptances and bank certificates of deposits; |
(iii) | commercial paper and debt instruments with a maturity at issuance of less than 366 days and that are rated in one of the two highest rating categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; |
(iv) | repurchase agreements covering any of the foregoing; |
(v) | shares issued by money market mutual funds; |
(vi) | shares of SEC registered open-end investment companies (other than exchange-traded funds or Reportable Funds); and |
(vii) | shares of unit investment trusts that are invested exclusively in one or more open-end funds, none of which are exchange-traded funds or Reportable Funds. |
Included in the definition of Reportable Security are:
Ø | Shares of a Reportable Fund; |
Ø | Options on securities, on indexes, and on currencies; |
Ø | All kinds of limited partnerships; |
Ø | Foreign unit trusts, UCITs, SICAVs and foreign mutual funds; and |
Ø | Private investment funds, hedge funds and investment clubs. |
(h) | Security held or to be acquired by the Fund means |
(i) | any Reportable Security which, within the most recent fifteen (15) days (x) is or has been held by the applicable Fund or (y) is being or has been considered by the applicable Fund or its investment adviser for purchase by the applicable Fund; and |
(ii) | and any option to purchase or sell, and any security convertible into or exchangeable for, a Reportable Security. |
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CODE OF ETHICS
ATTACHMENT A
ACCESS PERSON ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I understand that I am an Access Person subject to the Foreside Code of Ethics (the “Code”) adopted by each Foreside Company. I hereby certify that I have read and understand the current Code, and will comply with it in all respects. In addition, I certify that I have complied with the requirements of the Code, and that I have disclosed or reported all personal securities accounts and transactions required to
be disclosed or reported pursuant to the requirements of the Code.
Signature | Date | |
Printed Name |
This form must be completed and returned to the Risk Management:
Foreside Financial Group, LLC
ATTN: Review Officer (or his or her designee)
Three Canal Plaza, Third Floor
Portland, ME 04101
Received By:
Date:
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CODE OF ETHICS
ATTACHMENT B
PRE-CLEARANCE REQUEST FORM
As an Access Person subject to the Code of Ethics (the “Code”) adopted by Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”), I hereby request approval to purchase an initial public offering, private placement or shares of a Reportable Fund for which I am an Access Person. Pursuant to my request, I provide the following information concerning the security where applicable.
1. | Name of security/investment: | |
2. | Type of security/interest: | |
3. | Name of brokerage firm/other entity: | |
4. | Account number: | |
5. | Type of transaction (buy/sell/other-specify): | |
6. | Number of shares/interest: | |
7. | Price of each security/interest: | |
8. | Name of firm offering the investment opportunity: | |
9. | Please describe how you became aware of this investment opportunity: |
I understand that it is a violation of the Code to purchase an initial public offering, private placement or shares of a Reportable Fund for which I am an Access Person without receiving prior written approval from Foreside’s Review Officer. I further understand that (i) any pre-clearance trading authorization is valid only from the time when approval is granted through the next business day and (ii) an explanation of why the pre-cleared transaction was not completed must be submitted to the Review Officer within five (5) days if the transaction is not executed within the period. I also agree to provide the Review Officer with a transaction report evidencing the pre-cleared transaction consistent with the reporting requirements of Section 4. of the Code.
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Signature | Date | |
Print Name | Job Title |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To be completed by Foreside’s Review Officer and returned to the Access Person.
Approval request granted:
Yes: No:
The following criteria were considered in assessing the Access Person’s pre-clearance request (use back of page if necessary):
Authorized Signature | Date |
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