AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 15, 2014.

No. 811-22995

No. 333-198603

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

  FORM N-1A

 

  REGISTRATION STATEMENT  
  UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 x
  Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 x
  Post-Effective Amendment No. o
    and/or
  REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 x
  Amendment No. 1 x
     
  (Check appropriate box or boxes)  

 

  

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

3 Harbor Way

Suite 112

Sausalito, CA 94965

(Address of Principal Executive Office)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code:  415.887.9225

 

Name and Address of Agent for Service:   With a copy to:
Stellar Corporate Services LLC   Stacy L. Fuller
3500 South Dupont Highway   K&L Gates LLP
Dover, County of Kent, Delaware 19901   1601 K Street NW
    Washington, D.C. 20006

 

APPROXIMATE DATE OF PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

 

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

 

 
 

 

CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

This registration document is comprised of the following:

 

Cover Sheet

 

Contents of Registration Statement

 

Prospectus

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

Part C of Form N-1A

 

Signature Page

 

Exhibit Index

 

 
 

 

 

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

 

Subject to completion, dated December 15, 2014

 

 

TrimTabs Asset Management

 

Prospectus

 

[ ], 2014

 

TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF (FCFD)

 

TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF (FCFI)

 

This Prospectus provides important information about the TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF and TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), each a series of TrimTabs ETF Trust (“Trust”), that you should know before investing in a Fund. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.

 

These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

Shares of each Fund (“Shares”) [are] listed and traded on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (“Exchange”). Shares are not individually redeemable. The Trust is a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

 
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

  Page
   
FUND SUMMARIES 1
TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF 1
TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF 6
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS 12
FUND MANAGEMENT 23
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS 24
INDEX PROVIDER AND DISCLAIMERS 25
BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES 26
ACTIVE INVESTORS AND MARKET TIMING 28
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN 29
NET ASSET VALUE 29
FUND WEBSITE AND DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS 30
INVESTMENTS BY OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES 31
DIVIDENDS, OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES 31
HOUSEHOLDING POLICY 34
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 34

No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this Prospectus and the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information dated [ ], 2014 (“SAI”) (which is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and is legally a part of this Prospectus) and, if given or made, such information or representations may not be relied upon as having been authorized by us.

 

- ii -
 

 

FUND SUMMARY

 

TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF

 

Investment Objective

 

The Fund seeks to track the performance (before fees and expenses) of its underlying index, the TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow Index (the “Underlying Index”).

 

Fees a nd Expenses

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Shares of the Fund. You may also pay brokerage commissions on the purchase and sale of Shares.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses ( expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment )

 

Management Fee: 0.69%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees: (1) 0.00%
Other Expenses:(2) 0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:(2) 0.69%

 

(1) Pursuant to a 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund may bear a 12b-1 fee not to exceed 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. However, no such fee is currently paid by the Fund, and the Board of Trustees has not currently approved the commencement of any payments under the Plan.

(2) Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

 

Example

 

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. The example does not reflect any brokerage commissions that you may pay on purchases and sales of Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

One Year: Three Years:
$70 $221

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund may pay transaction costs, including commissions when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund has not yet commenced operations, it does not have a portfolio turnover rate to provide.

 

- 1 -
 

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in the components of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index is comprised of the top 10% of eligible issuers, including real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), in the Index Universe with the highest free cash flow yield, as determined by TrimTabs Index Services, LLC (the “Index Provider”). The Underlying Index defines free cash flow to mean the cash that a company is able to generate after spending the money required to maintain or expand its operations and free cash flow yield as the ratio of a company’s free cash flow to its market capitalization. In seeking to track an index focused on companies with high free cash flow yield, TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (the “Adviser”) seeks to identify companies positioned for rapid growth.

 

The Fund employs a “passive management”--or indexing-- investment approach and seeks to track the performance of the Underlying Index. To track the performance of the Underlying Index, the Fund intends to employ a sampling strategy, which means that the Fund will typically invest in a portfolio of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index.

 

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in instruments not included in the Underlying Index, but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. For example, there may be instances in which the Adviser may choose to purchase or sell securities, including investment company securities, not in the Underlying Index that the Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for one or more such securities.

 

The “Index Universe” is the Russell 3000 Index, which measures the performance of the largest 3,000 U.S. publicly traded issuers, including REITs. The Underlying Index applies screens to the Index Universe to seek to ensure the liquidity and investability of the Underlying Index. The Index Provider created, sponsors and maintains the Underlying Index based on publicly available data. The Underlying Index is calculated by Solactive, AG (formerly known as Structured Solutions, AG). The Underlying Index components are equal-weighted at each quarterly rebalance and reconstitution date. To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in the securities of a particular, sector, industry or group of industries, the Fund is expected to concentrate to approximately the same extent.

 

Principal Risks

 

An investment in the Fund involves risk, including those described below. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective . An investor may lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Concentration Risk. To the extent that the Fund's investments are concentrated in a particular issuer or issuers, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class, the Fund may be susceptible to loss due to adverse occurrences affecting that issuer or issuers, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class.

 

- 2 -
 

 

Banking Industry Risk. The Underlying Index, and thus the Fund, may be concentrated in the banking industry. Performance of companies in the banking industry may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. This industry has experienced significant losses in the recent past.

 

Equity Investing Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund holding equity securities, such as market fluctuations, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in stock prices. The values of equity securities could decline generally or could underperform other investments. In addition, securities may decline in value due to factors affecting a specific issuer, market or securities markets generally.

 

Investment Company Risk. When the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund bears its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the underlying entity and the risk of the securities held by such funds.

 

Investment Risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. When you sell your Shares, they could be worth less than what you paid for them.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk. The Fund’s investments in large capitalization companies may underperform other segments of the market because they may be less responsive to competitive challenges and opportunities and unable to attain high growth rates during periods of economic expansion.

 

Market Events Risk. Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity in the equity markets may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government and/or Federal Reserve, such as increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund.

 

Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is managed with a passive investment strategy, attempting to track the performance of the Underlying Index. As a result, the Fund may hold constituent securities of the Underlying 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.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk: The Fund’s investment strategy may result in higher portfolio turnover rates. A high portfolio turnover rate (for example, over 100%) may result in higher transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance. Such portfolio turnover also may generate net short-term capital gains.

 

- 3 -
 

 

Premium-Discount Risk. The Shares may trade above or below their net asset value (or NAV). The market prices of Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in NAV as well as the relative supply of, and demand for, Shares on the Exchange.

 

Real Estate Risk. The real estate industry is particularly sensitive to economic downturns. Because REITs are pooled investment vehicles that have expenses of their own, the Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of those expenses, which may decrease Fund returns.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. Investors buying or selling Shares in the secondary market may pay brokerage commissions or other charges, which may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Shares. Although the Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active or liquid trading market for them will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted.

 

Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk. Investing in securities of small and medium capitalization companies involves greater risk than customarily is associated with investing in larger, more established companies. These companies’ securities may be more volatile and less liquid than those of more established companies. Often, small and medium capitalization companies and the industries in which they focus are still evolving and, as a result, they may be more sensitive to changing market conditions.

 

Tracking Error Risk. Although the Fund attempts to track the performance of the Underlying Index, the Fund may not be able to duplicate its return for a number of reasons. For example, as a new fund, there can be no assurance that it will grow to an economically viable size, in which case it may experience greater tracking error to the Underlying Index than it would at higher asset levels. The use of a representative sampling strategy to track the Underlying Index may produce greater tracking error than if the Fund employed a full replication strategy.

 

Performance

 

The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Performance information will be available in the Prospectus after the Fund has been in operation for one full calendar year. When provided, the information will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns compare with a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information will be available at www.trimtabsetfs.com .

 

Investment Adviser

 

TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC serves as the investment adviser of the Fund.

 

Portfolio Manager

 

Minyi Chen, CFA is the Fund’s portfolio manager and has managed the Fund since its inception in 2014. Mr. Chen is also the Executive Vice President of the Adviser.

 

- 4 -
 

 

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

 

The Fund issues and redeems Shares on a continuous basis only in large blocks of Shares, typically 50,000 Shares, called “Creation Units.” Creation Units are issued and redeemed in-kind for securities and/or for cash. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers. Once created, individual Shares generally trade in the secondary market at market prices that change throughout the day. Market prices of Shares may be greater or less than their NAV.

 

Tax Information

 

Distributions you receive from the Fund are generally taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes, except that distributions will be taxed to you as long-term capital gains to the extent reported by the Fund as “capital gain dividends,” and may also be subject to state or local taxes. Fund distributions may not be taxable to you if you are investing through a tax-advantaged retirement plan account or are a tax-exempt investor, although you may be taxed on withdrawals from your tax-advantaged account.

 

Purchases Through Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

 

If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend Shares over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

- 5 -
 

 

FUND SUMMARY

 

TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF

 

Investment Objective

 

The Fund seeks to track the performance (before fees and expenses) of its underlying index, the TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow Index (the “Underlying Index”).

 

Fees and Expenses

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Shares of the Fund. You may also pay brokerage commissions on the purchase and sale of Shares.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses ( expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment )

 

Management Fee: 0.69%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees: (1) 0.00%
Other Expenses:(2) 0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:(2) 0.69%

 

(1) Pursuant to a 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund may bear a 12b-1 fee not to exceed 0.25% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets. However, no such fee is currently paid by the Fund, and the Board of Trustees has not currently approved the commencement of any payments under the Plan.

(2) Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

 

Example

 

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. The example does not reflect any brokerage commissions that you may pay on purchases and sales of Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

One Year: Three Years:
$70 $221

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund may pay transaction costs, including commissions when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund has not yet commenced operations, it does not have a portfolio turnover rate to provide.

 

- 6 -
 

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in the components of the Underlying Index, including American depositary receipts representing such components. The Underlying Index is comprised of the top 20% of eligible issuers, including real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), in the Index Universe with the highest free cash flow yield, as determined by TrimTabs Index Services, LLC (the “Index Provider”). The Underlying Index defines free cash flow to mean the cash that a company is able to generate after spending the money required to maintain or expand its operations and free cash flow yield as the ratio of a company’s free cash flow to its market capitalization. In seeking to track an index focused on companies with high free cash flow yield, TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (the “Adviser”) seeks to identify companies positioned for rapid growth.

 

The Fund employs a “passive management”--or indexing-- investment approach and seeks to track the performance of the Underlying Index. To track the performance of the Underlying Index, the Fund intends to employ a sampling strategy, which means that the Fund will typically invest in a portfolio of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index.

 

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in instruments not included in the Underlying Index, but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. For example, there may be instances in which the Adviser may choose to purchase or sell securities, including investment company securities, not in the Underlying Index that the Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for one or more such securities.

 

The “Index Universe” is comprised of ten single-country broad-market stock indexes--one from each of the following countries:

 

Australia Canada China France Germany
         
Japan Korea Netherlands Switzerland United Kingdom

  

The Underlying Index applies screens to the Index Universe to seek to ensure the liquidity and investability of the Underlying Index. The Index Provider created, sponsors and maintains the Underlying Index based on publicly available data. The Underlying Index is calculated by Solactive, AG (formerly known as Structured Solutions, AG). The Underlying Index components are equal-weighted at each quarterly rebalance and reconstitution date. To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in the securities of a particular, sector, industry or group of industries, the Fund is expected to concentrate to approximately the same extent.

 

- 7 -
 

 

Principal Risks

 

An investment in the Fund involves risk, including those described below. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective . An investor may lose money by investing in the Fund.

 

Asia Risk. Investments in securities of issuers in Asian countries involve risks that are specific to Asia. For example, some economies in this region are dependent on a range of commodities, and are strongly affected by international commodity prices. Other Asian economies have experienced rapid growth and industrialization, and there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained.

 

China Risk. China is a developing market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility from time to time in comparison to developed markets. In addition, Chinese markets generally experience inefficiency and pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly available information and/or political and social instability. Reductions in spending on Chinese products and services, tariffs or other trade barriers, or a downturn in any of the economies of China's key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy.

 

Concentration Risk. To the extent that the Fund's investments are concentrated in a particular issuer or issuers, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class, the Fund may be susceptible to loss due to adverse occurrences affecting that issuer or issuers, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class.

 

Country Risk. Because the Fund’s investments will be focused on issuers of several countries, its performance may be disproportionately affected by developments within such countries as compared to a fund that is invested in a larger number of countries.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. The risks of investments in depositary receipts are substantially similar to Foreign Investment Risks. In addition, depositary receipts may not track the price of the underlying foreign securities, and their value may change materially at times when the U.S. markets are not open for trading.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. Emerging market investments are subject to the same risks as foreign investments and to additional risks due to greater political and economic uncertainties as well as a relative lack of information about companies in such markets. Securities traded on emerging markets are potentially illiquid and may be subject to volatility and high transaction costs.

 

Equity Investing Risk. The values of equity securities could decline generally or could underperform other investments. In addition, securities may decline in value due to factors affecting a specific issuer, market or securities markets generally.

 

Europe Risk. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or E.U. regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an E.U. member country on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an E.U. member country may have a significant adverse effect on the securities of E.U. issuers The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adversity due to concerns about economic downturns, or rising government debt levels, in several European countries. These events have adversely affected the exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect every country in Europe.

 

- 8 -
 

 

Foreign Investment Risk . Returns on investments in foreign securities could be more volatile than, or trail the returns on, investments in U.S. securities. Exposures to foreign securities entail special risks, including due to: differences in information available about foreign issuers; differences in investor protection standards in other jurisdictions; capital controls risks, including the risk of a foreign jurisdiction imposing restrictions on the ability to repatriate or transfer currency or other assets; political, diplomatic and economic risks; regulatory risks; and foreign market and trading risks, including the costs of trading and risks of settlement in foreign jurisdictions. In addition, the Fund’s investments in securities denominated in other currencies could decline due to changes in local currency relative to the value of the U.S. dollar, which may affect the Fund’s returns.

 

Geographic Risk. A natural or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments.

 

Investment Company Risk. When the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund bears its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the underlying entity and the risk of the securities held by such funds.

 

Investment Risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. When you sell your Shares, they could be worth less than what you paid for them.

 

Japan Risk. The Japanese economy may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability. Since 2000, Japan’s economic growth rate has remained relatively low. In addition, Japan is subject to the risk of natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk. The Fund’s investments in large capitalization companies may underperform other segments of the market because they may be less responsive to competitive challenges and opportunities and unable to attain high growth rates during periods of economic expansion.

 

Market Events Risk. Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity in the equity markets may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government and/or Federal Reserve, such as increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund.

 

Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is managed with a passive investment strategy, attempting to track the performance of the Underlying Index. As a result, the Fund may hold constituent securities of the Underlying 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.

 

- 9 -
 

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk: The Fund’s investment strategy may result in higher portfolio turnover rates. A high portfolio turnover rate (for example, over 100%) may result in higher transaction costs to the Fund, including brokerage commissions, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance. Such portfolio turnover also may generate net short-term capital gains.

 

Premium-Discount Risk. The Shares may trade above or below their net asset value (or “NAV”). The market prices of Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in NAV as well as the relative supply of, and demand for, Shares on the Exchange.

 

Real Estate Risk. The real estate industry is particularly sensitive to economic downturns. Because REITs are pooled investment vehicles that have expenses of their own, the Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of those expenses, which may decrease Fund returns.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. Investors buying or selling Shares in the secondary market may pay brokerage commissions, which may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Shares. Although the Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active or liquid trading market for them will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted.

 

Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk. Investing in securities of small and medium capitalization companies involves greater risk than customarily is associated with investing in larger, more established companies. These companies’ securities may be more volatile and less liquid than those of more established companies. Often, small and medium capitalization companies and the industries in which they focus are still evolving and, as a result, they may be more sensitive to changing market conditions.

 

Tracking Error Risk. Although the Fund attempts to track the performance of the Underlying Index, the Fund may not be able to duplicate its return for a number of reasons. For example, as a new fund, there can be no assurance that it will grow to an economically viable size, in which case it may experience greater tracking error to the Underlying Index than it would at higher asset levels. The use of a representative sampling strategy to track the Underlying Index may produce greater tracking error than if the Fund employed a full replication strategy.

 

Performance

 

The Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Performance information will be available in the Prospectus after the Fund has been in operation for one full calendar year. When provided, the information will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns compare with a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information will be available at www.trimtabsetfs.com .

 

- 10 -
 

 

Investment Adviser

 

TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC serves as the investment adviser of the Fund.

 

Portfolio Manager

 

Minyi Chen, CFA is the Fund’s portfolio manager and has managed the Fund since its inception in 2014. Mr. Chen is also the Executive Vice President of the Adviser.

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

 

The Fund issues and redeems Shares on a continuous basis only in large blocks of Shares, typically 50,000 Shares, called “Creation Units.” Creation Units are issued and redeemed in-kind for securities and/or for cash. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers. Once created, individual Shares generally trade in the secondary market at market prices that change throughout the day. Market prices of Shares may be greater or less than their NAV.

 

Tax Information

 

Distributions you receive from the Fund are generally taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes, except that distributions will be taxed to you as long-term capital gains to the extent reported by the Fund as “capital gain dividends,” and may also be subject to state or local taxes. Fund distributions may not be taxable to you if you are investing through a tax-advantaged retirement plan account or are a tax-exempt investor, although you may be taxed on withdrawals from your tax-advantaged account.

 

Purchases Through Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

 

If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend Shares over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

- 11 -
 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS

 

Additional Information About The Funds’ Investment Strategies and Risks

 

This Prospectus describes the principal investment strategies and risks of the Funds, but does not describe all of the Funds’ investment practices. For more information about other types of investments the Funds may make, and about the risks of investing in each Fund, please see the Funds’ SAI, which is available upon request. Each Fund’s investment objective is a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without a vote of shareholders upon at least 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.

 

TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF.

 

The Fund employs a “passive management”--or indexing-- investment approach and seeks to track the performance of the Underlying Index. To track the performance of the Underlying Index, the Fund intends to employ a sampling strategy, which means that the Fund will typically invest in a portfolio of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index. The Fund’s securities are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Underlying Index.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in the components of the Underlying Index. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least 60 days notice prior to any material change in this 80% investment policy. The Underlying Index is comprised of the top 10% of eligible issuers, including REITs, in the Index Universe with the highest free cash flow yield, as determined by TrimTabs Index Services, LLC (the “Index Provider”). The Underlying Index defines free cash flow to mean the cash that a company is able to generate after spending the money required to maintain or expand its operations and free cash flow yield as the ratio of a company’s free cash flow to its market capitalization (the aggregate value of a company based on its current share price and amount of outstanding stock). TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (the “Adviser”) believes that companies with high free cash flow yield grow more quickly than other companies.

 

The “Index Universe” is the Russell 3000 Index, which measures the performance of the largest 3,000 U.S. publicly traded issuers, including REITs. The Russell 3000 Index represents a wide array of industries/sectors and market capitalizations. The Underlying Index methodology applies screens to the Index Universe to seek to ensure the liquidity and investability of the Underlying Index.

 

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The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in instruments not included in the Underlying Index, but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Those instruments may include the shares of other investment companies that the Fund believes will help it track the Underlying Index, such as when it would be less costly for the Fund to invest in the shares of an investment company rather than directly purchasing each of the investment company’s underlying securities. There may also be instances in which the Adviser may choose to purchase or sell securities not in the Underlying Index that the Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for one or more such securities.

 

The Index Provider created, sponsors and maintains the Underlying Index based on publicly available data. The Underlying Index is calculated by Solactive, AG (formerly known as Structured Solutions, AG). The Underlying Index is based on publicly available data, and its components are equal-weighted at each quarterly rebalance and reconstitution date. To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in the securities of a particular, sector, industry or group of industries, the Fund is expected to concentrate to approximately the same extent.

 

TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF.

 

The Fund employs a “passive management”--or indexing-- investment approach and seeks to track the performance of the Underlying Index. To track the performance of the Underlying Index, the Fund intends to employ a sampling strategy, which means that the Fund will typically invest in a portfolio of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index. The Fund’s securities are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Underlying Index.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in the components of the Underlying Index, including American depositary receipts representing such components. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least 60 days notice prior to any material change in this 80% investment policy. The Underlying Index is comprised of the top 20% of eligible issuers, including REITs, in the Index Universe with the highest free cash flow yield, as determined by the Index Provider. The Underlying Index defines free cash flow to mean the cash that a company is able to generate after spending the money required to maintain or expand its operations and free cash flow yield as the ratio of a company’s free cash flow to its market capitalization (the aggregate value of a company based on its current share price and amount of outstanding stock). The Adviser believes that companies with high free cash flow yield grow more quickly than other companies. The “Index Universe” is currently comprised of the following single-country broad-market stock indexes (each, a “Country Sub-Index”):

 

Country Country Sub-Index
Australia S&P/ASX 100 Index
Canada S&P/TSX Composite Index
Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China Hong Kong Hang Seng Index
France MSCI France Index
Germany Deutsche Boerse AG German Stock Index
Japan Nikkei 225 Index
Korea Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 Index
Netherlands AEX Index
Switzerland Swiss Market Index
United Kingdom FTSE 100 Index

 

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Historically, issuers in the ten countries represented by the Country Sub-Indexes have exhibited strong free cash flow yield. For that reason, the Index Provider determined to develop the Underlying Index based on issuers in such countries. Pursuant to the Underlying Index methodology, only issuers with market capitalizations of at least $500 million are included in the Index Universe. The Underlying Index may apply screens to each Country Sub-Index to seek to ensure the Underlying Index’s liquidity and investability.

 

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in instruments not included in the Underlying Index, but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Those instruments may include depositary receipts of stocks not in the Underlying Index and the shares of other investment companies that the Fund believes will help it track the Underlying Index, such as when it would be less costly for the Fund to invest in the shares of an investment company rather than directly purchasing each of the investment company’s underlying securities. There may also be instances in which the Adviser may choose to purchase or sell securities not in the Underlying Index that the Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for one or more such securities.

 

The Index Provider created, sponsors and maintains the Underlying Index based on publicly available data. The Underlying Index is calculated by Solactive, AG (formerly known as Structured Solutions, AG). The Underlying Index is based on publicly available data, and its components are equal-weighted at each quarterly rebalance and reconstitution date. To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in the securities of a particular, sector, industry or group of industries, the Fund is expected to concentrate to approximately the same extent.

 

Additional Information About the Funds’ Risks

 

The table below provides additional information about the risks of investing in each Fund, including the principal risks identified under “Principal Risks” in each Fund Summary. Following the table, each risk is explained.

 

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Risks FCFD FCFI
Principal Risks    
Asia Risk   X
China Risk   X
Concentration Risk X X
     Banking Industry Risk X  
Country Risk   X
Emerging Market Risk   X
Equity Investing Risk X X
Europe Risk   X
Foreign Investment Risk   X
Geographic Risk   X
Investment Company Risk X X
Investment Risk X X
Japan Risk   X
Large Capitalization Company Risk X X
Passive Investment Risk X X
Portfolio Turnover Risk X X
Premium-Discount Risk X X
Real Estate Risk X X
Secondary Market Trading Risk X X
Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk X X
Tracking Error Risk X X

 

Principal Risks

 

Asia Risk. Investments in securities of issuers in Asian countries involve risks that are specific to Asia, including certain legal, regulatory, political and economic risks. Certain Asian countries have experienced expropriation and/or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, political instability, armed conflict and social instability as a result of religious, ethnic, socio-economic and/or political unrest. Some economies in this region are dependent on a range of commodities, and are strongly affected by international commodity prices and particularly vulnerable to price changes for these products. The market for securities in this region may also be directly influenced by the flow of international capital, and by the economic and market conditions of neighboring countries. Many Asian economies have experienced rapid growth and industrialization, and there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. Some Asian economies are highly dependent on trade and economic conditions in other countries can impact these economies.

 

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China Risk. China may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability. China is a developing market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility from time to time in comparison to developed markets. Over the past 25 years, the Chinese government has undertaken reform of economic and market practices and expansion of the sphere for private ownership of property in China. However, Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly available information and/or political and social instability. Internal social unrest or confrontations with other neighboring countries, including military conflicts in response to such events, may also disrupt economic development in China and result in a greater risk of currency fluctuations, currency convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China's rapid economic growth. Reductions in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of tariffs or other trade barriers, or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy.

 

Concentration Risk. To the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in a particular issuer or issuers, country, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class, the Fund may be susceptible to loss due to adverse occurrences affecting that issuer or issuers, country, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class.

 

Banking Industry Risk. The Underlying Index may be concentrated in the banking industry, which would make the Fund more sensitive to changes in, and its performance to depend on, the overall condition of the banking industry. Companies in the banking industry may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the banking industry may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates. The profitability of companies in the banking industry may be adversely affected by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns. In addition, the banking industry in certain countries is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework, which may have an impact on the issuers included in the Underlying Index. Furthermore, increased government involvement in the banking industry could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in banking institutions.

 

Country Risk. Because the Fund’s investments will be focused on issuers of several countries, its performance may be disproportionately affected by developments within such countries as compared to a fund that is invested in a larger number of countries. Developments such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. Emerging markets investments are subject to the same risks as foreign investments and to additional risks due to greater political and economic uncertainties as well as a relative lack of information about companies in such markets. Securities traded on emerging markets are potentially illiquid and may be subject to volatility and high transaction costs.

 

Equity Investing Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund holding equity securities, such as market fluctuations, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in stock prices. The values of equity securities could decline generally or could underperform other investments. Different types of equity securities tend to go through cycles of outperformance and underperformance in comparison to the general securities markets. In addition, securities may decline in value due to factors affecting a specific issuer, market or securities markets generally. Recent unprecedented turbulence in financial markets, reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets, or rising interest rates may negatively affect many issuers worldwide, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund.

 

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Europe Risk. The Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (the “E.U.”) requires compliance with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or E.U. regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an E.U. member country on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an E.U. member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of E.U. member countries and their trading partners. The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns in, or rising government debt levels in several European countries, including Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain. These events have adversely affected the exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect every country in Europe, including countries that do not use the euro.

 

Foreign Investment Risk. The Fund may invest in foreign securities, including non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities traded outside of the United States and U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers traded in the United States. Returns on investments in foreign securities could be more volatile than, or trail the returns on, investments in U.S. securities. Investments in foreign securities, including investments in depositary receipts, are subject to special risks, including the following:

 

Foreign Securities Risk . Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. There may be less information publicly available about non-U.S. issuers. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards. Changes to the financial condition or credit rating of foreign issuers may also adversely affect the value of the Fund’s securities. Investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. Because legal systems differ, there is also the possibility that it will be difficult to obtain or enforce legal judgments in certain countries. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price its Shares, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell Shares. Conversely, Fund Shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Investment in foreign securities may involve higher costs than investment in U.S. securities, including higher transaction and custody costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by foreign governments. Each of these factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.

 

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Capital Controls Risk . Economic conditions, such as volatile currency exchange rates and interest rates, political events and other conditions may, without prior warning, lead to government intervention and the imposition of “capital controls” or expropriation or nationalization of assets. The possible establishment of exchange controls or freezes on the convertibility of currency, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions, might adversely affect an investment in foreign securities. Capital controls include the prohibition of, or restrictions on, the ability to transfer currency, securities or other assets within or out of a jurisdiction. Levies may be placed on profits repatriated by foreign entities (such as the Fund). Capital controls may impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities or currency, may adversely affect the trading market and price for Shares of the Fund, and may cause the Fund to decline in value.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk . The Fund’s investments in foreign companies may be in the form of depositary receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers, including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). ADRs, EDRs, and GDRs are generally subject to the risks of investing directly in foreign securities and, in some cases, there may be less information available about the underlying issuers than would be the case with a direct investment in the foreign issuer. ADRs are U.S. dollar-denominated receipts representing shares of foreign-based corporations. GDRs are similar to ADRs but are shares of foreign-based corporations generally issued by international banks in one or more markets around the world. Investment in ADRs and GDRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and GDRs, many of which are issued by companies in emerging markets, may be more volatile. Depositary receipts may be “sponsored” or “unsponsored” and may be unregistered and unlisted. Sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depositary and the underlying issuer, whereas unsponsored depositary receipts may be established by a depositary without participation by the underlying issuer. Holders of an unsponsored depositary receipt generally bear all the costs associated with establishing the unsponsored depositary receipt. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts. The Fund’s investments may also include ADRs and GDRs that are not purchased in the public markets and are restricted securities that can be offered and sold only to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Adviser will determine the liquidity of these investments pursuant to guidelines established by the Board of Trustees. If a particular investment in such ADRs or GDRs is deemed illiquid, that investment will be included within the Fund’s limitation on investment in illiquid securities. Moreover, if adverse market conditions were to develop during the period between the Fund’s decision to sell these types of ADRs or GDRs and the point at which the Fund is permitted or able to sell such security, the Fund might obtain a price less favorable than the price that prevailed when it decided to sell.

 

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Currency Exchange Rate Risk. The Fund’s net asset value is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars; therefore, the Fund may lose value if the local currency of a foreign market depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the local currency value of the Fund’s holdings goes up. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency exchange rates also can be affected unpredictably by intervention; by failure to intervene by U.S. or foreign governments or central banks; or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates may affect the NAV of the Fund and the price of the Fund’s Shares. Devaluation of a currency by a country’s government or banking authority would have a significant impact on the value of any investments denominated in that currency.

 

Political and Economic Risk . The Fund is subject to foreign political and economic risk not associated with U.S. investments, meaning that political events (civil unrest, national elections, changes in political conditions and foreign relations, imposition of exchange controls and repatriation restrictions), social and economic events (labor strikes, rising inflation) and natural disasters occurring in a foreign country could cause the Fund’s investments to experience gains or losses. The Fund also could be unable to enforce its ownership rights or pursue legal remedies in countries where it invests.

 

Foreign Market and Trading Risk . The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight. Foreign markets also may have clearance and settlement procedures that make it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities. The procedures and rules governing foreign transactions and custody (holding of the Fund’s assets) also may involve delays in payment, delivery or recovery of money or investments. These factors could result in a loss to the Fund by causing the Fund to be unable to dispose of an investment or to miss an attractive investment opportunity, or by causing Fund assets to be uninvested for some period of time.

 

Geographic Risk. Some of the markets in which the Fund invests are located in parts of the world that have historically been prone to natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, droughts, floods, hurricanes or tsunamis, and are economically sensitive to environmental events. Any such event may adversely impact the economies of these geographic areas, causing an adverse impact on the value of the Fund.

 

Investment Company Risk. When the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund bears its proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the underlying entity and the risk of the securities held by such funds.

 

Investment Risk. As with all investments, an investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk. Investors in the Fund could lose money, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of an investment, over short or long periods of time. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

Japan Risk. Japan may be subject to political, economic, nuclear, and labor risks, among others. Any of these risks, individually or in the aggregate, can impact an investment made in Japan.

 

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Economic Risk . The growth of Japan’s economy has historically lagged that of its Asian neighbors and other major developed economies. Since 2000, Japan’s economic growth rate has remained relatively low, and it may remain low in the future.

 

The Japanese economy is heavily dependent on international trade and has been adversely affected by trade tariffs, other protectionist measures, competition from emerging economies and the economic conditions of its trading partners. Japan is also heavily dependent on oil imports, and higher commodity prices could therefore have a negative impact on the Japanese economy.

 

Political Risk. Historically, Japan has had unpredictable national politics and may experience frequent political turnover. Future political developments may lead to changes in policy that might adversely affect the Fund’s investments. In addition, China has become an important trading partner with Japan. Japan’s political relationship with China, however, is strained. Should political tension increase, it could adversely affect the Japanese economy and destabilize the region as a whole.

 

Large Government Debt Risk. The Japanese economy faces several concerns, including a financial system with large levels of nonperforming loans, over-leveraged corporate balance sheets, extensive cross-ownership by major corporations, a changing corporate governance structure, and large government deficits. These issues may cause a slowdown of the Japanese economy.

 

Currency Risk. The Japanese yen has fluctuated widely at times and any increase in its value may cause a decline in exports that could weaken the Japanese economy. Japan has, in the past, intervened in the currency markets to attempt to maintain or reduce the value of the yen. Japanese intervention in the currency markets could cause the value of the yen to fluctuate sharply and unpredictably and could cause losses to investors.

 

Nuclear Energy Risk. The nuclear power plant catastrophe in Japan in March 2011 may have short-term and long-term effects on the Japanese economy and its nuclear energy industry.

 

Labor Risk. Japan has an aging workforce and has experienced a significant population decline in recent years. Japan’s labor market appears to be undergoing fundamental structural changes, as a labor market traditionally accustomed to lifetime employment adjusts to meet the need for increased labor mobility, which may adversely affect Japan’s economic competitiveness.

 

Geographic Risk. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons or tsunamis, could occur in Japan or surrounding areas and could negatively affect the Japanese economy, and, in turn, could negatively affect the Fund.

 

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Large Capitalization Company Risk. Investments in large capitalization companies may go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions and may underperform other market segments. Some large capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges and attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion. As such, returns on investments in stocks of large capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in stocks of small and mid capitalization companies.

 

Market Events Risk. Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and fixed-income markets may negatively affect issuers worldwide, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. Following the financial crisis that began in 2007, the Federal Reserve has attempted to stabilize the U.S. economy and support the U.S. economic recovery by keeping the federal funds rate at or near zero percent. As the Federal Reserve raises the federal funds rate, there is a risk that interest rates across the U.S. financial system will rise. Any policy changes may expose markets to heightened volatility and may reduce liquidity for certain Fund investments, causing the value of the Fund’s investments and share price to decline. To the extent the Fund experiences high redemptions because of these policy changes, the Fund may experience increased portfolio turnover, which will increase the costs that the Fund incurs and may lower the Fund’s performance.

 

Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is managed with a passive investment strategy, attempting to track the performance of its Underlying Index. 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 Underlying 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. The Underlying Index reflects a limited number of securities, may not deliver positive returns, and may not perform as well as other types of investments.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund’s investment strategy may from time to time result in higher turnover rates. This may increase the Fund’s brokerage commission costs. The performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by the increased brokerage commission costs incurred by the Fund. Rapid portfolio turnover also exposes shareholders to a higher current realization of short-term capital gains, distributions of which would generally be taxed to you as ordinary income and thus cause you to pay higher taxes.

 

Premium-Discount Risk. The Shares may trade above or below their NAV. The NAV of the Fund will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of Shares, however, will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in NAV as well as the relative supply of, and demand for, Shares on the Exchange. The trading price of Shares may deviate significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the securities held by the Fund. However, given that Shares can be purchased and redeemed in large blocks of Shares, called Creation Units (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their NAV), and the Fund’s portfolio holdings are fully disclosed on a daily basis, the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of Shares should not be sustained, but that may not be the case.

 

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Real Estate Risk. The real estate industry is particularly sensitive to economic downturns. The value of securities of issuers in the real estate industry, including REITs, can be affected by changes in real estate values and rental income, property taxes, interest rates, tax and regulatory requirements, and the management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. In addition, the value of a REIT or similar REIT-like entity can depend on the structure of and cash flow generated by the REIT, and REITs may not have diversified holdings. Because REITs are pooled investment vehicles that have expenses of their own, the Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of those expenses.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. Investors buying or selling Shares in the secondary market will generally pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price that an investor is willing to pay for Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell Shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for Shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s Shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Although the Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active or liquid trading market for them will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. Further, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk . Investing in securities of small and medium capitalization companies involves greater risk than customarily is associated with investing in larger, more established companies. These companies’ securities may be more volatile and less liquid than those of more established companies. These securities may have returns that vary, sometimes significantly, from the overall securities market. Small and medium capitalization companies are sometimes more dependent on key personnel or limited product lines than larger, more diversified companies. Often, small and medium capitalization companies and the industries in which they focus are still evolving and, as a result, they may be more sensitive to changing market conditions.

 

Tracking Error Risk. Tracking error is the difference between the Fund’s performance from that of its Underlying Index. This may occur due to an imperfect correlation between the Fund’s holdings and those comprising the Underlying Index, pricing differences, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in the timing of dividend accruals, changes to the Underlying Index, or the need to meet regulatory requirements. Further, as a new fund, there can be no assurance that it will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case it may experience greater tracking error to its Underlying Index than it otherwise would at higher asset levels or it could ultimately liquidate. This risk is heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. The use of a representative sampling strategy to track the Underlying Index may produce greater tracking error than if the Fund employed a full replication strategy.

 

 

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FUND MANAGEMENT

 

TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC acts as each Fund’s investment adviser. The Adviser is located at 3 Harbor Way, Suite 112, Sausalito, CA 94965. The Adviser is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Adviser was founded in 2005 and manages approximately $137 million as of September 31, 2014.

 

The Adviser is responsible for overseeing the management and business affairs of the Funds, and has discretion to purchase and sell securities in accordance with the Funds’ objectives, policies, and restrictions. The Adviser continuously reviews, supervises, and administers the Funds’ investment programs. The Adviser has entered into an investment advisory agreement (“Management Agreement”) with respect to the Funds. Pursuant to that Management Agreement, each Fund pays the Adviser an annual advisory fee based on its average daily net assets for the services and facilities it provides payable at the annual rates set forth in the table below:

 

Fund Advisory Fee
TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF 0.69%
TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF 0.69%

 

The Adviser bears all of its own costs associated with providing these advisory services and all expenses of the Funds, except for the fee payment under the Management Agreement, payments under each Fund’s 12b-1 plan, brokerage expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest (including borrowing costs and dividend expenses on securities sold short), litigation expenses and other extraordinary expenses.

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Management Agreement with respect to each Fund will be available in the Trust’s first report to shareholders.

 

The Management Agreement for each Fund provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty by the Board of Trustees or, with respect to a Fund, by a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser, and by the Adviser upon 60 days’ written notice to the Fund. The Management Agreement automatically terminates if it is assigned.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

 

Minyi Chen is the portfolio manager responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds.

 

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Minyi Chen , CFA , Portfolio Manager and Executive Vice President

 

Mr. Chen joined the Adviser in 2008. He is a Portfolio Manager and Executive Vice President of the Adviser, the President of the Index Provider, and Chief Operating Officer of TrimTabs Investment Research. Mr. Chen is also a portfolio manager of the TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF, a series of AdvisorShares Trust. Prior to joining TrimTabs, Mr. Chen was an international finance manager at ZTE Corporation, a prominent provider of telecommunications solutions. Born in Shanghai, Mr. Chen holds a B.A. from Shanghai International Studies University in China and an M.B.A. from Northwestern Polytechnic University. He is a CFA charterholder. Mr. Chen speaks English and Chinese.

 

The Funds’ SAI provides additional information about the portfolio manager, including other accounts managed, ownership in the Funds, and compensation.

 

OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

The Bank of New York Mellon serves as the custodian and transfer agent to the Funds.

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC serves as the Funds’ distributor.

 

Deloitte & Touche LLP serves as the independent auditor to the Funds

 

K&L Gates LLP, 1601 K Street, NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20006, serves as legal counsel to the Funds.

 

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INDEX PROVIDER AND DISCLAIMERS

 

TrimTabs Index Services, LLC

 

TrimTabs Index Services, LLC (“Index Provider”) is the index provider for the Funds. The Index Provider was formed as a Delaware limited liability company on April 2, 2014, and is in the business of developing and maintaining financial indexes, including the Underlying Indexes. The Index Provider is affiliated with the Adviser because it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Adviser. The Index Provider has entered into an index licensing agreement (“Licensing Agreement”) with the Adviser to allow the Adviser’s use of the Underlying Indexes for the operation of the Funds. The Adviser pays licensing fees to the Index Provider from the Adviser’s management fees or other resources. The Adviser has, in turn, entered into a sub-licensing agreement (“Sub-Licensing Agreement”) with the Trust to allow the Funds to utilize the Underlying Indexes. The Fund does not pay fees to the Index Provider or to the Adviser under the Sub-Licensing Agreement. Additional information about the Underlying Indexes is available at http://www.solactive.com/?s=fcfi&index=DE000SLA0RK6 .

 

The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by the Index Provider. The Index Provider makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the shareholders of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly or the ability of an Underlying Index to track general stock market performance or a segment of the same. The Index Provider’s publication of the Underlying Indexes in no way suggests or implies an opinion by the Index Provider as to the advisability of an investment in any or all of the securities upon which the Underlying Indexes are based. The Index Provider’s only relationship to the Funds is the licensing of certain intellectual property of the Index Provider and of the Underlying Indexes, which are determined and composed by the Index Provider and calculated by a third party without regard to the Funds. The Index Provider is not responsible for and has not reviewed the Funds nor any associated literature or publications and it makes no representation or warranty express or implied as to their accuracy or completeness, or otherwise. The Index Provider reserves the right, at any time and without notice, to alter, amend, terminate or in any way change the Underlying Indexes. The Index Provider has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.

 

TRIMTABS INDEX SERVICES, LLC DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF ANY OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND TRIMTABS INDEX SERVICES, LLC SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. TRIMTABS INDEX SERVICES, LLC MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY A FUND, INVESTORS OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEXES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. TRIMTABS INDEX SERVICES, LLC MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO ITS INDEXES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL TRIMTABS INDEX SERVICES, LLC HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

 

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NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

Shares of the Funds are not sponsored, endorsed or promoted by NYSE Arca, Inc. NYSE Arca is not responsible for, nor has it participated, in the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of shares of a Fund to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable. NYSE Arca has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Funds in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the shares of the Funds. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall NYSE Arca have any liability for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential or any other damages (including lost profits) even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

 

NYSE Arca makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the ability of a Fund to track the total return performance of its Underlying Index or the ability of the Underlying Indexes to track stock market performance. NYSE Arca is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the compilation or the calculation of the Underlying Indexes. NYSE Arca does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Underlying Indexes or any data included therein. NYSE Arca makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Trust on behalf of the Fund as licensee, licensee’s customers and counterparties, owners of the shares of the Fund, or any other person or entity from the use of the Underlying Indexes or any data included therein in connection with the rights licensed as described herein or for any other use. NYSE Arca makes no express or implied warranties and hereby expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the Underlying Indexes or any data included therein.

 

BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES

 

Shares will be issued or redeemed by each Fund at NAV per Share only in Creation Units of 50,000 Shares, which are likely to cost over a million dollars. Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities.

 

Shares will trade on the secondary market, however, which is where most retail investors will buy and sell Shares. It is expected that only a limited number of institutional investors, called Authorized Participants or “APs,” will purchase and redeem Shares directly from the Funds. APs may acquire Shares directly from the Funds, and APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Funds, at NAV per Share only in large blocks, or “Creation Units.” Purchases and redemptions directly with the Funds must follow the Funds’ procedures, which are described in the SAI.

 

Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable with the Funds.

 

BUYING AND SELLING SHARES ON THE SECONDARY MARKET

 

Most investors will buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers and, therefore, must have a brokerage account to buy and sell Shares. Shares can be bought or sold through your broker throughout the trading day like shares of any publicly traded issuer. When buying or selling Shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered prices in the secondary market for Shares. The price at which you buy or sell Shares ( i.e. , the market price) may be more or less than the NAV of the Shares. Unless imposed by your broker, there is no minimum dollar amount you must invest in a Fund and no minimum number of Shares you must buy.

 

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Shares of each of the Funds will be listed on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) under the following symbols:

 

Fund Trading Symbol
TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF FCFD
TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF FCFI

 

The Exchange is generally open Monday through Friday and is closed for weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

 

For information about buying and selling Shares on the Exchange or in the secondary markets, please contact your broker or dealer.

 

Book Entry. Shares are held in book entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), or its nominee, will be the registered owner of all outstanding Shares of the Funds and is recognized as the owner of 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 on the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any stocks that you hold in book entry or “street name” through your brokerage account. Your account information will be maintained by your broker, which will provide you with account statements, confirmations of your purchases and sales of Shares, and tax information. Your broker also will be responsible for distributing income dividends and capital gain distributions and for ensuring that you receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Funds.

 

Share Trading Prices. The trading prices of a Fund’s Shares may differ from the Fund’s daily net asset value, or “NAV,” and can be affected by market forces of supply and demand for the Fund’s Shares, the prices of the Fund’s portfolio securities, economic conditions and other factors.

 

The Exchange through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or another market information provider intends to disseminate the approximate value of each Fund’s portfolio every fifteen seconds. This approximate value should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV of a Fund because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once a day. The quotations for certain investments may not be updated during U.S. trading hours if such holdings do not trade in the U.S., except such quotations may be updated to reflect currency fluctuations. The Funds are not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate values and make no warranty as to the accuracy of these values.

 

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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 Funds on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur at any point. 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 requirements 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 Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares and sells the 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 characterization 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 Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the Shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

ACTIVE INVESTORS AND MARKET TIMING

 

The Board of Trustees has evaluated the risks of market timing activities by the Funds’ shareholders. The Board noted that the Funds’ Shares can only be purchased and redeemed directly from a Fund in Creation Units by APs and that the vast majority of trading in the Funds’ Shares occurs on the secondary market. Because the secondary market trades do not directly involve the Funds, it is unlikely those trades would cause the harmful effects of market timing, including dilution, disruption of portfolio management, increases in the Funds’ trading costs and the realization of capital gains. With regard to the purchase or redemption of Creation Units directly with a Fund, to the extent effected in-kind ( i.e. , for securities), the Board of Trustees noted that those trades do not cause the harmful effects (as previously noted) that may result from frequent cash trades. To the extent trades are effected in whole or in part in cash, the Board of Trustees noted that those trades could result in dilution to a Fund and increased transaction costs, which could negatively impact a Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. However, the Board of Trustees also noted that direct trading by APs is critical to ensuring that a Fund’s Shares trade at or close to NAV. The Funds may also employ fair valuation pricing, which may minimize potential dilution from market timing. In addition, the Funds impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Fund Shares to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by a Fund in effecting trades. Given this structure, the Board of Trustees determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter market timing of the Funds’ Shares.

 

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DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN

 

Each Fund has adopted a distribution and service plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. Under the Plan, a Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees to the Distributor and other firms that provide distribution and shareholder services (“Service Providers”). If a Service Provider provides such services, a Fund may pay fees at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of average daily net assets, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act.

 

No distribution or service fees are currently paid by any Fund, however, and there are no current plans to impose these fees. In the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged, over time they would increase the cost of an investment in a Fund because they would be paid on an ongoing basis.

 

NET ASSET VALUE

 

The net asset value, or “NAV,” of Shares is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time.

 

Each Fund calculates its NAV per Share by:

 

• Taking the current market value of its total assets,

• Subtracting any liabilities, and

• Dividing that amount by the total number of Shares owned by shareholders.

 

If you buy or sell Shares on the secondary market, you will pay or receive the market price, which may be higher or lower than NAV. Your transaction will be priced at NAV only if you purchase or redeem your Shares in Creation Units.

 

Because securities listed on foreign exchanges may trade on weekends or other days when a Fund does not price its Shares, the NAV of the Fund, to the extent the Fund holds foreign securities, may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell Shares.

 

When calculating the NAV of a Fund’s Shares, expenses are accrued and applied daily and stocks held by the Fund are valued at their market value when reliable market quotations are readily available. Equity securities are valued primarily on the basis of market quotations reported on stock exchanges and other securities markets around the world. If an equity security is listed on a national securities exchange, the security is valued at the closing price or, if the closing price is not readily available, the mean of the closing bid and asked prices. U.S. fixed-income investments maturing in 60 days or less are valued primarily using the amortized cost method and those maturing in excess of 60 days are valued at the readily available market price, if available. Investments in non-exchange traded investment companies are valued at their NAVs. Both market quotations and indicative bids are obtained from outside pricing services approved and monitored pursuant to a policy approved by the Funds’ Board of Trustees.

 

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If a market quotation is not readily available or is deemed not to reflect market value, a Fund will determine the price of the security held by the Fund based on a determination of the security’s fair value pursuant to policies and procedures approved by the Board. In addition, a Fund may use fair valuation to price securities that trade on a foreign exchange when a significant event has occurred after the foreign exchange closes but before the time at which the Fund’s NAV is calculated. Foreign exchanges typically close before the time at which Fund Share prices are calculated, and may be closed altogether on some days when a Fund is open. Significant events affecting a foreign security may include, but are not limited to: corporate actions, earnings announcements, litigation or other events impacting a single issuer; governmental action that affects securities in one sector or country; natural disasters or armed conflicts affecting a country or region; or significant domestic or foreign market fluctuations. If a Fund holds foreign securities, it may use various criteria, including an evaluation of U.S. market moves after the close of foreign markets, in determining whether the market quotation for a foreign security is readily available and reflective of market value and, if not, the fair value of the security.

 

Fair valuation may have the effect of reducing stale pricing arbitrage opportunities presented by the pricing of Fund Shares. However, when a Fund uses fair valuation to price securities, it may value those securities higher or lower than another fund would have priced the security. Also, the use of fair valuation may cause the Shares’ NAV performance to diverge from the Shares’ market price and from the performance of various benchmarks used to compare a Fund’s performance because benchmarks generally do not use fair valuation techniques. Fair value pricing could also result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a Fund’s NAV and the prices used by its Underlying Index, which may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to track its Underlying Index. Because of the judgment involved in fair valuation decisions, there can be no assurance that the value ascribed to a particular security is accurate.

 

FUND WEBSITE AND DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

 

The Trust maintains a website for the Funds at www.trimtabsetfs.com . Among other things, this website includes this Prospectus and the SAI, and will include the Funds’ holdings, the Funds’ last annual and semi-annual reports (when available), pricing information about Shares trading on the Exchange, daily NAV calculations and a historical comparison of the trading prices to NAV.

 

Each day a Fund is open for business, the Trust publicly disseminates the Fund’s full portfolio holdings as of the close of the previous day through its website at www.trimtabsetfs.com . A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ SAI.

 

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INVESTMENTS BY OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

The Trust and the Funds are part of the TrimTabs family of funds and related for purposes of investor and investment services, as defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the Investment Company Act.

 

For purposes of the Investment Company Act, Shares are issued by a registered investment company and purchases of such Shares by registered investment companies and companies relying on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the Act, except as permitted by an exemptive order of the SEC. The SEC has granted the Trust such an order to permit registered investment companies to invest in Shares of each Fund beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company first enter into a written agreement with the Trust regarding the terms of the investment. Accordingly, registered investment companies that wish to rely on the order must first enter into such a written agreement with the Trust and should contact the Trust to do so.

 

DIVIDENDS, OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

 

Fund Distributions

 

Each Fund generally pays out dividends from its net investment income, if any, to shareholders quarterly, and distributes its net capital gains, if any, to shareholders annually. Each Fund typically earns dividends from stocks in which it invests. These amounts, net of expenses, are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividends.” Each Fund realizes capital gains or losses whenever it sells securities. Net long-term capital gains are distributed to shareholders as “capital gain dividends.”

 

Brokers may make available to their customers who own Shares the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service. To determine whether the dividend reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker. Brokers may require Fund shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole Shares of the distributing Fund purchased in the secondary market. Without this service, investors would receive their distributions in cash.

 

Taxes

 

As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Shares of a Fund will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided only as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares.

 

Fund distributions to you and sale of your Shares in a Fund will have tax consequences to you. Such consequences may not apply if you hold your Shares through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an individual retirement account or 401(k) plan.

 

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Taxes on Distributions

 

Distributions by the Funds generally are taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions of a Fund’s “investment company taxable income” (which is, generally, ordinary income, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, and net gains or losses from certain foreign currency transactions) will be taxable as ordinary income to the extent of a Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares.

 

Distributions of a Fund’s net capital gain (which is net long-term capital gain in excess of net short-term capital loss) that are properly designated by the Fund as “capital gain dividends” will be taxable to you as long-term capital gains at a maximum rate of 15% in the case of individuals, trusts or estates (20% for taxpayers with taxable income exceeding certain thresholds), regardless of your holding period in a Fund’s Shares and regardless of whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares. Distributions in excess of a Fund’s earnings and profits first will reduce your adjusted tax basis in its Shares and, after the adjusted basis is reduced to zero, will constitute capital gain. Such capital gain will be long-term capital gain and thus, will be taxed at a maximum rate of 15% (or 20% in some cases, as noted above), if the distributions are attributable to Shares held by you for more than one year. Distributions by the Funds that qualify as “qualified dividend income” are taxable to you at the long-term capital gain rate. In order for a distribution by a Fund to be treated as qualified dividend income, it must be attributable to dividends the Fund receives on stock of most domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations with respect to which the Fund satisfies certain holding period and other requirements and you must meet similar requirements with respect to the Fund’s Shares.

 

Distributions of a Fund’s investment company taxable income and net capital gains will also be subject to a 3.8% U.S. federal Medicare contribution tax on “net investment income” for individuals with incomes exceeding $200,000 (or $250,000 if married and filing jointly) and for certain trusts and estates.

 

Corporate shareholders are generally eligible for the 70% dividends-received deduction with respect to a Fund’s ordinary income dividends, but not its capital gain dividends, to the extent the Fund designates such dividends as qualifying for this deduction, except that the aggregate amount so designated in any year cannot exceed the dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations.

 

Under a dividend reinvestment service, you may have the option to have all cash distributions automatically reinvested in additional Fund Shares. Any distributions reinvested under such a service will nevertheless be taxable to you. You will have an adjusted basis in the additional Shares purchased through such a reinvestment service equal to the amount of the reinvested distribution plus the amount of any fees charged for the transaction. The additional Shares will have a holding period commencing on the day following the day on which they are credited to your account.

 

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A distribution will reduce a Fund’s NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital. In general, distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year when they are paid. However, certain distributions paid in January may be treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year.

 

You may be subject to federal back-up withholding tax, if you have not provided a Fund with a taxpayer identification number (for an individual, a social security number) and made other required certifications. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on distributions, sales and redemptions.

 

Taxes When Shares are Sold

 

Generally, you will recognize taxable gain or loss if you sell or otherwise dispose of your Shares. Any gain arising from such a disposition generally will be treated as long-term capital gain if you held the Shares for more than one year; otherwise, it will be classified as short-term capital gain. However, any capital loss arising from the disposition of Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received with respect to such Shares. In addition, all or a portion of any loss recognized upon a disposition of Shares may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules if other Shares of the same Fund are purchased (whether through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the disposition. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the Shares acquired.

 

Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units

 

An Authorized Participant that exchanges equity securities for one or more Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss on the exchange. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Unit(s) at the time and the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus (or minus) the Cash Component paid (or received). A person who redeems one or more Creation Units for equity securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Unit(s) and the aggregate market value of the securities received plus (or minus) the Cash Component received (or paid). The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Unit(s) cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

 

Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of one or more Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Creation Unit(s) have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if they have been held for one year or less.

 

If you purchase or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many Shares you purchased or sold and at what price.

 

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The foregoing is only a summary of certain federal income tax considerations under current law, which is subject to change in the future. Shareholders such as non-resident aliens, foreign trusts or estates, or foreign corporations or partnerships may be subject to different U.S. federal income tax treatment.

 

You should consult your tax adviser for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation. More information about taxes is in the Funds’ SAI.

 

HOUSEHOLDING POLICY

 

It is the policy of the Funds to mail only one copy of the prospectus, annual report, semi-annual report and proxy statements to all shareholders who share the same mailing address and share the same last name and have invested in the Fund(s) covered by the same document. You are deemed to consent to this policy unless you specifically revoke this policy and request that separate copies of such documents be mailed to you. In such case, you will begin to receive your own copies within 30 days after our receipt of the revocation. You may request that separate copies of these disclosure documents be mailed to you by writing to us at: TrimTabs ETF Trust, c/o Foreside Fund Services, LLC, 3 Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101 or calling us at: 855-799-1509.

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

The Funds are newly organized and therefore have not yet had any operations as of the date of this Prospectus and do not have financial highlights to present at this time.

 

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If you would like more information about the Funds and the Trust, the following documents are available free, upon request:

 

Annual/Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders

 

Additional information about the Funds will be in their annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, when available. The annual report will explain the market conditions and investment strategies affecting each Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year.

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

An SAI dated [ ], 2014, which contains more details about the Funds, is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus.

 

To receive a free copy of the latest annual or semi-annual report, when available, or the SAI, or to request additional information about the Funds, please contact us as follows:

 

Call: 855-799-1509
Write: TrimTabs ETF Trust

c/o Foreside Fund Services, LLC

3 Canal Plaza, Suite 100

Portland, Maine 04101

Visit: www.trimtabsetfs.com

 

Information Provided by the Securities and Exchange Commission

 

Information about the Funds, including their reports and the SAI, has been filed with the SEC. It can be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC or on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s internet site ( http://www.sec.gov ). Information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 202.551.8090. You can also request copies of these materials, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the SEC’s e-mail address (publicinfo@sec.gov) or by writing the Public Reference section of the SEC, 100 F Street NE, Room 1580, Washington, DC 20549.

 

Investment Company Act File No. 811-22995.

 

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

 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

 

TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF (FCFD)

 

TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF (FCFI)

 

Subject to completion, dated December 15, 2014

 

3 Harbor Way, Suite 112, Sausalito, CA 94965

 

PHONE: 855-799-1509

 

[    ], 2014

 

Shares of each of the Funds will be listed and traded on the NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

This SAI describes the series of the TrimTabs ETF Trust. The Trust is an open-end registered management investment company under the Investment Company Act, and is currently comprised of two series: TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF and TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF (collectively, the “Funds”). Additional series may be added or launched in the future.

 

The Funds are passively-managed, meaning that they are designed to track the performance of an underlying index. TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (“Adviser”), serves as the investment adviser to each Fund.  Foreside Fund Services, LLC serves as the Distributor for each Fund.

 

Shares of the Funds are neither guaranteed nor insured by the U.S. Government.

 

This SAI, dated [   ], 2014 is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Funds’ Prospectus, dated [ ], 2014, which incorporates this SAI by reference. 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 Distributor, calling 855-799-1509 or visiting www.trimtabsetfs.com . An annual report for the Funds will be available in the same manner once the Funds have completed their first annual period.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    Page
GLOSSARY   3
     
TRUST AND FUNDS OVERVIEW   4
     
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING   5
     
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS   5
     
INTRADAY INDICATIVE VALUE   6
     
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS   6
     
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS   7
     
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER   21
     
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS   22
     
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES   26
     
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES   27
     
PORTFOLIO MANAGER   29
     
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE   30
     
THE DISTRIBUTOR   31
     
ACCOUNTING AND LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS   33
     
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING SHARES   33
     
TRANSACTIONS IN CREATION UNITS   35
     
Purchasing Creation Units   35
Transaction Fees   40
Redeeming Creation Units   40
     
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE   44
     
TAXATION   44
     
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS   48
     
Appendix A: Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for the Trust   A-1
     
Appendix B: Description Of Securities Ratings   B-1
     
Appendix C: Foreign Holidays   C-1

 

No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this SAI and the Prospectus and, if given or made, such information or representations may not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Trust. This SAI does not constitute an offer to sell securities.

 

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GLOSSARY

 

The following terms are used throughout this SAI, and have the meanings used below:

 

1933 Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

1934 Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Advise r” means TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC.

 

Authorized Participant ” means a broker-dealer or other participant in the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC) or a participant in DTC with access to the DTC system, who has executed an agreement with the Distributor that governs transactions in the Funds’ Creation Units.

 

Balancing Amount means an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of a Creation Unit and the market value of the In-Kind Creation (or Redemption) Basket, used to ensure that the NAV of a Fund Deposit (or Redemption) (other than the Transaction Fee), is identical to the NAV of the Creation Unit being purchased.

 

Board ” means the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

 

Business Day ” means any day on which the Trust is open for business.

 

Cash Component means an amount of cash consisting of a Balancing Amount and a Transaction Fee calculated in connection with creations.

 

Cash Redemption Amount means an amount of cash consisting of a Balancing Amount and a Transaction Fee calculated in connection with redemptions.

 

CEA ” means the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended.

 

CFTC ” means the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

 

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Creation Unit ” means an aggregation of 50,000 Shares that each Fund issues and redeems on a continuous basis at NAV. Shares will not be issued or redeemed except in Creation Units.

 

Distributor ” means Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

 

Dodd-Frank Act ” means the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

 

DTC ” means the Depository Trust Company.

  

Exchange ” means the NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

FINRA ” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

 

Funds ” means the series of the Trust discussed in this SAI: the TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF and TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF.

 

Fund Deposit ” means the In-Kind Creation Basket and Cash Component necessary to purchase a Creation Unit from a Fund.

 

Fund Redemption ” means the In-Kind Redemption Basket and Cash Redemption Amount received in connection with the redemption of a Creation Unit.

 

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IIV ” means an approximate per Share value of a Fund’s portfolio, disseminated every fifteen seconds throughout the trading day by the Exchange through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other information providers, known as the Intraday Indicative Value.

 

In-Kind Creation Basket ” means the basket of securities to be deposited to purchase Creation Units of a Fund.

 

In-Kind Redemption Basket ” means the basket of securities a shareholder will receive upon redemption of a Creation Unit.

 

Index Provider ” means TrimTabs Index Services, LLC.

 

Investment Company Act ” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

IRS means the Internal Revenue Service.

 

NAV ” means the net asset value of a Fund Share.

 

NSCC ” means the National Securities Clearing Corporation.

 

NYSE means the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

 

Prospectus ” means the Funds’ Prospectus, dated [ ], 2014, as amended and supplemented from time to time.

 

SAI ” means this Statement of Additional Information, dated [ ], 2014, as amended and supplemented from time to time.

 

SEC ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Shares ” means the shares of a Fund.

 

Transaction Fees are fees imposed to compensate the Trust for costs incurred in connection with transactions for Creation Units. The Transaction Fee is comprised of a flat (or standard) fee and may include a variable fee. For the Transaction Fees applicable to each Fund, see “Transaction Fees” in this SAI.

 

Trust ” means the TrimTabs ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust.

 

Underlying Index ” means the TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow Index with respect to the TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF and the TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow Index with respect to the TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF.

 

TRUST AND FUNDS OVERVIEW

 

The Trust is a Delaware statutory trust formed on April 2, 2014 and an open-end registered management investment company comprised of two series, which are discussed in this SAI. Each Fund is a diversified, index-based exchange-traded fund that seeks to track the performance (before fees and expenses) of its Underlying Index. The offering of the Shares is registered under the 1933 Act.

 

Each Fund offers and issues Shares at NAV only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares, generally in exchange for a basket of securities constituting the portfolio holdings of the Fund, together with the deposit of a specified cash payment, or, in certain circumstances, for an all cash payment. Shares of each Fund will be listed and traded on the Exchange. Shares will trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at, or above NAV.

 

Unlike mutual funds, Shares are not individually redeemable securities. Rather, each Fund issues and redeems Shares on a continuous basis at NAV, only in Creation Units of 50,000 Shares. In the event of the liquidation of a Fund, the Trust may lower the number of Shares in a Creation Unit.

 

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In the instance of creations and redemptions, Transaction Fees may be imposed. Such fees are limited in accordance with requirements of the SEC applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. Some of the information contained in this SAI and the Prospectus — such as information about purchasing and redeeming Shares from a Fund and Transaction Fees — is not relevant to most retail investors because it applies only to transactions for Creation Units and most retail investors do not transact for Creation Units.

 

Once created, Shares generally trade in the secondary market, at market prices that change throughout the day, in amounts less than a Creation Unit. Investors purchasing Shares in the secondary market through a brokerage account or with the assistance of a broker may be subject to brokerage commissions and charges.

  

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

Shares of each Fund will be listed and traded on the Exchange. Shares trade on the Exchange or in secondary markets at prices that may differ from their NAV or IIV, including because such prices may be affected by market forces (such as supply and demand for Shares). As is the case of other securities traded on an exchange, when you buy or sell Shares on the Exchange or in the secondary markets your broker will normally charge you a commission or other transaction charges. Further, the Trust reserves the right to adjust the price of Shares in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors (namely, to maintain a price per Share that is attractive to investors) by share splits or reverse share splits, which would have no effect on the NAV.

 

There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange for maintaining the listing of Shares of each Fund will continue to be met. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the Shares of a Fund from listing if: (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of a Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the Shares of the Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days, or (ii) such other event shall occur or condition exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the Shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of a Fund.

 

The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Shares of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly or the ability of the Funds to achieve their objectives. The Exchange has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.

 

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

 

The Board has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about the Funds’ portfolio securities. Under the policy, portfolio holdings of the Funds, which will form the basis for the calculation of NAV on a Business Day, are publicly disseminated prior to the opening of trading on the Exchange that Business Day through financial reporting or news services, including the website, www.trimtabsetfs.com . In addition, each Business Day a portfolio composition file, which displays the In-Kind Creation Basket and Cash Component, is publicly disseminated prior to the opening of the Exchange via the NSCC.

 

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INTRADAY INDICATIVE VALUE

 

The IIV is an approximate per Share value of a Fund’s portfolio holdings, which is disseminated every fifteen seconds throughout the trading day by the Exchange through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or by other information providers. The IIV is based on the current market value of a Fund’s Fund Deposit. The IIV does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities held by a Fund at a particular point in time. The IIV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV of a Fund because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. The quotations for certain investments may not be updated during U.S. trading hours if such holdings do not trade in the U.S., except such quotations may be updated to reflect currency fluctuations. The Funds are not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the IIV and make no warranty as to the accuracy of the IIV.

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS

 

The investment policies enumerated in this section may be changed with respect to a Fund only by a vote of the holders of a majority of the Funds’ outstanding voting securities, except as noted below:

 

1.  The Funds may not borrow money, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable exemptive relief.

 

2.  The Funds may not issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable exemptive relief.

 

3.  The Funds may not engage in the business of underwriting securities except to the extent that the Funds may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in the acquisition, disposition or resale of its portfolio securities or in connection with investments in other investment companies, or to the extent otherwise permitted under the Investment Company Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable exemptive relief.

 

4.  The Funds may not purchase or sell real estate, except to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable exemptive relief.

 

5.  The Funds may not purchase or sell commodities, contracts relating to commodities or options on contracts relating to commodities, except to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable exemptive relief.

 

6.  The Funds may not make loans, except to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable exemptive relief.

 

7. The Funds will not concentrate (i.e., hold more than 25% of their assets in the securities of a single industry or group of industries) their investments in issuers of one or more particular industries, except that each Fund may concentrate to approximately the same extent that its Underlying Index concentrates in the securities of such particular industry or industries.

 

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the Investment Company Act permits a Fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the Fund's total assets, at the time of borrowing, from banks for any purpose (the Fund’s total assets include the amounts being borrowed). To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the Investment Company Act requires each Fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings (not including borrowings for temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets). Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of a Fund’s total assets (including amounts borrowed), minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings.

 

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With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (2) above, “senior securities” are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over a Fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of Fund assets. The Investment Company Act prohibits each Fund from issuing any class of senior securities or selling any senior securities of which it is the issuer, except that a Fund is permitted to borrow from a bank so long as, immediately after such borrowings, there is an asset coverage of at least 300% for all borrowings of the Fund (not including borrowings for temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets). In the event that such asset coverage falls below this percentage, the Fund is required to reduce the amount of its borrowings within three days (not including Sundays and holidays) so that the asset coverage is restored to at least 300%.

 

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to investing in commodities set forth in (5) above, this policy shall not prevent the Funds from purchasing or selling foreign currency or purchasing, selling or entering into futures contracts, options, forward contracts, swaps, caps, floors, collars and other financial instruments. This policy also does not prevent the Funds from purchasing securities of issuers who are engaged in the commodities business.

 

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to making loans set forth in (6) above, the Investment Company Act does not prohibit a Fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC staff treats repurchase agreements as loans).

 

Except with respect to borrowing, if a percentage limitation is satisfied at the time of investment, a later increase or decrease in such percentage resulting from a change in the value of a Fund’s investments will not constitute a violation of such limitation.  Thus, a Fund may continue to hold a security even though it causes the Fund to exceed a percentage limitation because of fluctuation in the value of the Fund’s assets, except that any borrowing by a Fund that exceeds the fundamental investment limitations stated above must be reduced to meet such limitations within the period required by the Investment Company Act or the relevant rules, regulations or interpretations thereunder. 

 

For purposes of the concentration policy, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and tax-free securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions (and repurchase agreements collateralized by government securities) are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

 

The following chart, which supplements and should be read together with the information in the Prospectus, indicates the specific investments and investment techniques applicable to each Fund. Unless otherwise indicated in the Prospectus or this SAI, the investment objective and policies of a Fund may be changed without shareholder approval.

 

 

TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow

ETF

TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow

ETF

Cash Items X X
Credit Quality Standards X X
Debt-Related Investments    
Asset-Backed Securities X X
Corporate Debt Securities X X
Debt and Other Fixed Income Securities X X
High Yield Securities X X
Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities X X
Municipal Securities X X
U.S. Government Securities X X
Zero Coupon Securities X X
Equity-Related Investments    
Common Stocks X X
Convertible Securities X X
Master Limited Partnerships X X
Other Investment Companies or Other Pooled Investments X X
Preferred Stocks X X
Real Estate Investment Trusts X X
Warrants X X
Foreign-Related Investments    
Depositary Receipts X X
Emerging Markets   X
Foreign Currency Transactions   X
Foreign Government Securities   X
Foreign Investments   X
Dollar Rolls, Delayed Delivery Transactions and When Issued or Forward Commitment Securities X X
Futures Contracts and Related Options X X
Illiquid Securities X X
Repurchase Agreements X X
Short Sales X X
Securities Lending X X
Tracking an Index X X

 

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Cash Items

 

The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in cash or cash items pending other investments or to maintain liquid assets required in connection with some of the Fund’s investments. These cash items and other high quality debt securities may include money market instruments, such as securities issued by the U.S. Government and its agencies, bankers’ acceptances, commercial paper, bank certificates of deposit and investment companies that invest primarily in such instruments.

 

Credit Quality Standards

 

When investing in fixed income securities and, if applicable, preferred or convertible stocks, the Fund maintains the following credit quality standards, which apply at the time of investment:

 

For securities that carry a rating assigned by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), Standard & Poor’s Financial Services, LLC (“S&P), or Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”) (a “Rating Organization”), the Adviser will use the highest rating assigned by the Rating Organization to determine a security’s credit rating. Commercial paper must be rated at least “A-1” or equivalent by a Rating Organization. Corporate debt obligations, mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities and municipal securities must be rated at least “B-”or equivalent by a Rating Organization. For securities that are not rated by a Rating Organization, the Adviser’s internal credit rating will apply and be subject to the equivalent rating minimums described here.

 

Debt-Related Investments

 

Asset-Backed Securities

 

Asset-backed securities (“ABS”) are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement.

 

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Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments are used to pay investors as quickly as possible.

 

Consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies, the Adviser also may invest in other types of ABS.

 

Corporate Debt Securities

 

The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached. The Fund may invest in commercial interests, including commercial paper, master notes and other short-term corporate instruments that are denominated in U.S. dollars. Commercial paper consists of short-term promissory notes issued by corporations. Commercial paper may be traded in the secondary market after its issuance. Master notes are demand notes that permit the investment of fluctuating amounts of money at varying rates of interest pursuant to arrangements with issuers who meet the quality criteria of the Fund. The interest rate on a master note may fluctuate based upon changes in specified interest rates, be reset periodically according to a prescribed formula or be a set rate. Although there is no secondary market in master demand notes, if such notes have a demand future, the payee may demand payment of the principal amount of the note upon relatively short notice. Master notes are generally illiquid and therefore subject to the Fund’s percentage limitations for investments in illiquid securities.

 

Debt and Other Fixed Income Securities Generally

 

Debt securities include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, and political subdivisions, foreign governments, their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities, and political subdivisions, supra-national agencies, corporate debt securities, master-demand notes, Yankee dollar and Eurodollar bank certificates of deposit, time deposits, bankers’ acceptances, commercial paper and other notes, inflation-indexed securities, and other debt securities. Debt securities may be investment grade securities or high yield securities, which are described below. Investment grade securities include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities, as well as securities rated in one of the four highest rating categories by at least two Rating Organizations rating that security, rated in one of the four highest rating categories by one Rating Organization if it is the only Rating Organization rating that security, or unrated, if deemed to be of comparable quality by the Adviser and traded publicly on the world market. The Fund, at the discretion of the Adviser, may retain a debt security that has been downgraded below the initial investment criteria.

 

Debt and other fixed income securities include fixed and floating rate securities of any maturity. Fixed rate securities pay a specified rate of interest or dividends. Floating rate securities pay a rate that is adjusted periodically by reference to a specified index or market rate. Fixed and floating rate securities include securities issued by federal, state, local, and foreign governments and related agencies, and by a wide range of private issuers, and generally are referred to in this SAI as “fixed income securities.” Indexed bonds are a type of fixed income security whose principal value and/or interest rate is adjusted periodically according to a specified instrument, index, or other statistic ( e.g ., another security, inflation index, currency, or commodity).

 

Holders of fixed income securities are exposed to both market and credit risk. Market risk (or “interest rate risk”) relates to changes in a security’s value as a result of changes in interest rates. In general, the values of fixed income securities increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. Given the historically low interest rate environment, risks associated with rising rates are heightened. Credit risk relates to the ability of an issuer to make payments of principal and interest. Obligations of issuers are subject to bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws that affect the rights and remedies of creditors.

 

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Because interest rates vary, the future income of the Fund that invests in fixed income securities cannot be predicted with certainty. The future income of the Fund also will be affected by changes in those securities’ indices over time ( e.g ., changes in inflation rates, currency rates, or commodity prices).

 

High Yield Securities

 

Securities rated lower than Baa by Moody’s, or equivalently rated by S&P or Fitch, are sometimes referred to as “high yield securities” or “junk bonds.” Investing in these securities involves special risks in addition to the risks associated with investments in higher-rated fixed income securities. While offering a greater potential opportunity for capital appreciation and higher yields, high yield securities typically entail greater potential price volatility and may be less liquid than higher-rated securities. The Fund may have difficulty selling certain junk bonds because they may have a thin trading market. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse effect on the market price and the Fund’s ability to dispose of particular issues and may also make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain accurate market quotations in valuing these assets. High yield securities are inherently speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. They may also be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher-rated securities. Issuers of securities in default may fail to resume principal or interest payments, in which case the Fund may lose its entire investment.

 

Companies that issue high yield bonds are often highly leveraged and may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them. During an economic downturn or recession, highly leveraged issuers of high-yield securities may experience financial stress, and may not have sufficient revenues to meet their interest payment obligations. Economic downturns tend to disrupt the market for high yield bonds, lowering their values and increasing their price volatility. The risk of issuer default is higher with respect to high yield bonds because such issues may be subordinated to other creditors of the issuer.

 

The credit rating of a high yield bond does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change to reflect developments regarding the issuer’s financial condition. The lower the rating of a high yield bond, the more speculative its characteristics.

 

Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities

 

Mortgage-related securities include mortgage pass-through securities, collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), commercial mortgage-backed securities, mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals, stripped mortgage-backed securities (“SMBSs”) and other securities that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property. The value of some mortgage- or asset-backed securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates. Early repayment of principal on some mortgage-related securities may expose the Fund to a lower rate of return upon reinvestment of principal. When interest rates rise, the value of a mortgage-related security generally will decline; however, when interest rates are declining, the value of mortgage-related securities with prepayment features may not increase as much as other fixed income securities. The rate of prepayments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may shorten or extend the effective maturity of the security beyond what was anticipated at the time of purchase. If unanticipated rates of prepayment on underlying mortgages increase the effective maturity of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of the security can be expected to increase. The value of these securities may fluctuate in response to the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuers. Additionally, although mortgages and mortgage-related securities are generally supported by some form of government or private guarantee and/or insurance, there is no assurance that private guarantors or insurers will meet their obligations.

 

One type of SMBS has one class receiving all of the interest from the mortgage assets (the interest-only, or “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal only, or “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s yield to maturity from these securities. The Fund may invest in other asset-backed securities that have been offered to investors.

 

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Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or SMBSs. Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

 

Municipal Securities

 

Municipal securities include debt obligations issued by governmental entities to obtain funds for various public purposes, such as the construction of a wide range of public facilities, the refunding of outstanding obligations, the payment of general operating expenses, and the extension of loans to other public institutions and facilities. Other types of municipal securities include short-term General Obligation Notes, Tax Anticipation Notes, Bond Anticipation Notes, Revenue Anticipation Notes, Project Notes, Tax-Exempt Commercial Paper, Construction Loan Notes and other forms of short-term tax-exempt loans. Such instruments are issued with a short-term maturity in anticipation of the receipt of tax funds, the proceeds of bond placements or other revenues. An issuer’s obligations under its municipal securities are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the federal bankruptcy code, and laws, if any, which may be enacted by Congress or state legislatures extending the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or imposing other constraints upon the enforcement of such obligations or upon the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. The power or ability of an issuer to meet its obligations for the payment of interest on and principal of its municipal securities may be materially adversely affected by litigation or other conditions.

 

Municipal securities can be significantly affected by political changes as well as uncertainties in the municipal market related to taxation, legislative changes, or the rights of municipal security holders. Because many municipal securities are issued to finance similar projects, especially those relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal market. In addition, changes in the financial condition of an individual municipal insurer can affect the overall municipal market.

 

Municipal bonds, which generally have maturities of more than one year when issued, are designed to meet longer-term capital needs. Some longer-term municipal bonds allow an investor to “put” or sell the security at a specified time and price to the issuer or other “put provider.” If a put provider fails to honor its commitment to purchase the security, the Fund may have to treat the security’s final maturity as its effective maturity, potentially increasing the volatility of the Fund.

 

The Fund may invest in municipal lease obligations. Municipal leases frequently carry risks distinct from those associated with general obligation or revenue bonds. State constitutions and statutes set requirements that states and municipalities must meet to incur debt. These may include voter referenda, interest rate limits or public sale requirements. Many leases and contracts include no appropriation clauses, which provide that the governmental issuer has no obligation to make future payments under the lease or contract unless money is appropriated for such purposes by the appropriate legislative body on a yearly or other periodic basis. Municipal lease obligations also may be subject to abatement risk. For example, construction delays or destruction of a facility as a result of an uninsurable disaster that prevents occupancy could result in all or a portion of a lease payment not being made.

 

Investing in the municipal bond market is subject to certain risks. The amount of public information available about the municipal bonds held by the Fund is generally less than that for corporate equities or bonds, and the investment performance of the Fund may therefore be more dependent on the analytical abilities of the Adviser. The secondary market for municipal bonds, particularly the lower-rated bonds, also tends to be less well developed or liquid than many other securities markets, which may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to sell its bonds at attractive prices. The ability of municipal issuers to make timely payments of interest and principal may be diminished during general economic downturns and as governmental cost burdens are reallocated among federal, state and local governments. In addition, laws enacted in the future by Congress or state legislatures or referenda could extend the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or impose other constraints on enforcement of such obligations, or on the ability of municipal issuers to levy taxes. Issuers of municipal securities might seek protection under the bankruptcy laws. In the event of bankruptcy of such an issuer, the Fund investing in the issuer’s securities could experience delays in collecting principal and interest and the Fund may not, in all circumstances, be able to collect all principal and interest to which it is entitled.

 

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U.S. Government Securities

 

U.S. government securities include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its authorities, agencies, or instrumentalities. Different kinds of U.S. government securities have different kinds of government support. For example, some U.S. government securities ( e.g ., U.S. Treasury bonds) are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Other U.S. government securities are issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or government-chartered or -sponsored enterprises but are neither guaranteed nor insured by the U.S. government ( e.g. , debt securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA” or “Fannie Mae”), and Federal Home Loan Banks (“FHLBs”).

 

It is possible that the availability and the marketability (that is, liquidity) of the securities discussed in this section could be adversely affected by actions of the U.S. government to tighten the availability of credit.  

 

As with other fixed income securities, U.S. government securities expose their holders to market risk because their values typically change as interest rates fluctuate. For example, the value of U.S. government securities may fall during times of rising interest rates. Yields on U.S. government securities tend to be lower than those of corporate securities of comparable maturities.

 

In addition to investing directly in U.S. government securities, the Fund may purchase certificates of accrual or similar instruments evidencing undivided ownership interests in interest payments and/or principal payments of U.S. government securities. Certificates of accrual and similar instruments may be more volatile than other government securities.

 

Zero Coupon Securities

 

Zero coupon securities may be issued by a wide variety of corporate and governmental issuers. Zero coupon securities tend to be subject to greater market risk than interest-paying securities of similar maturities. When an investor purchases a traditional coupon-bearing bond, it is paid periodic interest at a predetermined rate. Zero coupon securities tend to be subject to greater price fluctuations in response to changes in interest rates than are ordinary interest-paying debt securities with similar maturities. The value of zero coupon securities appreciates more during periods of declining interest rates and depreciates more during periods of rising interest rates than ordinary interest-paying debt securities with similar maturities.

 

Equity-Related Investments

 

Common Stocks

 

Common stock represents an 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 common stock price.

 

The fundamental risk of investing in common 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. This may not be true currently or in the future. The market value of all securities, including common stocks, is based upon the market's perception of value and not necessarily the book value of an issuer or other objective measure of a company's worth. If you invest in the Fund, you should be willing to accept the risks of the stock market and should consider an investment in the Fund only as a part of your overall investment portfolio.

 

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Convertible Securities

 

Convertible securities include fixed-income securities, preferred stock or other securities that may be converted into or exchanged for a given amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer during a specified period and at a specified price in the future. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest on debt or the dividend on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged.

 

Convertible securities have unique investment characteristics in that they generally: (1) have higher yields than the underlying common stock, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities; (2) are less subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying common stock since they have fixed-income characteristics; and (3) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.

 

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security's governing instrument. If a convertible security is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party.

 

Convertible securities are typically issued by smaller capitalization companies whose stock price may be volatile. Therefore, the price of a convertible security may reflect variations in the price of the underlying common stock in a way that non-convertible debt does not. The extent to which such risk is reduced, however, depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed-income security.

 

Master Limited Partnerships

 

The Fund may invest in master limited partnerships (“MLPs”) which are publicly traded partnerships primarily engaged in the transportation, storage, processing, refining, marketing, exploration, production, and mining of minerals and natural resources. Their interests, or units, trade on public securities exchanges exactly like the shares of a corporation, without entity level taxation. MLPs generally have two classes of owners, one or more general partners and the limited partners (i.e., investors). The general partner typically controls the operations and management of the MLP through an equity interest in the MLP plus, in many cases, ownership of common units and subordinated units. Limited partners typically own the remainder of the partnership, through ownership of common units, and have a limited role in the partnership’s operations and management. In certain instances, creditors of an MLP would have the right to seek a return of capital that had been distributed to a limited partner. The right of an MLP’s creditors would continue even after the Fund had sold its investment in the partnership. MLPs typically invest in real estate, oil and gas equipment leasing assets, but they also finance entertainment, research and development, and other projects.

 

MLP common units, like other equity securities, can be affected by macroeconomic and other factors affecting the stock market in general, expectations of interest rates, investor sentiment towards an issuer or certain market sector, changes in a particular issuer’s financial condition, or unfavorable or unanticipated poor performance of a particular issuer (in the case of MLPs, generally measured in terms of distributable cash flow). Prices of common units of individual MLPs, like the prices of other equity securities, also can be affected by fundamentals unique to the partnership or company, including earnings power and coverage ratios.

 

Investments in Other Investment Companies or Other Pooled Investments

 

The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies to the extent permitted by law. Subject to applicable regulatory requirements, the Fund may invest in shares of both open- and closed-end investment companies (including money market funds and ETFs). The market price for ETF and closed-end fund shares may be higher or lower than, respectively, the ETF’s and closed-end fund’s NAV. Investing in another investment company exposes the Fund to all the risks of that investment company and, in general, subjects it to a pro rata portion of the other investment company’s fees and expenses. As a result, an investment by the Fund in an ETF or investment company could cause the Fund’s operating expenses to be higher and, in turn, performance to be lower than if the Fund were to invest directly in the securities underlying the ETF or investment company. The Fund also may invest in private investment funds, vehicles, or structures.

 

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Preferred Stocks

 

The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stocks include convertible and non-convertible preferred and preference stocks that are senior to common stock. Preferred stocks are equity securities that are senior to common stock with respect to the right to receive dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from the issuer’s liquidation. Some preferred stocks also entitle their holders to receive additional liquidation proceeds on the same basis as holders of the issuer’s common stock, and thus represent an ownership interest in the issuer. Depending on the features of the particular security, holders of preferred stock may bear the risks disclosed in the Prospectus or this SAI regarding equity or fixed income securities.

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”)

 

A REIT is a company that pools investor funds to invest primarily in income producing real estate or real estate related loans or interests. REITs are not taxed on income distributed to their shareholders if, among other things, they distribute substantially all of their taxable income (other than net capital gains) for each taxable year.

 

Because REITs have ongoing fees and expenses, which may include management, operating and administration expenses, REIT shareholders, including the Fund, will indirectly bear a proportionate share of those expenses in addition to the expenses of the Fund. However, such expenses are not considered to be Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and, therefore, are not reflected as such in the Fund's fee table.

 

The Fund also may be subject to certain risks associated with the direct investments of the REITs. REITs may be affected by changes in their underlying properties and by defaults by borrowers or tenants. Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of the credit extended. Furthermore, REITs are dependent on specialized management skills. Some REITs may have limited diversification and may be subject to risks inherent in financing a limited number of properties. REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders or unitholders, and may be subject to defaults by borrowers and to self-liquidations. In addition, the performance of a REIT may be affected by its failure to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code, including regulations thereunder and IRS interpretations or similar authority upon which the Fund may rely or its failure to maintain exemption from registration under the 1940 Act.

 

Warrants

 

Warrants are securities, typically issued with preferred stock or bonds that give the holder the right to purchase a given number of shares of common stock at a specified price and time. The price usually represents a premium over the applicable market value of the common stock at the time of the warrant's issuance. Warrants have no voting rights with respect to the common stock, receive no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.

 

Investments in warrants involve certain risks, including the possible lack of a liquid market for the resale of the warrants, potential price fluctuations due to adverse market conditions or other factors and failure of the price of the common stock to rise. If the warrant is not exercised within the specified time period, it becomes worthless.

 

Foreign-Related Investments

 

Depositary Receipts

 

The Fund may invest in foreign securities by purchasing sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts, including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) or other securities convertible into securities of issuers based in foreign countries. These securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities which they represent. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are denominated in U.S. dollars and are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets, GDRs, in bearer form, are issued and designed for use outside the United States and EDRs (also referred to as Continental Depositary Receipts (“CDRs”)), in bearer form, may be denominated in other currencies and are designed for use in European securities markets. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities. EDRs are European receipts evidencing a similar arrangement. GDRs are receipts typically issued by non-United States banks and trust companies that evidence ownership of either foreign or domestic securities. For purposes of the Fund’s investment policies, ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are deemed to have the same classification as the underlying securities they represent. Thus, an ADR, GDR or EDR representing ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock.

 

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In an unsponsored arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes no obligations and the depositary's transaction fees are paid by the depositary holder. Unsponsored depositary receipts may be created without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these receipts generally bear all the costs of the depositary receipt facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored depositary receipt. The bank or trust company depositary of an unsponsored depositary receipt may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. Accordingly, available information concerning the issuer may not be current, and the prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than the prices of sponsored depositary receipts. In addition, the issuers of securities underlying unsponsored depositary receipts may be subject to less stringent government supervision.

 

Emerging Markets

 

Investing in companies domiciled in emerging market countries may be subject to greater risks than investments in developed countries. These risks include: (i) less social, political, and economic stability; (ii) greater illiquidity and price volatility due to smaller or limited local capital markets for such securities, or low or non-existent trading volumes; (iii) foreign exchanges and broker-dealers may be subject to less scrutiny and regulation by local authorities; (iv) local governments may decide to seize or confiscate securities held by foreign investors and/or local governments may decide to suspend or limit an issuer’s ability to make dividend or interest payments; (v) local governments may limit or entirely restrict repatriation of invested capital, profits, and dividends; (vi) capital gains may be subject to local taxation, including on a retroactive basis; (vii) issuers facing restrictions on dollar or euro payments imposed by local governments may attempt to make dividend or interest payments to foreign investors in the local currency; (viii) investors may experience difficulty in enforcing legal claims related to the securities and/or local judges may favor the interests of the issuer over those of foreign investors; (ix) bankruptcy judgments may only be permitted to be paid in the local currency; (x) limited public information regarding the issuer may result in greater difficulty in determining market valuations of the securities, and (xi) lax financial reporting on a regular basis, substandard disclosure, and differences in accounting standards may make it difficult to ascertain the financial health of an issuer. Many emerging market countries have experienced currency devaluations and substantial (and, in some cases, extremely high) rates of inflation. Other emerging market countries have experienced economic recessions. These circumstances have had a negative effect on the economies and securities markets of such emerging market countries.

 

Foreign Currencies Transactions

 

The Fund may hold funds in bank deposits in U.S. or foreign currency, including during the completion of investment programs. These transactions will expose the Fund to foreign currency fluctuations. Should exchange rates move in an unexpected manner, the Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of an investment, and it may realize losses.

 

Conversion. Although the Fund values its assets daily in U.S. dollars, it does not convert its holdings of foreign currencies into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. The Fund will convert its holdings from time to time, however, and incur the costs of currency conversion. Foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, but they do realize a profit based on the difference between the prices at which they buy and sell various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, and offer to buy the currency at a lower rate if the Fund tries to resell the currency to the dealer.

 

Settlement of transactions involving foreign currencies might be required to take place within the country issuing the underlying currency. Thus, the Fund might be required to accept or make delivery of the underlying foreign currency in accordance with any U.S. or foreign regulations regarding the maintenance of foreign banking arrangements by U.S. residents and might be required to pay any fees, taxes and charges associated with such delivery assessed in the issuing country.

 

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The value of the Fund’s investments is calculated in U.S. dollars each day that the NYSE is open for business. As a result, to the extent that the Fund’s assets are invested in instruments denominated in foreign currencies and the currencies depreciate relative to the U.S. dollar, the Fund’s NAV per share as expressed in U.S. dollars (and, therefore, the value of your investment) should decrease. If the U.S. dollar appreciates relative to the other currencies, the opposite should occur.

 

The currency-related gains and losses experienced by the Fund will be based on changes in the value of portfolio securities attributable to currency fluctuations only in relation to the original purchase price of such securities as stated in U.S. dollars. Gains or losses on shares of the Fund will be based on changes attributable to fluctuations in the NAV of such shares, expressed in U.S. dollars, in relation to the original U.S. dollar purchase price of the shares.

 

Foreign currency transactions occurring in the interbank market might involve substantially larger amounts than those involved in the use of such forward currency contracts. Therefore, the Fund could be disadvantaged by having to deal in the odd lot market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round lots. There is no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign currencies or any regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis. Quotation information generally is representative of very large transactions in the interbank market and thus might not reflect odd-lot transactions where rates might be less favorable. The interbank market in foreign currencies is a global, round-the-clock market.

 

Foreign Government Securities

 

Foreign government securities include securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments (including political subdivisions) or their authorities, agencies, or instrumentalities or by supra-national agencies. Different kinds of foreign government securities have different kinds of government support. For example, some foreign government securities are supported by the full faith and credit of a foreign national government or political subdivision and some are not. Foreign government securities of some countries may involve varying degrees of credit risk as a result of financial or political instability in those countries or the possible inability of the Fund to enforce its rights against the foreign government. As with issuers of other fixed income securities, sovereign issuers may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal or interest payments.

 

It is possible that the availability and the marketability (that is, liquidity) of the securities discussed in this section could be adversely affected by actions of foreign governments to tighten the availability of credit.  

 

Supra-national agencies are agencies whose member nations make capital contributions to support the agencies’ activities. Examples include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank), the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, and the Inter-American Development Bank.

 

As with other fixed income securities, foreign government securities expose their holders to market risk because their values typically change as interest rates fluctuate. For example, the value of foreign government securities may fall during times of rising interest rates. Yields on foreign government securities tend to be lower than those of corporate securities of comparable maturities.

 

In addition to investing directly in foreign government securities, the Fund may purchase certificates of accrual or similar instruments evidencing undivided ownership interests in interest payments and/or principal payments of foreign government securities. Certificates of accrual and similar instruments may be more volatile than other government securities.

 

Foreign Investments

 

Foreign Market Risk. Foreign security investment or exposure involves special risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. These risks are higher for emerging markets investments, which can be subject to greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties, and may have significantly less liquidity, than developed markets. In particular, the Fund is subject to the risk that because there are generally fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of shares traded each day, it may be difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities, or increase or decrease exposures, on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may fluctuate more than prices of securities traded in the U.S.

 

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Foreign Economy Risk . The economies of certain foreign markets often do not compare favorably with that of the U.S. with respect to such issues as growth of gross domestic product, reinvestment of capital, resources, and balance of payments positions. Certain foreign economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers, and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets, or the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain industries. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, impair the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell foreign securities, or obtain exposure to them, or transfer the Fund’s assets back into the U.S., or otherwise adversely affect the Fund’s operations. Other foreign market risks include foreign exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing favorable legal judgments in foreign courts, and political and social instability. Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the U.S. or other foreign countries. Foreign corporate governance may not be as robust as in the U.S. As a result, protections for minority investors may not be strong, which could affect security prices.

 

Currency Risk and Exchange Risk. Securities in which the Fund invests, or to which they obtain exposure, may be denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the value of these securities. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, an investment in a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer U.S. dollars. Similarly when the U.S. dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, an investment in, or exposure to, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more U.S. dollars. This risk is generally known as “currency risk,” which is the possibility that a stronger U.S. dollar will reduce returns for U.S. investors investing overseas. Foreign currencies also involve the risk that they will be devalued or replaced, adversely affecting the Fund’s investments.

 

Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards. Many foreign governments supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to a lesser extent than the U.S. government. Some countries may not have laws to protect investors the way that the U.S. securities laws do. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the U.S. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much disclosure or detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder to completely and accurately determine a company’s financial condition.

 

Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the U.S. Foreign securities in which the Fund invests, or to which it obtains exposure, are generally held outside the U.S. in foreign banks and securities depositories. The Fund’s custodian is the Fund’s “foreign custody manager” as provided in Rule 17f-5 under the Investment Company Act. The “foreign custody manager” is responsible for determining that the Fund’s directly-held foreign assets will be subject to reasonable care, based on standards applicable to custodians in relevant foreign markets. However, certain foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. They may also have operations subject to limited or no regulatory oversight. Also, the laws of certain countries may put limits on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or an agent of any of the foregoing goes bankrupt. In addition, it likely will be more expensive for the Fund to buy, sell and hold securities, or increase or decrease exposures thereto, in certain foreign markets than it is in the U.S. market due to higher brokerage, transaction, custody and/or other costs. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments.

 

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

 

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Dividends and interest on, and proceeds from the sale of, foreign securities the Fund holds, or has exposure to, may be subject to foreign withholding or other taxes, and special federal tax considerations may apply.

 

Dollar Rolls, Delayed Delivery Transactions and When Issued or Forward Commitment Securities

 

The purchase or sale of when-issued securities enables an investor to hedge against anticipated changes in interest rates and prices by locking in an attractive price or yield. The price of delayed delivery transactions, including when-issued securities, is fixed at the time the commitment to purchase or sell is made, but delivery and payment for the securities takes place at a later date, normally one to two months after the date of purchase. During the period between purchase and settlement, no payment is made by the purchaser to the issuer and no interest accrues to the purchaser. Such transactions therefore involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date or if the value of the security to be sold increases prior to the settlement date. A sale of a when-issued security also involves the risk that the other party will be unable to settle the transaction. Dollar rolls are a type of forward commitment transaction. Purchases and sales of securities on a forward commitment basis involve a commitment to purchase or sell securities with payment and delivery to take place at some future date, normally one to two months after the date of the transaction. As with when-issued securities, these transactions involve certain risks, but they also enable an investor to hedge against anticipated changes in interest rates and prices. Forward commitment transactions are executed for existing obligations, whereas in a when-issued transaction, the obligations have not yet been issued. When purchasing securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, a segregated account of liquid assets at least equal to the value of purchase commitments for such securities will be maintained until the settlement date.

 

Futures Contracts and Related Options

 

The Fund may purchase or sell stock index futures contracts and options thereon, including as a substitute for a comparable market position in the underlying securities. A futures contract generally obligates the seller to deliver (and the purchaser to take delivery of) the specified commodity on the expiration date of the contract. A stock index futures contract obligates the seller to deliver (and the purchaser to take) an amount of cash equal to a specific dollar amount (the contract multiplier) multiplied by the difference between the final settlement price of a specific stock index futures contract and the price at which the agreement is made. No physical delivery of the underlying stocks in the index is made.

 

The Fund generally chooses to engage in closing or offsetting transactions before final settlement wherein a second identical futures contract is sold to offset a long position (or bought to offset a short position). In such cases the obligation is to deliver (or take delivery of) cash equal to a specific dollar amount (the contract multiplier) multiplied by the difference between the price of the offsetting transaction and the price at which the original contract was entered into. If the original position entered into is a long position (futures contract purchased) there will be a gain (loss) if the offsetting sell transaction is done at a higher (lower) price, inclusive of commissions. If the original position entered into is a short position (futures contract sold) there will be a gain (loss) if the offsetting buy transaction is done at a lower (higher) price, inclusive of commissions.

 

Whether the Fund realizes a gain or loss from futures activities depends generally upon movements in the underlying asset. The extent of the Fund’s loss from an unhedged short position in futures contracts is potentially unlimited. The Fund may engage in related closing transactions with respect to options on futures contracts. The Fund intends to engage in transactions in futures contracts that are traded on a U.S. exchange or board of trade or that have been approved for sale in the United States by the CFTC.

 

Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund will be required to deposit with the broker an amount of cash or cash equivalents known as “initial margin,” which is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract, and that is returned to the Fund upon termination of the futures contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Subsequent payments, known as “variation margin,” to and from the broker will be made daily as the price of the index underlying the futures contract fluctuates, making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as “marking-to-market.” At any time prior to expiration of a futures contract, the Fund may elect to close its position by taking an opposite position, which will operate to terminate the Fund’s existing position in the contract.

 

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The Fund may cover its long position in a futures contract by taking a short position in the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by taking positions in instruments the prices of which are expected to move relatively consistently inversely with the futures contract. The Fund may cover its short position in a futures contract by taking a long position in the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by taking positions in instruments, the prices of which are expected to move relatively consistently to the futures contract. The Fund may “cover” its short position in a futures contract by purchasing a call option on the same futures contract with a strike price ( i.e. , an exercise price) as low or lower than the price of the futures contract, or, if the strike price of the call is greater than the price of the futures contract, the Fund will earmark or segregate cash or liquid instruments equal in value to the difference between the strike price of the call and the price of the future. The Fund may cover its long or short positions in futures by earmarking or segregating with its custodian bank or on the books and records of the Fund (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) cash or liquid instruments that, when added to any amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract or otherwise “cover” its position.

 

Although the Fund intends to sell futures contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, no assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular contract at any particular time. Many futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for specified periods during the day. Futures contract prices could move to the limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and potentially subjecting the Fund to substantial losses. If trading is not possible, or if the Fund determines not to close a futures position in anticipation of adverse price movements, the Fund will be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin. The risk that the Fund will be unable to close out a futures position will be minimized by entering into such transactions on a national securities exchange with an active and liquid secondary market.

 

Historically, an adviser of a fund trading commodity interests (such as futures contracts, options on futures contracts, nondeliverable forwards, swaps and cash-settled foreign currency contracts) has been excluded from regulation as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) pursuant to CFTC Regulation 4.5. In 2012, the CFTC amended Regulation 4.5 to dramatically narrow this exclusion.

 

Under the amended Regulation 4.5 exclusion, a fund’s commodity interests - other than those used for bona fide hedging purposes (as defined by the CFTC) - must be limited such that the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish the positions (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions and excluding the amount by which options are "in-the-money" at the time of purchase) does not exceed 5% of the fund’s NAV, or alternatively, the aggregate net notional value of the positions, determined at the time the most recent position was established, does not exceed 100% of the fund’s NAV (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). Further, to qualify for the exclusion in amended Regulation 4.5, a fund must satisfy a marketing test, which requires, among other things, that the fund not hold itself out as a vehicle for trading commodity interests.

 

The Adviser intends to comply with one of the two alternative limitations described above with respect to the Fund and claim an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the CEA with respect to the Funds. The Funds therefore will not be subject to registration or regulation as a CPO under the CEA. Complying with the limitations may restrict the Adviser’s ability to use derivatives as part of the Fund’s investment strategies. Although the Adviser expects to be able to execute the Fund’s strategies within the limitations, performance could be adversely affected.

 

Illiquid Securities

 

The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. For this purpose, “illiquid securities” are securities that the Fund may not sell or dispose of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the amount at which the Fund has valued the securities. A repurchase agreement maturing in more than seven days is considered illiquid, unless it can be terminated after a notice period of seven days or less.

 

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The Adviser also may deem certain securities to be illiquid as a result of the Adviser’s receipt from time to time of material, non-public information about an issuer, which may limit the Adviser’s ability to trade such securities for the account of any of its clients, including the Fund. In some instances, these trading restrictions could continue in effect for a substantial period of time.

 

At times, the inability to sell illiquid securities can make it more difficult to determine their fair value for purposes of computing the Fund’s net asset value. The judgment of the Adviser normally plays a greater role in valuing these securities than in valuing publicly traded securities.

 

Repurchase Agreements

 

The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with banks and broker-dealers. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which securities are acquired by the Fund from a securities dealer or bank subject to resale at an agreed upon price on a later date. The Fund bears a risk of loss in the event that the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from exercising its rights to dispose of the collateral securities. Such a default may subject the Fund to expenses, delays, and risks of loss including: (i) possible declines in the value of the underlying security while the Fund seeks to enforce its rights, (ii) possible reduced levels of income and lack of access to income during this period, and (iii) the inability to enforce its rights and the expenses involved in attempted enforcement.

 

Repurchase agreements are treated as loans by the SEC staff. The Fund will not enter into repurchase agreements if, as a result, the aggregate amount of the Fund’s loans exceed 33 1/3% of its total assets.

 

Securities Lending

 

The Fund may make secured loans of their portfolio securities; however, securities loans will not be made if, as a result, the aggregate amount of all outstanding securities loans by the Fund exceeds 33 1/3% of its total assets (including the market value of collateral received).  For purposes of complying with the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions, collateral received in connection with securities loans is deemed an asset of the Fund to the extent required by law. The Fund continues to receive dividends or interest, as applicable, on the securities loaned and simultaneously earns either interest on the investment of the cash collateral or fee income if the loan is otherwise collateralized.

 

To the extent the Fund engages in securities lending, securities loans will be made to broker-dealers that the Adviser believes to be of relatively high credit standing pursuant to agreements requiring that the loans continuously be collateralized by cash, liquid securities, or shares of other investment companies with a value at least equal to the market value of the loaned securities. As with other extensions of credit, the Fund bears the risk of delay in the recovery of the securities and of loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Fund also bears the entire risk of loss on any reinvested collateral received in connection with securities lending.

 

Voting rights or rights to consent with respect to the loaned securities pass to the borrower. The Fund has the right to call loans at any time on reasonable notice. However, the Fund bears the risk of delay in the return of the security, impairing the Fund’s ability to vote on such matters. The Adviser will retain lending agents on behalf of the Fund based on a percentage of the Fund’s return on its securities lending. The Fund may also pay various fees in connection with securities loans, including shipping fees and custodian fees. The costs of lending securities are not reflected in the Fund’s Annual Fund Operating Expenses.

 

Short Sales

 

A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own. To complete such a transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund is then obligated to replace the security borrowed by borrowing the same security from another lender, purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement or paying the lender an amount equal to the cost of purchasing the security. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the Fund. Until the security is replaced, the Fund is required to repay the lender any dividends it receives, or interest which accrues, during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, the Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. The net proceeds of the short sale will be retained by the broker, to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements, until the short position is closed out. The Fund also will incur transaction costs in effecting short sales.

 

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Whenever the Fund engages in short sales, it earmarks or segregates liquid securities or cash in an amount that, when combined with the amount of collateral deposited with the broker in connection with the short sale (other than the proceeds of the short sale), equals the current market value of the security sold short. The earmarked or segregated assets are marked-to-market daily.

 

The Fund will incur a loss as a result of a short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security. The Fund will realize a gain if the price of the security declines in price between those dates. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of the premium, dividends or interest the Fund may be required to pay, if any, in connection with a short sale. Short sales may be subject to unlimited losses as the price of a security can rise infinitely.

 

Tracking an Index

 

The Fund is managed with a passive investment strategy, attempting to track the performance of its Underlying Index. 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 its Underlying 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.

 

Tracking error is the difference between the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. This may occur due to an imperfect correlation between the Fund’s holdings and those comprising the Underlying Index, pricing differences, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in the timing of dividend accruals, changes to the Underlying Index, or the need to meet regulatory requirements. This risk is heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Further, as a new fund, there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case it may experience greater tracking error to its Underlying Index than it otherwise would at higher asset levels or it could ultimately liquidate.

 

An investment in the Fund should also be made with an understanding that the Fund will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of its Underlying Index because the total return generated by its portfolio securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of such securities and other Fund expenses, whereas such transaction costs and expenses are not included in the calculation of an Underlying Index. It is also possible that for short periods of time, the Fund may not fully replicate the performance of the Underlying Index due to the temporary unavailability of certain Underlying Index securities in the secondary markets or due to other extraordinary circumstances. Such events are unlikely to continue for an extended period of time because the Fund is required to correct such imbalances by means of adjusting the composition of its portfolio securities. It is also possible that the composition of the Fund may not exactly replicate the composition of its Underlying Index if the Fund has to adjust its portfolio securities in order to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the Code. The use of a representative sampling strategy to track the Underlying Index may produce greater tracking error than if the Fund employed a full replication strategy.

 

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

 

The Funds are newly established. Accordingly, information on the Funds’ portfolio turnover rates is not available as of the date of this SAI.

 

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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS

 

Trustees and Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Trust are managed by its officers under the oversight of its Board. The Board sets broad policies for the Trust and may appoint Trust officers. The Board oversees the performance of the Adviser and the Trust’s other service providers. Each Trustee serves until his or her successor is duly elected or appointed and qualified.

 

The Board is comprised of three Trustees. One Trustee and certain of the officers of the Trust are directors, officers or employees of the Adviser. The other Trustees are not “interested persons” (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act) of the Trust (the “Independent Trustees”). The fund complex includes all Funds advised by the Adviser (“Fund Complex”).

 

The Trustees, their age (by date of birth), term of office and length of time served, their principal business occupations during the past five years, the number of portfolios in the Fund Complex overseen and other directorships, if any, held by each Trustee, are shown below. The officers, their age (by year of birth), term of office and length of time served and their principal business occupations during the past five years, are shown below. Unless noted otherwise, the address of each Trustee and each Officer is: c/o 3 Harbor Way, Suite 112, Sausalito, CA 94965.

 

Name, Address,

Age

Position(s)

Held with

Trust

Term of Office

and Length of

Time Served

Principal

Occupation

During Past 5

Years

Number of

Funds in Fund

Complex

Overseen by

Trustee

Other

Directorships

Held by

Trustee During

Past 5 Years

Independent Trustees

Stephen J. Posner

YOB: 1944

Trustee Since 2014 Financial Advisor, Wunderlich Securities, Inc. (2005-2014). 2 None

Theodore M. Theodore

YOB: 1940

Trustee Since 2014 Senior Managing Director, Quantitative Analysis Services (2014-present); Managing Partner, HorizonsAdvisory (2012-2014); Co-Chief Investment Officer, Momentum Investment Partners (1989-2012). 2 None
Interested Trustee*

Charles Biderman

YOB: 1946

Trustee and President of the Trust

 

 

Trustee and President since 2014.

 

Managing Member, Chairman, Chief Compliance Officer, and Portfolio Manager, TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (1990-present); Founder and Chief Executive Officer, TrimTabs Investment Research (1990-present). 2 None

 

* Mr. Biderman is an “interested person,” as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, because of his employment with and ownership interest in TrimTabs.

 

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Officers

 

Name, Address, Age

Position(s) Held with

Trust

Term of Office and

Length of Time Served

Principal Occupation

During Past 5 Years

Minyi Chen

YOB: 1983

Vice President Since 2014

Portfolio Manager and Chief Executive Officer, TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (2008-present); Chief Operating Officer, TrimTabs Investment Research (2008-present); President, TrimTabs Index Services, LLC (2014-present).

 

Aman Ahluwalia

YOB: 1979

Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer Since 2014 Director of Compliance and Business Affairs, Alaric Compliance Service LLC (2014-present); Deputy Chief Compliance Officer & Director of Operations, Saffron Capital Management LLC (2011-2014); Managing Director, Core Alpha Compliance Consultants LLC (2005-2011).

Jeanette Kirazian

YOB: 1961

Principal Financial Officer Since 2014 Founder, Libertas Accounting Services LLC (2012-present); Chief Financial Officer, Permanens Capital LP (2011-2012); Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, Caravel Management LLC (2009-2011).

 

Additional Information About the Trustees

 

The following provides information additional to that set forth in the table above regarding other relevant qualifications, experience, attributes or skills applicable to each Trustee.

 

Stephen J. Posner: Mr. Posner has extensive experience in the securities industry, having served as a general securities representative, registered options principal, and general securities sales supervisor of a broker-dealer.

 

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Theodore M. Theodore: Mr. Theodore has extensive experience in the investment management industry, including as a senior managing director of a broker-dealer and managing partner of a consulting firm focusing on early stage asset managers.

 

Charles Biderman: Mr. Biderman has extensive experience in the investment management industry, including as a chairman, chief executive officer and portfolio manager of an investment adviser and the founder and chief executive officer of a securities research firm.

 

The Board has determined that each Trustee on an individual basis and in combination with the other Trustees is qualified to serve, and should serve, on the Board. To make this determination the Board considered a variety of criteria, none of which in isolation was controlling. Among other things, the Board considered each Trustee’s experience, qualifications, attributes and skills.

 

In June 2014, Mr. Posner finalized a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (“AWC”) with FINRA. The AWC included findings by the FINRA staff that, over a 13 month period ending January 31, 2010, Mr. Posner, on behalf of certain customers, had executed sales of unregistered securities without verifying the availability of an exemption from registration for them, in violation of certain federal securities laws and a FINRA rule. Mr. Posner neither admitted nor denied these findings, and in connection with the settlement of the matter agreed to a fine, disgorgement, and a 10-day suspension from association with any FINRA member. The Board considered the AWC and determined that the subject matter of the AWC and Mr. Posner’s settlement with FINRA would not negatively impact his ability to serve as a Trustee.

 

Board Structure

 

Mr. Biderman is considered to be an Interested Trustee and serves as Chairman of the Board. The Chairman’s responsibilities include: setting an agenda for each meeting of the Board; presiding at all meetings of the Board and, if present, meetings of the Independent Trustees; and, serving as a liaison between the other Trustees, Trust officers, management personnel and counsel.

 

The Board believes that having an interested Chairman, who is familiar with TrimTabs and its operations, while also having two-thirds of the Board composed of Independent Trustees, strikes an appropriate balance that allows the Board to benefit from the insights and perspective of a representative of management while empowering the Independent Trustees with the ultimate decision-making authority. The Board has not appointed a lead Independent Trustee at this time. The Board does not believe that an independent Chairman or lead Independent Trustee would enhance the Board’s effectiveness, as the relatively small size of the Board allows for diverse viewpoints to be shared and for effective communications between and among Independent Trustees and management so that meetings proceed efficiently. Independent Trustees have effective control over the Board’s agenda because they form a majority of the Board and can request presentations and agenda topics at Board meetings.

 

The Board normally holds four regularly scheduled meetings each year, at least one of which is in person. The Board may hold special meetings, as needed, either in person or by telephone, to address matters arising between regular meetings. The Independent Trustees meet separately at each regularly scheduled in-person meeting of the Board; during a portion of each such separate meeting management is not present. The Independent Trustees may also hold special meetings, as needed, either in person or by telephone.

 

The Board will conduct a self-assessment on an annual basis, as part of which it considers whether the structure of the Board and its Committees is appropriate under the circumstances. Based on such self-assessment, among other things, the Board will consider whether its current structure is appropriate. As part of this self-assessment, the Board will consider several factors, including the number of Funds overseen by the Board, their investment objectives, and the responsibilities entrusted to TrimTabs and other service providers with respect to the oversight of the day-to-day operations of the Trust and the Funds.

 

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The Board sets broad policies for the Trust and may appoint Trust officers. The Board oversees the performance of TrimTabs and the Trust’s other service providers. As part of its oversight function, the Board monitors the Adviser’s risk management, including, as applicable, its management of investment, compliance and operational risks, through the receipt of periodic reports and presentations. The Board has not established a standing risk committee. Rather, the Board relies on Trust officers, advisory personnel and service providers to manage applicable risks and report exceptions to the Board in order to enable it to exercise its oversight responsibility. To this end, the Board receives reports from such parties at least quarterly, including, but not limited to, investment and/or performance reports, distribution reports, Rule 12b-1 reports, valuation and internal controls reports. Similarly, the Board receives quarterly reports from the Trust’s chief compliance officer (“CCO”), including, but not limited to, a report on the Trust’s compliance program, and the Independent Trustees have an opportunity to meet separately each quarter with the CCO. The CCO typically provides the Board with updates regarding the Trust’s compliance policies and procedures, including any enhancements to them. The Board expects all parties, including, but not limited to, the Adviser, other service providers and the CCO, to inform the Board on an intra-quarter basis if a material issue arises that requires the Board’s oversight.

 

The Board generally exercises its oversight as a whole, but has delegated certain oversight functions to an Audit Committee. The function of the Audit Committee is discussed in detail below.

 

Committees

 

The Board currently has two standing committees: an Audit Committee and a Nominating Committee. Each Independent Trustee serves on each of these committees.

 

The purposes of the Audit Committee are to: (1) oversee generally each Fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices, their internal controls and, as appropriate, the internal controls of certain service providers; (2) oversee the quality, integrity, and objectivity of each Fund’s financial statements and the independent audit thereof; (3) assist the full Board with its oversight of the Trust’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements that relate to each Fund’s accounting and financial reporting, internal controls and independent audits; (4) approve, prior to appointment, the engagement of the Trust’s independent auditors and, in connection therewith, to review and evaluate the qualifications, independence and performance of the Trust’s independent auditors; and (5) act as a liaison between the Trust’s independent auditors and the full Board.

 

The purposes of the Nominating Committee are, among other things, to: (1) identify and recommend for nomination candidates to serve as Trustees and/or on Board committees who are not “interested persons” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act (“Interested Person”) of the Trust and who meet any independence requirements of Exchange Rule 5.3(k)(1) or the applicable rule of any other exchange on which shares of the Trust are listed; (2) evaluate and make recommendations to the full Board regarding potential trustee candidates who are Interested Persons of the Trust; and (3) review periodically the workload and capabilities of the Trustees and, as the Committee deems appropriate, to make recommendations to the Board if such a review suggests that changes to the size or composition of the Board and/or its committees are warranted. The Committee will generally not consider potential candidates for nomination identified by shareholders.

 

Compensation of Trustees

 

The Independent Trustees were elected to the Board of the Trust effective October 22, 2014 and prior to that date had not received any compensation from the Funds. The Trust’s officers and any interested Trustees receive no compensation directly from the Trust.

 

The Independent Trustees determine the amount of compensation that they receive. In determining compensation for the Independent Trustees, the Independent Trustees take into account a variety of factors including, among other things, their collective significant work experience ( e.g ., in business and finance, government or academia). The Independent Trustees also recognize that these individuals’ advice and counsel are in demand by other organizations, that these individuals may reject other opportunities because of the time demands of their duties as Independent Trustees, and that they undertake significant legal responsibilities. The Independent Trustees also consider the compensation paid to independent board members of other registered investment company complexes of comparable size.

 

Independent Trustees are paid $4,000 per quarter for attendance at meetings of the Board. All Trustees are reimbursed for their travel expenses and other reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending Board meetings. The Trust does not accrue pension or retirement benefits as part of the Funds’ expenses, and Trustees are not entitled to benefits upon retirement from the Board.

 

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The Trust commenced operations in 2014 and has not had operations for a full year. The table shows the estimated compensation that is contemplated to be paid to Trustees for a full year by the Fund Complex:*

 

Independent Trustees Compensation Compensation Deferred

Total Compensation from the Fund

Complex Paid to Trustee

Stephen J. Posner $16,000 $0 $16,000
Theodore M. Theodore $16,000 $0 $16,000
Interested Trustee      
Charles Biderman** $0 $0 $0

* Trustee compensation is allocated across the series of the Fund Complex on the basis of assets under management.

** Mr. Biderman is an “interested person,” as defined by the Investment Company Act, because of his employment with and ownership interest in the Adviser.

 

Equity Ownership of Trustees. As of December 31, 2013, the Trustees did not own any of the outstanding Shares of the Funds as the Funds were not operational prior to that date.

 

As of December 31, 2013, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members beneficially owned any securities in any investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust, or in any person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust.

 

Codes of Ethics

 

The Board, on behalf of the Trust, has adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act. In addition, the Adviser and Foreside Financial Group, LLC, on behalf of the Distributor, each has adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1. These Codes of Ethics (each a “Code of Ethics” and together the “Codes of Ethics”) apply to the personal investing activities of trustees, directors, officers and certain employees (“access persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Codes of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by access persons. Under each Code of Ethics, access persons are permitted to engage in personal securities transactions, but are required to report their personal securities transactions for monitoring purposes. In addition, certain access persons are required to obtain approval before investing in private placements and are prohibited from investing in IPOs. Copies of the Codes of Ethics are on file with the SEC, and are available to the public.

 

Proxy Voting

 

The Board has delegated to the Adviser the responsibility to vote proxies related to the securities held in the Funds’ portfolios. Under this authority, the Adviser is required by the Board to vote proxies related to portfolio securities in the best interests of each Fund and its shareholders. The Adviser will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures, which are included in Appendix A to this SAI. The Board will periodically review each Fund’s proxy voting record.

 

The Trust will annually disclose its complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX. The Trust’s most recent Form N-PX will be available without charge, upon request, by calling 855-ETF-INFO (383-4636). The Trust’s Form N-PX will also be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

 

Prior to the commencement of investment operations and the public launch of the Funds, the Adviser owned all of the initial Shares issued by the Funds. No other person owns of record or is known by the Funds to own beneficially 5% or more of the Funds’ outstanding equity securities.

 

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INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

 

Investment Advisory Agreement

 

TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC is the Adviser to the Funds. Under an investment advisory agreement between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of each Fund (“Management Agreement”), each Fund pays the Adviser a fee at an annualized rate, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, based on its average daily net assets, set forth in the table below:

 

Fund Advisory Fee
TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF (FCFD) 0.69%
TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF (FCFI) 0.69%

 

The Adviser manages the investment and the reinvestment of the assets of each of the Funds, in accordance with the investment objectives, policies, and limitations of the Funds, subject to the general supervision and control of the Board. The Adviser is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and is a limited liability corporation organized under the laws of Delaware. The address of the Adviser is 3 Harbor Way, Suite 112, Sausalito, California 94965. Charles Biderman holds a controlling interest in the Adviser. The Adviser was founded in 2005 and provides investment advisory services to registered investment companies. As of September 30, 2014, the Adviser managed approximately $137 million.

 

The Adviser bears all of its own costs associated with providing these advisory services and all expenses of the Funds, except for the fee payment under the Management Agreement, payments under each Fund’s 12b-1 plan, brokerage expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest (including borrowing costs and dividend expenses on securities sold short), litigation expense and other extraordinary expenses.

 

The Management Agreement provides that the Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Management Agreement relates, but will be liable to the Trust and its shareholders only for willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard of its obligations or duties thereunder.

 

The Management Agreement also provides that the Adviser may engage in other businesses, devote time and attention to any other business whether of a similar or dissimilar nature, and render investment advisory services to others.

 

The Management Agreement with respect to a Fund will remain in effect for two (2) years from its effective date and thereafter continue in effect for as long as its continuance is specifically approved at least annually, by (1) the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the shareholders of a Fund, and (2) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Management Agreement or Interested Persons of any person thereto, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Management Agreement for a Fund provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board of Trustees or, with respect to a Fund, by a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser, and by the Adviser upon 60 days’ written notice and that it shall be automatically terminated if it is assigned.

 

Custodian, Transfer Agent and Fund Accounting Agent

 

The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNY”), located at 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286, serves as the Custodian for each Fund pursuant to a custodian agreement (the “Custodian Agreement”). As Custodian, BNY holds each Fund’s assets, calculates the NAV of the Shares and calculates net income and realized capital gains or losses. BNY also serves as transfer agent for each Fund pursuant to a transfer agency agreement (the “Transfer Agency Agreement”). Further, BNY serves as Fund accounting agent pursuant to a fund administration and accounting agreement (the “Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement”). As compensation for these services, BNY receives certain out-of-pocket costs, transaction fees and asset-based fees which are accrued daily and paid monthly by the Adviser from its fees.

 

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Administrator

 

BNY serves as the Administrator for each Fund pursuant to the Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement with the Trust. Its principal address is 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286. Under the Agreement, BNY is obligated, on a continuous basis, to provide such administrative services as the Board reasonably deems necessary for the proper administration of the Trust and the Fund. BNY generally will assist in many aspects of the Trust's and each Fund's operations, including accounting, bookkeeping and record keeping services (including, without limitation, the maintenance of such books and records as are required under the Investment Company Act and the rules thereunder, except as maintained by other agents), assisting in preparing reports to shareholders or investors, assisting in the preparation and filing of tax returns, supplying financial information and supporting data for reports to and filings with the SEC, and supplying supporting documentation for meetings of the Board. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Trust has agreed to indemnify the Administrator for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws, unless such loss or liability results from gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties. As compensation for these services, the Administrator receives certain out-of-pocket costs, transaction fees and asset-based fees which are accrued daily and paid monthly by the Adviser from its fees.

 

Index Provider

 

TrimTabs Index Services, LLC (“Index Provider”) is the index provider for the Funds. The Index Provider was formed as a Delaware limited liability company on April 2, 2014, and is in the business of developing and maintaining financial indexes, including each Underlying Index. The Index Provider is affiliated with the Adviser because it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Adviser. The Index Provider has entered into an index licensing agreement (“Licensing Agreement”) with the Adviser to allow the Adviser’s use of the Underlying Indexes for the operation of the Funds. The Adviser may pay licensing fees to the Index Provider from the Adviser’s management fees or other resources. The Adviser has, in turn, entered into a sub-licensing agreement (“Sub-Licensing Agreement”) with the Trust to allow the Funds to utilize each Underlying Index. The Funds do not pay fees to the Index Provider or to the Adviser under the Sub-Licensing Agreement.

 

The Index Provider uses a proprietary rules-based methodology to construct and maintain the Underlying Index for each Fund. The Underlying Index for the TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF is comprised of the top 10% of eligible companies in the Index Universe with the highest free cash flow yield, as determined by the Index Provider, and the Underlying Index for the TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF is comprised of the top 20% of eligible companies in the Index Universe with the highest free cash flow yield, as determined by the Index Provider. Each Underlying Index defines free cash flow to mean the cash that a company is able to generate after spending the money required to maintain or expand its operations and free cash flow yield as the ratio of a company’s free cash flow to its market capitalization.  The Index Universe of the TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF is the Russell 3000 Index, which measures the performance of the largest 3,000 U.S. companies and REITs. The Index Universe of the TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF is comprised of the following ten single-country broad-market indexes:

 

Country Country Sub-Index
Australia S&P/ASX 100 Index
Canada S&P/TSX Composite Index
Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China Hong Kong Hang Seng Index
France MSCI France Index
Germany Deutsche Boerse AG German Stock Index
Japan Nikkei 225 Index
Korea Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 Index
Netherlands AEX Index
Switzerland Swiss Market Index
United Kingdom FTSE 100 Index

 

- 28 -
 

 

Pursuant to the Underlying Index methodology, only issuers with market capitalizations of at least $500 million are included in the Index Universe. Closed-end funds, mutual funds, bonds, and private companies are not eligible for inclusion in either Underlying Index.  Each Underlying Index will be weighted based only on publicly available data and will include screens to seek to ensure its liquidity and investability.  Screens exclude as components any foreign issuers whose securities are highly restricted or illegal for U.S. persons to own, including due to the imposition of sanctions by the U.S. Government. Each Underlying Index is rebalanced and reconstituted quarterly.  New securities are added to an Underlying Index only during reconstitutions and rebalancings.  In response to market conditions, security weightings may fluctuate between Underlying Index reconstitutions and rebalancings.

 

The Index Provider has retained, Solactive, AG (formerly known as Structured Solutions, AG), an unaffiliated third party to calculate each Underlying Index (the “Calculation Agent”). The Calculation Agent, using the applicable Underlying Index’s rules-based methodology, will calculate, maintain and disseminate each Underlying Index on a daily basis. Changes to the constituents of an Underlying Index made by the Index Provider or the Calculation Agent will be disclosed by the Index Provider on the Funds’ website at www.trimtabsetfs.com .

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

 

The following table provides information about the portfolio manager who has day-to-day responsibility for management of the Funds. The reporting information is provided as of September 30, 2014:

 

Portfolio

Manager

Registered Investment

Companies

Other Pooled

Investment Vehicles

Other Accounts

Performance Fee

Accounts

Number of

Accounts

Total

Assets

(in

millions)

Number

of

Accounts

Total

Assets

(in

millions)

Number

of

Accounts

Total

Assets

(in

millions)

Number

of

Accounts

Total

Assets

(in

millions)

Minyi Chen 1 $137 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0

 

Potential Conflicts of Interest

 

The portfolio manager’s management of “other accounts” may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with his management of the Funds’ investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other.  The other accounts may have the same investment objective as the Funds.  Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the identical investment objectives, whereby the portfolio manager could favor one account over another.  Another potential conflict could include the portfolio manager’s knowledge about the size, timing and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby the portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Funds. 

 

The potential conflicts arising with respect to the portfolio manager’s management of the Funds and of “other accounts” is limited because the Funds seek to track the performance (before fees and expenses) of their Underlying Indexes.  As such, the Funds are not actively managed and the potential for the portfolio manager to favor one account over another in instances of limited investment opportunities is minimized.

 

Further, the Adviser has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts it manages are fairly and equitably allocated.  There can be no assurance that these policies and procedures will be effective, however.

 

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Compensation

 

The portfolio manager owns an equity interest in the Adviser and his compensation is determined by the advisory fee revenue generated by the firm’s assets under management.  Thus, portfolio manager compensation is aligned with the interests of the Adviser’s clients, including the Funds and their investors.  The portfolio manager may also earn a bonus each year based on the profitability of the Adviser.

 

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

 

Brokerage Transactions

 

Portfolio changes will generally be implemented through in-kind transactions for Creation Units; however, the Adviser may execute brokerage transactions for a Fund and a Fund may incur brokerage commissions, particularly during the early stages of the Funds’ development or in the case of transactions involving realized losses. Also, a Fund may accept cash as part or all of an In-Kind Creation or Redemption Basket, in which case the Adviser may need to execute brokerage transactions for a Fund. Generally, equity securities, including securities of underlying ETFs, are bought and sold through brokerage transactions for which commissions are payable. Purchases from underwriters will include the underwriting commission or concession, and purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include a dealer’s mark-up or reflect a dealer’s mark-down. Money market securities and other debt securities are usually bought and sold directly from the issuer or an underwriter or market maker for the securities. Generally, the Funds will not pay brokerage commissions for such purchases. When a debt security is bought from an underwriter, the purchase price will usually include an underwriting commission or concession. The purchase price for securities bought from dealers serving as market makers will similarly include the dealer’s mark-up or reflect a dealer’s mark-down. When a Fund executes transactions in the over-the-counter market, it will generally deal with primary market makers unless prices that are more favorable are otherwise obtainable.

 

In addition, the Adviser may place a combined order, often referred to as “bunching,” for two or more accounts it manages, including the Funds, engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security or other instrument if, in its judgment, joint execution is in the best interest of each participant and will result in best price and execution. Transactions involving commingled orders are allocated in a manner deemed equitable to each account or Fund. Although it is recognized that, in some cases, the joint execution of orders could adversely affect the price or volume of the security that a particular account or a Fund may obtain, it is the opinion of the Adviser and the Board that the advantages of combined orders outweigh the possible disadvantages of separate transactions. In addition, in some instances a Fund effecting the larger portion of a combined order may not benefit to the same extent as participants effecting smaller portions of the combined order. Nonetheless, the Adviser believes that the ability of a Fund to participate in higher volume transactions will generally be beneficial to the Fund.

 

Because the Funds are newly organized, they have not incurred brokerage commissions as of the date of this SAI.

 

Brokerage Selection

 

The Trust does not expect to use one particular broker-dealer to effect the Trust’s portfolio transactions. When one or more broker-dealers is believed capable of providing the best combination of price and execution, the Adviser may not select a broker-dealer based on the lowest commission rate available for a particular transaction. In such cases, the Adviser may pay a higher commission than otherwise obtainable from other brokers in return for brokerage or research services provided to the Adviser consistent with Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, which provides that the Adviser may cause a Fund to pay a broker-dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker-dealer would have charged as long as the Adviser makes a good faith determination that the amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by the broker-dealer. To the extent the Adviser obtains brokerage and research services that it otherwise would acquire at its own expense, the Adviser may have an incentive to place a greater volume of transactions or pay higher commissions than would otherwise be the case.

 

The Adviser will only obtain brokerage and research services from broker-dealers in arrangements that are consistent with Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act. The types of products and services that the Adviser may obtain from broker-dealers through such arrangements will include research reports and other information on the economy, industries, sectors, groups of securities, individual companies, statistical information, political developments, technical market action, pricing and appraisal services, credit analysis, risk measurement analysis, performance and other analysis. The Adviser may use products and services provided by brokers in servicing all of its client accounts and not all such products and services may necessarily be used in connection with the account that paid commissions to the broker-dealer providing such products and services. Any advisory or other fees paid to the Adviser are not reduced as a result of the receipt of brokerage and research services.

 

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In some cases the Adviser may receive a product or service from a broker that has both a “research” and a “non-research” use. When this occurs, the Adviser will make a good faith allocation between the research and non-research uses of the product or service. The percentage of the service that is used for research purposes may be paid for with brokerage commissions, while the Adviser will use its own funds to pay for the percentage of the service that is used for non-research purposes. In making this good faith allocation, the Adviser faces a potential conflict of interest, but the Adviser believes that its allocation procedures are reasonably designed to appropriately allocate the anticipated use of such products and services to research and non-research uses.

 

Because the Funds are newly organized, they have not directed any transactions to brokers-dealers pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whereby the broker-dealer provides research or other brokerage services to the Adviser, as of the date of this SAI.

 

Brokerage with Fund Affiliates

 

Although not expected, the Funds may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Funds, the Adviser, or the Distributor for a commission in conformity with the Investment Company Act, the 1934 Act and rules promulgated by the SEC. Under the Investment Company Act and the 1934 Act, affiliated broker-dealers are permitted to receive and retain compensation for effecting portfolio transactions for a Fund on an exchange if a written contract is in effect between the affiliate and the Fund expressly permitting the affiliate to receive and retain such compensation. These rules further require that commissions paid to the affiliate by a Fund for exchange transactions not exceed usual and customary” brokerage commissions. The rules define “usual and customary” commissions to include amounts that are “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received or to be received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time.” The Board, including those who are not “interested persons” of the Funds, has adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and reviews these procedures periodically.

 

Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers”

 

The Funds are required to identify any securities of their “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act) that the Funds may hold at the close of their most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers and 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. Because the Funds are newly organized, they have not completed a fiscal year and therefore have not held any securities of their “regular brokers and dealers.”

 

THE DISTRIBUTOR

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”), a Delaware limited liability company, serves as the distributor of Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis. The Trust has entered into a Distribution Agreement, (“Distribution Agreement”), under which the Distributor, as agent, receives orders from Authorized Participants to create and redeem shares in Creation Unit aggregations and transmits such orders to the Trust’s Custodian and Transfer Agent. The Distributor’s principal address is 3 Canal Plaza, Portland, Maine 04101. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act, and a member of FINRA. Shares will be continuously offered for sale on a best efforts basis by the Trust through the Distributor only in whole Creation Units, as described in the section of this SAI entitled “Transactions in Creation Units.” The Distributor also acts as an agent for the Trust for those activities described within the Distribution Agreement. The Distributor will deliver a prospectus to Authorized Participants purchasing Shares in Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it to Authorized Participants. The Distributor and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies of the Fund or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund. No compensation is payable by the Trust to the Distributor for such distribution services. However, the Adviser has entered into an agreement with the Distributor under which it makes payments to the Distributor in consideration for its services under the Distribution Agreement. The payments made by the Adviser to the Distributor do not represent an additional expense to the Trust or its shareholders.

 

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Distribution Plan

 

The Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of its shares. No payments pursuant to the Plan will be made during the initial twelve (12) months of operation. Continuance of the Plan must be approved annually by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and by a majority of the independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan or in any agreements related to the Plan (“Qualified Trustees”). The Plan requires that quarterly written reports of amounts spent under the Plan and the purposes of such expenditures be furnished to and reviewed by the Trustees. The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount that may be spent thereunder without approval by a majority of the outstanding shares of any class of the Fund that is affected by such increase. All material amendments of the Plan will require approval by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and of the Qualified Trustees.

 

The Plan provides that Shares of the Fund pay the Distributor an annual fee of up to a maximum of 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Shares. Under the Plan, the Distributor may make payments pursuant to written agreements to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations and insurance companies including, without limit, investment counselors, broker-dealers and the Distributor’s affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively, “Agents”) as compensation for services and reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance. The Plan is characterized as a compensation plan since the distribution fee will be paid to the Distributor without regard to the distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor or the amount of payments made to other financial institutions and intermediaries. The Distributor does not retain 12b-1 fees for profit, but instead keeps any excess (if applicable) in retention for future distribution related expenses. The Adviser pays the Distributor a fee for certain distribution related services. The Trust intends to operate the Plan in accordance with its terms and with FINRA rules concerning sales charges.

 

Under the Plan, subject to the limitations of applicable law and regulations, the Fund is authorized to compensate the Distributor up to the maximum amount to finance any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units of the Fund or for providing or arranging for others to provide shareholder services and for the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Such activities may include, but are not limited to: (i) delivering copies of the Fund’s then-current reports, prospectuses, notices, and similar materials, to prospective purchasers of Creation Units; (ii) marketing and promotional services, including advertising; (iii) paying the costs of and compensating others, including Authorized Participants with whom the Distributor has entered into written Authorized Participant Agreements, for performing shareholder servicing on behalf of the Fund; (iv) compensating certain Authorized Participants for providing assistance in distributing the Creation Units of the Fund, including the travel and communication expenses and salaries and/or commissions of sales personnel in connection with the distribution of the Creation Units of the Fund; (v) payments to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies and investment counselors, broker-dealers, mutual fund supermarkets and the affiliates and subsidiaries of the Trust’s service providers as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance; (vi) facilitating communications with beneficial owners of Shares, including the cost of providing (or paying others to provide) services to beneficial owners of shares, including, but not limited to, assistance in answering inquiries related to shareholder accounts, and (vi) such other services and obligations as are set forth in the Distribution Agreement.

 

Payments to Financial Intermediaries

 

The Funds and their affiliates (at their own expense) may pay compensation to financial intermediaries for shareholder-related services and, if applicable, distribution-related services, including administrative, recordkeeping and shareholder communication services. For example, compensation may be paid to make Fund shares available to sales representatives and/or customers of a fund supermarket platform or a similar program sponsor or for services provided in connection with such fund supermarket platforms and programs.

 

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The amount of compensation paid to different financial intermediaries may vary. The compensation paid to a financial intermediary may be based on a variety of factors, including average assets under management in accounts distributed and/or serviced by the financial intermediary, gross sales by the financial intermediary and/or the number of accounts serviced by the financial intermediary that invest in the Funds. To the extent that a Fund pays all or a portion of such compensation, the payment is designed to compensate the financial intermediary for providing services that would otherwise be provided by the Fund’s transfer agent and/or administrator.

 

The Adviser or another affiliate of the Funds, out of its own resources, may provide additional compensation to financial intermediaries. Such compensation is sometimes referred to as “revenue sharing.” Compensation received by a financial intermediary from the Adviser or another affiliate of the Funds may include payments for shareholder servicing, marketing and/or training expenses incurred by the financial intermediary, including expenses incurred by the financial intermediary in educating its salespersons with respect to Fund shares. For example, such compensation may include reimbursements for expenses incurred in attending educational seminars regarding the Funds, including travel and lodging expenses. It may also cover costs incurred by financial intermediaries in connection with their efforts to sell Fund shares, including costs incurred in compensating registered sales representatives and preparing, printing and distributing sales literature.

 

Any compensation received by a financial intermediary, whether from the Funds or their affiliates, and the prospect of receiving such compensation, may provide the financial intermediary with an incentive to recommend the shares of the Funds over other potential investments. Similarly, the compensation may cause financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Funds within its organization by, for example, placing it on a list of preferred funds.

 

ACCOUNTING AND LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

Deloitte & Touche LLP, located at Suite 1200, 695 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, serves as the independent auditor to the Funds.

 

Legal Counsel

 

K&L Gates LLP, located at 1601 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006, serves as legal counsel to the Funds.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING SHARES

 

Organization and Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest

 

The Trust is a Delaware statutory trust and registered open-end investment company. The Trust was organized on April 2, 2014 and has authorized capital of unlimited Shares of beneficial interest of no par value that may be issued in more than one class or series. Currently, the Trust consists of two series that are passively managed and seek investment results that track the performance (before fees and expenses) of their respective Underlying Indexes, the TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF and the TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF.

 

Under Delaware law, the Trust is not required to hold an annual shareholders meeting if the Investment Company Act does not require such a meeting. Generally, there will not be annual meetings of Trust shareholders, but if requested in writing by shareholders of at least 25% of the outstanding Shares of a Fund, the Trust will call a meeting of shareholders of the relevant Fund. Shareholders holding two-thirds of Shares outstanding of the relevant Fund may remove Trustees from office by votes cast at a meeting of Trust shareholders or by written consent.

 

All Shares are freely transferable. Shares will not have preemptive rights or cumulative voting rights, and none of the Shares will have any preference to conversion, exchange, dividends, retirements, liquidation, redemption, or any other feature. Shares have equal voting rights. The Trust Instrument confers upon the Board the power, by resolution, to alter the number of Shares constituting a Creation Unit or to specify that Shares of a Fund may be individually redeemable. The Trust reserves the right to adjust the stock prices of Shares to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any such adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits that would have no effect on the value of an investor’s investment in the Fund.

 

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The Trust Instrument of the Trust disclaims liability of the shareholders or the officers of the Trust for acts or obligations of the Trust that are binding only on the assets and property of the Trust. The Trust Instrument provides for indemnification out of a Fund’s property for all loss and expense of the Fund’s shareholders being held personally liable solely by reason of his or her being or having been a shareholder and not because of his or her acts or omissions or for some other reason. The risk of a Trust shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which a Fund itself would not be able to meet the Trust’s obligations and this risk should be considered remote.

 

If a Fund does not grow to a size to permit it to be economically viable, the Fund may cease operations. In such an event, shareholders may be required to liquidate or transfer their Shares at an inopportune time and shareholders may lose money on their investment.

 

Book Entry Only System

 

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Book Entry.”

 

DTC acts as Securities Depository for Shares. Shares of the Funds are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC.

 

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 NYSE and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).

 

Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase and sale 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 a Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust 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 shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

 

Fund 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 immediately credit DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in Shares of a Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

 

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The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in 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.

 

DTC may decide 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 to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.

 

TRANSACTIONS IN CREATION UNITS

 

Each Fund sells and redeems Shares in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form on any Business Day. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. No Fund will issue fractional Creation Units. Shares of the Funds will only be issued against full payment, as further described in the Prospectus and this SAI.

 

A Creation Unit is an aggregation of 50,000 Shares.  The Board may declare a split or a consolidation in the number of Shares outstanding of a Fund or Trust, and make a corresponding change in the number of Shares in a Creation Unit.

 

To purchase or redeem any Creation Units from a Fund, you must be, or transact through, an Authorized Participant. In order to be an Authorized Participant, you must be either a broker-dealer or other participant (“Participating Party”) in the Continuous Net Settlement System (“Clearing Process”) of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or a participant in DTC with access to the DTC system (“DTC Participant”), and you must execute an agreement (“Participant Agreement”) with the Distributor that governs transactions in the Fund’s Creation Units.

 

Transactions by an Authorized Participant that is a Participating Party using the NSCC system are referred to as transactions “through the Clearing Process.” Transactions by an Authorized Participant that is a DTC Participant using the DTC system are referred to as transactions “outside the Clearing Process.”

 

Investors who are not Authorized Participants but want to transact in Creation Units may contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants. An Authorized Participant may require investors to enter into a separate agreement to transact through it for Creation Units and may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in a particular form. Investors should be aware that their broker may not be an Authorized Participant and, therefore, may need to place any order to purchase or redeem Creation Units through another broker or person that is an Authorized Participant, which may result in additional charges. There are expected to be a limited number of Authorized Participants at any one time.

 

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. Market disruptions and telephone or other communication failures may impede the transmission of orders.

 

Purchasing Creation Units

 

Fund Deposit .   The consideration for a Creation Unit of a Fund is the Fund Deposit. The Fund Deposit will consist of the In-Kind Creation Basket and Cash Component, or an all cash payment (“Cash Value”), as determined by the Adviser to be in the best interest of the Fund. Because any short positions in the Fund’s portfolio cannot be transferred in-kind, they will be represented by cash in the Cash Component and not in the In-Kind Creation Basket.

 

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The Cash Component will typically include a “Balancing Amount” reflecting the difference, if any, between the NAV of a Creation Unit and the market value of the securities in the In-Kind Creation Basket. If the NAV per Creation Unit exceeds the market value of the securities in the In-Kind Creation Basket, the purchaser pays the Balancing Amount to a Fund. By contrast, if the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the market value of the securities in the In-Kind Creation Basket, a Fund pays the Balancing Amount to the purchaser. The Balancing Amount ensures that the consideration paid by an investor for a Creation Unit is exactly equal to the value of the Creation Unit.

 

The Transfer Agent, in a portfolio composition file sent via the NSCC, generally makes available on each Business Day, immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time), a list of the names and the required number of shares of each security in the In-Kind Creation Basket to be included in the current Fund Deposit for each Fund (based on information about the Fund’s portfolio at the end of the previous Business Day) (subject to amendment or correction). If applicable, the Transfer Agent, through the NSCC, also makes available on each Business Day, the estimated Cash Component or Cash Value, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per Creation Unit.

 

The announced Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, for purchases of Creation Units of the Funds until such time as the next-announced Fund Deposit is made available. From day to day, the composition of the In-Kind Creation Basket may change as, among other things, corporate actions and investment decisions by the Adviser are implemented for a Fund’s portfolio. All questions as to the composition of the In-Kind Creation Basket and the validity, form, eligibility, and acceptance for deposit of any securities shall be determined by a Fund, and the Fund’s determination shall be final and binding. Each Fund reserves the right to accept a nonconforming ( i.e ., custom) Fund Deposit.

 

Payment of any stamp duty or the like shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing a Creation Unit. The Authorized Participant must ensure that all Deposit Securities properly denote change in beneficial ownership.

 

Cash in lieu. A Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (“cash in lieu”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any security in the In-Kind Creation Basket. A Fund may permit or require cash in lieu:

 

(a) in the case of bonds, for minor differences when it is impossible to break up bonds beyond certain minimum sizes needed for transfer and settlement;

 

(b) for minor differences when rounding is necessary to eliminate fractional shares or lots that are not tradeable round lots;

 

(c) TBA Transactions, short position and other positions that cannot be transferred in kind will be excluded from the Fund Deposit instruments;

 

(d) to the extent the Fund determines, on a given Business Day, to use a representative sampling of the Fund's portfolio; or

 

(e) for temporary periods, to effect changes in the Fund's portfolio as a result of the rebalancing of its Underlying Index.

 

In addition, purchases of Creation Units may be made in whole or in part on a cash basis, rather than in kind, under the following circumstances:

 

(a) to the extent there is a Balancing Amount;

 

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(b) if, on a given Business Day, the Fund announces before the open of trading that all purchases or all purchases and redemptions on that day will be made entirely in cash;

 

(c) if, upon receiving a purchase order from an Authorized Participant, the Fund determines to require the purchase to be made entirely in cash;

 

(d) if, on a given Business Day, the Fund requires all Authorized Participants purchasing Shares on that day to deposit cash in lieu of some or all of the Fund Deposit instruments solely because:

 

(i) such instruments are not eligible for transfer either through the NSCC or DTC; or

 

(ii) in the case of the TrimTabs Intl Foreign-Cash-Flow ETF’s foreign holdings, such instruments are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar circumstances;

 

(e) if the Fund permits an Authorized Participant to deposit cash in lieu of some or all of the Fund Deposit instruments because such instruments are not available in sufficient quantity; or

 

(f) if the Fund permits a “custom” order, which is an order in which an Authorized Participant is permitted to deposit cash in lieu of some or all of the Fund Deposit instruments because such instruments are not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting.

 

Each Fund will comply with the federal securities laws in accepting securities in the In-Kind Creation Basket, including the securities in the In-Kind Creation Basket that are sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. All orders involving cash in lieu are considered to be “custom orders.”

 

Order Cut-Off Time .   For an order involving a Creation Unit to be effectuated at a Fund’s NAV on a particular day, it must be received by the Distributor by or before the deadline for such order (“Order Cut-Off Time”). The Order Cut-Off Time for creation and redemption orders for the Funds is generally expected to be 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for In-Kind Creation and Redemption Baskets, and 3:00 p.m. Eastern time for Cash Value transactions. Accordingly, In-Kind Creation and Redemption Baskets are expected to be accepted until the close of regular trading on the Exchange on each Business Day, which is usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. On days when the Exchange or bond markets close earlier than normal (such as the day before a holiday), the Order Cut-Off Time is expected to track the Exchange closing and be similarly earlier than normal.

 

Custom orders typically clear outside the Clearing Process and, therefore, like other orders outside the Clearing Process, may need to be transmitted early on the relevant Business Day to be effectuated at that day’s NAV. A custom order may be placed when, for example, an Authorized Participant cannot transact in a security in the In-Kind Creation or Redemption Basket and additional cash is included in a Fund Deposit or Fund Redemption in lieu of such security. Custom orders may be required to be received by the Distributor by 3:00 p.m. Eastern time to be effectuated based on a Fund’s NAV on that Business Day.

 

In all cases, cash and securities should be transferred to a Fund by the “Settlement Date,” which is generally the Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date for cash and the third Business Day following the Transmittal Date for securities. Persons placing custom orders or orders involving Cash Value should be aware of time deadlines imposed by intermediaries, such as DTC and/or the Federal Reserve Bank wire system, which may delay the delivery of cash and securities by the Settlement Date.

 

Placement of Creation Orders . All purchase orders must be placed by or through an Authorized Participant. To order a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable purchase order to the Distributor through the Transfer Agent. In-kind (portions of) purchase orders will be processed through the Clearing Process when it is available. The Clearing Process is an enhanced clearing process that is available only for certain securities and only to DTC Participants that are also participants in the Clearing Process of the NSCC. In-kind (portions of) purchase orders not subject to the Clearing Process will go through a manual clearing process run by DTC. Fund Deposits that include government securities must be delivered through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system (“Federal Reserve System”). Fund Deposits that include cash may be delivered through the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System. Certain orders for the Funds may be made outside the Clearing Process. In-kind deposits of securities for such orders must be delivered through the Federal Reserve System (for government securities) or through DTC (for corporate securities).

 

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Orders Using Clearing Process . In connection with creation orders made through the Clearing Process, the Transfer Agent transmits, on behalf of the Authorized Participant, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the creation order. Pursuant to such trade instructions, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the requisite Fund Deposit to the Trust, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. An order to create Creation Units through the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Business Day the order is placed (“Transmittal Date”) if (i) such order is received by the Distributor by the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Cash Components will be delivered using either the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System, as described below.

 

Orders Outside Clearing Process . Fund Deposits made outside the Clearing Process must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Units will instead be effected through a transfer of securities and cash directly through DTC. With respect to such orders, the Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the DTC Participant on the Transmittal Date in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of securities in the In-Kind Creation Basket (whether standard or custom) through DTC to the relevant Trust account by 11:00 a.m., Eastern time, (the “DTC Cut-Off Time”) on the Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date. The amount of cash equal to the Cash Component, along with any cash in lieu and Transaction Fee, 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 12:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date. The delivery of corporate securities through DTC must occur by 3:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date. The delivery of government securities through the Federal Reserve System must occur by 3:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date. 

 

An order to create Creation Units outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor by the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. If the Custodian does not receive both the required In-Kind Creation Basket by the DTC Cut-Off Time and the Cash Component by the appointed time, such order may be canceled. Upon written notice to the Distributor through the Transfer Agent, a canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then-current In-Kind Creation Basket and Cash Component. Except as provided in Appendix C, the delivery of Creation Units so created will occur no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the order is deemed received by the Distributor. Authorized Participants that submit a canceled order will be liable to a Fund for any losses resulting therefrom.

 

Orders involving foreign securities are expected to be settled outside the Clearing Process. Thus, upon receipt of an irrevocable purchase order, the Transfer Agent will notify the Distributor, Adviser, and the Custodian of such order. The Custodian, who will have caused the appropriate local sub-custodian(s) of a Fund to maintain an account into which an Authorized Participant may deliver the Fund Deposit (or cash in lieu), with adjustments determined by a Fund, will then provide information of the order to such local sub-custodian(s). The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the Settlement, by means satisfactory to a Fund, immediately available or same day funds in U.S. dollars estimated by the Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component and Transaction Fee.

 

While, as stated above, Creation Units are generally delivered no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the order is deemed received by the Distributor, as discussed in Appendix C, the TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF may settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than the one described above in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances.

 

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Acceptance of Orders for Creation Units .  The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject a creation order transmitted to it by the Transfer Agent in respect of a Fund, including if: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of a Fund; (iii) the securities delivered do not conform to the In-Kind Creation Basket for the relevant date; (iv) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would have adverse tax consequences to a Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust, a Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Trust, a Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (vii) in the event that circumstances that are outside the control of the Trust, Custodian, Distributor and Adviser make it practically impossible to process creation orders. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God; public service or utility problems resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; fires, floods or extreme weather conditions; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Adviser, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, the Custodian or sub-custodian or any other participant in the creation process; and similar extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify an Authorized Participant of its rejection of the order. A Fund, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits, and they shall not incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

 

Issuance of a Creation Unit . Once a Fund has accepted a creation order, upon next determination of a Fund’s NAV, a Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such NAV. The Transfer Agent will transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.

 

Except as provided below, a Creation Unit will not be issued until a Fund obtains good title to the In-Kind Creation Basket securities and the Cash Component, along with any cash in lieu and Transaction Fee. Except as provided in Appendix C, the delivery of Creation Units will generally occur no later than the third Business Day following the Transmittal Date for securities.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

 

With respect to orders involving foreign securities, when the applicable local sub-custodian(s) has confirmed to the Custodian that the In-Kind Creation Basket (or cash in lieu) has been delivered to a Fund’s account at the applicable sub-custodian(s), the Distributor and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Fund will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit.

 

Creation Units may be created in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable In-Kind Creation Basket, provided the purchaser tenders an initial deposit consisting of any available securities in the In-Kind Creation Basket and cash equal to the sum of the Cash Component and at least 115% of the market value, as adjusted from time to time by the Adviser, of the In-Kind Creation Basket securities not delivered (“Additional Cash Deposit”). Such initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of the Creation Unit on the date the order is placed. The order shall be deemed to be received on the Transmittal Date provided that it is placed in proper form prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on such date, and federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited with the Custodian by the DTC Cut-Off Time the following Business Day. If the order is not placed in proper form by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received by the DTC Cut-Off Time the next Business Day, then the order will be canceled or deemed unreceived and the Authorized Participant effectuating such transaction will be liable to a Fund for any losses resulting therefrom.

 

To the extent securities in the In-Kind Creation Basket remain undelivered, pending delivery of such securities additional cash will be required to be deposited with the Trust as necessary to maintain an Additional Cash Deposit equal to at least  115% (as adjusted by the Adviser) of the daily marked-to-market value of the missing securities. To the extent that either such securities are still not received by 1:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor or a marked-to-market payment is not made within one Business Day following notification to the purchaser and/or Authorized Participant that such a payment is required, the Trust may use the cash on deposit to purchase the missing securities, and the Authorized Participant effectuating such transaction will be liable to a Fund for any costs incurred therein or losses resulting therefrom, including any Transaction Fee, any amount by which the actual purchase price of the missing securities exceeds the Additional Cash Deposit or the market value of such securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor, as well as brokerage and related transaction costs. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing securities have been received by the Trust. The delivery of Creation Units so created will occur no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor.

 

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Transaction Fees

 

To compensate the Trust for costs incurred in connection with creation and redemption transactions, investors will be required to pay to the Trust a Transaction Fee as follows:

 

Fund   Standard Transaction Fee   Variable Charge    
TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF   $1,000 * None    
TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF   $4,000 * None    
                   

 

*  The Transaction Fee may be higher for transactions outside the Clearing Process.

 

The Standard Transaction Fee applies to in-kind purchases of the Fund effected through the Clearing Process on any Business Day, regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased or redeemed that day (assuming, in the case of multiple orders on the same day, that the orders are received at or near the same time). A Transaction Fee of up to four times the standard fee may apply to creation and redemption transactions that occur outside the Clearing Process. As shown in the table above, certain Fund Deposits consisting of a Cash Value will be subject to a variable charge of up to 2% including the standard Transaction Fee. With cash received from the variable charge, the Adviser will purchase the necessary securities for the Fund’s portfolio and return any unused portion thereof to the investor. The Transaction Fee for redemptions of Creation Units will not exceed 2% of the value of the Creation Unit(s) redeemed.

 

The Adviser, subject to the approval of the Board, may adjust the Transaction Fee from time to time. The Standard Creation/Redemption Transaction Fee is based, in part, on the number of holdings in a Fund’s portfolio and may be adjusted on a quarterly basis if the number of holdings increase. Investors will also be responsible for the costs associated with transferring the securities in the In-Kind Creation (and Redemption) Baskets to (and from) the account of the Trust. Further, investors who, directly or indirectly, use the services of a broker or other intermediary to compose a Creation Unit in addition to an Authorized Participant to effect a transaction in Creation Units may be charged an additional fee for such services.

 

Cash Purchase Method . When cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases. In the case of a cash purchase, the investor must pay the cash equivalent of the Fund Deposit. In addition, cash purchases may be subject to Transaction Fees.

 

Redeeming Creation Units

 

Fund Redemptions .  Fund Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by a Fund and the Distributor through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. The redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of the In-Kind Redemption Basket and a Cash Redemption Amount, or an all cash payment (“Cash Value”), in all instances equal to the value of a Creation Unit. Because short positions cannot be transferred in kind, however, any short positions in a Fund’s portfolio will be represented by cash in the Cash Redemption Amount and not in the In-Kind Redemption Basket.

 

There can be no assurance that there will be sufficient liquidity in Shares in the secondary market to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. In addition, investors may incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a Creation Unit.

 

The Cash Redemption Amount will typically include a Balancing Amount, reflecting the difference, if any, between the NAV of a Creation Unit and the market value of the securities in the In-Kind Redemption Basket. If the NAV per Creation Unit exceeds the market value of the securities in the In-Kind Redemption Basket, a Fund pays the Balancing Amount to the redeeming investor. By contrast, if the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the market value of the securities in the In-Kind Redemption Basket, the redeeming investor pays the Balancing Amount to a Fund.

 

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The composition of the In-Kind Creation Basket will normally be the same as the composition of the In-Kind Redemption Basket. Otherwise, the In-Kind Redemption Basket will be made available by the Adviser or Transfer Agent. Each Fund reserves the right to accept a nonconforming ( i.e ., custom) Fund Redemption.

 

In lieu of an In-Kind Redemption Basket and Cash Redemption Amount, Creation Units may be redeemed consisting solely of cash in an amount equal to the NAV of a Creation Unit, which amount is referred to as the Cash Value. Such redemptions for the Funds may be subject to a variable charge, as explained above. If applicable, information about the Cash Value will be made available by the Adviser or Transfer Agent.

 

From day to day, the composition of the In-Kind Redemption Basket may change as, among other things, corporate actions are implemented for a Fund’s portfolio. All questions as to the composition of the In-Kind Redemption Basket and the validity, form, eligibility, and acceptance for deposit of any securities shall be determined by a Fund, and the Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.

 

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed: (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares or determination of a Fund’s NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as permitted by the SEC, including as described below.

 

Cash in lieu. A Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash to be added to the Cash Redemption Amount to replace any security in the In-Kind Redemption Basket. A Fund may permit or require cash in lieu:

 

(a) in the case of bonds, for minor differences when it is impossible to break up bonds beyond certain minimum sizes needed for transfer and settlement;

 

(b) for minor differences when rounding is necessary to eliminate fractional shares or lots that are not tradeable round lots;

 

(c) TBA Transactions, short position and other positions that cannot be transferred in kind will be excluded from the Fund Redemption instruments;

 

(d) to the extent the Fund determines, on a given Business Day, to use a representative sampling of the Fund's portfolio; or

 

(e) for temporary periods, to effect changes in the Fund's portfolio as a result of the rebalancing of its Underlying Index.

 

In addition, redemptions of Creation Units may be made in whole or in part on a cash basis, rather than in kind, under the following circumstances:

 

(a) to the extent there is a Balancing Amount;

 

(b) if, on a given Business Day, the Fund announces before the open of trading that all redemptions or all purchases and redemptions on that day will be made entirely in cash;

 

(c) if, upon receiving a redemption order from an Authorized Participant, the Fund determines to require the redemption to be made entirely in cash;

 

(d) if, on a given Business Day, the Fund requires all Authorized Participants redeeming Shares on that day to receive cash in lieu of some or all of the Fund Redemption instruments solely because:

 

(i) such instruments are not eligible for transfer either through the NSCC or DTC; or

 

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(ii) in the case of the TrimTabs Intl Foreign-Cash-Flow ETF’s foreign holdings, such instruments are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar circumstances; or

 

(f) if the Fund permits a “custom” order, which is an order in which an Authorized Participant is permitted to receive cash in lieu of some or all of the Fund Redemption instruments because:

 

(i) such instruments are not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting; or

 

(ii) a holder of Shares of a the TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF’s foreign holdings would be subject to unfavorable income tax treatment if the holder receives redemption proceeds in kind.

 

Each Fund will comply with the federal securities laws in satisfying redemptions with the applicable In-Kind Redemption Basket, including the securities in the In-Kind Redemption Basket that are sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. All redemption orders involving cash in lieu are considered to be “custom redemptions.”

 

Placement of Redemption Orders . Redemptions must be placed to the Distributor through the Transfer Agent. In addition, redemption orders must be processed either through the DTC process or the Clearing Process. To redeem a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable redemption order to the Distributor through the Transfer Agent.

 

An Authorized Participant submitting a redemption order is deemed to represent to a Fund that it or, if applicable, the investor on whose behalf it is acting, (i) owns outright or has full legal authority and legal beneficial right to tender for redemption the Creation Unit to be redeemed and can receive the entire proceeds of the redemption, and (ii) all of the Shares in the Creation Unit to be redeemed have not been borrowed, 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 Fund. A Fund reserves the absolute right, in its sole discretion, to verify these representations, but will typically require verification in connection with higher levels of redemption activity and/or short interest in the Fund. If the Authorized Participant, upon receipt of a verification report, does not provide sufficient verification of the requested representations, the redemption order will not be considered to be in proper form and may be rejected by a Fund.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

 

Placement of Redemption Orders Using Clearing Process . Orders to redeem Creation Units through the Clearing Process are deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Order Cut-Off Time on such Transmittal Date, and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Orders deemed received will be effectuated based on the NAV of a Fund as next determined. An order to redeem Creation Units using the Clearing Process made in proper form but received by the Trust after the Order Cut-Off Time will be deemed received on the next Business Day and will be effected at the NAV next determined on such next Business Day. In connection with such orders, the Transfer Agent transmits on behalf of the Authorized Participant such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the redemption. Pursuant to such trade instructions, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the requisite Creation Unit(s) to a Fund, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. Cash Redemption Amounts will be delivered using either the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System. The applicable In-Kind Redemption Basket and the Cash Redemption Amount will be transferred to the investor by the third NSCC business day following the date on which such request for redemption is deemed received.

 

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Placement of Redemption Orders Outside Clearing Process . Orders to redeem Creation Units outside the Clearing Process must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that redemption of Creation Units will instead be effected through transfer of Shares directly through DTC. Such orders are deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Order Cut-Off Time on the Transmittal Date; (ii) such order is accompanied or followed by the delivery of both (a) the Creation Unit(s), which delivery must be made through DTC to the Custodian no later than the DTC Cut-Off Time on the Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date and (b) the Cash Redemption Amount by 12:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. After the Trust has deemed such an order received, the Trust will initiate procedures to transfer, and expect to deliver, the requisite In-Kind Redemption Basket and/or any Cash Redemption Amount owed to the redeeming party by the third Business Day following the Transmittal Date on which such redemption order is deemed received by the Trust.

 

Orders involving foreign securities are expected to be settled outside the Clearing Process. Thus, upon receipt of an irrevocable redemption order, the Transfer Agent will notify the Distributor, Adviser and the Custodian. The Custodian will then provide information of the redemption to the Fund’s local sub-custodian(s). The redeeming Authorized Participant, or the investor on whose behalf it is acting, will have established appropriate arrangements with a broker-dealer, bank or other custody provider in each jurisdiction in which the securities are customarily traded and to which such securities (and any cash in lieu) can be delivered from a Fund’s accounts at the applicable local sub-custodian(s).

 

The calculation of the value of the In-Kind Redemption Basket and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered/received upon redemption will be made by the Custodian 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 Distributor through the Transfer Agent by a DTC Participant or an Authorized Participant with the ability to transact through the Federal Reserve System, as applicable, not later than Closing Time on the Transmittal Date, and the requisite number of Shares of the relevant Fund are delivered to the Custodian prior to the DTC Cut-Off-Time, then the value of the In-Kind Redemption Basket and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered/received will be determined by the Custodian on such Transmittal Date. If, however, either: (i) the requisite number of Shares of the relevant Fund are not delivered by the DTC Cut-Off-Time, as described above, or (ii) the redemption order is not submitted in proper form, then the redemption order will not be deemed received as of the Transmittal Date. In such case, the value of the In-Kind Redemption Basket and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered/received will be computed on the Business Day following the Transmittal Date provided that the Fund Shares of the relevant Fund are delivered through DTC to the Custodian by 11:00 a.m., Eastern time, the following Business Day pursuant to a properly submitted redemption order.

 

The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming beneficial owner of the Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment, beneficial ownership of shares or delivery instructions.

 

Delivery of Redemption Basket . Once a Fund has accepted a redemption order, upon next determination of the Fund’s NAV, the Fund will confirm the issuance of an In-Kind Redemption Basket, against receipt of the Creation Unit(s) at such NAV, any cash in lieu and Transaction Fee. A Creation Unit tendered for redemption and the payment of the Cash Redemption Amount, any cash in lieu and Transaction Fee will be effected through DTC. The Authorized Participant, or the investor on whose behalf it is acting, will be recorded on the book-entry system of DTC.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

 

Cash Redemption Method . When cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions. In the case of a cash redemption, the investor will receive the cash equivalent of the In-Kind Redemption Basket minus any Transaction Fees.

 

Settlement of Foreign Securities and Regular Foreign Holidays

 

The Funds generally intend to effect deliveries of Creation Units and portfolio securities on a basis of the Transmittal Date (“T”) plus three Business Days ( i.e., days on which the national securities exchange is open) (“T+3”). The Funds may effect deliveries of Creation Units and portfolio securities on a basis other than T+3 in order to accommodate local holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates or under certain other circumstances. Given that foreign securities settle in accordance with the normal rules of settlement of such securities in the applicable foreign market, coupled with foreign market holiday schedules, the Settlement Date may be up to 14 calendar days after the Transmittal Date in certain circumstances.

 

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The ability of the Trust to effect in-kind creations and redemptions within three Business Days of receipt of an order in good form is subject, among other things, to the condition that, within the time period from the date of the order to the date of delivery of the securities, there are no days that are holidays in the applicable foreign market. In such cases, the local market settlement procedures will not commence until the end of the local holiday periods. For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within normal settlement periods. The proclamation of new holidays, the treatment by market participants of certain days as “informal holidays” ( e.g., days on which no or limited securities transactions occur, as a result of substantially shortened trading hours), the elimination of existing holidays or changes in local securities delivery practices could affect the information set forth herein at some time in the future.

 

Because the Funds’ portfolio securities may trade on days that the Funds’ Exchange is closed or on days that are not Business Days for the Funds, Authorized Participants may not be able to redeem their Shares, or to purchase and sell Shares on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the Funds could be significantly affected by events in the relevant non-U.S. markets.

 

A schedule of regular foreign holidays applicable to the Funds is included in Appendix C.

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

The net asset value, or NAV, of Shares is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. A Fund’s NAV per Share is computed by dividing the net assets by the number of Shares outstanding. For further information, see the “Net Asset Value” section of the Prospectus, which is incorporated by reference here.

 

TAXATION

 

The following supplements the tax information contained in the Prospectus.

 

For federal income tax purposes, each Fund is treated as a separate corporate entity and has elected and intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code.  Such qualification generally relieves each Fund of liability for federal income taxes to the extent its earnings are distributed in accordance with applicable requirements.  If, for any reason, a Fund does not qualify for a taxable year for the special federal tax treatment afforded regulated investment companies, the Fund would be subject to federal tax on all of its taxable income at regular corporate rates, without any deduction for dividends to shareholders.  In such event, dividend distributions would be taxable as ordinary income to shareholders to the extent of such Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits and would be eligible for taxation at reduced rates for non-corporate shareholders and for the dividends received deduction available in some circumstances to corporate shareholders.  Moreover, if a Fund were to fail to make sufficient distributions in a year, the Fund would be subject to corporate income taxes and/or excise taxes in respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough and cannot be remedied, the Fund could be disqualified as a regulated investment company.

 

A 4% non-deductible excise tax is imposed on regulated investment companies that fail to distribute currently an amount equal to at least 98% of their ordinary taxable income and 98.2% of their capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses), if any.  Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions of its ordinary taxable income and any capital gain net income prior to the end of each calendar year to avoid liability for this excise tax.

 

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Any market discount recognized by the Funds on a bond is taxable as ordinary income.  A market discount bond is a bond acquired in the secondary market at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount.  Absent an election by a Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on the Fund’s disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

 

Dividends declared in October, November or December of any year payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such months will be deemed to have been received by shareholders and paid by a Fund on December 31 of such year if such dividends are actually paid during January of the following year.

 

The tax principles applicable to transactions in financial instruments that may be engaged in by a Fund and investments in passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”) are complex and, in some cases, uncertain.  Such transactions and investments may cause a Fund to recognize taxable income prior to the receipt of cash, thereby requiring the Fund to liquidate other positions or to borrow money so as to make sufficient distributions to shareholders to avoid corporate-level tax.  Moreover, some or all of the taxable income recognized may be ordinary income or short-term capital gain, so that the distributions may be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.  In addition, in the case of any shares of a PFIC in which a Fund invests, the Fund may be liable for corporate-level tax on any ultimate gain or distributions on the shares if the Fund fails to make an election to recognize income annually during the period of its ownership of the PFIC shares.

 

Special rules govern the federal income tax treatment of certain transactions denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar or determined by reference to the value of one or more currencies other than the U.S. dollar.  The types of transactions covered by the special rules include the following: (1) the acquisition of, or becoming the obligor under, a bond or other debt instrument (including, to the extent provided in Treasury regulations, preferred stock); (2) the accruing of certain trade receivables and payables; and (3) the entering into or acquisition of any forward contract or similar financial instrument if such instrument is not marked to market.  The disposition of a currency other than the U.S. dollar by a taxpayer whose functional currency is the U.S. dollar is also treated as a transaction subject to the special currency rules.  With respect to transactions covered by the special rules, foreign currency gain or loss is calculated separately from any gain or loss on the underlying transaction and is normally taxable as ordinary income or loss.  These gains or losses increase or decrease the amount of a Fund’s investment company taxable income available to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income, rather than increasing or decreasing the amount of that Fund’s net capital gain. A taxpayer may elect to treat as capital gain or loss foreign currency gain or loss arising from certain identified forward contracts that are capital assets in the hands of the taxpayer and that are not part of a straddle.  The Treasury Department issued regulations under which certain transactions subject to the special currency rules that are part of a “Section 988 hedging transaction” will be integrated and treated as a single transaction or otherwise treated consistently for purposes of the Code.  Any gain or loss attributable to the foreign currency component of a transaction engaged in by a Fund that is not subject to the special currency rules (such as foreign equity investments other than certain preferred stocks) will be treated as capital gain or loss and will not be segregated from the gain or loss on the underlying transaction.

 

Certain foreign currency contracts are considered “Section 1256 contracts” for federal income tax purposes. Section 1256 contracts held by a Fund at the end of each tax year are “marked to market” and treated for federal income tax purposes as though sold for fair market value on the last business day of the tax year. Gains or losses realized by a Fund on Section 1256 contracts generally are considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gains or losses. A Fund can elect to exempt its Section 1256 contracts that are part of a “mixed straddle” (as described below) from the application of Section 1256 of the Code.

 

Any forward contract or other position entered into or held by a Fund in conjunction with any other position held by that Fund may constitute a “straddle” for federal income tax purposes. A straddle of which at least one, but not all, the positions are Section 1256 contracts may constitute a “mixed straddle.” In general, straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect the amount, character and timing of a Fund’s gains and losses with respect to straddle positions by requiring, among other things, that: (1) any loss realized on disposition of one position of a straddle may not be recognized to the extent that the Fund has unrealized gains with respect to the other position in such straddle; (2) the Fund’s holding period in straddle positions be suspended while the straddle exists (possibly resulting in a gain being treated as short-term capital gain rather than long-term capital gain); (3) the losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions that are part of a mixed straddle and that are non-Section 1256 contracts be treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital loss; (4) losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions that would otherwise constitute short-term capital losses be treated as long-term capital losses; and (5) the deduction of interest and carrying charges attributable to certain straddle positions may be deferred. Various elections are available to a Fund, which may mitigate the effects of the straddle rules, particularly with respect to mixed straddles. In general, the straddle rules described above do not apply to any straddles held by a Fund if all of the offsetting positions consist of Section 1256 contracts.

 

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Distributions from a Fund’s net investment income, including any net short-term capital gains, if any, and distributions of income from securities lending, are taxable as ordinary income. Certain income distributions paid by a Fund to individual taxpayers are taxed at rates applicable to net long-term capital gains. This tax treatment applies only if certain holding period requirements and other requirements are satisfied by the shareholder and the dividends are attributable to qualified dividend income received by a Fund itself. For this purpose, “qualified dividend income” means dividends received by a Fund from United States corporations and “qualified foreign corporations,” provided that the Fund satisfies certain holding period and other requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations. Distributions reinvested in additional Shares of the Funds through the means of a dividend reinvestment service will be taxable dividends to shareholders acquiring such additional Shares to the same extent as if such dividends had been received in cash.  Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long shareholders have held the Shares.

 

If, for any calendar year, the total distributions made exceed a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will, for federal income tax purposes, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to each shareholder up to the amount of the shareholder’s basis in his or her Shares, and thereafter as gain from the sale of Shares.  The amount treated as a tax-free return of capital will reduce the shareholder’s adjusted basis in his or her Shares, thereby increasing his or her potential gain or reducing his or her potential loss on the subsequent sale of his or her Shares.

  

The sale, exchange or redemption of Shares may give rise to a gain or loss. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of Shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. A loss realized on a sale or exchange of Shares of a Fund may be disallowed if other substantially identical Shares are acquired (whether through the automatic reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a sixty-one (61) day period beginning thirty (30) days before and ending thirty (30) days after the date that the Shares are disposed of. In such a case, the basis of the Shares acquired must be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss upon the sale or exchange of Shares held for six (6) months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends received by the shareholders. Distribution of ordinary income and capital gains may also be subject to state and local taxes.

 

Long-term capital gains of non-corporate taxpayers generally are taxed at a maximum rate of 15% (20% for taxpayers with taxable income exceeding certain thresholds). Each Fund will report to shareholders annually the amounts of dividends received from ordinary income, the amount of distributions received from capital gains and the portion of dividends, if any, which may qualify for the dividends received deduction or as qualified dividend income.

 

An investor also should be aware that the benefits of the reduced tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains may be impacted by the application of the alternative minimum tax to individual shareholders.

 

Certain net investment income received by an individual having adjusted gross income in excess of $200,000 (or $250,000 for married individuals filing jointly) will be subject to a U.S. federal Medicare contribution tax of 3.8 percent. Undistributed net investment income of trusts and estates in excess of a specified amount also will be subject to this tax. Any taxable dividends paid by a Fund, and gain realized on redemption of Fund shares, will constitute investment income of the type subject to this tax.

 

Special tax rules apply to investments through defined contribution plans and other tax-qualified plans. Shareholders should consult their tax advisor to determine the suitability of shares of a Fund as an investment through such plans.

 

- 46 -
 

 

Investment income received by the Funds from sources within foreign countries and gains they realize on the disposition of foreign securities may be subject to foreign income taxes withheld at the source. The U.S. has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries that may entitle the Funds to a reduced rate of such taxes or exemption from taxes on such income. It is impossible to know the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of the Funds’ assets to be invested within various countries cannot be determined. If more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of securities of foreign issuers, that Fund will be eligible and intends to file an election with the IRS to pass through to its shareholders the amount of foreign taxes paid by that Fund. However, there can be no assurance that a Fund will be able to do so. Pursuant to this election, you will be required to (1) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) your pro rata share of foreign taxes paid by that Fund, (2) treat your pro rata share of such foreign taxes as having been paid by you and (3) either deduct such pro rata share of foreign taxes in computing your taxable income or treat such foreign taxes as a credit against federal income taxes. You may be subject to rules that limit or reduce your ability to fully deduct or claim a credit for your pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund in which you invest.

 

The Funds will be required in certain cases to impose “backup withholding” on taxable dividends or gross proceeds realized upon sale paid to shareholders who have failed to provide a correct tax identification number in the manner required, who are subject to withholding by the IRS for failure properly to include on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends, or who have failed to certify to the Funds when required to do so either that they are not subject to backup withholding or that they are “exempt recipients.”  Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s ultimate federal income tax liability if proper documentation is provided.

 

As a result of tax requirements, the Trust on behalf of each Fund has the right to reject an order to purchase Shares if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of a Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the transferred securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit.  The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination.

 

Except as described below, dividends paid by a Fund to non-U.S. Shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty to the extent derived from investment income and net short-term capital gains.  In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. Shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty.  The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. Shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. Shareholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States.  Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. Shareholder were a U.S. Shareholder.  A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate).  A non-U.S. Shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.

 

In general, withholding tax will not apply to any distributions to a non-U.S. Shareholder of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital loss or upon such a shareholder’s sale or other disposition of Shares. For taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2013, withholding tax also did not apply to “interest-related dividends” and “short-term capital gain” dividends. It is possible that legislation will be enacted extending this exemption to later periods.

 

Under legislation known as “FATCA” (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), a U.S. withholding tax of 30% will apply to payments to certain foreign entities of U.S.-source dividends, and the gross proceeds paid after December 31, 2016, from dispositions of shares that produce U.S.-source dividends, unless various U.S. information reporting and due diligence requirements that are different from, and in addition to, the beneficial owner certification requirements described above have been satisfied. Non-U.S. shareholders should consult their tax advisers regarding the effect, if any, of this legislation on their ownership and sale or disposition of a Fund’s common shares.

 

- 47 -
 

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash Flow ETF

 

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

 

As of November 26, 2014

 

Assets        
Cash   $ 100,000  
Total Assets   $ 100,000  
         
Liabilities        
Total Liabilities   $ 0  
         
Net Assets   $ 100,000  
         
At November 26, 2014, the components of net assets were as follows:        
Paid-in Capital   $ 100,000  
         
Shares issued and outstanding (a)     4,000  
Net asset value per Share outstanding   $ 25.00  

 

(a) Unlimited number of shares authorized (no par value)

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

- 48 -
 

 

TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

November 26, 2014

 

 

Note 1: Organization

 

TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF (the “Fund”) is a newly organized, diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Trust is organized as a Delaware statutory trust by a Trust Instrument dated April 02, 2014. The investment objective of the TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF is to seek investment results that correspond (before fees and expenses) to the price and yield performance of its underlying index, the TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow Index (the “Underlying Index”).

 

The Fund has had no operations as of November 26, 2014 other than matters relating to its organization and registration as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and the sale and issuance to TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (the “Adviser”), of 4,000 Shares at an aggregate purchase price of $100,000.

 

The Bank of New York Mellon serves as Administrator of the Fund, custodian of the Fund’s assets, and transfer agent and fund accounting agent of the Fund.

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC serves as the Distributor of the Fund.

 

Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Accounting and Presentation

 

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The following is a summary of significant accounting policies used in preparing the financial statements.

 

Use of Estimates

 

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

 

Cash

 

Cash includes cash held or deposited in bank accounts. The Fund deposits cash with high quality financial institutions. These deposits are guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company up to an insurance limit.

 

Offering and Organizational Costs

 

The Adviser has agreed to pay all organizational and offering costs of the Fund. Such expenses paid by the Adviser are not subject to reimbursement.

 

Federal Income Taxes

 

It is the policy of the Fund to qualify as a regulated investment company, by complying with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies, and by distributing substantially all of its taxable earnings to its shareholders. Accordingly, no provision for federal income or excise tax is necessary.

 

- 49 -
 

 

Note 3: Investment Management Agreement

 

The Adviser earns 0.69% of the Fund’s average daily net asset value (the “Management Fee”) annually. The Fund pays the Adviser on a monthly basis. The Management Fee is an expense paid out of the Fund’s net assets and is computed based on the daily value of the net assets of the Fund as of the close of business.

 

The Adviser bears all of its own costs associated with providing these advisory services and all expenses of the Funds, except for the fee payment under the Management Agreement, payments under each Funds’ 12b-1 plan (commencement subject to Board of Trustees approval), brokerage expense, acquired Fund Fees and expenses, taxes, interest (including borrowing costs and dividend expenses on securities sold short), litigation expense and other extraordinary expenses.

 

The Adviser has agreed to pay all organizational and offering costs of the Fund.  Such expenses paid by the Adviser are not subject to reimbursement. 

 

Note 4: Indemnifications

 

The Fund indemnifies its officers and trustees for certain liabilities that may arise from the performance of their duties to the Fund. Additionally, in the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations and warranties which provide general indemnities. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund that have not yet occurred. However, based on industry experience, the Fund expects this risk of loss due to these warranties and indemnities to be remote.

 

Note 5: Subsequent Events

 

The Fund has evaluated subsequent events through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined there have not been any events that have occurred that would require adjustments or disclosures in the financial statements or the accompanying notes.

 

- 50 -
 

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Trustees and Shareholder of TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF:

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF (the "Fund") as of November 26, 2014. The statement of assets and liabilities is the responsibility of the Fund's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the statement of assets and liabilities based on our audit.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the statement of assets and liabilities, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the statement of assets and liabilities referred to above presents fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF as of November 26, 2014, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America

 

Costa Mesa, California

December 15, 2014

 

- 51 -
 

 

Appendix A

 

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for the Trust

 

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

OF

TRIM TABS ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC

 

A. General Proxy Voting Policies

 

  (1) Firm understands and appreciates the importance of proxy voting.  To the extent that Firm has discretion to vote the proxies of its advisory clients, Firm will vote any such proxies in the best interests of advisory clients and investors (as applicable) and in accordance with the policies of ISS and the procedures outlined below.

 

B. Proxy Voting Procedures

 

  (1) All proxies sent to advisory clients that are actually received by Firm or recorded by ISS (to vote on behalf of the advisory clients) will be provided to the Chief Compliance Officer or his delegate.

 

  (2) The Chief Compliance Officer will instruct ISS to generally adhere to the following procedures (subject to limited exception):

 

  (a) A written record of each proxy received by Firm or recorded by ISS (on behalf of its advisory clients) will be kept in Firm’s files;

 

  (b) ISS and the Chief Compliance Officer will determine which of Firm’s advisory clients hold the security to which the proxy relates;

 

  (c) Firm and ISS (collectively, referred to as “Proxy Voting Committee”) will review the proxy and determine how to vote the proxy in question in accordance with the guidelines set forth below. 

 

  (d) Prior to voting any proxies, the Proxy Voting Committee will attempt to determine if there are any conflicts of interest related to the proxy in question.  If a conflict is identified, the Chief Compliance Officer will make a determination as to whether the conflict is material or not.

 

  (i) If no material conflict is identified pursuant to these procedures, the Proxy Voting Committee will make a decision on how to vote the proxy in question.

 

  (e) Although not presently intended to be used on a regular basis, Firm is empowered to retain an independent third party to vote proxies in certain situations (including situations where a material conflict of interest is identified).

 

C. Handling of Conflicts of Interest

 

  (1) As stated above, in evaluating how to vote a proxy, the Proxy Voting Committee will first determine whether there is a conflict of interest related to the proxy in question between Firm and its advisory clients.  This examination will include (but will not be limited to) an evaluation of whether the Firm (or any affiliate of Firm has any relationship with the company or an affiliate of the company) to which the proxy relates outside an investment in such company by an advisory client of Firm.

 

A- 1
 

 

  (2) If a conflict is identified and deemed “material” by the Proxy Voting Committee, Firm will determine whether voting in accordance with these proxy voting guidelines is in the best interests of affected advisory clients (which may include utilizing an independent third-party to vote such proxies).

 

  (3) With respect to material conflicts, Firm will determine whether it is appropriate to disclose the conflict to affected advisory clients and investors and give advisory clients and investors the opportunity to vote the proxies in question themselves, if applicable.  If an advisory client is subject to the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and the investment management agreement between Firm and the ERISA advisory client reserves the right to vote proxies when Firm has determined that a material conflict exists that does affect its best judgment as a fiduciary to the ERISA advisory client, Firm will:

 

  (a) Give the ERISA advisory client the opportunity to vote the proxies in question themselves; or

 

  (b) Follow designated special proxy voting procedures related to voting proxies pursuant to the terms of the investment management agreement with such ERISA Advisory Clients (if any).

 

D. Voting Guidelines

 

In the absence of specific voting guidelines mandated by a particular advisory client, Firm will endeavor to vote proxies in the best interests of each advisory client via the ISS policy.

 

In some foreign markets where proxy voting demands fee payment for agent services, Firm will balance the cost and benefit of proxy voting and may give up the proxy voting if the cost associated is greater than the benefits from voting.

 

  (1) Although voting certain proxies may be subject to the discretion of Firm, Firm is of the view that voting proxies in accordance with the following general guidelines is in the best interests of its advisory clients:

 

  (a) Firm will generally vote in favor of routine corporate housekeeping proposals including, but not limited to, the following:

 

  (i) election of directors (where there are no related corporate governance issues);

 

  (ii) selection or reappointment of auditors; or

 

  (iii) increasing or reclassification of common stock.

 

  (b) Firm will generally vote against proposals that:

 

  (i) make it more difficult to replace members of the issuer’s board of directors or board of managers; and

 

  (ii) introduce unequal voting rights (although there may be regulatory reasons that would make such a proposal favorable to certain advisory clients of Firm.

 

  (c) Firm will generally vote against proposals that make it more difficult for an issuer to be taken over by outsiders, and in favor of proposals to do the opposite.

 

A- 2
 

 

  (d) Firm will generally vote in favor of proposals by management or shareholders concerning various compensation and stock option plans that will act to make management and employee compensation more dependent on long-term stock price performance.

 

  (e) Firm will generally vote against proposals to move the company to another state less favorable to shareholders’ interests, or to restructure classes of stock in such a way as to benefit one class of shareholders at the expense of another, such as dual classes (A and B shares) of stock.

 

E. Disclosure of Procedures

 

A brief summary of these proxy voting procedures will be included in Firm’s Form ADV Part II and will be updated whenever these policies and procedures are updated.

 

F. Record-keeping Requirements

 

The Chief Compliance Officer via ISS will be responsible for maintaining files relating to Firm’s proxy voting procedures.  Records will be maintained and preserved for five (5) years from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on a record, with records for the first two years kept in the offices of Firm.  Records of the following will be included in the files:

 

  (1) Copies of these proxy voting policies and procedures, and any amendments thereto;

 

  (2) A copy of each proxy statement that Firm or ISS actually receives; provided, however, that Firm may rely on obtaining a copy of proxy statements from the SEC’s EDGAR system for those proxy statements that are so available;

 

  (3) A record of each vote that Firm via ISS casts;

 

  (4) A copy of any document that Firm created that was material to making a decision how to vote the proxies, or memorializes that decision (if any); and

 

  (5) A copy of each written request for information on how Firm voted such advisory client’s proxies and a copy of any written response to any request for information on how Firm voted proxies on behalf of advisory clients.

 

Testing and Reporting

 

The CCO will review the records on a quarterly basis and report compliance on the quarterly checklist.

 

A- 3
 

 

Appendix B

 

Description of Securities Ratings

 

Corporate and Municipal Long-Term Bond Ratings

 

Standard & Poor's ("S&P") Corporate and Municipal Long-Term Bond Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of S&P's long-term corporate and municipal bond ratings have been published by Standard & Poor's Financial Service LLC.

 

AAA - An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

 

AA - An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

 

A - An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

 

BBB - An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

BB, B, CCC, CC, and C - Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

 

BB - An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

B - An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

CCC - An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

CC - An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but Standard & Poor's expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

 

C - An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared to obligations that are rated higher.

 

D - An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation's rating is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.

 

B- 1
 

 

Plus (+) or Minus (-) - The ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

 

NR - This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor's does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

 

Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") Long-Term Corporate Bond Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Moody's long-term corporate bond ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and Moody's Analytics Inc.

 

Aaa - Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.

 

Aa - Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

 

A - Obligations rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

 

Baa - Obligations rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

 

Ba - Obligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.

 

B - Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

 

Caa - Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

 

Ca - Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

 

C - Obligations rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

 

Modifiers: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

 

Moody's U.S. Municipal Long-Term Bond Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Moody's long-term municipal bond ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and Moody's Analytics Inc.

 

Aaa - Issuers or issues rated Aaa demonstrate the strongest creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

Aa - Issuers or issues rated Aa demonstrate very strong creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

A - Issuers or issues rated A present above-average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

Baa - Issuers or issues rated Baa represent average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax- exempt issuers or issues.

 

B- 2
 

 

Ba - Issuers or issues rated Ba demonstrate below-average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

B - Issuers or issues rated B demonstrate weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax- exempt issuers or issues.

 

Caa - Issuers or issues rated Caa demonstrate very weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

Ca - Issuers or issues rated Ca demonstrate extremely weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

C - Issuers or issues rated C demonstrate the weakest creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

Modifiers: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating category from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the issuer or obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

 

Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") Corporate Bond Ratings:

The following descriptions of Fitch's long-term corporate bond ratings have been published by Fitch, Inc. and Fitch Ratings Ltd.

 

AAA - Highest credit quality. ' AAA ' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

 

AA - Very high credit quality. ' AA ' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

A - High credit quality. ' A ' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

 

BBB - Good credit quality. ' BBB ' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

 

BB - Speculative. ' BB ' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.

 

B - Highly speculative. ' B ' ratings indicate that material credit risk is present. For performing obligations, default risk is commensurate with the issuer being rated with an Issuer Default Risk ("IDR") in the ranges 'BB' to 'C'. For issuers with an IDR below 'B', the overall credit risk of this obligation is moderated by the expected level of recoveries should a default occur. For issuers with an IDR above 'B', the overall credit risk of this obligation is exacerbated by the expected low level of recoveries should a default occur. For non-performing obligations, the obligation or issuer is in default, or has deferred payment, but the rated obligation is expected to have extremely high recovery rates consistent with a Recovery Rating of 'RR1' (outstanding recovery prospects given default).

 

CCC - Substantial credit risk. ' CCC ' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present. For performing obligations, default risk is commensurate with an IDR in the ranges 'B' to 'C'. For issuers with an IDR below 'CCC', the overall credit risk of this obligation is moderated by the expected level of recoveries should a default occur. For issuers with an IDR above 'CCC', the overall credit risk of this obligation is exacerbated by the expected low level of recoveries should a default occur. For non-performing obligations, the obligation or issuer is in default, or has deferred payment, but the rated obligation is expected to have a superior recovery rate consistent with a Recovery Rating of 'RR2' (superior recovery prospects given default).

 

B- 3
 

 

CC - Very high levels of credit risk. ' CC ' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk. For performing obligations, default risk is commensurate with an IDR in the ranges 'B' to 'C'. For issuers with an IDR below 'CC', the overall credit risk of this obligation is moderated by the expected level of recoveries should a default occur. For issuers with an IDR above 'CC', the overall credit risk of this obligation is exacerbated by the expected low level of recoveries should a default occur. For non-performing obligations, the obligation or issuer is in default, or has deferred payment, but the rated obligation is expected to have a good recovery rate consistent with a Recovery Rating of 'RR3' (good recovery prospects given default).

 

C - Exceptionally high levels of credit risk. ' C ' indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk. For performing obligations, default risk is commensurate with an IDR in the ranges 'B' to 'C'. The overall credit risk of this obligation is exacerbated by the expected low level of recoveries should a default occur. For non-performing obligations, the obligation or issuer is in default, or has deferred payment, and the rated obligation is expected to have an average, below-average or poor recovery rate consistent with a Recovery Rating of 'RR4' (average recovery prospects given default), 'RR5' (below average recovery prospects given default) or 'RR6' (poor recovery prospects given default).

 

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'B' to 'C' rating categories, depending upon their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

 

Plus (+) or Minus (-) The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' obligation rating category, or to corporate finance obligation ratings in the categories below 'B'.

 

The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" have established themselves over time as shorthand to describe the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade). The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions, and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. "Investment grade" categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the "speculative" categories either signal a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

 

Fitch's Municipal Bond Long-Term Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Fitch's long-term municipal bond ratings have been published by Fitch, Inc. and Fitch Ratings Ltd.

 

AAA - Highest credit quality. ' AAA ' ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

 

AA - Very high credit quality. ' AA ' ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

A - High credit quality. ' A ' ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

 

BBB - Good credit quality. ' BBB ' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

 

BB - Speculative. ' BB ' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time.

 

B- 4
 

 

B - Highly speculative. ' B ' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

 

CCC - Substantial credit risk. ' CCC ' ratings indicate that default is a real possibility.

 

CC - Very high levels of credit risk. ' CC ' ratings indicate default of some kind appears probable.

 

C - Exceptionally high levels of credit risk. ' C ' ratings indicate default appears imminent or inevitable.

 

D - Default. ' D ' ratings indicate a default. Default generally is defined as one of the following:

 

· failure to make payment of principal and/or interest under the contractual terms of the rated obligation;

  

· the bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other winding-up or cessation of the business of an issuer/obligor; or

 

· the distressed exchange of an obligation, where creditors were offered securities with diminished structural or economic terms compared with the existing obligation.

 

Structured Finance Defaults - "Imminent" default, categorized under 'C', typically refers to the occasion where a payment default has been intimated by the issuer, and is all but inevitable. This may, for example, be where an issuer has missed a scheduled payment, but (as is typical) has a grace period during which it may cure the payment default. Another alternative would be where an issuer has formally announced a distressed debt exchange, but the date of the exchange still lies several days or weeks in the immediate future.

 

Additionally, in structured finance transactions, where analysis indicates that an instrument is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to pay interest and/or principal in full in accordance with the terms of the obligation's documentation during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default in accordance with the terms of the documentation is imminent, the obligation will typically be rated in the 'C' category.

 

Structured Finance Writedowns - Where an instrument has experienced an involuntary and, in the agency's opinion, irreversible "writedown" of principal (i.e. other than through amortization, and resulting in a loss to the investor), a credit rating of 'D' will be assigned to the instrument. Where the agency believes the "writedown" may prove to be temporary (and the loss may be "written up" again in future if and when performance improves), then a credit rating of 'C' will typically be assigned. Should the "writedown" then later be reversed, the credit rating will be raised to an appropriate level for that instrument. Should the "writedown" later be deemed as irreversible, the credit rating will be lowered to 'D'.

 

Notes: In the case of structured and project finance, while the ratings do not address the loss severity given default of the rated liability, loss severity assumptions on the underlying assets are nonetheless typically included as part of the analysis. Loss severity assumptions are used to derive pool cash flows available to service the rated liability.

 

Plus (+) or Minus (-) - The modifiers "+" or "-"may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' Long-Term Rating category, or to Long-Term Rating categories below 'B'.

 

Municipal Short-Term Bond Ratings

 

S&P's Municipal Short-Term Bond Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of S&P's short-term municipal ratings have been published by Standard & Poor's Financial Service LLC.

 

B- 5
 

 

SP-1 - Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

 

SP-2 - Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

 

SP-3 - Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

 

Moody's Short-Term Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Moody's short-term municipal ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and Moody's Analytics Inc.

 

MIG 1 - This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

 

MIG 2 - This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

 

MIG 3 - This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

 

SG - This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

 

Fitch's Short-Term Credit Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Fitch's short-term credit ratings have been published by Fitch, Inc. and Fitch Ratings Ltd.

 

F1 - Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added "+" to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

F2 - Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

 

F3 - Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

B - Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

C - High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.

 

RD - Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

 

D - Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a specific short-term obligation.

 

Short-Term Credit Ratings

 

S&P's Short-Term Credit Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of S&P's short-term credit ratings have been published by Standard & Poor's Financial Service LLC.

 

A-1 - A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

 

B- 6
 

 

A-2 - A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

 

A-3 - A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

B - A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

 

C - A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

D - A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation's rating is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.

 

Dual Ratings - S&P assigns "dual" ratings to all debt issues that have a put option or demand feature. The first component of the rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second component of the rating addresses only the demand feature. The first component of the rating can relate to either a short-term or long-term transaction and accordingly use either short-term or long-term rating symbols. The second component of the rating relates to the put option and is assigned a short-term rating symbol (for example, 'AAA/A-1+' or 'A-1+/A-1'). With U.S. municipal short-term demand debt, the U.S. municipal short-term note rating symbols are used for the first component of the rating (for example, 'SP-1+/A-1+').

 

Moody's Short-Term Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Moody's short-term credit ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and Moody's Analytics Inc.

 

P-1 - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

 

P-2 - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

 

P-3 - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

NP - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

 

Note: Canadian issuers rated P-1 or P-2 have their short-term ratings enhanced by the senior-most long-term rating of the issuer, its guarantor or support-provider.

 

Fitch's Short-Term Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Fitch's short-term credit ratings have been published by Fitch, Inc. and Fitch Ratings Ltd.

 

B- 7
 

 

F1 - Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added "+" to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

F2 - Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

 

F3 - Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

B - Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

C - High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.

 

RD - Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

 

D - Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a specific short-term obligation.

The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' Long-term rating category, to categories below 'CCC', or to Short-term ratings other than 'F1'. (The +/- modifiers are only used to denote issues within the CCC category, whereas issuers are only rated CCC without the use of modifiers.)

 

B- 8
 

 

Appendix C

 

Foreign Holidays

 

The Funds generally intend to effect deliveries of Creation Units and portfolio securities no later than the third Business Day following the day on which the order is deemed received by the Distributor. The Funds may effect deliveries of Creation Units and portfolio securities on a basis other than the one just described in order to accommodate local holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates, or under certain other circumstances. The ability of the Trust to effect in-kind creations and redemptions within three business days of receipt of an order in good form is subject, among other things, to the condition that, within the time period from the date of the order to the date of delivery of the securities, there are no days that are holidays in the applicable foreign market. For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within the normal settlement period.

 

The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with foreign market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days in certain circumstances.

 

The holidays applicable to the Funds investing in foreign securities during such periods are listed below, as are instances where more than seven days will be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Although certain holidays may occur on different dates in subsequent years, the number of days required to deliver redemption proceeds in any given year is not expected to exceed the maximum number of days listed below for the applicable Funds. The proclamation of new holidays, the treatment by market participants of certain days as “informal holidays” (e.g., days on which no or limited securities transactions occur, as a result of substantially shortened trading hours), the elimination of existing holidays, or changes in local securities delivery practices, could affect the information set forth herein at some time in the future.

 

The dates of the Regular Holidays in calendar year 2015 are:

 

  Australia
January 1 April 21 June 9 November 4
January 27 April 25 August 4 December 25
March 3 May 5 August 13 December 26
March 10 May 19 September 29  
April 18 June 2 October 6  

 

    Canada
January 1 April 3 June 24 September 7
January 2 April 6 July 1 October 12
February 9 April 20 July 9 November 11
February 16 May 18 August 3 December 25
February 27 June 21 August 17 December 26
March 16 June 22 August 21  

    

C- 1
 

 

China
January 1 February 23 September 27 October 7
January 2 February 24 October 1 December 25
February 18 April 6 October 2  
February 19 May 1 October 5  
February 20 June 20 October 6  

      

France
January 1 May 8 November 11  
April 3 May 14 December 25  
April 6 May 25    
May 1 July 14    

       

Germany
January 1 April 6 May 25  
January 6 May 1 June 4  
April 3 May 14 December 25  

 

Japan
January 1 May 4 September 22 December 23
January 2 May 5 September 23 December 31
January 12 May 6 October 12  
February 11 July 20 November 3  
April 29 September 21 November 23  

 

The Netherlands
January 1 April 27 May 14  
April 3 April 30 May 25  
April 6 May 5 December 25  

       

C- 2
 

 

South Korea
Jan 1 May 1 September 28 December 25
February 18 May 5 October 1 December 31
February 19 May 25 October 9  
February 20 July 17 December 24  

 

Switzerland
January 1 April 21 August 1 December 25
January 2 May 1 August 15 December 26
January 6 May 29 September 11 December 31
March 19 June 9 December 8  
April 18 June 19 December 24  

 

The United Kingdom
January 1 April 3 May 25 December 25
January 2 April 6 August 3 December 28
January 6 May 4 August 31  

 

Redemption: The longest redemption cycle for the Funds is a function of the longest redemption cycle among the countries whose stocks are held by a Fund.

 

C- 3
 

 

In calendar year 2015, the dates of regular holidays affecting the following securities markets present the worst-case redemption cycle for the Funds as follows:

 

2015
Country   Trade
Date
  Settlement
Date
  Number of
Days to
Settle
China   02/13/15   02/25/15   12
    02/16/15   02/26/15   10
    02/17/15   02/27/15   10
    09/28/15   10/08/15   10
    09/29/15   10/09/15   10
    09/30/15   10/12/15   12
Japan   12/26/14   01/05/15   10
    12/29/14   01/06/15   8
    12/30/14   01/07/15   8
    04/28/15   05/07/15   9
    04/30/15   05/08/15   8
    05/01/15   05/11/15   10
    09/16/15   09/24/15   8
    09/17/15   09/25/15   8
    09/18/15   09/28/15   11
Switzerland   12/23/14   01/05/15   13
    12/29/14   01/07/15   9
    12/30/14   01/08/15   9
    12/30/15   01/07/16   8

 

C- 4
 

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

 

PART C

 

Item 28. Exhibits.

 

(a) (i) Amended and Restated Certificate of Trust. (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s registration statement filed on September 5, 2014)
     
  (ii) Trust Instrument. (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s registration statement filed on September 5, 2014)
     
(b)   By-laws. (Incorporated by reference to Registrant’s registration statement filed on September 5, 2014)
     
(c)   Trust Instrument, Articles IV, V, and VI, and By-Laws, Articles V, VI, VII and VIII
     
(d)   Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC. (Filed herewith)
     
(e) (i) Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC. (Filed herewith)
     
  (ii) Form of Authorized Participant Agreement. (Filed herewith)
     
(f)   Bonus, profit sharing or pension plans. (Not applicable)
     
(g)   Custody Agreement between Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon. (Filed herewith)
     
(h) (i) Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon. (Filed herewith)
     
  (ii) Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement between Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon. (Filed herewith)
     
(i)   Opinion and Consent of Counsel. (Filed herewith)
     
(j)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. (Filed herewith)
     
(k)   Financial Statements Omitted from Prospectus. (None)
     
(l)   Letter of Investment Intent. (Filed herewith)
     
(m)   Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 with respect to shares of the Registrant. (Filed herewith)
     
(n)   Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act. (Not applicable)
     
(o)   Reserved.
     
(p) (i) Form of Code of Ethics of Registrant. (Filed herewith)
     
  (ii) Code of Ethics of TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC. (Filed herewith)
     
  (iii) Code of Ethics of Foreside Financial Group, LLC, on behalf of Foreside Fund Services, LLC. (Filed herewith)
     
Other Exhibits  
Powers of Attorney for Messrs. Posner and Theodore. (Filed herewith)

 

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Fund.

 

None.

 

Item 30. Indemnification.

 

The Registrant is organized as a Delaware statutory trust and is operated pursuant to an Trust Instrument dated as of April 2, 2014 (the “Trust Instrument”), that permits the Registrant to indemnify its trustees and officers under certain circumstances. Such indemnification, however, is subject to the limitations imposed by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Registrant’s Trust Instrument provides that officers and trustees of the Trust shall be indemnified by the Trust against liabilities and expenses of defense in proceedings against them by reason of the fact that they each serve as an officer or trustee of the Trust or as an officer or trustee of another entity at the request of the entity.

 

 
 

 

In particular, Article IX, Sections 1 and 2 of the Registrant’s Trust Instrument provide as follows:

 

Section 1.             INDEMNIFICATION.

 

(a)          Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in subsection (b) below:

 

(i)          every person who is, or has been, a Trustee or an officer, employee or agent of the Trust, including persons who act 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 (“Covered Person”) shall be indemnified by the Trust or the appropriate Series 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 a Covered Person and against amounts paid or incurred by him or her in the settlement thereof.

 

(ii)         as used herein, the words “claim,” “action,” “suit” or “proceeding” shall apply to all claims, actions, suits or proceedings (whether civil, criminal or administrative proceedings, regulatory investigations, or other proceedings, including appeals), actual or threatened, and the words “liability” and “expenses” shall include, without limitation, counsel fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities.

 

(b)          No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person:

 

(i)          who shall have been adjudicated by a court or body before which the proceeding was brought (A) to be liable to the Trust, a Series or the Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office or (B) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interest of the Trust or the applicable Series; or

 

(ii)         in the event of a settlement, if there has been a determination that such Covered Person engaged in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office: (A) by the court or other body approving the settlement; (B) by at least a majority of those Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of the Trust or the applicable Series nor are parties to the matter based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry); or (C) by written opinion of independent legal counsel based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry).

 

(c)          The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust or the applicable Series, as the case may be, shall be severable, shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of a Covered Person. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which Trust or Series personnel other than Covered Persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law.

 

(d)          To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, expenses in connection with the preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding of the character described in subsection (a) of this Section shall be paid by the Trust or applicable Series from time to time prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person that such amount will be paid over by him or her to the Trust or applicable Series if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification under this Section; provided, however, that any such advancement will be made in accordance with any conditions required by the Commission.

 

(e)          Any repeal or modification of this Article IX by the Shareholders, or adoption or modification of any other provision of this Trust Instrument or the By-laws inconsistent with this Article, shall be prospective only, to the extent that such, repeal or modification would, if applied retrospectively, adversely affect any limitation on the liability of any Covered Person or indemnification available to any Covered Person with respect to any act or omission which occurred prior to such repeal, modification or adoption.

 

Section 2.             INDEMNIFICATION OF SHAREHOLDERS. If any Shareholder or former Shareholder of any Series is held personally liable solely by reason of his or her being or having been a Shareholder and not because of his or her acts or omissions or for some other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his or her heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives or, in the case of any entity, its general successor) shall be entitled out of the Assets belonging to the applicable Series to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Trust, on behalf of the affected Series, shall, upon request by such Shareholder or former Shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against him or her for any act or obligation of the Series and satisfy any judgment thereon or expenses related thereto from the Assets belonging to the Series.

 

 
 

 

Section 9 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC provides:

 

(a)          Adviser will give the Trust the benefit of the Adviser’s best judgment and efforts in rendering its services to the Trust. Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by any Fund, the Trust or any of its shareholders, in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates, except to the extent that such a loss results from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. Any person, even though also an officer, director, employee, or agent of Adviser, who may be or become an officer, Trustee, employee or agent of the Trust shall be deemed, when rendering services to any Fund or the Trust or acting with respect to any business of such Fund or the Trust, to be rendering such service to or acting solely for the Fund or the Trust and not as an officer, director, employee, or agent or one under the control or direction of Adviser even though paid by it.

 

(b)          Adviser is expressly put on notice of, and hereby acknowledges and agrees to, the limitation of shareholder liability as set forth in the Trust Instrument of the Trust and agrees that the obligations assumed by the Trust under this contract shall be limited in all cases to the Trust and its assets. Adviser shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders or any shareholder of the Trust, nor shall Adviser seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the Trustees or any individual Trustee of the Trust. Adviser understands that the rights and obligations of each series of shares of the Trust under the Trust Instrument are separate and distinct from those of any and all other series.

 

(c)          Neither party shall be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, labor difficulties (other than those related to the Adviser’s employees), fire, mechanical breakdowns, flood or catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riots or failure of the mails, transportation, communication or power supply.

 

(d)          Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party for consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement.

 

Section 6 of the Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC provides:

 

(a)          The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Distributor, its affiliates and each of their respective directors, officers and employees and agents and any person who controls the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, “Distributor Indemnitees”) against any loss, liability, claim, damages or expense (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, claim, damages or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) arising out of or based upon (i) Distributor serving as Distributor for the Trust pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) any claim that the Registration Statement, Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, shareholder reports, sales literature and advertisements specifically approved by the Trust, or other information filed by the Trust with the Commission (as from time to time amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein (and in the case of the Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading under the 1933 Act; (iii) the breach by the Trust of any obligation, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement; or (iv) the Trust’s failure to comply in any material respect with applicable securities laws.

 

The Trust does not agree to indemnify any Distributor Indemnitee or hold it harmless to the extent that the statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Distributor or a Distributor Indemnitee. The Trust will also not indemnify any Distributor Indemnitee with respect to any untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement, Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information that is subsequently corrected in such document (or an amendment thereof or supplement thereto) if a copy of the Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement) was not sent or given to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense at or before the written confirmation to such person in any case where such delivery is required by the 1933 Act and the Trust had notified the Distributor of the amendment or supplement prior to the sending of the confirmation. In no case is the indemnity of the Trust in favor of any Distributor Indemnitee to be deemed to protect a Distributor Indemnitee against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders to which a Distributor Indemnitee would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

 
 

 

The Distributor agrees to notify the Trust promptly of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any other Distributor Indemnitee in connection with the issuance or sale of Shares. Failure to notify the Trust of any claim shall not relieve the Trust from any liability that it may have to any Distributor Indemnitee against whom such action is brought except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure. The Trust shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense, or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any claims, but if the Trust elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and reasonably satisfactory to Distributor Indemnitee(s). In the event the Trust elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, Distributor Indemnitee, defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the Trust does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the Distributor Indemnitee, defendant or defendants in the suit, for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them and acceptable to the Trust.

 

(b)          The Distributor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, its affiliates and each of their respective directors, trustees, officers and employees and agents and any person who controls the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Trust Affiliates”) against any loss, liability, claim, damages or expense (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, claim, damages or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) arising out of or based upon (i) the allegation of any wrongful act of the Distributor or any Distributor Indemnitee in connection with the activities of the Distributor pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) the breach of any obligation, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement by the Distributor; (iii) the Distributor’s failure to comply in any material respect with applicable securities laws, including applicable FINRA regulations; (iv) any material non-compliance by the Distributor with any and all exemptive orders issued to the Trust in connection with the offering of Shares under this Agreement, the 1940 Act, the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act with respect to which the Distributor receives adequate advance notice; or (v) any allegation that the Registration Statement, Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, shareholder reports, any information or materials relating to the Funds (as described in section 3(g)) or other information filed or made public by the Trust (as from time to time amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements not misleading, insofar as such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Distributor or a Distributor Indemnitee.

 

In no case is the indemnity of the Distributor in favor of any Trust Affiliate to be deemed to protect any Trust Affiliate against any liability to the Trust or its security holders to which such Trust Affiliate would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

 

The Trust agrees to notify the Distributor promptly of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any Trust Affiliate in connection with the issuance or sale of any of the Creation Units or the Shares. Failure to notify the Distributor of any claim shall not relieve the Distributor from any liability that it may have to the Trust Affiliate against whom such action is brought except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure. The Distributor shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce the claim, but if the Distributor elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and reasonably satisfactory to the Trust, its officers and Board and to any controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit. In the event that Distributor elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the Trust or controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the Trust, its officers and Trustees or controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them.

 

(c)          No indemnified party shall settle any claim against it for which it intends to seek indemnification from the indemnifying party, under the terms of section 6(a) or 6(b) above, without prior written notice to and consent from the indemnifying party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No indemnified or indemnifying party shall settle any claim unless the settlement contains a full release of liability with respect to the other party in respect of such action.

 

Item 31.  Business and Other Connections of the Investment Advisor.

 

Reference is made to the caption “Fund Management” in the Prospectus constituting Part A that is included in this Registration Statement and “Management of the Funds” in the Statement of Additional Information constituting Part B that is included in this Registration Statement.

 

The information as to the directors and executive officers of TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC is set forth in TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC Form ADV filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC File No. 801-72450), and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

 
 

 

Item 32.  Principal Underwriters.

 

(a)          The sole principal underwriter for each Fund is Foreside Fund Services, LLC, which acts as distributor for the Registrant and the following other funds:

 

  1. AdvisorShares Trust
  2. American Beacon Funds
  3. American Beacon Select Funds
  4. Avenue Mutual Funds Trust
  5. BP Capital TwinLine Energy Fund, Series of Professionally Managed Portfolios
  6. BP Capital TwinLine MLP Fund, Series of Professionally Managed Portfolios
  7. Bridgeway Funds, Inc.
  8. Broadmark Funds
  9. Capital Innovations Global Agri, Timber, Infrastructure Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust
  10. Center Coast MLP Focus Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust
  11. Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust
  12. Context Capital Funds
  13. Direxion Shares ETF Trust
  14. Exchange Traded Concepts Trust II
  15. FlexShares Trust
  16. Forum Funds
  17. Forum Funds II
  18. FQF Trust
  19. FSI Low Beta Absolute Return Fund
  20. Gottex Multi-Alternatives Fund - I
  21. Gottex Multi-Alternatives Fund - II
  22. Gottex Multi-Asset Endowment Fund - I
  23. Gottex Multi-Asset Endowment Fund – II
  24. Gottex Trust
  25. Henderson Global Funds
  26. Horizon Spin-off and Corporate Restructuring Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust (f/k/a Liberty Street Horizon Fund)
  27. Horizons ETF Trust
  28. Infinity Core Alternative Fund
  29. Ironwood Institutional Multi-Strategy Fund LLC
  30. Ironwood Multi-Strategy Fund LLC
  31. Manor Investment Funds
  32. Nomura Partners Funds, Inc.
  33. Outlook Funds Trust
  34. Performance Trust Mutual Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
  35. Pine Grove Alternative Fund
  36. Pine Grove Alternative Institutional Fund
  37. Plan Investment Fund, Inc.
  38. PMC Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
  39. Precidian ETFs Trust
  40. Quaker Investment Trust
  41. Renaissance Capital Greenwich Funds
  42. RevenueShares ETF Trust
  43. Salient MF Trust
  44. SharesPost 100 Fund LLC
  45. Sound Shore Fund, Inc.
  46. Steben Alternative Investment Funds
  47. Steben Select Multi-Strategy Fund
  48. The Pennant 504 Fund
  49. The Roxbury Funds
  50. Toroso Newfound Tactical Allocation Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust
  51. Turner Funds
  52. Wintergreen Fund, Inc.

 

(b)          The following directors and officers of the Distributor, Foreside Fund Services, LLC, hold the following positions with the Registrant. The principal business address for all directors and executive officers is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101.

 

 
 

 

Name   Positions & Offices
with Underwriter
  Position
with Registrant
         
Mark A. Fairbanks   President and Manager   None
         
Richard J. Berthy   Vice President, Treasurer and Manager   None
         
Jennifer E. Hoopes   Secretary   None
         
Nanette K. Chern   Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer   None
         
Lisa S. Clifford   Vice President and Director of Compliance   None
         
Nishant Bhatnagar   Assistant Secretary   None

 

(c)          Not applicable.

 

Item 33.  Location of Accounts and Records.

 

All accounts, books, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder are maintained at the addresses below.

 

TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC

3 Harbor Way, Suite 112

Sausalito, CA 94965

Foreside Fund Services, LLC

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100

Portland, ME 04101

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

New York, NY 10286

 

Item 34.  Management Services.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 35.  Undertakings.

 

None.

 

 
 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”) and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this registration statement on Form N-1A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Sausalito and State of California, on the 15th day of December 2014.

 

  TRIMTABS ETF TRUST
     
  By: /s/ Charles Biderman
    Charles Biderman
    President

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

SIGNATURE   TITLE   DATE
         
/s/ Charles Biderman   President and Trustee   December 15, 2014
Charles Biderman        
         
/s/ Jeanette Kirazian   Principal Financial Officer   December 15, 2014
Jeanette Kirazian        
         
/s/ Stephen J. Posner*   Trustee   December 15, 2014
Stephen J. Posner        
         
/s/ Theodore M. Theodore*   Trustee   December 15, 2014
Theodore M. Theodore        

 

/s/ Stacy L. Fuller  

* Signatures affixed by Stacy L. Fuller on December 15, 2014 pursuant to a power of attorney filed herewith.

 

 
 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

EX.99.d   Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC
     
EX.99.e.i   Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC
     
EX.99.e.ii   Form of Authorized Participant Agreement
     
EX.99.g   Custody Agreement between Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon
     
EX.99.h.i   Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon
     
EX.99.h.ii   Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement between Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon
     
EX.99.i   Opinion and Consent of Counsel
     
EX.99.j   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
     
EX.99.l   Letter of Investment Intent
     
EX.99.m   Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 with respect to shares of the Registrant
     
EX.99.p.i   Form of Code of Ethics of Registrant
     
EX.99.p.ii   Code of Ethics of TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC
     
EX.99.p.iii   Code of Ethics of Foreside Financial Group, LLC, on behalf of Foreside Fund Services, LLC
     
EX.99.OTHER   Powers of Attorney for Messrs. Posner and Theodore

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.d

 

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

Agreement made as of [ ], 2014, between TRIMTABS ETF TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (“ Trust ”), and TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (“ Adviser ”), a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“ Advisers Act ”).

 

WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“ 1940 Act ”), as an open-end management investment company; and

 

WHEREAS, the Trust is authorized to issue shares in separate series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets; and

 

WHEREAS, the Trust intends to offer shares of the series listed on Schedule A hereto (“ Funds ”), and may issue shares in any other series as to which this Agreement may hereafter be made applicable, including by amending Schedule A hereto from time to time (included in the defined term Funds; and

 

WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain Adviser as investment adviser, to furnish certain investment advisory and portfolio management services to the Trust with respect to the Funds, and Adviser is willing to furnish such services.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed between the parties hereto as follows:

 

1.          APPOINTMENT AND DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS.

 

(a)          The Trust hereby appoints Adviser as investment adviser of the Trust and each Fund for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to render the services herein set forth, for the compensation herein provided.

 

(b)          The Trust has delivered, or will delivery within 45 days, to the Adviser copies of the Trust’s Trust Instrument and Bylaws (collectively, as amended from time to time, “ Organic Documents ”). The Adviser has delivered, or will deliver within 45 days, to the Trust a copy of its code of ethics complying with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act (the “ Code ”). The Adviser shall promptly furnish the Trust with all material amendments of or supplements to the Code and shall furnish the Trust with all updated versions of the Code at least annually.

 

2. REPRESENTATIONS AND DUTIES OF ADVISER.

 

(a) Subject to the supervision and direction of the Trust’s Board of Trustees (each, a “ Trustee ,” and collectively, the “ Board ”), Adviser will provide a continuous investment program for each Fund, including investment research and management with respect to all securities and investments and cash equivalents in the Fund. Adviser will determine, from time to time, what securities and other investments will be purchased, retained or sold by the Fund. In making purchases and sales of securities and other investment assets for the Fund, the Adviser shall comply with the directions set from time to time by the Board as well as the limitations imposed by the Organic Documents and the relevant Fund’s Registration Statement, the limitations in the 1940 Act, the Securities Act of 1933, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and other applicable laws.

 

 
 

 

(b)          Adviser agrees that, in placing orders with brokers, it will attempt to obtain the best net result in terms of price and execution; provided that, consistent with Section 28(e) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), the Adviser may allocate brokerage on behalf of the Fund to broker-dealers who provide research, analysis, advice and similar services.  Subject to compliance with Section 28(e), the Adviser may cause a Fund to pay to any broker-dealer who provides such services a commission that exceeds the commission the Fund might have paid to a different broker-dealer for the same transaction.  The Adviser may aggregate sales and purchase orders of the assets of the Fund with similar orders being made simultaneously for other accounts advised by the Adviser or its affiliates.  Whenever the Adviser simultaneously places orders to purchase or sell the same asset on behalf of a Fund and one or more other accounts advised by the Adviser, the orders will be allocated as to price and amount among all such accounts in a manner believed to be equitable over time to each account.

 

(c)          Adviser will maintain records relating to portfolio transactions on behalf of the Funds and placing and allocation of brokerage orders as are required to be maintained by the Trust under the 1940 Act. The Adviser shall prepare and maintain, or cause to be prepared and maintained, in such form, for such periods and in such locations as may be required by applicable law, all documents and records relating to the services provided by the Adviser pursuant to this Agreement required to be prepared and maintained by the Adviser or the Trust pursuant to applicable law. To the extent required by law, the books and records pertaining to the Trust which are in possession of the Adviser shall be the property of the Trust. The Trust, or its representatives, shall have access to such books and records at all times during the Adviser’s normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Trust, copies of any such books and records shall be provided promptly by the Adviser to the Trust or its representatives.

 

(d)          Adviser will oversee the computation of the net asset value and the net income of each Fund as described in the currently effective registration statement of the Trust under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“ 1933 Act ”), and the 1940 Act, and any amendments or supplements thereto (“ Registration Statement ”) or as more frequently requested by the Board. In addition, Adviser will provide the Fund’s custodian and fund accountant on each business day with such information relating to all transactions concerning the Fund’s assets as the custodian and fund accountant may reasonably require to provide contracted for services to the Trust and Funds. Adviser will also assist in any fair valuation of Fund assets by, among other things, using reasonable efforts to arrange for the provision of prices from parties who are not affiliated persons of the Adviser for each asset for which a Fund’s fund accountant cannot obtain prices in the ordinary course of business.

 

(e)          The Trust hereby authorizes Adviser and any entity or person associated with Adviser which is a member of a national securities exchange to effect any transaction on such exchange for the account of any Fund, which transaction is permitted by Section 11(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, and the Trust hereby consents to the retention of compensation by Adviser or any person or entity associated with Adviser for such transaction.

 

 
 

 

(f)          Adviser on its own initiative will furnish the Board with such information as the Adviser may believe appropriate for keeping the Board informed of important developments affecting the Trust, each Fund and the Adviser. The Adviser will notify the Trust of any change of control of the Adviser and any changes in the key personnel who are either the portfolio manager(s) of a Fund or senior management of the Adviser, in each case prior to or promptly after such change. In addition, whenever requested by the Board, Adviser will report to the Board on developments related to the Trust, any Fund or Adviser.

 

(g)          Adviser will cooperate with the Funds’ independent public accountants and shall take reasonable action to make all necessary information available to those accountants for the performance of the accountants’ duties.

 

(h)          Adviser will provide the Funds’ custodian(s), transfer agent and/or fund accountant, as applicable, on each business day with such information relating to all transactions concerning the Fund’s assets as such party may reasonably require. In this respect, for in-kind transaction for Fund shares, Adviser shall determine and make such modifications to the identity and number of shares of the securities to be accepted pursuant to such Fund’s benchmark index or portfolio, as applicable, in exchange for Fund shares (normally in creation unit aggregations) and the securities that will be applicable that day to redemption requests received for such Fund, including in light of rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events. Adviser will give directions to the Trust’s custodian and other service providers, as necessary, with respect to such designations.

 

(i)           Adviser shall authorize and permit any of its directors, officers and employees who may be duly elected as Trustees or officers of the Trust to serve in the capacities in which they are elected.

 

(j)           Adviser represents and warrants that: (i) it is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement remains in effect; (ii) is not prohibited by the 1940 Act or the Advisers Act from performing the services contemplated by this Agreement; (iii) has met, and will seek to continue to meet for so long as this Agreement remains in effect, any other applicable federal or state requirements, or the applicable requirements of any self-regulatory agency, necessary to be met in order to perform the services contemplated by this Agreement; and (iv) will promptly notify the Trust of the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Adviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act or otherwise.

 

3.           USE OF NAME. The Trust may use the name “TrimTabs” or any variant thereof in connection with the name of the Trust or any of the Funds, only for so long as this Agreement or any extension, renewal or amendment hereof remains in effect. At such time as this Agreement shall no longer be in effect, the Trust shall cease to use such a name or any other similar name. In no event shall the Trust use the name “TrimTabs” or any variant thereof if Adviser’s functions are transferred or assigned to a company over which Adviser does not have control or with which it is not affiliated. In the event that this Agreement shall no longer be in effect or Adviser’s functions are transferred or assigned to a company over which Adviser does not have control or with which it is not affiliated, the Trust shall use its best efforts to legally change its name by filing the required documentation with appropriate state and federal agencies.

 

 
 

 

4.           FURTHER DUTIES. In all matters relating to the performance of this Agreement, Adviser will act in conformity with the Organic Documents and relevant Fund’s Registration Statement and with the instructions and directions of the Board and will comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder, and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations applicable to the Trust and the Funds.

 

5.           SERVICES NOT EXCLUSIVE. The services furnished by Adviser hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive and Adviser shall be free to furnish similar services to others so long as its services under this Agreement are not impaired thereby or unless otherwise agreed to by the parties hereunder in writing. Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict the right of any director, officer or employee of Adviser, who may also be a Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust, to engage in any other business or to devote his or her time and attention in part to the management or other aspects of any other business, whether of a similar nature or a dissimilar nature.

 

6.           EXPENSES. During the term of this Agreement, the Adviser shall pay all of the expenses of each Fund of the Trust, except for the fee payment under this Agreement, payments under each Fund’s 12b-1 plan, brokerage expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes, interest (including borrowing costs and dividend expenses on securities sold short), litigation expense and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation to which the Trust or a Fund may be a party and indemnification of the Trustees and officers with respect thereto).

 

7.           COMPENSATION.

 

(a)          For the services to be provided by Adviser hereunder with respect to each Fund listed on Schedule A attached hereto, as it may be amended from time to time, the Trust shall pay to Adviser a fee in an amount set forth in Schedule A to this Agreement, so long as the Adviser has not waived all or a portion of such compensation. The Adviser’s fees shall be accrued by the Trust daily and shall be payable monthly in arrears on the first business day of each calendar month for services performed hereunder during the prior calendar month. If fees begin to accrue in the middle of a month or if this Agreement terminates before the end of any month, all fees for the period from that date to the end of that month or from the beginning of that month to the date of termination, as the case may be, shall be prorated according to the proportion that the period bears to the full month in which the effectiveness or termination occurs.

 

(b)          Adviser may waive fees or reimburse expenses of a Fund to the extent necessary to maintain a Fund’s expense ratio at an agreed-upon amount for a period of time specified in a separate letter of agreement. The Adviser’s reimbursement of a Fund’s expenses shall be estimated and paid to the Trust monthly in arrears, at the same time as the Trust’s payment to the Adviser for such month as provided in this Section 7(a). The Trust may withhold the payment of fees under Section 7(a) to the extent the Adviser, under this Section 7(b) has any amount due and owing to the Trust.

 

8.           SUB-ADVISERS. Subject to the prior approval of a majority of the members of the Trust’s Board, including a majority of the Board members who are not “interested” within the meaning of the 1940 Act (“ Independent Board Members ”), Adviser may, through a sub-advisory agreement or other arrangement, delegate to any other company under Adviser’s control, or under common control with Adviser, or to specified employees of any such companies, or to more than one such company, to the extent permitted by applicable law, certain of Adviser’s duties enumerated in section 2 hereof; provided, that Adviser shall continue to supervise and oversee the services provided by such company or employees and any such delegation shall not relieve Adviser of any of its obligations hereunder.

 

 
 

 

Subject to the prior approval of a majority of the members of the Trust’s Board, including a majority of the Independent Board Members, Adviser may, through a sub-advisory agreement, delegate to any other company that is not an “affiliated person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of Adviser or of the Trust (other than by reason of serving as an investment adviser to the Trust) (each a “ sub-adviser ”), to the extent permitted by applicable law, certain of the duties enumerated in section 2 hereof; provided, that Adviser shall continue to supervise and oversee the services provided by such sub-adviser and any such delegation shall not relieve Adviser of any of its obligations hereunder.

 

Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the duties of any sub-adviser or delegate, the portion of portfolio assets of the Trust that the sub-adviser or delegate shall manage and the fees to be paid to the sub-adviser or delegate by Adviser under and pursuant to any sub-advisory agreement or other arrangement entered into in accordance with this Agreement may be adjusted from time to time by Adviser, subject to the prior approval of a majority of the Independent Board Members.

 

9.           STANDARD OF CARE; LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY.

 

(a)          Adviser will give the Trust the benefit of the Adviser’s best judgment and efforts in rendering its services to the Trust. Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by any Fund, the Trust or any of its shareholders, in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates, except to the extent that such a loss results from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. Any person, even though also an officer, director, employee, or agent of Adviser, who may be or become an officer, Trustee, employee or agent of the Trust shall be deemed, when rendering services to any Fund or the Trust or acting with respect to any business of such Fund or the Trust, to be rendering such service to or acting solely for the Fund or the Trust and not as an officer, director, employee, or agent or one under the control or direction of Adviser even though paid by it.

 

(b)          Adviser is expressly put on notice of, and hereby acknowledges and agrees to, the limitation of shareholder liability as set forth in the Trust Instrument of the Trust and agrees that the obligations assumed by the Trust under this contract shall be limited in all cases to the Trust and its assets. Adviser shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders or any shareholder of the Trust, nor shall Adviser seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the Trustees or any individual Trustee of the Trust. Adviser understands that the rights and obligations of each series of shares of the Trust under the Trust Instrument are separate and distinct from those of any and all other series.

 

 
 

 

(c)          Neither party shall be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, labor difficulties (other than those related to the Adviser’s employees), fire, mechanical breakdowns, flood or catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riots or failure of the mails, transportation, communication or power supply.

 

(d)          Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party for consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement.

 

10.          DURATION AND TERMINATION.

 

(a)          This Agreement shall become effective upon the date hereabove written provided that, with respect to any Fund, this Agreement shall not take effect unless it has first been approved (i) by a vote of a majority of the Independent Board Members cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (ii) by vote of a majority of that Fund’s outstanding voting securities, if required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law.

 

(b)          Unless sooner terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall continue in effect for two years from the date of effectiveness for each Fund as set forth on Schedule A to this Agreement. Thereafter, if not terminated, this Agreement shall continue automatically for successive periods of twelve months each, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually: (i) by a vote of a majority of the Independent Board Members of the Trust, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (ii) by the Board or, with respect to any given Fund, by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund.

 

(c)          Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Fund, this Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, (i) by vote of the Board, (ii) by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund, on 60 days’ written notice to Adviser or (iii) by Adviser, on 60 days’ written notice to the Trust. Termination of this Agreement with respect to any given Fund shall in no way affect the continued validity of this Agreement or the performance thereunder with respect to any other Fund. This Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment.

 

11.         AMENDMENTS. No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought, and no amendment of this Agreement as to any given Fund shall be effective until approved by vote of a majority of such Fund’s outstanding voting securities, if required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. No amendment to this Agreement or the termination of this Agreement with respect to a Fund shall affect this Agreement as it pertains to any other Fund, nor shall any such amendment require the vote of the shareholders of any other Fund.

 

12.         MISCELLANEOUS.

 

(a)          Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflicts of laws principles thereof, and in accordance with the 1940 Act, provided, however, that to the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Delaware conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.

 

 
 

 

(b)          Headings. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

 

(c)          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.

 

(d)          Successors. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors.

 

(e)          Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement between those parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, whether oral or written.

 

(f)          Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any number of counterparts, and all of the counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

 

(g)          Notices. Notices, requests, instructions and communications sent to the parties at their respective principal places of business, or at such other address as a party may have designated in writing, shall be deemed to have been properly given, provided such notice was provided by a reputable overnight courier, facsimile, or return receipt email.

 

(h)          Meaning of Terms. As used in this Agreement, the terms “majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “affiliated person,” “interested person,” “assignment,” “broker,” “investment adviser,” “national securities exchange,” “net assets,” “prospectus,” “sale,” “sell” and “security” shall have the same meaning as such terms have in the 1940 Act, subject to such exemption as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission by any rule, regulation or order. Where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is relaxed by a rule, regulation or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission, whether of special or general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.

 

 
 

 

(i)          Each of the undersigned warrants and represents that they have full power and authority to sign this Agreement on behalf of the party indicated and that their signature will bind the party indicated to the terms hereof and each party hereto warrants and represents that this Agreement, when executed and delivered, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the party, enforceable against the party in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be executed by their officers designated as of the day and year first above written.

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST   TRIMTABS ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC
     
     
Charles Biderman Date   Charles Biderman Date
President     Chairman
         

 

 
 

 

APPENDIX A

 

Fund Fee Rate Effective Date
TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF 0.69% [    ], 2014
TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF 0.69% [    ], 2014

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.e.i 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

 

This Distribution Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made this __ day of _________ 2014 by and between TrimTabs ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”) having its principal place of business at 3 Harbor Drive, Suite 112, Sausalito, CA 94965 and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Distributor”) having its principal place of business at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101.

 

WHEREAS , the Trust is, or will be, a registered open-end management investment company organized as a series trust offering a number of portfolios (each a “Fund” and collectively the “Funds”), after having filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);

 

WHEREAS , the Trust intends to create and redeem shares of beneficial interest, no par value per share (the “Shares”) of each Fund, on a continuous basis at their net asset value only in aggregations constituting a Creation Unit, as such term is defined in the Registration Statement;

 

WHEREAS , the Shares of each Fund will be listed on one or more national securities exchanges (together, the “Listing Exchanges”);

 

WHEREAS , the Trust desires to retain the Distributor to act as the distributor with respect to the issuance and distribution of Creation Units of each Fund, hold itself available to receive and process orders for such Creation Units in the manner set forth in the Trust’s Prospectus, and to enter into arrangements with broker-dealers who may solicit purchases of Creation Units and with broker-dealers and others to provide for servicing of shareholder accounts and for distribution assistance, including broker-dealer and shareholder support;

 

WHEREAS , the Distributor is a registered broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) (the successor organization to the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.); and

 

WHEREAS , the Distributor desires to provide the services described herein to the Trust.

 

NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual promises and undertakings herein contained, the parties agree as follows:

 

 
 

  

1. Appointment .

 

The Trust hereby appoints the Distributor as the exclusive distributor for Creation Units of each Fund listed in Exhibit A hereto, as may be amended by the Trust from time to time on written notice to the Distributor, on the terms and for the period set forth in this Agreement and subject to the registration requirements of the federal securities laws and of any applicable laws governing the sale of securities in the various states, and the Distributor hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to act in such capacity hereunder.

 

2. Definitions .

 

Wherever they are used herein, the following terms have the following respective meanings:

 

(a)          “Prospectus” with respect to a Fund means its Prospectus, including any summary prospectus, if applicable, and Statement of Additional Information constituting parts of the Registration Statement of the Trust under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act as such Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information may be amended or supplemented and filed with the Commission from time to time;

 

(b)          “Registration Statement” means the registration statement most recently filed from time to time by the Trust with the Commission and effective under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act, as such registration statement is amended by any amendments and supplements thereto at the time in effect;

 

(c)          “Transfer Agent,” as used throughout this Agreement, shall be read to mean also the “Index Receipt Agent,” as such term is defined by the National Securities Clearing Corporation and vice versa;

 

(d)          All capitalized terms used but not defined in this Agreement shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

3. Duties of the Distributor

 

(a)          The Distributor agrees to act as agent of the Trust in connection with the offering of Shares in Creation Units. Shares in less than Creation Units are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor shall receive and process orders for purchases and redemptions of Creation Units of each Fund will be made from DTC Participants or participants in the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation that have executed a Participant Agreement (the “Authorized Participants”), as defined in paragraph 3(b) hereof, with the Distributor and Transfer Agent and shall transmit such orders to the Custodian and Transfer Agent in accordance with the Registration Statement and Prospectus; provided, however, that nothing herein shall affect or limit the right and ability of the Custodian to accept Deposit Securities and related Cash Components through or outside the Clearing Process, and as provided in and in accordance with the Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Trust acknowledges that the Distributor shall not be obligated to accept any certain number of orders for Creation Units and has no role in determining which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Trust and nothing herein contained shall prevent the Distributor from entering into like distribution arrangements with other investment companies.

 

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(b)          The Distributor agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to act as agent of the Trust with respect to the continuous distribution of Creation Units of each Fund as set forth in the Registration Statement and in accordance with the provisions thereof. The Distributor further agrees as follows: (i) at the request of the Trust, the Distributor shall enter into dealer participant agreements (“Participant Agreements”) between and among Authorized Participants, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent, for the purchase of Creation Units of the Funds, in accordance with the Registration Statement and Prospectus; (ii) the Distributor shall generate, transmit to purchasers and redeemers, and maintain copies of confirmations of Creation Unit purchase and redemption order acceptances to the purchaser or redeemer (such confirmations will indicate the time such orders were accepted and will be made available to the Trust promptly upon request); (iii) the Distributor may reject any orders not submitted in proper form or in a timely manner; (iv) the Distributor shall deliver copies of the Prospectus, included in the Registration Statement, to purchasers of such Creation Units and upon request the Statement of Additional Information; and (v) the Distributor shall maintain telephonic, facsimile and/or access to direct computer communications links with the Transfer Agent.

 

(c)          The Distributor agrees to use all reasonable efforts to facilitate the sale of Creation Units through Authorized Participants in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Prospectus.

 

(d)          All activities by the Distributor and its agents and employees that are primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units shall comply with the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the instructions of the Fund’s investment adviser (the “Investment Adviser”) and the Board of Trustees of the Trust, the Agreement and Trust Instrument, and all applicable laws, rules and regulations including, without limitation, all rules and regulations made or adopted pursuant to the 1940 Act by the Commission or any securities association registered under the 1934 Act, including FINRA and the Listing Exchanges.

 

(e)          Except as otherwise noted in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the offering price for all Creation Units will be the aggregate net asset value of the Shares per Creation Unit of the relevant Fund, as determined in the manner described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.

 

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(f)          If and whenever the determination of net asset value is suspended and until such suspension is terminated, no further orders for Creation Units will be processed by the Distributor except such unconditional orders as may have been placed with the Distributor before it had knowledge of the suspension and as required by the 1940 Act. In addition, the Trust reserves the right to suspend sales and the Distributor’s authority to process purchase orders for Creation Units on behalf of the Trust, upon due notice to the Distributor, if, in the judgment of the Trust, it is in the best interests of the Trust to do so. Suspension will continue for such period as may be determined by the Trust.

 

(g)          The Distributor is not authorized by the Trust to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or contained in shareholder reports or other material that may be prepared by or on behalf of the Trust for the Distributor’s use. The Distributor shall be entitled to rely on and shall not be responsible in any way for information provided to it by the Trust and its respective service providers and shall not be liable or responsible for the errors and omissions of such service providers, provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to protect the Distributor against any liability to the Trust or the Trust’s shareholders to which the Distributor would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.         

 

(h)          The Distributor shall ensure that all direct requests for Prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information and periodic fund reports, as applicable, are fulfilled. In addition, the Distributor shall provide to, or cause to be provided to, the Listing Exchanges copies of Prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information to be provided to purchasers in the secondary market. The Distributor will generally make it known in the brokerage community that Prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information are available, including by (i) advising the Listing Exchanges on behalf of its member firms of the same, (ii) making such disclosure in all marketing and advertising materials prepared and/or filed by the Distributor with FINRA, and (iii) as may otherwise be required by the Commission. The Distributor shall not bear any costs associated with printing Prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information and all other such materials.

 

(i)          The Distributor agrees to make available, at the Trust’s request, one or more members of its staff to attend Board meetings of the Trust in order to provide information with regard to the ongoing distribution process and for such other purposes as may be requested by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

 

(j)          The Distributor shall review and approve all sales and marketing materials for compliance with applicable laws and regulations and conditions of any applicable exemptive order, and file such materials with FINRA as required by FINRA, the 1933 Act and 1940 Act, and the rules promulgated thereby or thereunder. All such sales and marketing materials must be approved, in writing, by the Distributor prior to use.

 

(k)          The Distributor shall not offer any Shares and shall not accept any orders for the purchase or sale of Shares hereunder if and so long as the effectiveness of the Registration Statement then in effect or any necessary amendments thereto shall be suspended under any of the provisions of the 1933 Act or if and so long as a current Prospectus as required by Section 10 of the 1933 Act is not on file with the Commission.

 

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(l)          If the Trust adopts any distribution and/or shareholder servicing plan(s) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”), the Distributor shall enter into selling and/or investor servicing agreements (“Sales and Investor Services Agreements”) with various broker-dealers and any other financial institution exempt under federal or state securities laws from registration as a broker or dealer authorized by TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC (“Investment Adviser”), consistent with applicable law and the Registration Statement and Prospectus, to sell Shares and provide services to shareholders. The Distributor further agrees as follows: (i) the Distributor shall administer on behalf of the Trust any Plan(s) adopted by the Trust under Rule 12b-1; (ii) the Distributor shall, at its own expense, set up and maintain a system of recording payments of fees and reimbursement of expenses disseminated pursuant to this Agreement and other agreements related to any such Plan(s) and, pursuant to the 1940 Act, report such payment activity to the Trust at least quarterly; (iii) the Distributor shall receive from the Trust all distribution and shareholder servicing fees, as applicable, at the rate and to the extent payable under the terms and conditions set forth in any Plan(s) adopted by the Trust, applicable to the appropriate class of shares of each Fund, as such Plan(s) may be amended from time to time, and subject to any further limitations on such fees as the Board of Trustees of the Trust may impose; and (iv) the Distributor shall pay, from the fees received from the Trust pursuant to any such Plan(s), all fees and make reimbursement of all expenses, pursuant to and in accordance with such Plan(s) and any and all Sales and Investor Services Agreements. In no event shall Distributor pay any fees pursuant to any such Plan(s) until it has received payment of such fees from the Trust or the Investment Adviser.

 

(m)          The Distributor shall work with the Index Receipt Agent to review and accept or reject orders placed by Authorized Participants and transmitted to the Distributor by the Index Receipt Agent.

 

(n)          The Distributor has as of the date hereof, and shall at all times have and maintain, net capital of not less than that required by Rule 15c3-1 under the 1934 Act, or any successor provision thereto. In the event that the net capital of the Distributor shall fall below that required by Rule 15c3-1, or any successor provision thereto, the Distributor shall promptly provide notice to the Trust and the Investment Adviser of such event.

 

(o)        The Distributor agrees to maintain, and preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act, such records as are required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1(d) under the 1940 Act.

 

(p)          The Distributor agrees to maintain compliance policies and procedures (a “Compliance Program”) that are reasonably designed to prevent violations of the Federal Securities Laws (as defined in Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act) with respect to the Distributor’s services under this Agreement, and to provide any and all information with respect to the Compliance Program, including without limitation, information and certifications with respect to material violations of the Compliance Program and any material deficiencies or changes therein, as may be reasonably requested by the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer or Board of Trustees.

 

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4. Duties of the Trust.

 

(a)          The Trust agrees to issue Creation Units of each Fund and to request DTC to record on its books the ownership of the Shares constituting such Creation Units in accordance with the book-entry system procedures described in the Prospectus in such amounts as the Distributor has requested through the Index Receipt Agent in writing or other means of data transmission, as promptly as practicable after receipt by the Trust of the requisite Deposit Securities and Cash Component (together with any fees) and acceptance of such order, upon the terms described in the Registration Statement. The Trust may reject any order for Creation Units or stop all receipts of such orders at any time upon reasonable notice to the Distributor, in accordance with the provisions of the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.

 

(b)          The Trust agrees that it will take all action necessary to register an indefinite number of Shares under the 1933 Act. The Trust will make available to the Distributor such number of copies of its then currently effective Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information as the Distributor may reasonably request. The Trust will furnish to the Distributor copies of semi-annual reports and annual audited reports of the Trust’s books and accounts made by independent public accountants regularly retained by the Trust and such other publicly available information that the Distributor may reasonably request for use in connection with the distribution of Shares. To the extent applicable, the Trust shall keep the Distributor informed of the jurisdictions in which the Trust has filed notice filings for Shares for sale under the securities laws thereof and shall promptly notify the Distributor of any change in this information. The Distributor shall not be liable for damages resulting from the sale of Shares in authorized jurisdictions where the Distributor had no information from the Trust that such sale or sales were unauthorized at the time of such sale or sales.

 

5. Fees and Expenses.

 

(a)          The Distributor shall be entitled to no compensation or reimbursement of expenses from the Trust for the services provided by the Distributor pursuant to this Agreement. The Distributor may receive compensation from the Investment Adviser related to its services hereunder or for additional services as may be agreed to between the Investment Adviser and Distributor.

 

(b)          The Trust shall bear the cost and expenses of: (i) the registration of the Shares for sale under the 1933 Act; and (ii) the registration or qualification of the Shares for sale under the securities laws of the various States;

 

(c)          The Distributor shall pay (i) all expenses relating to Distributor’s broker-dealer qualification and registration under the 1934 Act; and (ii) the expenses incurred by the Distributor in connection with routine FINRA filing fees.

 

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(d)        Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Distributor and its affiliates may receive compensation or reimbursement from the Trust and the Investment Adviser with respect to any services not included under this Agreement, as may be agreed upon by the parties from time to time.

 

6. Indemnification.

 

(a)          The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Distributor, its affiliates and each of their respective directors, officers and employees and agents and any person who controls the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, “Distributor Indemnitees”) against any loss, liability, claim, damages or expense (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, claim, damages or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) arising out of or based upon (i) Distributor serving as Distributor for the Trust pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) any claim that the Registration Statement, Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, shareholder reports, sales literature and advertisements specifically approved by the Trust, or other information filed by the Trust with the Commission (as from time to time amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein (and in the case of the Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading under the 1933 Act; (iii) the breach by the Trust of any obligation, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement; or (iv) the Trust’s failure to comply in any material respect with applicable securities laws.

 

The Trust does not agree to indemnify any Distributor Indemnitee or hold it harmless to the extent that the statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Distributor or a Distributor Indemnitee. The Trust will also not indemnify any Distributor Indemnitee with respect to any untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement, Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information that is subsequently corrected in such document (or an amendment thereof or supplement thereto) if a copy of the Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement) was not sent or given to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense at or before the written confirmation to such person in any case where such delivery is required by the 1933 Act and the Trust had notified the Distributor of the amendment or supplement prior to the sending of the confirmation. In no case is the indemnity of the Trust in favor of any Distributor Indemnitee to be deemed to protect a Distributor Indemnitee against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders to which a Distributor Indemnitee would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

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The Distributor agrees to notify the Trust promptly of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any other Distributor Indemnitee in connection with the issuance or sale of Shares. Failure to notify the Trust of any claim shall not relieve the Trust from any liability that it may have to any Distributor Indemnitee against whom such action is brought except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure. The Trust shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense, or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any claims, but if the Trust elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and reasonably satisfactory to Distributor Indemnitee(s). In the event the Trust elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, Distributor Indemnitee, defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the Trust does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the Distributor Indemnitee, defendant or defendants in the suit, for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them and acceptable to the Trust.

 

(b)          The Distributor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, its affiliates and each of their respective directors, trustees, officers and employees and agents and any person who controls the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Trust Affiliates”) against any loss, liability, claim, damages or expense (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, claim, damages or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) arising out of or based upon (i) the allegation of any wrongful act of the Distributor or any Distributor Indemnitee in connection with the activities of the Distributor pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) the breach of any obligation, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement by the Distributor; (iii) the Distributor’s failure to comply in any material respect with applicable securities laws, including applicable FINRA regulations; (iv) any material non-compliance by the Distributor with any and all exemptive orders issued to the Trust in connection with the offering of Shares under this Agreement, the 1940 Act, the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act with respect to which the Distributor receives adequate advance notice; or (v) any allegation that the Registration Statement, Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, shareholder reports, any information or materials relating to the Funds (as described in section 3(g)) or other information filed or made public by the Trust (as from time to time amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements not misleading, insofar as such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Distributor or a Distributor Indemnitee.

 

In no case is the indemnity of the Distributor in favor of any Trust Affiliate to be deemed to protect any Trust Affiliate against any liability to the Trust or its security holders to which such Trust Affiliate would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

 

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The Trust agrees to notify the Distributor promptly of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any Trust Affiliate in connection with the issuance or sale of any of the Creation Units or the Shares. Failure to notify the Distributor of any claim shall not relieve the Distributor from any liability that it may have to the Trust Affiliate against whom such action is brought except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure. The Distributor shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce the claim, but if the Distributor elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and reasonably satisfactory to the Trust, its officers and Board and to any controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit. In the event that Distributor elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the Trust or controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the Trust, its officers and Trustees or controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them.

 

(c)          No indemnified party shall settle any claim against it for which it intends to seek indemnification from the indemnifying party, under the terms of section 6(a) or 6(b) above, without prior written notice to and consent from the indemnifying party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No indemnified or indemnifying party shall settle any claim unless the settlement contains a full release of liability with respect to the other party in respect of such action.

 

7. Representations.

 

(a)          The Distributor represents and warrants that (i) it is duly organized as a Delaware limited liability company and is and at all times will remain duly authorized and licensed under applicable law to carry out its services as contemplated herein; (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement are within its power and have been duly authorized by all necessary action; (iii) its entering into this Agreement or providing the services contemplated hereby does not conflict with or constitute a default or require a consent under or breach of any provision of any agreement or document to which the Distributor is a party or by which it is bound; (iv) it is registered as a broker-dealer under the 1934 Act and is a member of FINRA; and (v) it has in place compliance policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations of the Federal Securities Laws as that term is defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the Trust.

 

(b)          The Distributor and the Trust each individually represent and warrant that: (i) it understands that pursuant to various U.S. regulations, it is required to establish an anti-money laundering program, which satisfies the requirements of Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, as amended; (ii) it has developed, implemented, and will maintain such anti-money laundering program and will comply with all applicable laws and regulations designed to guard against money laundering activities set out in such program; and (iii) it will allow for appropriate regulators to examine its anti-money laundering books and records. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust acknowledges that the Authorized Participants are not “customers” for the purposes of 31 CFR 103.

 

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(c)          The Distributor and the Trust each individually represent and warrant that: (i) it has procedures in place reasonably designed to protect the privacy of non-public personal consumer/customer financial information to the extent required by applicable law, rule and regulation and shall periodically assess such procedures and implement changes as it may deem appropriate in light of increasing threats to information and cybersecurity and (ii) it will comply with all of the applicable terms and provisions of the 1934 Act. The Distributor agrees to notify the Trust promptly upon the event of any loss of data, unauthorized access to data, or data security breach involving such information.

 

(d)       The Distributor represents and warrants that all sales materials reviewed and approved for use by the Distributor will comply in all material respects with the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and FINRA and will be filed by the Distributor with FINRA as required.

 

(e)        The Distributor represents and warrants that it will provide certifications to the Trust in order to assist the Trust in complying with certain rules under the 1940 Act (by way of example only, Rules 30a-2, 30a-3 and 38a-1) and in connection with the filing of certain Forms (by way of example only, Form N-CSR).

 

(f)          The Distributor represents and warrants that it maintains a comprehensive business continuity plan that is commercially reasonable for a provider of distribution services to investment companies registered under the 1940 Act and complies with the applicable laws, rules and regulations and shall test the adequacy of such plan at least annually. The Trust shall have electronic access to such plan. In the event of business disruption that materially impacts the Distributor’s provision of services under this Agreement, the Distributor will promptly notify the Trust of the disruption and the steps being taken in response.

 

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(g)          The Trust represents and warrants that (i) it is duly organized as a Delaware statutory trust and is and at all times will remain duly authorized to carry out its obligations as contemplated herein; (ii) it is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act; (iii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement are within its power and have been duly authorized by all necessary action; (iv) its entering into this Agreement does not conflict with or constitute a default or require a consent under or breach of any provision of any agreement or document to which the Trust is a party or by which it is bound; (v) the Registration Statement and each Fund’s Prospectus, and all sales literature and advertisement approved by the Trust, as each may be amended from time to time, have been prepared, in all materials respects, in conformity with the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission (the “Rules and Regulations”); and (vi) the Registration Statement and each Fund’s Prospectus contain, and all sales literature and advertisements approved by the Trust shall contain, all statements required to be stated therein in accordance with the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations; and (vii) all statements of fact contained therein, or to be contained in all sales literature and advertisements approved by the Trust are or will be true and correct in all material respects at the time indicated or the effective date, as the case may be, and none of the Registration Statement nor any Fund’s Prospectus, nor any sales literature and advertisements approved by the Trust shall include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the case of each Fund’s Prospectus in light of the circumstances in which made, not misleading. The Trust shall, from time to time, file such amendment or amendments to the Registration Statement and each Fund’s Prospectus as, in the light of future developments, shall, in the opinion of the Trust’s counsel, be necessary in order to have the Registration Statement and each Fund’s Prospectus at all times contain all material facts required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the case of each Fund’s Prospectus in light of the circumstances in which made, not misleading. The Trust shall not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or each Fund’s Prospectus that amends any disclosure relating to the Distributor, the distribution of the Shares, or the public offering price of the Shares, without giving the Distributor reasonable notice thereof in advance, provided that nothing in this Agreement shall in any way limit the Trust’s right to file at any time such amendments to the Registration Statement or any Fund’s Prospectus as the Trust may deem advisable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust shall not be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to any information or statement provided by the Distributor for inclusion in the Registration Statement or any Fund’s Prospectus.

 

(h)          The Trust represents to the Distributor that the Registration Statement and Prospectus filed by the Trust with the Commission with respect to the Trust have been prepared in conformity in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations. The Trust will notify the Distributor promptly of any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus and any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Agreement shall in any way limit the Trust’s right to file at any time such amendments to any Registration Statement and/or supplements to any Prospectus, of whatever character, as the Trust may deem advisable, such right being in all respects absolute and unconditional. The Trust shall not be responsible in any way for any information, statements or representations given or made by the Distributor or its representatives or agents other than such information, statements or representations as are contained in such Prospectus or Registration Statement or financial reports filed on behalf of the Trust.

 

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8. Duration, Termination and Amendment.

 

(a)          This Agreement shall be effective on the date set forth above, and unless terminated as provided herein, shall continue for two years from its effective date, and thereafter from year to year, provided such continuance is approved annually (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the relevant Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of those Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, as to each Fund (i) by vote of a majority of those Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by the Distributor, on at least sixty (60) days prior written notice. This Agreement shall automatically terminate without the payment of any penalty in the event of its assignment. As used in this paragraph, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “assignment,” “affiliated person” and “interested person” shall have the respective meanings specified in the 1940 Act.

 

(b)          No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated except by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which an enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought.

 

9. Notice.

 

Any notice or other communication authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to either party shall be in writing and deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by confirmed facsimile, or posted by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the following address (or such other address as a party may specify by written notice to the other):

 

  If to the Distributor :
   
  Foreside Fund Services, LLC
  Attn:  Legal Department
  Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100
  Portland, ME  04101
  Telephone:  (207) 553-7110
  Facsimile:  (207) 553-7151
   
  If to the Trust :
   
  TrimTabs ETF Trust
  Attn: Minyi Chen
  3 Harbor Drive, Suite 112
  Sausalito, CA 94965
  Telephone: (415) 887-9243
  Facsimile: (415) 887-9071

 

10. Choice of Law.

 

This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the state of Delaware, without giving effect to the choice of laws provisions thereof.

 

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11. Counterparts.

 

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

 

12. Severability.

 

If any provisions of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid, in whole or in part, then the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in force. Invalid provisions shall, in accordance with this Agreement’s intent and purpose, be amended, to the extent legally possible, in order to effectuate the intended results of such invalid provisions.

 

13. Insurance.

 

The Distributor will maintain at its expense an errors and omissions insurance policy adequate to cover services provided by the Distributor hereunder.

 

14. Confidentiality.

 

During the term of this Agreement, the Distributor and the Trust may have access to confidential information relating to such matters as either party’s business, trade secrets, systems, procedures, manuals, products, contracts, personnel, and clients. As used in this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means information belonging to one of the parties that is of value to such party and the disclosure of which could result in a competitive or other disadvantage to such party. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, financial information, proposal and presentations, reports, forecasts, inventions, improvements and other intellectual property; trade secrets; know-how; designs, processes or formulae; software; market or sales information or plans; customer lists; and business plans, prospects and opportunities (such as possible acquisitions or dispositions of businesses or facilities). Confidential Information includes information developed by either party in the course of engaging in the activities provided for in this Agreement, unless: (i) the information is or becomes publicly known through lawful means; (ii) the information is disclosed to the other party without a confidential restriction by a third party who rightfully possesses the information and did not obtain it, either directly or indirectly, from one of the parties, as the case may be, or any of their respective principals, employees, affiliated persons, or affiliated entities. The parties understand and agree that all Confidential Information shall be kept confidential by the other both during and after the term of this Agreement. Each party shall maintain commercially reasonable information security policies and procedures for protecting Confidential Information. The parties further agree that they will not, without the prior written approval by the other party, disclose such Confidential Information, or use such Confidential Information in any way, either during the term of this Agreement or at any time thereafter, except as required in the course of this Agreement and as provided by the other party or as required by law. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, or as otherwise requested by the Trust, all Confidential Information held by or on behalf of Trust shall be promptly returned to the Trust, or an authorized officer of the Distributor will certify to the Trust in writing that all such Confidential Information has been destroyed. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a party may disclose the other’s Confidential Information if (i) required by law, regulation or legal process or if requested by the Commission or other governmental regulatory agency with jurisdiction over the parties hereto or (ii) requested to do so by the other party; provided that in the event of (i), the disclosing party shall give the other party reasonable prior notice of such disclosure to the extent reasonably practicable and shall reasonably cooperate with the other party (at such other party’s expense) in any efforts to prevent such disclosure.

 

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15. Limitation of Liability.

 

This Agreement is executed by or on behalf of the Trust with respect to each of the Funds and the obligations hereunder are not binding upon any of the trustees, officers or shareholders of the Trust individually but are binding only upon the Fund to which such obligations pertain and the assets and property of such Fund. Separate and distinct records are maintained for each Fund and the assets associated with any such Fund are held and accounted for separately from the other assets of the Trust, or any other Fund of the Trust. The debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses incurred, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to a particular Fund of the Trust shall be enforceable against the assets of that Fund only, and not against the assets of the Trust generally or any other Fund, and none of the debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses incurred, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to the Trust generally or any other Fund shall be enforceable against the assets of that Fund. The Trust’s Trust Instrument is on file with the Trust.

 

16. Use of Names; Publicity.

 

The Trust shall not use the Distributor’s name in any offering material, shareholder report, advertisement or other material relating to the Trust, other than for the purpose of merely identifying and describing the functions of the Distributor hereunder, in a manner not approved by the Distributor in writing prior to such use, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. The Distributor hereby consents to all uses of its name required by the Commission, any state securities commission, or any federal or state regulatory authority.

 

The Distributor shall not use the name “TrimTabs” or “TrimTabs ETF Trust” in any offering material, shareholder report, advertisement or other material relating to the Distributor, other than for the purpose of merely identifying and describing the functions of the Trust hereunder, in a manner not approved by the Trust in writing prior to such use; provided, however, that the Trust hereby consents to all uses of its name required by the Commission, any state securities commission, or any federal or state regulatory authority; and provided, further, that in no case shall any additional approval required be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned.

 

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The Distributor will not issue any press releases or make any public announcements regarding the existence of this Agreement without the express written consent of the Trust. Neither the Trust nor the Distributor will disclose any of the economic terms of this Agreement, except as may be required by law.

 

17. Entire Agreement.

 

This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties, and represents the entire agreement between the parties, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

18. Survival.

 

Sections 6, 9, 10, 14 and 15 shall survive termination of this Agreement.

 

Signature page to follow

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their officers designated below as of the date first set forth above.

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST  
   
By:    
Name: Charles Biderman  
Title: President  
   
FORESIDE FUND SERVICES, LLC  
   
By:    
Name:  Mark Fairbanks  
Title:    President  

 

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EXHIBIT A

 

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Exhibit 99.e.ii

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

 

This Authorized Participant Agreement (the “Agreement”) is entered into by and between Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) and [               ] (the “Participant”) and is subject to acceptance by The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Index Receipt Agent”) as index receipt agent for TrimTabs ETF Trust (the “Trust”).

 

The Index Receipt Agent serves as the index receipt agent for the Trust and all of its designated series (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), and is an Index Receipt Agent as that term is defined in the rules of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”). The Distributor provides services as principal underwriter of the Funds acting on an agency basis in connection with the sale and distribution of the shares issued by the Funds known as “Shares.”

 

The process by which an investor purchases and redeems Shares from a Fund is described (“SAI”), as each may be supplemented or amended from time to time (the “Prospectuses”) that comprise part of the Trust’s registration statement, as amended, on Form N-1A (Securities Act of 1933 Registration No. 333-198603; Investment Company Act of 1940 Registration No. 811-22995) and the Authorized Participant Procedures Handbook (“AP Handbook”) (hereinafter collectively, “Fund Documents”). The discussion of the purchase and redemption process in this Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the more complete discussions in the Fund Documents. References to the Fund Documents are to the then current Prospectuses and AP Handbook as each may be supplemented or amended from time to time in the sole discretion of the Trust, with respect to the Prospectuses, and the Index Receipt Agent, with respect to the AP Handbook. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Fund Documents. In the event of a conflict between this Agreement and the Fund Documents, the Fund Documents shall control. In the event of a conflict between the Prospectuses and AP Handbook, the Prospectuses shall control. Each party to this Agreement agrees to comply with the provisions of the Fund Documents to the extent applicable to it.

 

Shares may be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund only in aggregations of a specified number, each known as a “Creation Unit.” The number of Shares presently constituting a Creation Unit of each Fund is set forth in Annex I. Creation Units of Shares may be purchased only by or through an entity that has entered into this Agreement with the Distributor and is either a participant in The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or a broker-dealer or other participant in the Continuous Net Settlement System (the “CNSS”) of the NSCC (each, an “AP”).

 

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To purchase a Creation Unit, an AP, such as Participant, whether acting for its own account or on behalf of another party, generally must deliver to the Fund a designated basket of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) and an amount of cash computed as described in the Fund Documents (the “Balancing Amount”), plus a purchase transaction fee as described in the Fund Documents (the “Transaction Fee”). To redeem a Creation Unit an AP, such as Participant, whether acting for its own account or on behalf of another party, generally must deliver a Creation Unit of Shares to the Fund and pay the Transaction Fee in exchange for the Deposit Securities and Balancing Amount. The Deposit Securities and the Balancing Amount together constitute the “Fund Deposit” for a Purchase Order or a Redemption Order. The amount of such Transaction Fee shall be determined by the Trust or investment adviser to the Trust and may be changed from time to time.

 

This Agreement is intended to set forth the procedures by which the Participant may purchase and/or redeem Creation Units of Shares (i) through the CNSS clearing processes of NSCC as such processes have been enhanced to effect purchases and redemptions of Creation Units, such processes being referred to herein as the “Clearing Process,” or (ii) outside the Clearing Process through the DTC systems. The procedures for processing an order to purchase Shares (a “Purchase Order”) and an order to redeem Shares (a “Redemption Order”) are described in the Fund Documents. All Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders must be made pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Fund Documents. Unless otherwise provided in the Fund Documents, the Participant may not cancel a Purchase Order or a Redemption Order after it is placed.

 

The parties hereto, in consideration of the promises and of the mutual agreements contained herein, agree as follows:

 

1. STATUS OF PARTICIPANT

 

(a)         The Participant hereby represents, covenants, and warrants that it is and will continue to be a participant in DTC (“DTC Participant”) so long as this Agreement is in full force and effect and that, with respect to Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders placed through the Clearing Process, it is and will continue to be a member of NSCC and a participant in the CNSS so long as this Agreement is in full force and effect. The Participant may place Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders either through the Clearing Process or outside the Clearing Process, subject to the procedures for purchase and redemption referred to in Paragraph 2 of this Agreement and the Fund Documents. If a Participant loses its status as a DTC Participant or NSCC member, or its eligibility to participate in the CNSS, the Participant shall promptly notify the Distributor in writing of the change in status or eligibility. Upon such notice, the Distributor, in its sole discretion, upon consultation with the Trust, may terminate this Agreement.

 

(b)         The Participant hereby represents and warrants that it is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“1934 Act”), is qualified to act as a broker or dealer in the states or other jurisdictions where it transacts business, and is a member in good standing of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The Participant agrees that it will maintain such registrations, qualifications, and membership in good standing and in full force and effect throughout the term of this Agreement. The Participant agrees to comply with all applicable federal laws, the laws of the states or other jurisdictions concerned, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and with the Constitution, By-Laws and Conduct Rules of FINRA, and that it will not offer or sell Shares of any Fund in any state or jurisdiction where such shares may not lawfully be offered and/or sold.

 

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(c)         If the Participant is offering and selling Shares of any Fund in jurisdictions outside the several states, territories and possessions of the United States and is not otherwise required to be registered or qualified as a broker or dealer, or to be a member of the FINRA, as set forth above, the Participant nevertheless agrees to observe the applicable laws of the U.S. and of the jurisdiction in which such offer and/or sale is made, to comply with the full disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”) and the regulations promulgated thereunder, and to conduct its business in accordance with the spirit of the FINRA Conduct Rules.

 

(d)         The Participant represents and warrants to the Distributor, Trust and Funds that immediately after each acquisition of a Rule 144A security by the Participant pursuant to this Agreement, it or, if applicable, the person on whose behalf it is acting, is a “qualified institutional buyer,” as defined in Rule 144A under the 1933 Act.

 

2. EXECUTION OF PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION ORDERS

 

(a)         All Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders shall be made in accordance with the terms of the Fund Documents. Each party hereto agrees to comply with the provisions of such documents to the extent applicable to it. It is contemplated that the phone lines used in connection with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units, which includes use by representatives of the Distributor, Index Receipt Agent or the Trust and any affiliates thereof, will be recorded, and the Participant hereby consents to the recording of all calls in connection with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units. The Funds reserve the right to issue additional or other procedures relating to the manner of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units, and the Participant agrees to comply with such procedures as may be issued from time to time, including but not limited to the Shares cash collateral settlement procedures that are referenced in the AP Handbook. The Participant acknowledges and agrees on behalf of itself and any party for which it is acting that a Purchase Order or Redemption Order shall be irrevocable, and that the Distributor and the Trust have and reserve the right, in their sole discretion without notice, to reject a Purchase Order or Redemption Order or suspend sales of Shares, in accordance with the terms of the Fund Documents and the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”).

 

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(b)         With respect to any Redemption Order, the Participant acknowledges and agrees on behalf of itself and any party for which it acts to return to a Fund any dividend, distribution, or other corporate action paid to it or to the party for which it is then acting in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Participant or any party for which it is acting that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should have been paid to the Fund. With respect to any Redemption Order, the Participant also acknowledges and agrees on behalf of itself and any party for which it acts that a Fund is entitled to reduce the amount of money or other proceeds due to the Participant or any party for which it is acting by an amount equal to any dividend, distribution, or other corporate action to be paid to it or to the party for which it is then acting in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Participant or any party for which it is acting that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should be paid to the Fund. With respect to any Purchase Order, each Fund acknowledges and agrees to return to the Participant or any party for which it is acting any dividend, distribution, or other corporate action paid to the Fund in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Fund that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should have been paid to the Participant or any party for which it is acting.

 

(c)         In the event that the basket of Deposit Securities to be delivered by the Participant in connection with any Purchase Order is missing some of the required securities on the Contractual Settlement Date (as defined below) for such Purchase Order, the Distributor, the Trust and the Index Receipt Agent agree not to treat such Purchase Order as a failed trade or a failed settlement provided that the Participant, on or prior to the close of business on the first business day following the Contractual Settlement Date for such Purchase Order, delivers to the Index Receipt Agent or the Distributor, as applicable, on behalf of the Trust (in accordance with the delivery instructions provided by the Index Receipt Agent or the Distributor, as applicable), the Balancing Amount required in connection with such Purchase Order, such Deposit Securities as the Participant has available for delivery and cash collateral in an amount up to 115% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities, or (ii) delivers to the Trust through the NSCC or otherwise (as instructed by the Index Receipt Agent or the Distributor, as applicable, for the benefit of the Trust) the missing Deposit Securities or cash in lieu of such securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained herein shall be deemed to require the Trust or the Distributor or the Index Receipt Agent on behalf of the Trust to complete any such Purchase Order unless and until the Participant fully complies with the requirements of this Section 2(c).

 

3. AUTHORIZATION OF INDEX RECEIPT AGENT

 

With respect to Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders processed through the Clearing Process, the Participant hereby authorizes the Index Receipt Agent to transmit to the NSCC on behalf of the Participant such instructions, including amounts of the Deposit Securities and Balancing Amounts as are necessary, consistent with the instructions issued by the Participant to the Distributor then transmitted by the Distributor to the Index Receipt Agent. The Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of such instructions issued by the Index Receipt Agent and reported to NSCC as though such instructions were issued by the Participant directly to NSCC.

 

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4. MARKETING MATERIALS AND REPRESENTATIONS.

 

The Participant represents, warrants, and agrees that it will not make any representations concerning Shares, the Trust or the Funds, other than those contained in the Funds’ then current Prospectuses or in any promotional materials or sales literature furnished to the Participant by the Distributor. The Participant agrees not to furnish or cause to be furnished to any person or display or publish any information or materials relating to Shares (including, without limitation, promotional materials and sales literature, advertisements, press releases, announcements, statements, posters, signs, or other similar materials), except such information and materials as may be furnished to the Participant by the Distributor and such other information and materials as may be approved in writing by the Distributor. The Participant understands that the Fund will not be advertised or marketed as an open-end investment company, i.e., as a mutual fund, and that any advertising materials will prominently disclose that the Shares are not individually redeemable. In addition, the Participant understands that any advertising material that addresses redemption of Shares will disclose that Shares may be tendered for redemption to the issuing Fund only in Creation Units. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Participant may without the written approval of the Distributor prepare and circulate in the regular course of its business research reports that include information, opinions, or recommendations relating to Shares (i) for public dissemination, provided that such research reports compare the relative merits and benefits of Shares with other products and are not used for purposes of marketing Shares and (ii) for internal use by the Participant (collectively, “Broker Materials”).

 

5. TITLE TO SECURITIES; RESTRICTED SHARES

 

The Participant represents on behalf of itself and any party for which it acts that upon delivery of Deposit Securities, the Fund will acquire good and unencumbered title to such securities, free and clear of all liens, restrictions, charges, and encumbrances, and not subject to any adverse claims, including without limitation any restrictions upon the sale or transfer of such securities imposed by (i) any agreement or arrangement entered into by the Participant or any party for which it is acting in connection with a Purchase Order; or (ii) any provision of the 1933 Act, and any regulations thereunder (except that portfolio securities of issuers other than U.S. issuers shall not be required to have been registered under the 1933 Act if exempt from such registration), or of the applicable laws or regulations of any other applicable jurisdiction. In particular, the Participant represents on behalf of itself and any party for which it acts that no such securities are “restricted securities” as such term is used in Rule 144(a)(3)(i) under the 1933 Act.

 

6. BALANCING AMOUNT

 

The Participant hereby agrees that, in connection with a Purchase Order, whether for itself or any party for which it acts, it will make available on or before the contractual settlement date (the “Contractual Settlement Date”), by means satisfactory to the Trust, and in accordance with the provisions of the Fund Documents, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Trust to be sufficient to pay the Balancing Amount next determined after acceptance of the Purchase Order, together with the applicable purchase Transaction Fee. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the Purchase Order. The Participant should ascertain the applicable deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the Balancing Amount. The Participant hereby agrees to ensure that the Balancing Amount will be received by the issuing Fund in accordance with the terms of the Fund Documents, but in any event on or before the Contractual Settlement Date, and in the event payment of such Balancing Amount has not been made in accordance with the provisions of the Fund Documents or by such Contractual Settlement Date, the Participant agrees on behalf of itself or any party for which it acts in connection with a Purchase Order to pay the amount of the Balancing Amount, plus interest, computed at such reasonable rate as may be specified by the Fund from time to time. The Participant shall be liable to the Custodian, any sub-custodian or the Trust for any amounts advanced by the Custodian or any sub-custodian in its sole discretion to the Participant for payment of the amounts due and owing for the Balancing Amount. Computation of the Balancing Amount shall exclude any taxes, duties or other fees and expenses payable upon the transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Participant and not the Trust.

 

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7. ROLE OF PARTICIPANT

 

(a)         The Participant acknowledges and agrees that, for all purposes of this Agreement, the Participant will be deemed to be an independent contractor, and will have no authority to act as agent for the Trust, Funds or the Distributor in any matter or in any respect. The Participant agrees to make itself and its employees available, upon request, during normal business hours to consult with the Trust, Funds or the Distributor or their designees concerning the performance of the Participant’s responsibilities under this Agreement.

  

(b)        The Participant agrees as a DTC Participant and in connection with any purchase or redemption transactions in which it acts on behalf of a third party, that it shall extend to such party all of the rights, and shall be bound by all of the obligations, of a DTC Participant in addition to any obligations that it undertakes hereunder or in accordance with the Fund Documents.

 

(c)        The Participant agrees to maintain all books and records of all sales of Shares made by or through it pursuant to its obligations under the federal securities laws and to furnish copies of such records to the Trust, Funds or the Distributor upon the request of the Trust, Funds or the Distributor.

 

(d)         The Participant represents that from time to time it may be a Beneficial Owner (as that term is defined Rule 16a-1(a)(2) of the 1934 Act) of Shares. To the extent that it is a Beneficial Owner of Shares, the Participant agrees to irrevocably appoint Distributor as its attorney and proxy with full authorization and power to vote (or abstain from voting) its beneficially owned shares. The Distributor intends to vote (or abstain from voting) the Participant’s beneficially owned shares in the same proportion as the votes (or abstentions) of all other shareholders of each Fund on any matter submitted to the vote of shareholders of the Fund or Trust. The Distributor, as attorney and proxy for Participant under this Paragraph, (i) is hereby given full power of substitution and revocation; (ii) may act through such agents, nominees, or attorneys as it may appoint from time to time; and (iii) may provide voting instructions to such agents, nominees, or substitute attorneys. Distributor may terminate this irrevocable proxy within sixty (60) days written notice to the Participant.

 

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(e)         The Participant understands and acknowledges that the method by which Shares will be created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws and regulations. For example, because new Creation Units may be issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution”, as such term is used in the 1933 Act, may occur. The Participant acknowledges that the Distributor and the Trust have cautioned Participant that some activities on its part, depending on the circumstances, may result in its being deemed a participant in a distribution in a manner which could render it a statutory underwriter and subject it to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the 1933 Act. The Participant also understands and acknowledges 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. Neither the Distributor nor the Index Receipt Agent or Trust will indemnify Participant for any violations of the federal securities laws committed by the Participant.

 

(f)         The Participant represents that it has implemented an anti-money laundering program (“AML Program”) consistent with all applicable federal laws, including the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA Patriot Act, and the regulations thereunder, and FINRA Rule 3310. At a minimum, the Participant’s AML Program (i) establishes and implements policies and procedures that can be reasonably expected to detect and cause the reporting of transactions required under 31 U.S.C. 5318(g) and the implementing regulations thereunder; (ii) establish and implements policies, procedures, and internal controls reasonably designed to achieve compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the implementing regulations thereunder; (iii) provides for annual independent testing; (iv) designates an individual or individuals responsible for implementing and monitoring the day-to-day operations and internal controls of the program; and (v) provides ongoing training for appropriate personnel. The Authorized Participant represents that it maintains policies and procedures to screen for “specially designated nationals” and other prohibited persons under the regulations administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (codified at 31 CFR 500 et seq.). The Distributor shall verify the identity of each Authorized Participant and maintain identification verification and transactional records in accordance with the requirements of applicable laws and regulations aimed at the prevention and detection of money laundering and/or terrorism activities.

 

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8. AUTHORIZED PERSONS OF THE PARTICIPANT

 

(a)         Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement and from time to time thereafter as may be requested by the Trust or Funds, the Participant shall deliver to the Trust or Funds, with copies to the Distributor and Index Receipt Agent, a certificate in a form approved by the Trust or Funds (see Annex II hereto), duly certified as appropriate by the Participant’s Secretary or other duly authorized official, setting forth the names and signatures of all persons authorized to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated hereby or any other notice, request, or instruction on behalf of the Participant (each an “Authorized Person”). Such certificate may be accepted and relied upon by the Distributor and the Trust or Funds as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth therein and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until delivery to the Trust or Funds of a superseding certificate. Upon the termination or revocation of authority of such Authorized Person by the Participant, the Participant shall give immediate written notice of such fact to the Trust or Funds with copy to the Distributor and Index Receipt Agent and such notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Trust or Funds.

 

(b)         The Index Receipt Agent with notice to the Distributor shall issue to each Authorized Person of the Participant a unique personal identification number (“PIN Number”) by which the an Authorized Person shall be identified and instructions issued by an Authorized Person on behalf of the Participant hereunder shall be authenticated. The PIN Number shall be kept confidential and provided to Authorized Persons only. If an Authorized Person’s PIN Number is changed, the new PIN Number will become effective on a date mutually agreed upon by the Participant and the Index Receipt Agent with notice to the Distributor. If for some reason, an Authorized Person’s PIN number is compromised, the Participant shall contact the Index Receipt Agent with notice to the Distributor immediately in order for a new one to be issued.

 

(c)         The Index Receipt Agent or Distributor, as applicable, shall assume that all instructions issued to it using an Authorized Person’s PIN Number have been properly placed, unless the Index Receipt Agent has actual knowledge to the contrary or the Participant has revoked such Authorized Person’s PIN Number. The Index Receipt Agent or Distributor, as applicable, shall not verify that an Order is being placed by or on behalf of the Participant. The Participant agrees that the Distributor, the Index Receipt Agent and the Trust shall not be liable, absent fraud or willful misconduct, for losses incurred by the Participant as a result of unauthorized use of an Authorized Person’s PIN Number, unless the Participant previously submitted written notice to revoke such Authorized Person’s PIN Number.

 

9. REDEMPTIONS

 

(a)         The Participant understands and agrees that Redemption Orders may be submitted only on days that the Trust is open for business, including as required by Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act.

 

(b)        The Participant represents, covenants and warrants that it will not attempt to place a Redemption Order for the purpose of redeeming any Creation Units unless it first ascertains that it or its customer, as the case may be, owns outright or has full legal authority and legal and beneficial right to tender for redemption the requisite number of Shares, and that such Shares have not been borrowed from or loaned or pledged to another party and are not the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement, or any other agreement that would preclude the delivery of such Shares to the Fund. In the event that the Distributor and/or the Trust have reason to believe that the above representations, covenants and warranties are not true, the Distributor and/or the Trust may require the Participant to execute supporting documentation in order for the Redemption Order to be deemed in proper form. Failure to execute such supporting documentation may result in the Participant’s Redemption Request being rejected as not in proper form.

 

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(c)         The Participant understands that Shares of any Fund may be redeemed only when one or more Creation Units are held in the account of a single person. For the avoidance of doubt, Participant understands and agrees that Participant may not aggregate Shares of different persons to meet the one account requirement set forth in this paragraph.

 

(d)        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or the Prospectuses, the Participant understands and agrees that residents of certain countries are entitled to receive only cash upon redemption of a Creation Unit. Accordingly, the Participant is required to confirm that any request it submits for an in-kind redemption has not been submitted on behalf of a Beneficial Owner who is a resident of a country requiring that all redemptions be made in cash.

 

10. COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNAL REVENUE CODE SECTION 351

 

(a)        The Participant represents, covenants and warrants that, based upon the number of outstanding Shares of any particular Fund, it does not, and will not in the future, hold for the account of any single Beneficial Owner, or group of related Beneficial Owners, 80 percent or more of the currently outstanding Shares of such Fund, so as to cause the Fund to have a basis in the portfolio securities deposited with the Fund different from the market value of such portfolio securities on the date of such deposit, pursuant to Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

(b)        The Participant agrees that the confirmation relating to any order for one or more Creation Units shall state as follows: “Purchaser represents and warrants that, after giving effect to the purchase of Shares to which this confirmation relates, it will not hold 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of the issuing Fund and will not treat such purchase as eligible for tax-free treatment under Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. If purchaser is a dealer, it agrees to deliver similar written confirmations to any person purchasing from it any of the Shares to which this confirmation relates.”

 

(c)         A Fund and its Index Receipt Agent and Distributor shall have the right to require, as a condition to the acceptance of a deposit of Deposit Securities, information from the Participant regarding ownership of the Shares by such Participant and its customers, and to rely thereon to the extent necessary to make a determination regarding ownership of 80 percent or more of the Fund’s currently outstanding Shares by a Beneficial Owner.

 

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(d)        The Participant shall otherwise use reasonable efforts to ensure that on each Business Day: (i) no redeeming shareholder is also a purchasing shareholder; (ii) no redeeming shareholder is affiliated in any manner to or with a purchasing shareholder; (iii) each redeeming shareholder and purchasing shareholder are acting for their own respective beneficial interests; (iv) no Redemption Order is for the beneficial interest of a person placing a Purchase Order; and (v) persons placing Redemption Orders and Purchase Orders are not acting pursuant to any common plan, mutual agreement, or understanding.

 

11. OBLIGATIONS OF PARTICIPANT

 

(a)         The Participant agrees to maintain records of all sales of Shares made by or through it and to furnish copies of such records to the Trust or the Distributor upon their reasonable request.

 

(b)        The Participant affirms that it has procedures in place reasonably designed to protect the privacy of non-public personal consumer/customer financial information to the extent required by applicable law, rule and regulation.

 

(c)         The Participant represents, covenants and warrants that, during the term of this Agreement, it will not be an affiliated person of a Fund, a promoter or a principal underwriter of a Fund or an affiliated person of such persons, except under 2(a)(3)(A) or 2(a)(3)(C) of the 1940 Act due to ownership of Shares.

 

12. INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 12 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

(a)        The Participant hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Distributor, the Trust, Funds, Index Receipt Agent,   their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, trustees, directors, officers, employees, and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each a “Participant Indemnified Party”), from and against any loss, liability, cost, or expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by such Participant Indemnified Party as a result of (i) any breach by the Participant of any provision of this Agreement; (ii) any failure on the part of the Participant to perform any of its obligations set forth in this Agreement; (iii) any failure by the Participant to comply with applicable laws, including rules and regulations of self-regulatory organizations; (iv) actions of any Participant Indemnified Party in reliance upon any instructions issued in accordance with the Fund Documents or Annex II (as each may be amended from time to time) reasonably believed by the Distributor and/or the Index Receipt Agent to be genuine and to have been given by the Participant; or (v) the Participant’s failure to complete a Purchase Order or Redemption Order that has been accepted. The Participant further agrees that, as between the Trust and the Distributor on one hand and the Participant on the other, Participant shall be fully responsible and liable for Broker Materials. The Participant understands and agrees that the Trust or Funds as third party beneficiaries to this Agreement are entitled to proceed directly against the Participant in the event that the Participant fails to honor any of its obligations under this Agreement that benefit the Trust or Funds. The Distributor shall not be liable to the Participant for any damages arising out of mistakes or errors in data provided to the Distributor, or out of interruptions or delays of communications with the Participant Indemnified Parties who are service providers to the Fund

 

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(b)        The Distributor hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Participant and the Index Receipt Agent, their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each a “Distributor Indemnified Party”), from and against any loss, liability, cost, or expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by such Distributor Indemnified Party as a result of (i) any breach by the Distributor of any provision of this Agreement; (ii) any failure on the part of the Distributor to perform any of its obligations set forth in this Agreement; (iii) any failure by the Distributor to comply with applicable laws, including rules and regulations of self-regulatory organizations; or (iv) actions of such Distributor Indemnified Party in reliance upon any representations made in accordance with the Fund Documents and Annex II (as each may be amended from time to time) reasonably believed by the Participant to be genuine and to have been given by the Distributor. The Participant shall not be liable to the Distributor for any damages arising out of mistakes or errors in data provided to the Participant, or out of interruptions or delays of communications with the Participant Indemnified Parties who are service providers to the Fund

 

(c)         The Trust, Funds, Distributor, Index Receipt Agent, and any person who controls such persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, shall not be liable to the Participant for any damages arising from any differences in performance between a Fund Deposit and the Fund.

 

13. INFORMATION ABOUT DEPOSIT SECURITIES

 

The Funds’ investment adviser, TrimTabs Asset Management, LLC, will make available on each day that the Trust is open for business, through the facilities of the NSCC, the names and amounts of Deposit Securities to be included in the current Fund Deposit for each Fund.

 

14. RECEIPT OF PROSPECTUSES BY PARTICIPANT

 

The Participant acknowledges receipt of the Fund Prospectuses and represents that it has reviewed the document(s) (including the SAI incorporated therein) and understands the terms thereof.

  

15. CONSENT TO ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF PROSPECTUS

 

The Distributor may deliver electronically a single Prospectus, annual or semi-annual report or other report required to be delivered to shareholders (each, a “Shareholder Document”) to persons who have effectively consented to such electronic delivery. The Distributor will deliver such Shareholder Documents electronically by sending consenting persons an e-mail message informing them that the applicable Shareholder Document has been posted and is available on the Fund’s website, [_________], and providing a hypertext link to the document. The electronic versions of the Shareholder Documents will be in PDF format and can be downloaded and printed using Adobe Acrobat.

 

11
 

  

By signing this Agreement, the Participant hereby consents to the foregoing electronic delivery of all Shareholder Documents to the e-mail address set forth on the signature page attached to this Agreement. The Participant further understands and agrees that unless such consent is revoked, the Participant can obtain access to the Shareholder Documents from the Distributor only electronically. The Participant can seek to revoke the consent to electronic delivery of Shareholder Documents at anytime by providing written notice to the Distributor. The Participant agrees to maintain the e-mail address set forth on the signature page to this Agreement and further agrees to promptly notify the Distributor if its e-mail address changes. The Participant understands that it must have continuous Internet access to access all Shareholder Documents.

 

16. CONSENT TO RECORDING OF CONVERSATIONS

 

By signing this Agreement, the Participant acknowledges that certain telephone conversations between the Distributor and the Participant in connection with the placing of orders may be recorded, and the Participant hereby grants its consent to such recordings.

 

17. NOTICES

 

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, all notices required or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be given in writing and delivered by personal delivery; by Federal Express or other similar delivery service; by registered or certified United States first class mail, return receipt requested; or by telex, telegram, facsimile, or similar means of same day delivery (with a confirming copy by mail). Unless otherwise notified in writing, all notices to the Fund shall be at the address or telephone, facsimile, or telex numbers indicated below the signature of the Distributor. All notices to the Participant, the Distributor, and the Index Receipt Agent shall be directed to the address or telephone, facsimile or telex numbers indicated below the signature line of such party.

 

18. EFFECTIVENESS, TERMINATION, AND AMENDMENT OF AGREEMENT

 

(a)         This Agreement shall become effective five Business Days after execution and delivery to the Distributor upon notice by the Distributor to the Authorized Participant. A “Business Day” shall mean each day the Listing Exchange is open for business.

 

(b)         This Agreement may be terminated at any time by any party upon 60 days’ prior written notice to the other parties, and may be terminated earlier by the Fund or the Distributor at any time in the event of a breach by the Participant of any provision of this Agreement or the procedures described or incorporated herein. This Agreement will be binding on each party’s successors, but the parties agree that neither party can assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party.

 

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(c)         This Agreement may be amended by the Distributor from time to time without the consent of the Participant or Index Receipt Agent by the following procedure. The Distributor will deliver a copy of the amendment to the Participant and the Index Receipt Agent in accordance with paragraph 17 above. If neither the Participant nor the Index Receipt Agent objects in writing to the amendment within five days after its receipt, the amendment will become part of this Agreement in accordance with its terms.

 

19. TRUST AS THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY

 

The Participant and the Distributor understand and agree that the Trust as a third party beneficiary to this Agreement is entitled and intends to proceed directly against the Participant in the event that the Participant fails to honor any of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement that benefit the Trust.

 

20. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

The Participant acknowledges receipt of the Fund Documents, represents that it has reviewed such documents and understands the terms thereof, and further acknowledges that the procedures contained therein pertaining to the creation and redemption of Creation Units are incorporated herein by reference.

 

21. GOVERNING LAW

 

This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

22. COUNTERPARTS

 

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

 

[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the day and year written below.

 

DATED:__________________________________

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC

 

By:      
     
Name: Mark Fairbanks
Title:   President
Address: Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100
Portland, Maine 04101
Telephone: 207-553-7110
Facsimile:  207-553-7151

 

[Name of Participant]  
   
By:      
Name:    
Title:    
Address:    
Telephone:    
Facsimile:    
E-mail:    

 

ACCEPTED BY:
 
_______________________, as Index Receipt Agent
 
By:    
Name:    
Title:    
Address:    
     
Telephone:    
Facsimile:    

 

14
 

  

ANNEX I

 

CREATION UNIT SIZE FOR FUND SHARES

 

Shares per Creation Unit

 

15
 

  

ANNEX II

 

FORM OF CERTIFIED AUTHORIZED PERSONS OF PARTICIPANT

 

The following are the names, titles and signatures of all persons (each an “Authorized Person”) authorized to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated by this TrimTabs ETF Trust Authorized Participant Agreement, or any other notices, request or instruction on behalf of Participant pursuant to this Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

For each Authorized Person:

 

Name:

Title:

Signature:

E-Mail Address:

Telephone:

Facsimile:

 

Name:

Title:

Signature:

E-Mail Address:

Telephone:

Facsimile:

 

The undersigned [name], [title], [company] does hereby certify that the persons listed above have been duly elected to the offices set forth beneath their names, that they presently hold such offices, that they have been duly authorized to act as Authorized Persons pursuant to the Authorized Participant Agreement by and among Foreside Fund Services, LLC and [Participant] dated [date] and that their signatures set forth above are their own true and genuine signatures.

 

  By:
   
   
  Date:
  Name:
  Title: [Participant’s] Secretary or
  Other Duly Authorized Officer

 

16

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.g

 

EXECUTION COPY

 

CUSTODY AGREEMENT

by and between

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

and

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

 

 
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

 

 

Page
   
SECTION 1 CUSTODY ACCOUNTS; INSTRUCTIONS 1
1.1 Definitions 1
1.2 Establishment of Account 3
1.3 Representations and Warranties 4
1.4 Distributions 5
1.5 Authorized Instructions 5
1.6 Authentication 6
1.7 On-Line Systems 6
     
SECTION 2 CUSTODY SERVICES 6
2.1 Holding Securities 6
2.2 Depositories 8
2.3 Agents 8
2.4 Custodian Actions without Direction 8
2.5 Custodian Actions with Direction 9
2.6 Foreign Exchange Transactions 9
     
SECTION 3 CORPORATE ACTIONS 10
3.1 Custodian Notification 10
3.2 Direction 10
3.3 Voting Rights 10
3.4 Partial Redemptions, Payments, Etc. 10
     
SECTION 4 SETTLEMENT OF TRADES 11
4.1 Payments 11
4.2 Contractual Settlement and Income 11
4.3 Trade Settlement 11
     
SECTION 5 DEPOSITS AND ADVANCES 11
5.1 Deposits 11
5.2 Sweep and Float 11
5.3 Overdrafts and Indebtedness 12
5.4 Securing Repayment 12
5.5 Setoff 12
5.6 Bank Borrowings 13
     
SECTION 6 SALE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES 13
6.1 Sale of  Shares 13
6.2 Redemption of Shares 13
6.3 Check Redemptions 13
     
SECTION 7 PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS 13
7.1 Determination to Pay 13
7.2 Payment 14

 

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SECTION 8 TAXES, REPORTS AND RECORDS 14
8.1 Tax Obligations 14
8.2 Pricing and Other Data 14
8.3 Statements  and  Reports 15
8.4 Review of Reports 15
8.5 Books and Records 15
8.6 Required Disclosure 15
8.7 Tools 16
     
SECTION 9 PROVISIONS REGARDING THE CUSTODIAN 17
9.1 Standard of Care 17
9.2 Limitation of Duties and Liability 17
9.3 Losses 18
9.4 Gains 18
9.5 Centralized Functions 18
9.6 Business Continuity and Force Majeure 18
9.7 Fees 19
9.8 Indemnification 19
     
SECTION 10 AMENDMENT; TERMINATION; ASSIGNMENT 19
10.1 Amendment 19
10.2 Termination 19
10.3 Successors and Assigns 19
     
SECTION 11 ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS 20
11.1 Non-Custody Assets 20
11.2 Appropriate Action 20
11.3 Governing Law 20
11.4 Representations 20
11.5 USA PATRIOT Act 21
11.6 Non-Fiduciary Status 21
11.7 Notices 21
11.8 Entire Agreement 21
11.9 Necessary Parties 21
11.10 Execution in Counterparts 21
11.11 Captions 21
11.12 Liability of Fund Shareholders, Trustees or Officers 21
11.13 Confidentiality 22
11.14   Audit Rights, Additional Subcertifications and Reports 23

 

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CUSTODY AGREEMENT

 

CUSTODY AGREEMENT , dated as of the latest date set forth on the signature page hereto, between TRIMTABS ETF Trust , a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund” or “Trust”) and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON , a bank organized under the laws of the state of New York (the “Custodian”).

 

SECTION 1
CUSTODY ACCOUNTS; INSTRUCTIONS

 

1.1            Definitions . Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

“’ 40 Act ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.3.

 

Account ” or “ Accounts ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.2.

 

Authorized Instructions ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.5.

 

Authorized Person ” shall mean any Person authorized by the Fund to give Oral Instructions or Instructions with respect to one or more Accounts or with respect to foreign exchange, derivative investments or information and transactional web based services provided by the Custodian or a BNY Mellon Affiliate. Authorized Persons shall include Persons authorized by an Authorized Person. Authorized Persons, their signatures and the extent of their authority shall be provided by a Certificate. The Custodian may conclusively rely on the authority of an Authorized Person until it receives Written Instructions to the contrary.

 

BNY Mellon Affiliate ” shall mean any direct or indirect subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation.

 

BNY Mellon Group ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.5.

 

Book-Entry System ” shall mean the United States Federal Reserve/Treasury book-entry system for receiving and delivering securities, its successors and nominees.

 

Business Day ” shall mean any day on which the Custodian and relevant Depositories are open for business.

 

Centralized Functions ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.5.

 

Certificate ” shall mean any notice, instruction or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to the Custodian, which is actually received by the Custodian by letter or facsimile transmission and signed on behalf of the Fund by two (2) Authorized Persons or persons reasonably believed by the Custodian to be Authorized Persons.

 

Country Risk Event ” shall mean (a) issues relating to the financial infrastructure of a country, (b) issues relating to a country’s prevailing custody and settlement practices, (c) nationalization, expropriation or other governmental actions, (d) issues relating to a country’s regulation of the banking or securities industry, (e) currency controls, restrictions, devaluations, redenominations or fluctuations or (f) market conditions which affect the orderly execution of securities transactions or affect the value of securities.

 

 
 

 

Data Providers ” shall mean pricing vendors, analytics providers, brokers, dealers, investment managers, Authorized Persons, Subcustodians, Depositories and any other Person providing Market Data to the Custodian.

 

Data Terms Website ” shall mean http://bnymellon.com/products/assetservicing/‌vendoragreement.pdf or any successor website the address of which is provided by the Custodian to the Fund.

 

Depository ” shall include (a) the Book-Entry System, (b) the Depository Trust Company, (c) any other clearing agency or securities depository registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission identified to the Fund from time to time and (d) the respective successors and nominees of the foregoing.

 

Foreign Depository ” shall mean (a) Euroclear, (b) Clearstream Banking, societe anonyme, (c) each Eligible Securities Depository as defined in Rule 17f-7 under the ’40 Act identified to the Fund from time to time and (d) the respective successors and nominees of the foregoing.

 

Instructions ” shall mean Written Instructions, S.W.I.F.T., on-line communications or other method or system, each as specified by the Custodian as available for use in connection with the services hereunder.

 

Losses ” shall mean, collectively, losses, costs, expenses, damages, liabilities and claims.

 

Market Data ” shall mean pricing or other data related to Securities and other assets. Market Data includes but is not limited to security identifiers, valuations, bond ratings, classification data and other data received from investment managers and others.

 

Non-Custody Assets ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.1.

 

Operational Losses ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.

 

Oral Instructions ” shall mean instructions expressed in spoken words received by the Custodian. Where the Custodian provides recorded lines for this purpose, such instructions must be given using such lines.

 

Person ” or “ Persons ” shall mean any entity or individual.

 

Replacement Subcustodian ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.

 

Required Care ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.

 

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Securities ” shall include, without limitation, any common stock and other equity securities, depository receipts, limited partnership and limited liability company interests, bonds, debentures and other debt securities, notes or other obligations, and any instruments representing rights to receive, purchase or subscribe for the same, or representing any other rights or interests therein (whether represented by a certificate or held in a Depository, a Foreign Depository or with a Subcustodian or on the books of the issuer) that are agreed to between the Fund and the Custodian.

 

Series ” shall mean the various portfolios, if any, of the Fund listed on Schedule I hereto, as may be amended from time to time. If none are listed, references to Series shall be references to the Fund. In addition, as applicable, including consistent with Section 11.12 below, references to the Fund shall be references to applicable Series.

 

Shares ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

 

Subcustodian ” shall mean a bank or other financial institution (other than a Foreign Depository) located outside the United States which is utilized by the Custodian or by a BNY Mellon Affiliate in connection with the purchase, sale or custody of Securities or maintaining deposits in cash (including foreign currencies) hereunder and is identified to the Fund from time to time, and their respective successors and assigns.

 

Tax Obligations ” shall mean taxes, withholding, certification and reporting requirements, claims for exemptions or refund, interest, penalties, additions to tax and other related expenses.

 

Written Instructions ” shall mean written communications, including a Certificate, received by the Custodian by overnight delivery, postal services or facsimile transmission.

 

1.2            Establishment of Account . (a) The Fund hereby appoints the Custodian as the custodian of all Securities and cash (including foreign currencies) at any time delivered to the Custodian to be held under this Agreement. The Custodian hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to establish and maintain one or more accounts for each Series in which the Custodian will hold Securities and cash (including foreign currencies) as provided herein. Such accounts (each, an “Account,” and collectively, the “Accounts”) shall be in the name of the Fund.

 

(b)          The Custodian may from time to time establish on its books and records such sub- accounts within each Account as the Fund and the Custodian may agree upon (each a “Special Account”), and the Custodian shall reflect therein such assets as the Fund may specify in Instructions.

 

(c)          The Custodian may from time to time establish pursuant to a written agreement with and for the benefit of a broker, dealer, future commission merchant or other third party identified in Instructions such accounts on such terms and conditions as the Fund and the Custodian shall agree, and the Custodian shall transfer to such account such Securities and cash as the Fund may specify in Instructions.

 

3
 

 

1.3            Representations and Warranties . The Fund hereby represents and warrants, which representations and warranties shall be continuing and shall be deemed to be reaffirmed upon each giving of Oral Instructions or Instructions by the Fund, that:

 

(a)          It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;

 

(b)          This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund, has been approved by a resolution of its board and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, and there is no statute, regulation, rule, order or judgment binding on it, and no provision of its certificate of trust, trust instrument or by-laws, nor of any mortgage, indenture, credit agreement or other contract binding on it or affecting its property, which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement;

 

(c)          To the best of its knowledge and belief, it is conducting its business in substantial compliance with all applicable laws and requirements, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory licenses, approvals and consents necessary to carry on its business as now conducted;

 

(d)          It will not knowingly use the services provided by the Custodian hereunder in any manner that is, or will result in, a violation of any law, rule or regulation applicable to the Fund;

 

(e)          Its board or its foreign custody manager, as defined in Rule 17f-5 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “‘40 Act”), has determined that use of each Subcustodian (including any Replacement Subcustodian) which the Custodian is authorized to utilize in accordance with this Agreement satisfies the applicable requirements of the ‘40 Act and Rule 17f-5 thereunder;

 

(f)          The Fund or its investment adviser has determined that the custody arrangements of each Foreign Depository provide reasonable safeguards against the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with such Foreign Depository within the meaning of Rule 17f-7 under the ‘40 Act;

 

(g)          It is fully informed of the protections and risks associated with various methods of transmitting Instructions and Oral Instructions to the Custodian, shall safeguard and treat with extreme care any user and authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys, understands that there may be more secure methods of transmitting or delivering the same than the methods selected by it, agrees that the security procedures (if any) to be followed in connection therewith provide a commercially reasonable degree of protection in light of its particular needs and circumstances and acknowledges and agrees that Instructions need not be reviewed by the Custodian, may conclusively be presumed by the Custodian without inquiry to have been given by person(s) duly authorized and may be acted upon as given;

 

(h)          Its transmission or giving of, and the Custodian acting upon and in reliance on, Instructions or Oral Instructions pursuant to this Agreement shall at all times comply with the ‘40 Act;

 

(i)          It shall impose and maintain restrictions on the destinations to which cash may be disbursed by Instructions to ensure that each disbursement is for a proper purpose; and

 

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(j)          It has the right to make the pledge and grant the security interest and security entitlement to the Custodian contained in Section 5 hereof, free of any right of redemption or prior claim of any other person or entity, such pledge and such grants shall have a first priority subject to no setoffs, counterclaims or other liens or grants prior to or on a parity therewith, and it shall take such additional steps as the Custodian may require to assure such priority.

 

The Custodian hereby represents and warrants, which representations and warranties shall be continuing, that:

 

(a)          It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement, and to perform its obligations hereunder;

 

(b)          This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Custodian, constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Custodian, enforceable in accordance with its terms, and there is no statute, regulation, rule, order or judgment binding it, and no provision of its charter or by-laws, nor of any mortgage, indenture, credit agreement or other contract binding on it or affecting its property, which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement;

 

(c)          It will not knowingly use the assets delivered to it, or perform its services, pursuant to this Agreement in any manner that is, or will result in, a violation of any law, rule or regulation applicable to Custodian;

 

(d)          Upon the request of the Fund’s Chief Compliance officer, it will inform the Fund of any material changes to be made or imminently to be made to its policies and procedures relating to the services contemplated herein; and

 

(e)          It has at least the minimum qualifications required by Section 17(f)(1) of the ‘40 Act to act as custodian of the Securities and cash of the Fund.

 

1.4            Distributions . The Custodian shall make distributions or transfers out of an Account pursuant to Instructions. In making payments to service providers pursuant to Instructions, the Fund acknowledges that the Custodian is acting in an administrative or in a ministerial capacity, and not as the payor, for tax information reporting and withholding purposes.

 

1.5            Authorized Instructions . The Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon any Oral Instructions or Instructions actually received by the Custodian and reasonably believed by the Custodian to be from an Authorized Person (“Authorized Instructions”). Notwithstanding any other provision included in this Agreement, Written Instructions relating to the disbursement of cash of the Fund other than in connection with the purchase, sale or settlement of Securities, shall be in the form of a Certificate. The Fund agrees that an Authorized Person shall forward to the Custodian Instructions confirming Oral Instructions by the close of business of the same day that such Oral Instructions are given to the Custodian. The Fund agrees that the fact Instructions confirming Oral Instructions are not received or that contrary Instructions are received by the Custodian shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of transactions authorized by such Oral Instructions and effected by the Custodian prior to the Custodian’s actual receipt of contradictory Instructions. In the event that the Custodian receives any ambiguous or contradictory Instructions, the Custodian may refrain from taking any action, until the Custodian receives new or revised Instructions which eliminate such ambiguity or contradiction, whereupon the Custodian shall be permitted to rely on such Instructions without further inquiry.

 

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1.6            Authentication . If the Custodian receives Instructions that appear on their face to have been transmitted by an Authorized Person via (i) facsimile or other electronic method that is not secure or (ii) secure electronic transmission containing applicable authorization codes, passwords or authentication keys, the Fund understands and agrees that the Custodian cannot determine the identity of the actual sender of such Instructions and that the Custodian shall be entitled to conclusively presume that such Instructions have been sent by an Authorized Person. The Fund shall be responsible for ensuring that only Authorized Persons transmit Instructions to the Custodian and that all Authorized Persons safeguard and treat with extreme care applicable user and authorization codes, passwords and authentication keys.

 

1.7            On-Line Systems . If an Authorized Person elects to transmit Instructions through an on-line communication system offered by the Custodian (“Custodian On-Line Services”), the use thereof shall be subject to any terms and conditions contained in the Electronic Access Services Agreement appended to this Agreement as Annex I. If the Fund or an Authorized Person elects, with the Custodian’s prior consent, to transmit Instructions through an on-line communications service owned or operated by a third party, the Fund agrees that the Custodian shall not be responsible or liable for the reliability or availability of any such service.

 

SECTION 2
CUSTODY SERVICES

 

2.1            Holding Securities . (a) Subject to the terms hereof, the Fund hereby authorizes the Custodian to hold any Securities in registered form in the name of the Custodian or one of its nominees. Securities held for the Fund hereunder shall be segregated on the Custodian’s books and records from the Custodian’s own property. The Custodian shall be entitled to utilize, subject to subsections (c) and (d) of this Section 2.1, Subcustodians, Depositories, and subject to subsection (e) of this Section 2.1, Foreign Depositories in connection with its performance hereunder. Securities and cash held through a Subcustodian shall be held subject to the terms and conditions of the Custodian’s or a BNY Mellon Affiliate’s agreements with such Subcustodian. Securities and cash deposited by the Custodian in a Depository or Foreign Depository will be held subject to the rules, terms and conditions of such entity. Subcustodians may be authorized to hold Securities in Depositories or Foreign Depositories in which such Subcustodian participates. Unless otherwise required by local law or practice or a particular subcustodian agreement, Securities deposited with Subcustodians, Depositories or Foreign Depositories will be held in a commingled account in the name of the Custodian or a BNY Mellon Affiliate for the Fund. The Custodian shall identify on its books and records the Securities and cash belonging to the Fund, whether held directly or indirectly through Subcustodians, Depositories or Foreign Depositories. The Custodian shall, directly or indirectly through Subcustodians, Depositories or Foreign Depositories, endeavor, to the extent feasible, to hold Securities in the country or other jurisdiction in which the principal trading market for such Securities is located, where such Securities are to be presented for cancellation and/or payment and/or registration or where such Securities are acquired. The Custodian at any time may cease utilizing any Subcustodian and/or may replace a Subcustodian with a different Subcustodian (a “Replacement Subcustodian”). In the event the Custodian selects a Replacement Subcustodian, the Custodian shall not utilize such Replacement Subcustodian until after the Fund’s board or foreign custody manager has determined that utilization of such Replacement Subcustodian satisfies the requirements of the ‘40 Act and Rule 17f-5 thereunder.

 

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(b)          The Custodian shall exercise reasonable care in the selection or retention, monitoring and continued use of a Subcustodian in light of prevailing rules, terms, practices and procedures in the relevant market (“Required Care”). The Custodian shall be liable for repayment to the Fund of cash credited to an Account and cash credited to the Fund’s or the Custodian’s cash account at a Subcustodian that the Custodian is not able to recover from the Subcustodian (other than as a result of a Country Risk Event). With respect to any Losses incurred by the Fund as a result of an act or the failure to act by any Subcustodian (“Operational Losses”), the Custodian shall be liable for: (i) Operational Losses with respect to Securities or cash held by the Custodian with or through a BNY Mellon Affiliate to the extent the Custodian would be liable under this Agreement if the applicable act or failure to act was that of the Custodian; and (ii) Operational Losses with respect to Securities or cash held by the Custodian with or through a Subcustodian (other than a BNY Mellon Affiliate) to the extent that such Operational Losses were caused by failure on the part of the Custodian to exercise Required Care or by the failure of the applicable Subcustodian to fulfill its obligations under its subcustody agreement with the Custodian; provided that in no event shall the Custodian have any liability for Operational Losses arising out of or relating to a Country Risk Event. With respect to all other Operational Losses not covered by clauses (i) and (ii) (including the proviso) above, the Custodian shall take appropriate action to recover such Operational Losses from the applicable Subcustodian and the Custodian’s sole liability shall be limited to amounts recovered from such Subcustodian (exclusive of costs and expenses incurred by the Custodian).

 

(c)          Unless the Custodian has received Instructions to the contrary, the Custodian shall hold Securities indirectly through a Subcustodian only if (i) the Securities are not subject to any right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of such Subcustodian or its creditors or operators, including a receiver or trustee in bankruptcy or similar authority, except for a claim of payment for the safe custody or administration of Securities on behalf of the Fund by such Subcustodian and (ii) beneficial ownership of the Securities is freely transferable without the payment of money or value other than for safe custody or administration.

 

(d)          With respect to each Depository, the Custodian (i) shall exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duties as a securities intermediary to obtain and thereafter maintain Securities or financial assets deposited or held in such Depository and (ii) will provide, promptly upon request by the Fund, such reports as are available concerning the internal accounting controls and financial strength of the Depository.

 

(e)          With respect to each Foreign Depository, the Custodian shall exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence (i) to provide the Fund with an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with the Foreign Depository and (ii) to monitor such custody risks on a continuing basis and promptly notify the Fund of any material change in such risks. The Fund acknowledges and agrees that such analysis and monitoring shall be made on the basis of, and limited by, information gathered from Subcustodians or through publicly available information otherwise obtained by the Custodian, and shall not include any evaluation of Country Risk Events.

 

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2.2            Depositories . The Custodian shall have no liability whatsoever for the action or inaction of a Depository or a Foreign Depository or for any Losses resulting from the maintenance of assets with a Depository or a Foreign Depository. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the Custodian shall be liable to the Fund (a) to the extent that any Loss results directly from and the failure of any such arrangement to comport to the requirements of Rule 17f-7 adopted pursuant to the ’40 Act; and (b) for repayment to the Fund of cash credited to the Fund’s, the Custodian’s or a Subcustodian’s account at a Depository or a Foreign Depository that the Custodian is not able to recover from the Depository or Foreign Depository (other than as a result of a Country Risk Event).

 

2.3            Agents . The Custodian may appoint agents, including BNY Mellon Affiliates, on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate to perform its services hereunder. Except as otherwise provided herein, no such appointment shall discharge the Custodian from its obligations hereunder.

 

2.4            Custodian Actions without Direction . With respect to Securities held hereunder, the Custodian shall:

 

(a)          Receive all eligible income and other payments due to the Accounts and endeavor to advise the Fund as promptly as practicable of any such amounts known by Custodian to be due but not paid;

 

(b)          Present for payment and receive the amount paid upon all Securities which may mature and endeavor to advise the Fund as promptly as practicable of any such amounts known by Custodian to be due but not paid;

 

(c)          Carry out any exchanges of Securities or other corporate actions not requiring discretionary decisions;

 

(d)          Forward to the Fund or its designee proxy materials actually received by the Custodian or its agents, and otherwise facilitate access by the Fund or its designee to ballots or online systems to assist in the voting of proxies received by the Custodian in its capacity as custodian for eligible positions of Securities held in the Accounts (excluding bankruptcy matters);

 

(e)          Forward to the Fund or its designee information (or summaries of information) that the Custodian receives in its capacity as custodian from Depositories or Subcustodians concerning Securities in the Accounts (excluding bankruptcy matters);

 

(f)          Forward to the Fund or its designee notices of bankruptcy cases relating to Securities held in the Accounts and notices of any required action related to such bankruptcy cases as may be received by the Custodian in its capacity as custodian. No further action or notification related to the bankruptcy case shall be required;

 

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(g)          Forward to the Fund or its designee notices and other materials relating to class actions in which the Fund may be eligible to participate as may be actually received by the Custodian or its agents;

 

(h)          As promptly as practical under the circumstances, forward to the Trust copies of all other information and documents (not specifically referenced above) that it may actually receive from or on behalf of an issuer of Securities which, are indicated as being intended for the beneficial owner of Securities including, without limitation, notices that require discretionary action, notices of expirations of rights, notices related to call and put options, notices of maturity of futures contracts, and notices of tender and exchange offers;

 

(i)          Deliver Securities upon the receipt of payment in connection with any repurchase agreement related to such Securities entered into by the Fund;

 

(j)          Hold directly or through a Depository, a Foreign Depository, or a Subcustodian all rights and similar Securities issued with respect to any Securities credited to an Account hereunder;

 

(k)          Endorse for collection checks, drafts or other negotiable instruments; and

 

(l)          Execute and deliver, solely in its custodial capacity, certificates, documents or instruments incidental to the Custodian’s performance under this Agreement.

 

2.5            Custodian Actions with Direction . The Custodian shall take the following actions in the administration of the Accounts only pursuant to Authorized Instructions:

 

(a)          Settle purchases and sales of Securities and process other transactions, including free receipts and deliveries to a broker, dealer, future commission merchant or other third party specified in Instructions;

 

(b)          Take actions necessary to settle transactions in connection with futures or options contracts, short-selling programs, foreign exchange or foreign exchange contracts, swaps and other derivative investments; and

 

(c)          Deliver Securities in an Account if an Authorized Person advises the Custodian that the Fund has entered into a separate securities lending agreement, provided that the Fund executes such agreements as the Custodian may require, and the parties may agree to in connection with such arrangements.

 

2.6            Foreign Exchange Transactions . (a) For the purpose of settling Securities and foreign exchange transactions, the Fund shall provide the Custodian with sufficient immediately available funds for all transactions by such time and date as conditions in the relevant market dictate. As used herein, “sufficient immediately available funds” shall mean either (i) sufficient cash denominated in United States dollars to purchase the necessary foreign currency or (ii) sufficient applicable foreign currency, to settle the transaction. The Custodian shall provide the Fund with immediately available funds each day which result from the actual settlement of all sale transactions, based upon advices received by the Custodian from Subcustodians, Depositories and Foreign Depositories. Such funds shall be in United States dollars or such other currency as the Fund may specify to the Custodian.

 

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(b)          Any foreign exchange transaction effected by the Custodian in connection with this Agreement may be entered with the Custodian or a BNY Mellon Affiliate acting as a principal or otherwise through customary channels. The Fund may issue standing Instructions with respect to foreign exchange transactions, but the Custodian may establish rules or limitations concerning any foreign exchange facility made available to the Fund.

 

(c)          The Customer may obtain via Custodian On-Line Services reporting of FX Transactions settled in its Accounts.

 

SECTION 3
CORPORATE ACTIONS

 

3.1            Custodian Notification . The Custodian shall notify the Fund or its designee of rights or discretionary corporate actions as promptly as practicable under the circumstances, provided that the Custodian in its capacity as custodian has actually received notice of such right or discretionary corporate action from the relevant Subcustodian or Depository. Without actual receipt of such notice by the Custodian in its capacity as custodian the Custodian shall have no liability for failing to so notify the Fund.

 

3.2            Direction . Whenever there are voluntary rights that may be exercised or alternate courses of action that may be taken by reason of the Fund’s ownership of Securities, the Fund or its designee shall be responsible for making any decisions relating thereto and for directing the Custodian to act. In order for the Custodian to act, it must receive Instructions using the Custodian generated form or clearly marked as instructions for the decision at the Custodian’s offices addressed as the Custodian may from time to time request, by such time as the Custodian shall advise the Fund or its designee. If the Custodian does not receive such Instructions by such deadline, the Custodian shall not be liable for failure to take any action relating to or to exercise any rights conferred by such Securities.

 

3.3            Voting Rights . All voting rights with respect to Securities, however registered, shall be exercised by the Fund or its designee. The Custodian will make available to the Fund proxy voting services upon the request of, and for the jurisdictions selected by, the Fund in accordance with terms and conditions to be mutually agreed upon by the Custodian and the Fund.

 

3.4            Partial Redemptions, Payments, Etc .   The Custodian shall promptly advise the Fund or its designee upon its notification in its capacity as custodian of a partial redemption, partial payment or other action with respect to a Security affecting fewer than all such Securities held within an Account. If the Custodian or any Subcustodian, Depository or Foreign Depository holds any Securities affected by one of the events described, the Custodian, Subcustodian, Depository or Foreign Depository may select the Securities to participate in such partial redemption, partial payment or other action in any non-discriminatory manner that it customarily uses to make such selection.

 

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SECTION 4
SETTLEMENT OF TRADES

 

4.1            Payments . Promptly after each purchase or sale of Securities by the Fund, an Authorized Person shall deliver to the Custodian Instructions specifying all information necessary for the Custodian to settle such purchase or sale. For the purpose of settling purchases of Securities, the Fund shall provide the Custodian with sufficient immediately available funds for all such transactions by such time and date as conditions in the relevant market dictate.

 

4.2            Contractual Settlement and Income . The Custodian may, as a matter of bookkeeping convenience, credit an Account with the proceeds from the sale, redemption or other disposition of Securities or interest, dividends or other distributions payable on Securities prior to its actual receipt of final payment therefor. All such credits shall be conditional until the Custodian’s actual receipt of final payment and may be reversed by the Custodian to the extent that final payment is not received. Custodian reporting will include details relating to any such reversal, provided however that failure to report shall not impair Custodian rights and remedies hereunder. Payment with respect to a transaction will not be “final” until the Custodian shall have received immediately available funds that under applicable local law, rule and practice are irreversible and not subject to any security interest, levy or other encumbrance, and that are specifically applicable to such transaction.

 

4.3            Trade Settlement . Transactions will be settled using practices customary in the jurisdiction or market where the transaction occurs. The Fund understands that when the Custodian is instructed to deliver Securities against payment, delivery of such Securities and receipt of payment therefor may not be completed simultaneously. The Fund assumes full responsibility for all risks involved in connection with the Custodian’s delivery of Securities pursuant to Authorized Instructions in accordance with local market practice.

 

SECTION 5
DEPOSITS AND ADVANCES

 

5.1            Deposits . The Custodian may hold cash in Accounts or may arrange to have cash held by a BNY Mellon Affiliate or Subcustodian, or with a Depository or Foreign Depository. Where cash is on deposit with the Custodian, a Subcustodian or a BNY Mellon Affiliate, it will be subject to the terms of this Agreement and such deposit terms and conditions as may be issued by the Custodian or a BNY Mellon Affiliate or Subcustodian, to the extent applicable, from time to time, including rates of interest and deposit account access.

 

5.2            Sweep and Float . Cash may be swept as directed by the Fund or its investment adviser to investment vehicles offered by the Custodian or to other investment vehicles. Cash may be uninvested when it is received or reconciled to an Account after the deadline to be swept into a target vehicle, or when held for short periods of time related to transaction settlements. The Fund acknowledges that, as part of the Custodian’s compensation, the Custodian will earn interest on cash balances held by the Custodian, including disbursement balances and balances arising from purchase and sale transactions, as disclosed in the Custodian’s float policy.

 

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5.3            Overdrafts and Indebtedness . The Custodian may, in its sole discretion, advance funds in any currency hereunder, and the Custodian will endeavor to notify the Fund as promptly as practicable under the circumstances if the Custodian will not cover an overdraft, provided however that failure by the Custodian to so notify shall not impair Custodian’s rights and remedies hereunder. If an overdraft occurs in an Account (including, without limitation, overdrafts incurred in connection with the settlement of securities transactions, funds transfers or foreign exchange transactions) or if the Fund is for any other reason indebted to the Custodian, the Fund agrees to repay the Custodian, in the relevant currency, on demand or upon becoming aware of the amount of the advance, overdraft or indebtedness, plus accrued interest at the rate then charged by the Custodian to its institutional custody clients set forth in the Fee Schedule as may be amended in writing from time to time.

 

5.4            Securing Repayment . In order to secure repayment of the Fund’s obligations to the Custodian, the Fund hereby pledges and grants to the Custodian and agrees the Custodian shall have to the maximum extent permitted by law, a continuing first lien and security interest in, and right of setoff against: (a) all of the Fund’s right, title and interest in and to all Accounts in the Fund’s name and the Securities, cash and other property now or hereafter held in such Accounts (including proceeds thereof) and (b) any other property at any time held by the Custodian for the Fund. The Fund represents, warrants and covenants that it owns the Securities in the Accounts free and clear of all liens, claims and security interests, and that the first lien and security interest granted herein shall be subject to no setoffs, counterclaims or other liens prior to or on a parity with it in favor of any other party (other than specific liens granted preferred status by statute). The Fund shall take any additional steps required to assure the Custodian of such priority security interest, including notifying third parties or obtaining their consent. The Custodian shall be entitled to collect from the Accounts sufficient cash for reimbursement, and if such cash is insufficient, to sell the Securities in the Accounts to the extent necessary to obtain reimbursement. In this regard, the Custodian shall be entitled to all the rights and remedies of a pledgee and secured creditor under applicable laws, rules and regulations as then in effect.

 

5.5            Setoff . The Custodian has the right to debit any cash in the Accounts for any amount payable by the Fund in connection with any and all obligations of the Fund to the Custodian whether or not relating to or arising under this Agreement. In addition to the rights of the Custodian under applicable law and other agreements, at any time when the Fund shall not have honored any and all of its obligations to the Custodian, the Custodian shall have the right without notice to the Fund to retain or set-off against such obligations of the Fund any cash the Custodian may directly or indirectly hold for the Fund, and any obligations (whether or not matured) that the Custodian may have to the Fund in any currency. Any such asset of, or obligation to, the Fund may be transferred to the Custodian and any BNY Mellon Affiliate in order to effect the above rights, except the Custodian shall confer in good faith with the Fund to determine which, if any, assets should be transferred provided however that failure by the Custodian to so confer shall not impair Custodian’s rights and remedies hereunder.

 

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5.6            Bank Borrowings . If the Fund borrows money from any bank (including the Custodian if the borrowing is pursuant to a separate agreement) for investment or for temporary or emergency purposes using Securities held by the Custodian hereunder as collateral for such borrowings, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian Instructions specifying with respect to each such borrowing: (a) the Series to which such borrowing relates, (b) the name of the bank, (c) the amount of the borrowing, (d) the time and date, if known, on which the loan is to be entered into, (e) the total amount payable to the Fund on the borrowing date, and (f) the Securities to be delivered as collateral for such loan, including the name of the issuer, the title and the number of shares or the principal amount of any particular Securities. The Custodian shall deliver on the borrowing date specified in Instructions the specified collateral against payment by the lending bank of the total amount of the loan payable, provided that the same conforms to the total amount payable as set forth in the Instructions. The Custodian may, at the option of the lending bank, keep such collateral in its possession, but such collateral shall be subject to all rights therein given the lending bank by virtue of any promissory note or loan agreement. The Custodian shall deliver such Securities as additional collateral as may be specified in Instructions to collateralize further any transaction described in this Section 5.6. The Fund shall cause all Securities released from collateral status to be returned directly to the Custodian, and the Custodian shall receive from time to time such return of collateral as may be tendered to it. In the event that the Fund fails to specify in Instructions the Series, the name of the issuer of the Securities to be delivered as collateral by the Custodian, or the title and number of shares or the principal amount of any particular Securities to be delivered as collateral by the Custodian, the Custodian shall not be under any obligation to deliver any Securities.

 

SECTION 6
SALE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES

 

6.1            Sale of Shares . Whenever the Fund shall sell any shares issued by the Fund (“Shares”) it shall deliver to the Custodian Instructions specifying the amount of cash and/or Securities to be received by the Custodian for the sale of such Shares and specifically allocated to an Account for such Series. Upon receipt of such cash and/or Securities, the Custodian shall credit such cash and/or Securities to an Account in the name of the Series for which such cash and/or Securities was received.

 

6.2            Redemption of Shares . Except as provided hereinafter, whenever the Fund desires the Custodian to make payment out of the cash held by the Custodian hereunder in connection with a redemption of any Shares, it shall furnish to the Custodian Instructions specifying the total amount to be paid for such Shares. The Custodian shall make payment of such total amount to the transfer agent specified in such Instructions out of the cash held in an Account of the appropriate Series. Further, except as provided hereinafter, whenever the Fund desires the Custodian to make payment out of Securities held by the Custodian hereunder in connection with a redemption of any Shares, it shall furnish to the Custodian Instructions specifying: (i) the amount to be paid in Securities for such Shares and (ii) the Securities to be delivered. The Custodian shall make payment out of the Securities held in an Account of the appropriate Series the total amount specified in the Instructions.

 

SECTION 7
PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

7.1            Determination to Pay . Whenever the Fund shall determine to pay a dividend or distribution on Shares it shall furnish to the Custodian Instructions setting forth with respect to the Series specified therein the date of the declaration of such dividend or distribution, the total amount payable and the payment date.

 

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7.2            Payment . Upon the payment date specified in such Instructions, the Custodian shall pay out of the cash held for the account of such Series the total amount payable to the dividend agent of the Fund specified therein.

 

SECTION 8
TAXES, REPORTS AND RECORDS

 

8.1            Tax Obligations . The Fund shall be liable for all taxes, assessments, duties and other governmental charges, including interest and penalties, with respect to any cash and Securities held on behalf of the Fund and any transaction related thereto. To the extent that the Custodian has received relevant and necessary information with respect to an Account, the Custodian shall perform the following services with respect to Tax Obligations:

 

(a)          The Custodian shall as promptly as practicable under the circumstances, upon receipt of sufficient information, file claims for exemptions or refunds with respect to withheld foreign (non-United States) taxes in instances in which such claims are appropriate and use measures customarily used to minimize the imposition of foreign taxes at source;

 

(b)          The Custodian shall withhold appropriate amounts, as required by United States tax laws, with respect to amounts received on behalf of nonresident aliens upon receipt of Instructions; and

 

(c)          The Custodian shall provide to the Fund such information received by the Custodian (in its capacity as custodian) that could, in the Custodian’s reasonable belief, assist the Fund or its designee in the submission of any reports or returns with respect to Tax Obligations. An Authorized Person shall inform the Custodian in writing as to which party or parties shall receive information from the Custodian.

 

8.2            Pricing and Other Data . In providing Market Data related to the Accounts in connection with this Agreement, the Custodian is authorized to use Data Providers. The Custodian may follow Authorized Instructions in providing pricing or other Market Data, even if such instructions direct the Custodian to override its usual procedures and Market Data sources. The Custodian shall be entitled to rely without inquiry on all Market Data (and all Authorized Instructions related to Market Data) provided to it, and the Custodian shall not be liable for any Losses incurred as a result of errors or omissions with respect to any Market Data utilized by the Custodian or the Fund hereunder. The Fund acknowledges that certain pricing or valuation information may be based on calculated amounts rather than actual market transactions and may not reflect actual market values, and that the variance between such calculated amounts and actual market values may be material. The Custodian shall not be required to inquire into the pricing of any Securities or other assets even though the Custodian may receive different prices for the same Securities or assets. Market Data may be the intellectual property of the Data Providers, which may impose additional terms and conditions upon the Fund’s use of the Market Data. The additional terms and conditions can be found in the Data Terms Website. The Fund agrees to those terms as they are posted in the Data Terms Website from time to time. Certain Data Providers may not permit the Fund’s directed price to be used. Performance measurement and analytic services may use different data sources than those used by the Custodian to provide Market Data for an Account, with the result that different prices and other Market Data may apply.

 

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8.3            Statements and Reports . The Custodian shall make available to the Fund a monthly report of all transfers to or from the Accounts and a statement of all holdings in the Accounts as of the last Business Day of each month. The Fund may elect to receive certain information electronically through the Internet to an email address specified by it for such purpose rather than through the Custodian On-Line Services. By electing to use the Internet for this purpose, the Fund acknowledges that such transmissions are not encrypted and therefore are not secure. The Fund further acknowledges that there are other risks inherent in communicating through the Internet such as the possibility of virus contamination and disruptions in service, and agrees that the Custodian shall not be responsible for any Losses suffered or incurred by the Fund or any person claiming by or through the Fund as a result of the use of such methods.

 

8.4            Review of Reports . If, within ninety (90) days after the Custodian makes available to the Fund a statement with respect to the Accounts, the Fund has not given the Custodian written notice of any exception or objection thereto, the statement shall be deemed to have been approved, and in such case, the Custodian shall not be liable for any claims concerning such statement.

 

8.5            Books and Records . The books and records pertaining to the Fund which are in possession of the Custodian shall be the property of the Fund. Such books and records shall be prepared and maintained as required by the ‘40 Act and the rules thereunder. The Fund, or its authorized representatives, shall have access to such books and records during the Custodian’s normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Fund, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by the Custodian to the Fund or its authorized representative. Upon the reasonable request of the Fund, the Custodian shall provide in hard copy or on computer disc any records included in any such delivery which are maintained by the Custodian on a computer disc, or are similarly maintained.

 

8.6            Required Disclosure . With respect to Securities issued in the United States, the Shareholder Communications Act of 1985 (the “Act”) requires the Custodian to disclose to issuers, upon their request, the name, address and securities position of the Custodian’s clients who are “beneficial owners” (as defined in the Act) of the issuer’s Securities, unless the beneficial owner objects to such disclosure. The Act defines a “beneficial owner” as any person who has or shares the power to vote a security (pursuant to an agreement or otherwise) or who directs the voting of a security. The Fund represents that it is the beneficial owner of the Securities. As beneficial owner it has designated below whether it objects to the disclosure of its name, address and securities position to any United States issuer that requests such information pursuant to the Act for the specific purpose of direct communications between such issuer and the Fund.

 

With respect to Securities issued outside the United States, the Custodian shall disclose information required by law, regulation, rules of a stock exchange or organizational documents of an issuer. The Custodian is also authorized to supply any information regarding the Accounts that is required by any law, regulation or rules now or hereafter in effect. The Fund agrees to supply the Custodian with any required information if it is not otherwise reasonably available to the Custodian.

 

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Pursuant to this Section 8.6, as Beneficial Owner:

 

o     The Fund OBJECTS to disclosure

 

x The Fund DOES NOT OBJECT to disclosure

 

IF NO BOX IS CHECKED, THE CUSTODIAN SHALL RELEASE SUCH INFORMATION UNTIL IT RECEIVES A CONTRARY INSTRUCTION FROM THE FUND.

 

OR

 

8.7            Tools . From time to time the Custodian may make available to the Fund or its agent(s) certain computer programs, products, services, reports or information (including, without limitation, information obtained by the Custodian from third parties and information reflecting the Custodian’s input, evaluation and interpretation) (collectively, “Tools”). Tools may allow the Fund or its agent(s) to perform certain analytic, accounting, compliance, reconciliation and other functions with respect to an Account. By way of example, Tools may assist the Fund or its agent(s) in analyzing the performance of investment advisers appointed by the Fund, determining on a post- trade basis whether transactions for an Account comply with the Fund’s investment guidelines, evaluating assets at risk and performing account reconciliations. Tools, as well as practices and processes developed by or for the Custodian in connection with the services provided to the Fund, (1) may be used only for the Fund’s internal purposes, and may not be resold, redistributed or otherwise made available to third parties and (2) are the sole and exclusive property of the Custodian (and its suppliers if applicable). The Fund may not reverse engineer or decompile any computer programs provided by the Custodian comprising, or provided as a part of, any Tools. Information supplied by third parties may be incorrect or incomplete, and any information, reports, analytics or other services supplied by the Custodian that rely on information from third parties may also be incorrect or incomplete. All Tools are provided “AS IS”, whether or not they are modified to meet specific needs of the Fund and regardless of whether the Custodian is compensated by the Fund for providing such Tools. THE CUSTODIAN DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE TOOLS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, TITLE, NON- INFRINGEMENT AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. ANYTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY NOTWITHSTANDING, THE CUSTODIAN AND ITS SUPPLIERS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS, COST, EXPENSE, DAMAGE, LIABILITY OR CLAIM SUFFERED OR INCURRED BY THE FUND, ITS AGENT(S) OR ANY OTHER PERSON AS A RESULT OF USE OF, INABILITY TO USE OR RELIANCE UPON ANY TOOLS.

 

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SECTION 9
PROVISIONS REGARDING THE CUSTODIAN

 

9.1            Standard of Care . In performing its duties under this Agreement, the Custodian shall exercise the standard of care and diligence that a professional custodian would observe in these affairs.

 

9.2            Limitation of Duties and Liability . Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere in this Agreement, the Custodian’s liability hereunder is limited as follows:

 

(a)          The duties of the Custodian shall only be those specifically undertaken pursuant to this Agreement and shall be subject to such other limits on liability as are set out herein;

 

(b)          The Custodian shall not be liable for any Losses that are not a direct result of the Custodian’s (or its employees’ or agents’) negligence, lack of good faith or willful misconduct or the failure of a Subcustodian to carry out its duties in accordance with the standard of care as set forth herein;

 

(c)          The Custodian shall not be responsible for the title, validity or genuineness of any Securities or evidence of title thereto received by it or delivered by it pursuant to this Agreement or for Securities held hereunder being freely transferable or deliverable without encumbrance in any relevant market;

 

(d)          The Custodian shall not be responsible for the failure to receive payment of, or the late payment of, income or other payments due to an Account;

 

(e)          The Custodian shall have no duty to take any action to collect any amount payable on Securities in default or if payment is refused after due demand and presentment;

 

(f)          The Custodian may obtain the advice of counsel and shall be fully protected with respect to anything done or omitted by it in good faith in conformity with such advice;

 

(g)          The Custodian shall have no duty or responsibility to inquire into, make recommendations, supervise or determine the suitability of any transactions affecting any Account and shall have no liability with respect to the Fund’s or an Authorized Person’s decision to invest in Securities or to hold cash in any currency;

 

(h)          The Custodian shall have no responsibility if the rules or procedures imposed by Depositories or Foreign Depositories, exchange controls, asset freezes or other laws, rules, regulations or orders at any time prohibit or impose burdens or costs on the transfer of Securities or cash to, by or for the account of the Fund; and

 

(i)          The Custodian shall have no liability for any Losses arising from the insolvency of any Person, including but not limited to a Subcustodian, Depository, Foreign Depository, broker, bank or counterparty to the settlement of a transaction or a foreign exchange transaction, except as provided in Section 2.1(b), Section 2.2 and Section 2.3.

 

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9.3            Losses . Under no circumstances shall either party be liable to the other or any third party for indirect, consequential or special damages, or lost profits or loss of business, arising in connection with this Agreement, even if the party has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

 

9.4            Gains . Where an error or omission has occurred under this Agreement, the Custodian may take such remedial action as it considers appropriate under the circumstances and, provided that the Fund is put in the same or equivalent position as it would have been in if the error or omission had not occurred, any favorable consequences of the Custodian’s remedial action shall be solely for the account of the Custodian, without any duty to report to the Fund any loss assumed or benefit received by it as a result of taking such action.

 

9.5            Centralized Functions . The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial organization that provides services to clients through its affiliates and subsidiaries in multiple jurisdictions (the “BNY Mellon Group”). The BNY Mellon Group may centralize functions including audit, accounting, risk, legal, compliance, sales, administration, product communication, relationship management, storage, compilation and analysis of customer-related data, and other functions (the “Centralized Functions”) in one or more affiliates, subsidiaries and third-party service providers. Solely in connection with the Centralized Functions, (i) the Fund consents to the disclosure of and authorizes the Custodian to disclose information regarding the Fund and the Accounts (“Customer-Related Data”) to the BNY Mellon Group and to its third-party service providers who are subject to confidentiality obligations with respect to such information and (ii) the Custodian may store the names and business contact information of the Fund’s employees and representatives on the systems or in the records of the BNY Mellon Group or its service providers. The BNY Mellon Group may aggregate Customer-Related Data with other data collected and/or calculated by the BNY Mellon Group, and notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary the BNY Mellon Group will own all such aggregated data (but not the Customer-Related Data independently), provided that the BNY Mellon Group shall not distribute the aggregated data in a format that identifies Customer-Related Data with the Fund. The Fund confirms that it is authorized to consent to the foregoing and that the disclosure and storage of information in connection with the Centralized Functions does not violate any relevant data protection legislation.

 

9.6            Business Continuity and Force Majeure . In the event of equipment failure, work stoppage, governmental action, communication disruption or other impossibility of performance beyond the Custodian’s reasonable control (a “Force Majeure Event”), the Custodian shall take reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions and resume performance as soon as is reasonably practicable under the circumstances. The Custodian shall at all times during the term of this Agreement, make reasonable provision for (i) periodic back-up of the computer files and data with respect to the Series; (ii) emergency use of electronic data processing equipment; and (iii) such other plans or systems as it reasonably believes to be necessary or appropriate to recover its services from a Force Majeure Event and to provide services under this Agreement. Upon reasonable request, the Custodian shall discuss with senior management of the Fund such disaster recovery plan and/or provide a high-level presentation summarizing such plan. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Custodian shall not be responsible or liable for any failure to perform under this Agreement or for any Losses to any Account resulting from any event beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian.

 

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9.7            Fees . The Fund shall pay to the Custodian the fees and charges as may be specifically agreed upon from time to time and such other fees as set forth in the Fee Schedule, as may be amended from time to time in writing. The Fund shall also reimburse the Custodian for out-of-pocket expenses that are a normal incident of the services provided hereunder.

 

9.8            Indemnification . The Fund shall indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian from and against all Losses, including reasonable counsel fees and expenses in third party suits and in a successful defense of claims asserted by the Fund, relating to or arising out of the performance of the Custodian’s obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent resulting from the Custodian’s negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder. In the event that a claim is asserted against the Fund arising directly out of any action or inaction of the Custodian in connection with which the Custodian failed to carry out its duties in accordance with its standard of care as set forth herein, Custodian shall indemnify the Fund for any and all such direct Losses. This provision shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 10
AMENDMENT; TERMINATION; ASSIGNMENT

 

10.1          Amendment . This Agreement may be amended only by written agreement between the Fund and the Custodian.

 

10.2          Termination . Either party may terminate this Agreement by giving to the other party a notice in writing specifying the date of such termination, which shall be not less than ninety (90) days after the date of such notice. Upon termination hereof, the Fund shall pay to the Custodian such compensation as may be due to the Custodian, and shall likewise reimburse the Custodian for other amounts payable or reimbursable to the Custodian hereunder. The Custodian shall follow such reasonable Instructions concerning the transfer of custody of records, Securities and other items as the Fund shall give; provided that (a) the Custodian shall have no liability for shipping and insurance costs associated therewith and (b) full payment shall have been made to the Custodian of its compensation, costs, expenses and other amounts to which it is entitled hereunder. If any Securities or cash remain in any Account after termination, the Custodian may deliver to the Fund such Securities and cash. Provisions authorizing the disclosure of aggregated anonymous Customer-Related Data shall survive termination of this Agreement. Except as otherwise provided herein, all obligations of the parties to each other hereunder shall cease upon termination of this Agreement.

 

10.3          Successors and Assigns . Neither the Fund nor the Custodian may assign this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party, except that the Custodian may assign this Agreement to any BNY Mellon Affiliate without the need for such consent. Any entity, other than a BNY Mellon Affiliate that shall by merger, consolidation, purchase or otherwise succeed to substantially all the institutional custody business of the Custodian shall, upon 90 days prior written notice to the Fund, be and become successor custodian hereunder. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the Fund and the Custodian and their respective successors and permitted assigns. In the event of a successor custodian hereunder, the Custodian shall deliver to such successor custodian all securities, funds and other properties of the Fund then held by it hereunder and shall transfer to an account of the successor custodian all of the Securities and other property of the Fund and its Series as directed by the Fund or its authorized agent. The Custodian shall also provide to the successor custodian the Fund’s records as reasonably requested by the Fund.

 

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SECTION 11
ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

 

11.1          Non-Custody Assets . As an accommodation to the Fund, the Custodian may provide consolidated recordkeeping services pursuant to which the Custodian reflects on statements securities and other assets not held by, or under the control of, the Custodian (“Non-Custody Assets”). Non-Custody Assets shall be designated on the Custodian’s books as “shares not held” or by other similar characterization. The Fund acknowledges and agrees that it shall have no security entitlement against the Custodian with respect to Non-Custody Assets, that the Custodian shall rely, without independent verification, on information provided by the Fund, its designee or the entity having custody regarding Non-Custody Assets (including but not limited to positions and market valuations), and that the Custodian shall have no responsibility whatsoever with respect to Non- Custody Assets or the accuracy of any information maintained on the Custodian’s books or set forth on account statements concerning Non-Custody Assets.

 

11.2          Appropriate Action . The Custodian is hereby authorized and empowered, in its sole discretion, to take any action with respect to an Account that it deems necessary or appropriate in carrying out the purposes of this Agreement.

 

11.3          Governing Law . This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the substantive laws of the state of New York without regard to its conflicts of law provisions. The parties consent to the jurisdiction of a state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection with any dispute hereunder. The parties irrevocably waive any objection it may now or hereafter have to venue in such court and any claim that a proceeding brought in such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The parties hereby expressly waive, to the full extent permitted by applicable law, any right to trial by jury with respect to any judicial proceeding arising from or related to this Agreement. The parties agree that the establishment and maintenance of the Accounts, and all interests, duties and obligations with respect thereto, shall be governed by the laws of the state of New York.

 

11.4          Representations . Each party represents and warrants to the other party that it has full authority to enter into this Agreement upon the terms and conditions hereof and that the individual executing this Agreement on its behalf has the requisite authority to bind such party to this Agreement, and that the Agreement constitutes a binding obligation of such party enforceable in accordance with its terms.

 

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11.5          USA PATRIOT Act . The Fund hereby acknowledges that the Custodian is subject to federal laws, including the Customer Identification Program (“CIP”) requirements under the USA PATRIOT Act and its implementing regulations, pursuant to which the Custodian must obtain, verify and record information that allows the Custodian to identify the Fund. Accordingly, prior to opening an Account hereunder, the Custodian will ask the Fund to provide certain information including, but not limited to, the Fund’s name, physical address, tax identification number and other information that will help the Custodian to identify and verify the Fund’s identity, such as organizational documents, certificate of good standing, license to do business or other pertinent identifying information. The Fund agrees that the Custodian cannot open an Account hereunder unless and until the Custodian verifies the Fund’s identity in accordance with the Custodian’s CIP.

 

11.6          Non-Fiduciary Status . The Fund hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Custodian is not a fiduciary by virtue of accepting and carrying out its obligations under this Agreement and has not accepted any fiduciary duties, responsibilities or liabilities with respect to its services hereunder.

 

11.7          Notices . Notices shall be in writing and shall be addressed to the Custodian or the Fund at the address set forth on the signature page or such other address as either party may designate in writing to the other party. All notices shall be effective upon receipt.

 

11.8          Entire Agreement . This Agreement and any related fee agreement constitute the entire agreement with respect to the matters dealt with herein, and supersede all previous agreements, whether oral or written, and documents with respect to such matters.

 

11.9          Necessary Parties . All of the understandings, agreements, representations and warranties contained herein are solely for the benefit of the Fund and the Custodian, and there are no other parties who are intended to be benefited by this Agreement.

 

11.10          Execution in Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and said counterparts when taken together shall constitute but one and the same instrument and may be sufficiently evidenced by one set of counterparts.

 

11.11          Captions . The captions of this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

 

11.12          Liability of Fund Shareholders, Trustees or Officers . It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that the obligations of the Fund hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the shareholders, trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Fund, in their individual capacity, but solely as an agent for the Fund. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Board of the Fund and signed by an officer of the Fund, acting as such, and neither such authorization by the Board nor such execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any of the trustees or officers individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the assets and property of the Fund as provided in its organizational documents. The Custodian acknowledges that obligations or liabilities of a Series refer to obligations or liabilities of that Series only and such obligations or liabilities shall be satisfied only from the assets of such Series and not from the assets of any other Series.

 

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11.13          Confidentiality . Each party shall keep confidential any Confidential Information, as hereinafter defined, relating to the other party’s business. Confidential Information shall include (a) any data or information that is competitively sensitive material, and not generally known to the public, including, but not limited to, information about product plans, marketing strategies, finances, operations, customer relationships, customer profiles, customer lists, sales estimates, business plans, and internal performance results relating to the past, present or future business activities of the Fund or Custodian and their respective subsidiaries and affiliated companies; (b) any scientific or technical information, design, process, procedure, formula, or improvement that is commercially valuable and secret in the sense that its confidentiality affords the Fund or Custodian a competitive advantage over its competitors; (c) all confidential or proprietary concepts, documentation, reports, data, specifications, computer software, source code, object code, flow charts, databases, inventions, know-how, and trade secrets, whether or not patentable or copyrightable; and (d) anything designated by the disclosing party as confidential information (“Confidential Information”). The Custodian hereby represents and warrants it has implemented measures reasonably designed to safeguard Fund Confidential Information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information shall not be Confidential Information and shall not be subject to such confidentiality obligations if: (i) it is necessary for Custodian to release such information in connection with the provision of services under this Agreement; (ii) it is already known to the receiving party at the time it is obtained; (iii) it is or becomes publicly known or available through no wrongful act of the receiving party; (iv) it is rightfully received from a third party who, to the best of the receiving party’s knowledge, is not under a duty of confidentiality; (v) it is released by the protected party to a third party without restriction; (vi) it is requested or required to be disclosed pursuant to a subpoena, applicable law, regulation or judicial or regulatory process (each such disclosure a “Required Disclosure”); (vii) it is relevant to the defense of any claim or cause of action asserted against the receiving party; (viii) it has been or is independently developed or obtained by the receiving party; (ix) it is necessary for Custodian to release such information to Custodian’s internal or external accountants or legal counsel who are subject to a duty of confidentiality; or (x) it is aggregated anonymous Customer-Related Data. Other than with respect to supervisory examinations of Custodian by its regulators, Custodian agrees, where the circumstances reasonably permit, and to the extent permitted by law, to provide the Fund with prior notice of any Required Disclosure, it being understood that the Federal Reserve does not permit such notice without its permission. Custodian acknowledges and agrees that in connection with its services under this Agreement it receives non-public confidential portfolio holdings information (“Portfolio Information”) with respect to the Series. Custodian agrees that, subject to the foregoing provisions of and the exceptions set forth in this paragraph (other than the exception set forth above as sub-item (i), which exception set forth in sub-item (i) shall not be applicable to the Series’ Portfolio Information), Custodian will keep confidential the Series’ Portfolio Information and will not disclose the Series’ Portfolio Information other than pursuant to a Certificate or Instructions; provided that without the need for such a Certificate or Instructions and notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph to the contrary, the Series’ Portfolio Information may be disclosed to third party pricing services in connection with the provision of services under this Agreement. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to prevent Custodian from including certain information related to Securities holdings and Securities transactions in certain internally compiled blind or aggregated data, provided that, in all cases, information will be provided on an aggregated basis with all or substantially all other client information and without specific reference to the Fund or any Series, and so long as such information represents a sufficiently large sample that no Fund or Series data can be identified either directly or indirectly or by inference or implication.

 

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11.14          Audit Rights, Additional Subcertifications and Reports . Custodian shall, upon the Fund’s request, provide the Fund with a summary of the results of its latest SSAE-16 or equivalent control audit prepared by Custodian’s external auditors and relating to the services provided hereunder. In addition and no more than annually, Custodian will participate in the Fund’s reasonable information security questionnaire processes. Upon reasonable request, Custodian will arrange for its relevant subject matter experts to meet with the relevant subject matter experts of the Fund to review Custodian’s internal controls and any deficiencies identified in the relevant SSAE-16 audit report. Custodian shall provide to the Fund quarterly sub-certifications in connection with its Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 certification requirements and as related to Custodian’s internal controls. The Fund may view Custodian’s security-related policies and procedures, however, no documentation may be copied, shared, transmitted or removed from the Custodian’s premises, except as mutually agreed. All nonpublic documentation and information disclosed to the Fund in accordance with this Section shall be deemed proprietary and confidential information of Custodian. The Fund shall not disclose such documentation or information to any third party or use it for any purpose other than evaluating Custodian’s security controls, except that the Fund may disclose Custodian’s SSAE-16 summary to the Fund’s external auditors provided that such external auditors are required to maintain the confidentiality of the summary and any related information. The Fund shall reimburse Custodian for any costs and expenses incurred in connection with any review of Custodian’s security controls.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the latest date set forth below.

 

Authorized Signer of:   Authorized Officer of:
     
TRIMTABS ETF TRUST   THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
         
By:     By:  
Name: Charles Biderman   Name:  
Title: President   Title:  
Date:     Date:  

 

Address for Notice: 3 Harbor Way Address for Notice:
Suite 112 The Bank of New York Mellon c/o BNY
Sausalito, CA 94965 Mellon Asset Servicing
Attention: Charles Biderman  
   
   
   
with a copy to: Attention:
   
K&L Gates LLP  
1600  Street, NW  
Washington, DC 10006  
Attention: Stacy Fuller, Esq.    
 
 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF

 

TrimTabs International Free-Cash-Flow ETF

 
 

 

 

 

ANNEX I
ELECTRONIC ACCESS SERVICES AGREEMENT

 

These Electronic Access Terms and Conditions (the “ Terms and Conditions ”) set forth the terms and conditions under which The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation and/or its subsidiaries or joint ventures (collectively, “ BNY Mellon ”) will provide the entities and its (their) affiliates listed on Schedule A (“ You ” and “ Your ”) with access to and use of BNY Mellon’s electronic information delivery site known as “BNY Mellon Connect” and/or other BNY Mellon-designated access portals (“ Electronic Access ”). Access to and use of Electronic Access by You is contingent upon and is in consideration for Your compliance with the terms and conditions set forth below. Electronic Access includes access to BNY Mellon web sites accessible via BNY Mellon Connect and/or other BNY Mellon-designated access portals ( “Sites ”), pursuant to which You are able to access products and services provided by BNY Mellon as well as data regarding Your accounts. You may amend Schedule A by delivering a revised version to BNY Mellon.

 

Any particular product or service accessed by You through Electronic Access may be subject to a separate written agreement between You and BNY Mellon with respect to such products and services (each a “ Services Agreement ”). In addition, terms and conditions and restrictions with respect to any particular product or service accessed through Electronic Access (such as privacy and internet security matters), together with any disclaimers related to the specific products or services, may be set forth on the Sites (hereinafter referred to as “ Terms of Use ”) and are applicable to such products and services. You agree to the Terms and Conditions. By any of Your Users accessing the Sites, and the products and services available through Electronic Access, You agree to any Terms of Use and acknowledge and accept any disclaimers and disclosures included on the Sites and the restrictions concerning the use of proprietary data provided by Information Providers (as defined below) that are posted on the Data Terms Web Site (as defined below). For the avoidance of doubt, the execution of these Terms and Conditions will not alter or amend or otherwise affect any Services Agreement whether such Services Agreement is executed prior to or after the execution of these Terms and Conditions.

 

1.           Access Administration :

a. To facilitate access to Electronic Access, You will furnish BNY Mellon with a written list of the names, and the extent of authority or level of access, of persons You are authorizing to access the Sites, products and services and to use the Electronic Access (“ Authorized Users ”) on a read-only basis. In addition, You may also designate Authorized Users who will have authority to enter transactions and provide instructions to BNY Mellon that cause a change in or have an impact on assets held by BNY Mellon for Your accounts (“ Authorized Transactional Users ”). Where appropriate, Authorized Users and Authorized Transactional Users are collectively referred to herein as “ Users .” If You wish to allow any third party (such as an investment manager, consultant or third party service provider) or any employee of a third party to have access to Your account information through Electronic Access and be included as a “User” under these Terms and Conditions, You may designate a third party or employee of a third party as an Authorized User or Authorized Transactional User under these Terms and Conditions and any such third party or employee of a third party so designated by You (and, if a third party is so designated, any employee of such third party designated by such third party) will be included within the definition of Authorized User, Authorized Transactional User, and User as appropriate.

 

b. Upon BNY Mellon’s approval of Users (which approval will not be unreasonably withheld), BNY Mellon will send You a user-id, temporary password and, where applicable, a security identification device for each User. You will be responsible for providing to Users the user-ids, temporary passwords and, where applicable, secure identification devices. You will ensure that any User receiving a secure identification device returns such device immediately following the termination of the User’s authorization to access the products and services for which the secure identification device was provided to such User. You are solely responsible for Users’ access to Electronic Access, and You and Users are solely responsible for the confidentiality of the user-ids and passwords and secure identification devices that are provided to them and will remain responsible for each secure identification device until it is returned to BNY Mellon. You, on behalf of You and Your affiliates, acknowledge and agree that, BNY Mellon will have no duty or obligation to verify or confirm the actual identity of the person who accessed Electronic Access using a validly issued user-id and password (and, where applicable, security identification device) or that the person who accessed Electronic Access using such validly issued user-id and password (and, where applicable, security identification device) is, in fact, a User (whether an Authorized User or an Authorized Transactional User).
 
 

  

 

c. You shall not, and shall not permit any User or third party to, breach or attempt to breach any security measures used in connection with Electronic Access or Proprietary Software. Any attempt to circumvent or penetrate any application, network or other security measures used by BNY Mellon or its suppliers in connection with Electronic Access is strictly prohibited.

 

d. You are also solely responsible for ensuring that all Users comply with these Terms and Conditions and any Terms of Use included on the Sites, the Service Agreement for each product or services accessed through the Sites and their associated services and all applicable terms and conditions, restrictions on the use of such products and services and data obtained through the use of Electronic Access. BNY Mellon reserves the right to prohibit access or revoke the access of any User to Electronic Access whom BNY Mellon determines has violated or breached these terms and conditions or any Terms of Use on a Site accessed by the User, including the Data Terms Web Site (as defined below), or whose conduct BNY Mellon reasonably determines may constitute a criminal offense, violate any applicable local, state, national, or international law or constitute a security risk for BNY Mellon, a BNY Mellon’s third party supplier (“ BNY Mellon’s Supplier ”), BNY Mellon’s clients or any Users of Electronic Access. BNY Mellon may also terminate access to all Users following termination of all Services Agreements between You and BNY Mellon.

 

2. Proprietary Software : Depending upon the products and services You elect to access through Electronic Access, You may be provided software owned by BNY Mellon or licensed to BNY Mellon by a BNY Mellon Supplier (“ Proprietary Software ”). You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to install the Proprietary Software on Your authorized computer system (including mobile devices registered with BNY Mellon) and to use the Proprietary Software solely for Your own internal purposes in connection with Electronic Access and solely for the purposes for which it is provided to You. You and Your Users may make copies of the Proprietary Software for backup purposes only, provided all copyright and other proprietary information included in the original copy of the Proprietary Software are reproduced in or on such backup copies. You shall not reverse engineer, disassemble, decompile or attempt to determine the source code for, any Proprietary Software. Any attempt to circumvent or penetrate security of Electronic Access is strictly prohibited.

 

3. Use of Data :
a. Electronic Access may include information and data that is proprietary to the providers of such information or data (“ Information Providers ”) or may be used to access Sites that include such information or data from Information Providers. This information and data may be subject to restrictions and requirements which are imposed on BNY Mellon by the Information Providers and which are posted on http://www.bnymellon.com/‌products/assetservicing/vendoragreement.pdf or any successor web site of which You are provided notice from time to time (the “ Data Terms Web Site ”). You will be solely responsible for ensuring that Users comply with the restrictions and requirements concerning the use of proprietary data that are posted on the Data Terms Web Site.

 

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b. You consent to BNY Mellon, its affiliates and BNY Mellon’s Suppliers disclosing to each other and using data received from You and Users and, where applicable, Your third parties in connection with these Terms and Conditions (including, without limitation, client data and personal data of Users) (1) to the extent necessary for the provision of Electronic Access; (2) in order for BNY Mellon and its affiliates to meet any of their obligations under these Terms and Conditions to provide Electronic Access; or (3) to the extent necessary for Users to access Electronic Access.

 

c. In addition, You permit BNY Mellon to aggregate data concerning Your accounts with other data collected and/or calculated by BNY Mellon. BNY Mellon will own such aggregated data, but will not distribute the aggregated data in a format that identifies You or Your data.

 

4.           Ownership and Rights :

a. Electronic Access, including any database, any software (including for the avoidance of doubt, Proprietary Software) and any proprietary data, processes, scripts, information, training materials, manuals or documentation made available as part of the Electronic Access (collectively, the " Information "), are the exclusive and confidential property of BNY Mellon and/or BNY Mellon’s suppliers. You may not use or disclose the Information except as expressly authorized by these Terms and Conditions. You will, and will cause Users and Your third parties and their users, to keep the Information confidential by using the same care and discretion that You use with respect to Your own confidential information, but in no event less than reasonable care.

 

b. The provisions of this paragraph will not affect the copyright status of any of the Information which may be copyrighted and will apply to all Information whether or not copyrighted.

 

c. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions will be construed as giving You or Users any license or right to use the trade marks, logos and/or service marks of BNY Mellon, its affiliates, its Information Providers or BNY Mellon’s Suppliers.

 

d. Any Intellectual Property Rights and any other rights or title not expressly granted to You or Users under these Terms and Conditions are reserved to BNY Mellon, its Information Providers and BNY Mellon’s Suppliers. "Intellectual Property Rights" includes all copyright, patents, trademarks and service marks, rights in designs, moral rights, rights in computer software, rights in databases and other protectable lists of information, rights in confidential information, trade secrets, inventions and know-how, trade and business names, domain names (including all extensions, revivals and renewals, where relevant) in each case whether registered or unregistered and applications for any of them and the goodwill attaching to any of them and any rights or forms of protection of a similar nature and having equivalent or similar effect to any of them which may subsist anywhere in the world.

 

5.           Reliance :

a. BNY Mellon will be entitled to rely on, and will be fully protected in acting upon, any actions or instructions associated with a user-id or a secure identification device issued to a User until such time BNY Mellon receives actual notice in writing from You of the change in status of the User and receipt of the secure identification device issued to such User. You acknowledge that all commands, directions and instructions, including commands, directions and instructions for transactions issued by a User are issued at Your sole risk. You agree to accept full and sole responsibility for all such commands, directions and instructions and that BNY Mellon, will have no liability for, and you hereby release BNY Mellon from, any losses, liabilities, damages, costs, expenses, claims, causes of action or judgments (including attorneys fees and expenses) (collectively “ Losses ”) incurred or sustained by you or any other party in connection with or as a result of BNY Mellon’s reliance upon or compliance with such commands, directions and instructions.
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b. All commands, directions and instructions involving a transaction entered by Authorized Transactional User will be treated as an authorized instruction under the applicable Services Agreement(s) between You and BNY Mellon covering accounts, products and services and products provided by BNY Mellon with respect to which Electronic Access is being used whether such Services Agreement is executed prior to or after the execution of these Terms and Conditions.

 

6.           Disclaimers :

a. Although BNY Mellon uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information through Electronic Access, BNY Mellon, its Content Providers and Information Providers make no warranties or representations under these Terms and Conditions as to accuracy, reliability or comprehensiveness of the content, information or data accessed through Electronic Access. Without limiting the foregoing, some of the content on Electronic Access may be provided by sources unaffiliated with BNY Mellon (“ Content Providers ”) and by Information Providers. For that content BNY Mellon is a distributor and not a publisher of such content and has no control over it. Information provided by Information Providers has not been independently verified by BNY Mellon and BNY Mellon makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the content or information provided. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information given or provided by Content Providers and Information Providers (including merchants and licensors) are those of the respective authors of such content and not that of BNY Mellon. BNY Mellon will not be liable to You or Users for such content or information in any way nor for any action taken in reliance on such information nor for direct or indirect damages resulting from the use of such information. For purposes of these Terms and Conditions, all information and data, including all proprietary information and materials and all client data, provided to You through Electronic Access are provided on an “AS-IS”, “AS AVAILABLE” basis.

 

b. BNY Mellon makes no guarantee and does not warrant that Electronic Access or the information and data provided through the Electronic Access are or will be virus-free or will be free of viruses, worms, Trojan horses or other code with contaminating or destructive properties. BNY Mellon will employ commercially reasonable anti-virus software to its systems to protect its systems against viruses.

 

c. Some Sites accessed through the use of Electronic Access may include links to websites provided by parties that are not affiliated with BNY Mellon (“ Third Party Websites ”). BNY Mellon will not be liable to any person for the content found on such Third Party Websites. BNY Mellon will not be responsible for Third Party Websites that collect information from parties who visit their web sites through links on the Sites. BNY Mellon will not be liable or responsible for any loss suffered by any person as a result of their use of any Third Party Websites that are linked to the BNY Mellon Sites.

 

d. BNY Mellon retains complete discretion and authority to add, delete or revise in whole or in part Electronic Access, including its Sites, and to modify from time to time any Proprietary Software provided in conjunction with the use of Electronic Access and/or any of the Sites. To the extent reasonably possible, BNY Mellon will provide notice of such modifications. BNY Mellon may terminate, immediately and without advance notice, and without right of cure, any portion or component of Electronic Access or the Sites.

 

e. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THERE IS NO WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NO WARRANTY OF QUALITY AND NO WARRANTY OF TITLE OR NONINFRINGEMENT. THERE IS NO OTHER WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THE SITES, ANY PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE, INFORMATION, MATERIALS OR CLIENT DATA.
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f. Notwithstanding the prior paragraph, The Bank of New York Mellon or an Affiliate designated by it will defend You and pay any amounts agreed to by BNY Mellon in a settlement and damages finally awarded by a court of competent jurisdiction, in an action or proceeding commenced against You based on a claim that Electronic Access or the Proprietary Software infringe plaintiff(s)’s patent, copyright, or trade secret, provided that You (i) notify BNY Mellon promptly of any such action or claim (except that the failure to so notify BNY Mellon will not limit BNY Mellon’s obligations hereunder except to the extent that such failure prejudices BNY Mellon); (ii) grant BNY Mellon or its designated Affiliate full and exclusive authority to defend, compromise or settle such claim or action; and (iii) provide BNY Mellon or its designated Affiliate all assistance reasonably necessary to so defend, compromise or settle. The foregoing obligations will not apply, however, to any claim or action arising from (i) use of the Proprietary Software Information or Electronic Access in a manner not authorized under these Terms and Conditions, the Terms of Use, or the Data Terms Web Site; or (ii) use of the Proprietary Software or Electronic Access in combination with other software or services not supplied by BNY Mellon.

 

7.           Limitation of Liability :

a. IN NO EVENT WILL BNY MELLON, BNY MELLON’S SUPPLIERS OR ITS CONTENT PROVIDERS OR INFORMATION PROVIDERS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE UNDER THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR ANY LOSSES, LIABILITIES, DAMAGES, COSTS OR EXPENSES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY DIRECT DAMAGES, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, RELIANCE DAMAGES, EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, SPECIAL DAMAGES, PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INDIRECT DAMAGES OR DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOOD WILL, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, USE, DATA, EQUIPMENT OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) THAT RESULT FROM (1) THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE ELECTRONIC ACCESS (2) THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY DECISION MADE OR ACTION OR NON-ACTION TAKEN BY YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON, OR FOR ANY ERRORS BY YOU IN COMMUNICATING SUCH INFORMATION; (3) THE COST OF SUBSTITUTE ACCESS SERVICES; OR (4) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE CONTENT OR ACCESS THROUGH ELECTRONIC ACCESS. BNY MELLON WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR LOSS, DAMAGE OR INJURY TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY ARISING FROM ANY USE OF ANY PRODUCT, INFORMATION, PROCEDURE, OR SERVICE OBTAINED THROUGH ELECTRONIC ACCESS. BNY MELLON WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS, DAMAGE OR INJURY RESULTING FROM VOLUNTARY SHUTDOWN OF THE SERVER, ELECTRONIC ACCESS OR ANY OF THE SITES TO ADDRESS TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, COMPUTER VIRUSES, DENIAL-OF-SERVICE MESSAGES OR OTHER SIMILAR PROBLEMS.

 

b. BNY MELLON’S ENTIRE LIABILITY AND YOUR EXCLUSIVE REMEDY UNDER THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR ANY DISPUTE OR CLAIM RELATED TO THESE TERMS OF USE, ELECTRONIC ACCESS OR SITES, IS AS FOLLOWS: IF YOU REPORT A MATERIAL MALFUNCTION IN ELECTRONIC ACCESS THAT BNY MELLON IS ABLE TO REPRODUCE, BNY MELLON WILL USE REASONABLE EFFORTS TO CORRECT THE MALFUNCTION. IF BNY MELLON IS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE MALFUNCTION, YOU MAY CEASE ALL USE OF ELECTRONIC ACCESS AND RECEIVE A REFUND OF ANY FEES PAID IN ADVANCE, SPECIFICALLY FOR ELECTRONIC ACCESS, APPLICABLE TO PERIODS AFTER CESSATION OF SUCH USE. BECAUSE SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES, IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
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c.           The limitation of liability set forth in this Limitation of Liability section and in other provisions in these Terms and Conditions is in addition to any limitation of liability provisions contained in any Services Agreements and will not supersede or be superseded by limitation of liability provisions contained in such Services Agreements, whether executed prior to or after the execution of these Terms and Conditions, except to the extent specifically set forth in such other Services Agreements containing a reference to these Terms and Conditions.

 

8.           Indemnification :

a.           You agree to indemnify, protect and hold BNY Mellon, BNY Mellon’s Suppliers, Content Providers and Information Providers harmless from and against all liability, claims damages, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, resulting from a claim that arises out of (i) any breach by You or Users of these Terms and Conditions, the Terms of Use or the Data Terms Web Site and (ii) any person obtaining access to Electronic Access through You or Users or through use of any password, user-id or secure identification device issued to a User, whether or not You or a User authorized such access. For the avoidance of doubt, and by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, the forgoing indemnity is applicable to disputes between the parties, including the enforcement of these Terms and Conditions. The rights and remedies conferred hereunder will be cumulative and the exercise or waiver of any such right or remedy will not preclude or inhibit the exercise of additional rights or remedies or the subsequent exercise of such right or remedy.

 

b.           The indemnity provided in herein is in addition to any indemnity and other remedies contained in any Services Agreements and will not supersede or be superseded by such Services Agreements, whether executed prior to or after the execution of these Terms and Conditions, except to the extent specifically set forth in such other Services Agreements and expressly stating an intent to modify this Terms and Conditions. Nothing contained herein will, or be deemed to, alter or modify the rights and remedies of BNY Mellon as set forth in the Services Agreements.

 

9.           Choice of Law and Forum : Unless otherwise agreed and specified herein, these Terms and Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any principles of conflicts of law; You expressly and irrevocably agree that exclusive jurisdiction and venue for any claim or dispute with BNY Mellon, its employees, contractors, officers or directors or relating in any way to Your use of Electronic Access resides in the state or federal courts in New York City, New York; and You further irrevocably agree and expressly and irrevocably consent to the exercise of personal jurisdiction in those courts over any action brought with respect to these Terms and Conditions. BNY Mellon and You hereby waive the right of trial by jury in any action arising out of or related to the BNY Mellon or these Terms and Conditions.

 

10.          Term and Termination :

a.           Either BNY Mellon or You may terminate these Terms and Conditions and the Electronic Access upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to the other party.

 

b.           In the event of any breach of the provisions of these Terms and Conditions or a breach by any Authorized User of the Terms of Use or the restrictions and requirements concerning the use of Information Providers’ proprietary data that are posted on the Data Terms Web Site, the non-breaching party may terminate these Terms and Conditions and the Electronic Access immediately upon written notice to the breaching party if any breach remains uncured after ten (10) days’ written notice of the breach is sent to the breaching party.

 

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c.           BNY Mellon may immediately terminate access through an Authorized User’s user-id and password and may, at its discretion, also terminate access by an Authorized User, without right of cure, in the event of an unauthorized use of an Authorized User’s user-id or password, or where BNY Mellon believes there is a security risk created by such access.

 

d.           BNY Mellon may terminate, without advance notice, Your access or the access of Users to any portion or component of Electronic Access or the Sites in the event a BNY Mellon Supplier, Content Provider or Information Provider prohibits BNY Mellon from permitting You or Users to have access to their information or services.

 

e.           Promptly upon receiving or giving notice of termination, You will notify all Users of the effective date of the termination.

 

f.            Upon termination of Your access to Electronic Access, You shall return of manuals, documentation, workflow descriptions and the like that are in Your possession or under Your control and all security identification devices.

 

g.           The Reliance, Disclaimers, Limitation of Liability Indemnification and confidentiality provisions of the Terms and Conditions (and other provision of these Terms and Conditions containing disclaimers, limitation of liability and indemnification) shall survive the termination of these Terms and Conditions.

 

You represent and warrant to BNY Mellon that these Terms and Conditions and the indemnity contained herein have been duly authorized and accepted, that You have full authority to enter into these Terms and Conditions, both for the entities at Schedule A and for any affiliate with Electronic Access, and that these Terms and Conditions constitute a binding obligation enforceable in accordance with its terms.

 

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APPENDIX TO ELECTRONIC SERVICES AGREEMENT

Affiliates of Client

 

Charles Biderman

 

Minyi Chen

 

Yi Yi Mon Aye Han

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.h.i

 

  EXECUTION COPY

 

TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made as of the 1st day of November, 2014, by and between TrimTabs ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust,” with each series thereof listed on Appendix A hereto (as such Appendix be amended from time to time), a “Fund”) and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York corporation authorized to do a banking business having its principal office and place of business at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286 (the “Bank”).

 

WHEREAS, the Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);

 

WHEREAS, the Trust and its underwriter will issue for purchase and redeem shares of beneficial interest, no par value per share, of the Funds (the “Shares”) only in aggregations of Shares known as “Creation Units” (currently 50,000 shares) (each a “Creation Unit”) principally in kind;

 

WHEREAS, The Depository Trust Company, a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York (“DTC”), or its nominee (Cede & Co.), will be the record or registered owner (the “Shareholder”) of all Shares; and

 

WHEREAS, the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, desires to appoint the Bank as its transfer agent, index receipt agent, dividend disbursing agent, and agent in connection with certain other activities, and the Bank desires to accept such appointment;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.           Terms of Appointment; Duties of the Bank

 

1.1           Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Trust hereby employs and appoints the Bank to act as, and the Bank agrees to act as, its transfer agent for the authorized and issued Shares, as the Trust’s dividend disbursing agent, and as the Trust’s index receipt agent (as such term is defined by the NSCC).

 

1.2           Pursuant to such appointment, the Bank agrees that it will perform the following services:

 

(a)          In accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and Participant Agreements prepared by the Trust’s distributor (“Distributor”), a form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A, the Bank shall:

 

(i)          Perform and facilitate the performance of purchases and redemption of Creation Units;

 

(ii)         Prepare and transmit by means of DTC’s book-entry system payments for dividends and distributions on or with respect to the Shares declared by the Trust on behalf of the applicable Fund(s);

 

 
 

 

(iii)        Maintain the record of the name and address of the Shareholder and the number of Shares issued by the Trust and held by the Shareholder;

 

(iv)         Record the issuance of authorized Shares of each Fund and maintain a record of the total number of Shares of the Funds which are issued and outstanding. The Bank shall have no obligation, when recording the issuance of Shares, to monitor the issuance of such Shares or to take cognizance of any laws relating to the issue or sale of such Shares, which functions shall be the sole responsibility of the Trust.

 

(v)          Prepare and transmit to the Trust and the Trust’s administrator and to any applicable securities exchange (as specified to the Bank by the Trust) information with respect to purchases and redemptions of Shares;

 

(vi)         On days that the Trust may accept orders for purchases or redemptions, calculate and transmit to the Trust, Distributor and the Trust’s administrator the number of outstanding Shares of each Fund;

 

(vii)        On days that the Trust may accept orders for purchases or redemptions (pursuant to any Participant Agreement), transmit to the Trust, Distributor, Trust’s administrator and DTC the amount of Shares of each Fund purchased or redeemed on such day;

 

(viii)      Confirm to DTC the number of Shares of each Fund issued to the Shareholder, as DTC may reasonably request;

 

(ix)         Prepare and deliver other reports, information and documents to DTC as DTC may reasonably request;

 

(x)          Extend the voting rights to the Shareholder, DTC participants and/or the beneficial owners of Shares in accordance with the policies and procedures of DTC for book-entry only securities;

 

(xi)         Distribute or maintain, as directed by the Trust, amounts related to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units, dividends and distributions, variation margin on derivative securities and collateral;

 

(xii)        Maintain those books and records of each Fund specified by the Trust in Schedule A attached hereto;

 

(xiii)      Prepare a monthly report of all purchases and redemptions of Shares during such month on a gross transaction basis, and identify on a daily basis the net number of Shares either redeemed or purchased on such Business Day and with respect to each Authorized Participant purchasing or redeeming Shares, the amount of Shares purchased or redeemed;

 

(xiv)        Receive from the Distributor (as defined in the Participant Agreement) or from its agent purchase orders from Authorized Participants (as defined in the Participant Agreement) for Creation Unit aggregations of Shares received in good form and accepted by or on behalf of the Trust by the Distributor, promptly deliver the appropriate documentation thereof and payment to the custodian for the Trust (the “Custodian”), transmit appropriate trade instructions to the National Securities Clearance Corporation (“NSCC”), if applicable, and pursuant to such orders issue the appropriate number of Shares of the applicable Fund and hold such Shares in the account of the Shareholder for each of the respective Funds;

 

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(xv)         Receive from the Authorized Participants redemption requests, deliver the appropriate documentation thereof to the Custodian, generate and transmit or cause to be generated and transmitted confirmation of receipt of such redemption requests to the Authorized Participants submitting the same; transmit appropriate trade instructions to the NSCC, if applicable, and redeem the appropriate number of Creation Unit aggregations of Shares of the applicable Fund held in the account of the Shareholder; and

 

(xvi)        Confirm the name, U.S. taxpayer identification number and principal place of business of each Authorized Participant;

 

(xvii)      Process any request from an Authorized Participant to change its account registration;

 

(xviii)     The Bank may execute transactions directly with Authorized Participants to the extent necessary or appropriate to enable the Bank to carry out any of the duties set forth in items (i) through (xvi) above.

 

(xix)        Except as otherwise instructed by the Trust, the Bank shall process all transactions in each Fund in accordance with the policies and procedures mutually agreed upon between the Trust and the Bank with respect to the proper net asset value to be applied to purchases received in good order by the Bank or the Trust or any person or firm designated by the Trust as being authorized on behalf of the Trust before any cut-offs established by the Trust, and such other matters set forth in items (i) through (xvi) above as these policies and procedures are intended to address. The Bank shall as promptly as practicable under the circumstances report to the Trust as known exceptions to the foregoing.

 

(b)          The Bank may maintain and manage, as agent for the Trust, such accounts as the Bank shall deem necessary for the performance of its duties under this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the processing of Creation Unit purchases and redemptions; and the payment of dividends and distributions. The Bank may maintain such accounts at financial institutions deemed appropriate by the Bank in accordance with applicable law.

 

(c)          In addition to the services set forth in the above sub-section 1.2(a), the Bank shall: perform the customary services of a transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent including, but not limited to, maintaining the account of the Shareholder, obtaining a list of DTC participants holding interests in the Global Certificate at the request and expense of a Trust, providing proxy materials, shareholder reports and prospectuses to the Shareholder or DTC participants identified as holders of Shares at the request of a Trust, maintaining the items set forth on Schedule A attached hereto, and performing such services identified in each Participant Agreement.

 

(d)          The following shall be delivered to DTC participants as identified by DTC in accordance with DTC’s procedures for book-entry only securities:

 

(i)          Annual and semi-annual reports of the Trust;

 

(ii)         Trust proxies, proxy statements and other proxy soliciting materials;

 

(iii)        Trust prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto, including stickers; and

 

(iv)         Other communications as the Trust may from time to time identify as required by law or as the Trust may reasonably request.

 

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(e)          The Bank shall provide additional services, if any, behalf of the Funds as may be agreed upon in writing by the Trust and the Bank. The provision of such services shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement or such amended terms and conditions as may be mutually agreed upon.

 

(f)          The Bank shall keep records relating to the services to be performed hereunder, in the form and manner required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations under the 1940 Act and to the extent required by Section 31 of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder (the “Rules”), all such books and records shall be the property of the Trust, will be preserved, maintained and made available in accordance with such Section and Rules, and will be surrendered promptly to the Trust on and in accordance with its request.

 

2.           Fees and Expenses

 

2.1           The Bank shall receive from the Trust such compensation for the Transfer Agent’s services provided pursuant to this Agreement as may be agreed to from time to time in a written fee schedule approved by the parties. The fees are accrued daily and billed monthly and shall be due and payable upon receipt of the invoice. Upon the termination of this Agreement before the end of any month, the fee for the part of the month before such termination shall be prorated according to the proportion which such part bears to the full monthly period and shall be payable upon the date of termination of this Agreement.

 

2.2           In addition to the fee paid under Section 2.1 above, the Trust agrees to reimburse the Bank for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including but not limited to confirmation production, postage, forms, telephone, microfilm, microfiche, tabulating proxies, records storage, or advances incurred by the Bank for the items set out in the fee schedule or relating to dividend distributions and reports (whereas all expenses related to creations and redemptions of Creation Units of Shares shall be borne by the relevant Authorized Participant in such creations and redemptions). In addition, any other expenses incurred by the Bank at the request or with the consent of the Trust, will be reimbursed by the Trust on behalf of the applicable Fund.

 

2.3           The Trust agrees to pay all fees and reimbursable expenses within 30 business days following the receipt of the respective billing notice accompanied by supporting documentation, as appropriate. Postage for mailing of dividends, proxies, Trust reports and other mailings to all shareholder accounts shall be advanced to the Bank by the Trust at least seven (7) days prior to the mailing date of such materials.

 

2.4           The Trust hereby represents and warrants to the Bank that (i) the terms of this Agreement, (ii) the fees and expenses associated with this Agreement, and (iii) any benefits accruing to the Bank or to the adviser to, or sponsor of, the Trust in connection with this Agreement, including, but not limited to, any fee waivers, reimbursements, or payments made, or to be made, by the Bank to such adviser or sponsor or to any affiliate of the Trust relating to this Agreement have been fully disclosed to the Board of Trustees of the Trust and that, if required by applicable law, such Board of Trustees has approved or will approve the terms of this Agreement, and any such fees, expenses, and benefits.

 

3.           Representations and Warranties of the Bank

 

The Bank represents and warrants to the Trust that:

 

It is a banking company duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of New York.

 

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It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the State of New York.

 

It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Charter and By-Laws to act as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent and to enter into, and perform its obligations under, this Agreement.

 

All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.

 

4.           Representations and Warranties of the Trust

 

The Trust represents and warrants to the Bank that:

 

It is a statutory trust duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware.

 

It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Trust Instrument and By-Laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

It is an open-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act.

 

A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on behalf of each of the Funds has or will become effective, and will remain effective, and appropriate state securities law filings have been made and will continue to be made, with respect to all Shares of the Trust being offered for sale.

 

5.           Anti-Money Laundering

 

The Bank shall provide the “Anti-Money Laundering Services” described in Schedule B attached hereto subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

6.           Indemnification

 

6.1           The Bank shall not be responsible for, and the Trust shall indemnify and hold the Bank and its directors, officers, employees and agents (“Bank Indemnitees”) harmless from and against, any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability (“Losses”) (including, without limitation, Losses incurred by the Bank in a successful defense of any claims by the Trust) which may be sustained or incurred by or which may be asserted against the Bank arising out of or attributable to this Agreement or the Bank’s actions or omissions with respect to this Agreement, or as a result of acting upon any instructions reasonably believed by the Bank to have been duly authorized by the Trust or upon reasonable reliance on information or records given or made by the Trust; except for any Losses for which the Bank has accepted liability pursuant to Article 7 of this Agreement. In no event shall the Trust be liable for special, indirect or consequential damages, regardless of the form of action and even if the same were foreseeable.

 

6.2           The indemnification provision of Section 6.1 shall apply to actions taken or omissions pursuant to this Agreement or a Participant Agreement.

 

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7.           Standard of Care, Limitation of Liability

 

The Bank shall at all times act in good faith and exercise reasonable care and due diligence in its performance of all services performed under this Agreement, but assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable for Losses arising out of or attributable to the Bank’s actions or omissions with respect to this Agreement, unless such Losses are caused by the Bank’s own gross negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct or that of a Bank Indemnitee, its breach of any representation or warranty, or any encoding or payment processing error, which shall be governed by Section 4-209 of the Uniform Commercial Code. In the event that a claim is asserted against the Trust arising directly out of any action or inaction of the Bank in connection with which the Bank failed to carry out its duties in accordance with its standard of care as set forth herein, the Bank shall indemnify the Trust for any and all such direct losses.. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Bank, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. In no event shall the Bank be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages, regardless of the form of action and even if the same were foreseeable. For purposes of this Agreement, none of the following shall be or be deemed a breach of the Bank’s standard or care:

 

(a)          The conclusive reliance on or use by the Bank or its agents or subcontractors of information, records, documents or services which (i) are received by the Bank or its agents or subcontractors, and (ii) have been prepared, maintained or performed by the Trust or any other person or firm on behalf of the Trust (except the Bank or any Bank affiliate retained pursuant to Section 8.1(b)) including but not limited to any previous transfer agent or registrar.

 

(b)          The conclusive reliance on, or the carrying out by the Bank or its agents or subcontractors of, any instructions or requests of the Trust or instructions or requests on behalf of the Trust (except if given by the Bank or any Bank affiliate retained pursuant to Section 8.1(b)).

 

(c)          The offer or sale of Shares by or for the Trust in violation of any requirement under the federal securities laws or regulations, or the securities laws or regulations of any state that such Shares be registered in such state, or any violation of any stop order or other determination or ruling by any federal agency, or by any state with respect to the offer or sale of Shares in such state.

 

The indemnification set forth in this Article 7 shall apply to actions or omissions pursuant to this Agreement or a Participant Agreement.

 

8.           Concerning the Bank

 

8.1           

 

(a)          The Bank may employ agents or attorneys-in-fact which are not affiliates of the Bank with the prior written consent of the Trust (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), and shall not be liable for any loss or expense arising out of, or in connection with, the actions or omissions to act of such agents or attorneys-in-fact, provided that the Bank acted in accordance with its standard of care as set forth hereunder in selecting such agents or attorneys-in-fact and provided further that to the extent such agents or attorneys-in-fact have breached the terms and conditions of any agreement that they may have entered into with the Bank, relating to the provision of services to the Trust, the Bank shall pursue all such claims, and pass along any recovery, on a pro-rata basis to the Trust. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, no such appointment shall discharge the Bank from its obligations hereunder.

 

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(b)          The Bank may, without the prior consent of the Trust, enter into subcontracts, agreements and understandings with any Bank affiliate, whenever and on such terms and conditions as it deems necessary or appropriate to perform its services hereunder. No such subcontract, agreement or understanding shall discharge Bank from its obligations hereunder.

 

8.2           The Bank shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any written or oral instruction actually received by the Bank and reasonably believed by the Bank to be duly authorized and delivered. The Trust agrees to forward to the Bank written instructions confirming oral instructions by the close of business of the same day that such oral instructions are given to the Bank. The Trust agrees that the fact that such confirming written instructions are not received or that contrary written instructions are received by the Bank shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of transactions authorized by such oral instructions and effected by the Bank. If the Trust elects to transmit written instructions through an on-line communication system offered by the Bank, Trust’s use thereof shall be subject to the terms and conditions attached hereto as Exhibit B.

 

8.3            The Bank shall establish and maintain a disaster recovery plan and back-up system satisfying the requirements of all applicable law, rules, and regulations and which is reasonable under the circumstances (the “Disaster Recovery Plan and Back-Up System”). The Bank shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Section 8.3 arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its control which are not a result of its gross negligence or willful misconduct, including without limitation, acts of God; earthquakes; fires; floods; wars; civil or military disturbances; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruption, loss or malfunctions of transportation, computer (hardware or software) or communication services; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority; governmental actions; or inability to obtain labor, material, equipment or transportation, provided that the Bank has established and is maintaining the Disaster Recovery Plan and Back-Up System, or if not, that such delay or failure would have occurred even if the Bank had established and was maintaining the Disaster Recovery Plan and Back-Up System. Upon the occurrence of any such delay or failure the Bank shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

8.4           The Bank represents that it and each Bank Affiliate that maintains or has access to non-public personal consumer/customer financial information (“NPPI”): has procedures in place reasonably designed to protect the privacy of NPPI to the extent required by applicable law, rule and regulation. The Bank agrees to notify the Trust as promptly as practicable under the circumstances upon the event of any loss of data, unauthorized access to data, or data security breach involving such information relating to the Trust.

 

8.5           The Bank shall have no duties or responsibilities whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set forth in this Agreement and the Participant Agreement, and no covenant or obligation shall be implied against the Bank in connection with this Agreement, except as set forth in this Agreement and the Participant Agreement.

 

8.6           At any time the Bank may apply to an officer of the Trust, but is not obligated to do so, for written instructions with respect to any matter arising in connection with the Bank’s duties and obligations under this Agreement, and the Bank, its agents, and subcontractors shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith in accordance with such instructions. Such application by the Bank for instructions from an officer of the Trust may, at the option of the Bank, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted to be taken by the Bank with respect to its duties or obligations under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken, and the Bank shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified therein unless, prior to taking or omitting to take any such action, the Bank has received written or oral instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted. In connection with the foregoing, the Bank may consult with legal counsel to the Trust or its outside counsel about matters involving the Trust or any Fund, at the Trust’s reasonable expense not to exceed $25,000 for any such consultation, unless expense in excess of such amount is approved by the Trust, and shall be fully protected with respect to anything done or omitted by it in good faith without gross negligence or willful misconduct in the execution of such advice or opinion of such counsel.

 

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8.7           The Bank, its agents and subcontractors may act upon any paper or document, reasonably believed to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper person or persons, or upon any instruction, information, data, records or documents provided to the Bank or its agents or subcontractors by or on behalf of the Trust by machine readable input, telex, CRT data entry or other similar means authorized by the Trust, and shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt of written notice thereof from the Trust.

 

8.8           The Bank shall retain title to and ownership of any and all databases, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, derivative works, inventions, discoveries, patentable or copyrightable matters, concepts, expertise, patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and other related legal rights utilized by the Bank in connection with the services provided by the Bank hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties hereto acknowledge that the Trust shall retain all ownership rights in Trust data residing on the Bank’s electronic system.

 

8.9           Notwithstanding any provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, the Bank shall be under no duty or obligation to inquire into, and shall not be liable for:

 

(a)          The legality of the issue, sale or transfer of any Shares, the sufficiency of the amount to be received in connection therewith, or the authority of the Trust to request such issuance, sale or transfer;

 

(b)          The legality of the purchase of any Shares, the sufficiency of the amount to be paid in connection therewith, or the authority of the Trust to request such purchase;

 

(c)          The legality of the declaration of any dividend by the Trust, or the legality of the issue of any Shares in payment of any stock dividend; or

 

(d)          The legality of any recapitalization or readjustment of the Shares.

 

8.10         In conjunction with Trust’s accountants, Bank shall file such appropriate information returns concerning the payment and composition of dividends and capital gain distributions and tax withholding with the proper Federal, State and local authorities as are required by law to be filed by the Trust and shall withhold such sums as are required to be withheld by applicable law.

 

8.11         Bank shall provide information or reports to the Trust or the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer as may be reasonably requested.

 

9.           Providing of Documents by the Trust and Transfers of Shares

 

9.1           The Trust shall promptly furnish to the Bank a copy of its Trust Instrument and all amendments thereto.

 

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9.2           In the event that DTC ceases to be the Shareholder, the Bank shall re-register the Shares in the name of the successor to DTC as Shareholder upon receipt by the Bank of such documentation and assurances as it may reasonably require.

 

9.3           The Bank shall have no responsibility whatsoever with respect to:

 

(a)           any beneficial interest in any of the Shares owned by the Shareholder;

 

(b)          the authorization of a Fund to issue additional Shares of the Fund; or

 

(c)          obtaining an order or consent of each governmental or regulatory authority required by law as a prerequisite to the issuance of Shares.

 

9.4           Prior to the issuance of any Shares, the Trust shall file with the Securities and Exchange Commission an opinion of counsel for the Trust with respect to the validity of the Shares to be issued pursuant to its registration statement.

 

9.5           In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the records of the Trust maintained by the Bank, the Bank will promptly employ reasonable commercial efforts to notify the Trust and secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Trust as to such inspection. The Bank reserves the right, however, to exhibit the requested records to any person whenever it is advised by its counsel that it may be held liable for the failure to exhibit the Shareholder records to such person.

 

10.          Confidentiality .

 

Each party shall keep confidential any information relating to the other party’s business (“Confidential Information”). Confidential Information shall include (a) any data or information that is competitively sensitive material, and not generally known to the public, including, but not limited to, information about product plans, marketing strategies, finances, operations, customer relationships, customer profiles, customer lists, sales estimates, business plans, and internal performance results relating to the past, present or future business activities of a Trust or the Bank and their respective subsidiaries and affiliated companies; (b) any scientific or technical information, design, process, procedure, formula, or improvement that is commercially valuable and secret in the sense that its confidentiality affords a Trust or the Bank a competitive advantage over its competitors; (c) all confidential or proprietary concepts, documentation, reports, data, specifications, computer software, source code, object code, flow charts, databases, inventions, know-how, and trade secrets, whether or not patentable or copyrightable; and (d) anything designated as confidential. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information shall not be Confidential Information and shall not be subject to such confidentiality obligations if it: (a) is already known to the receiving party at the time it is obtained; (b) is or becomes publicly known or available through no wrongful act of the receiving party; (c) is rightfully received from a third party who, to the best of the receiving party’s knowledge, is not under a duty of confidentiality; (d) is released by the protected party to a third party without restriction; (e) is requested or required to be disclosed by the receiving party pursuant to a court order, subpoena, governmental or regulatory agency request or law; (f) is Trust information provided by the Bank in connection with an independent third party compliance or other review; (g) is necessary or desirable for the Bank to release such information in connection with the provision of services under this Agreement; or (h) has been or is independently developed or obtained by the receiving party. Pursuant to item (e) in this Article 10, in the event that the receiving party is requested (by oral questions, interrogatories, requests for information or documents, subpoena, civil investigative demand or similar process) to disclose any information which would be Confidential Information of the disclosing party except for said item (e), the receiving party will provide the disclosing party with prompt notice of such request(s), if not prohibited, so that the disclosing party may seek an appropriate protective order or other appropriate remedy. In the event that such protective order or other remedy is not obtained, the receiving party may furnish that portion (and only that portion) of such information which it is legally required to disclose, and will exercise its reasonable efforts to obtain reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be afforded any information so furnished to the extent such confidential treatment is requested by the disclosing party. The provisions of this Article 10 shall survive termination of this Agreement.

 

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11.          Termination of Agreement

 

11.1         The term of this Agreement shall be three years commencing upon the date hereof (the “Initial Term”) and shall automatically renew for additional one-year terms (each a “Subsequent Term”) unless either party provides written notice of termination at least ninety (90) days prior to the end of the Initial Term or any Subsequent Term or, unless earlier terminated as provided below:

 

(a)          Either party hereto may terminate this Agreement prior to the expiration of the Initial Term in the event the other party breaches any material provision of this Agreement, including, without limitation in the case of the Trust, its obligations under Section 2.1, provided that the non-breaching party gives written notice of such breach to the breaching party and the breaching party does not cure such violation within thirty (30) days of receipt of such notice. In all cases, termination by the non-defaulting party shall not constitute a waiver by the non-defaulting party of any other rights it might have under this Agreement or otherwise against the defaulting party.

 

(b)          The Trust may terminate this Agreement prior to the expiration of the Initial Term upon at least ninety (90) days’ prior written notice in the event that the Board of that Trust votes to liquidate the Trust and terminate its registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(c)          Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, either party hereto may terminate this Agreement immediately by sending notice thereof to the other party upon the happening of any of the following: (i) a party commences as debtor any case or proceeding under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, or there is commenced against such party any such case or proceeding; (ii) a party commences as debtor any case or proceeding seeking the appointment of a receiver, conservator, trustee, custodian or similar official for such party or any substantial part of its property or there is commenced against the party any such case or proceeding; (iii) a party makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (iv) a party states in any medium, written, electronic or otherwise, any public communication or in any other public manner its inability to pay debts as they come due. Either party hereto may exercise its termination right under this Section 11.1(c) at any time after the occurrence of any of the foregoing events notwithstanding that such event may cease to be continuing prior to such exercise, and any delay in exercising this right shall not be construed as a waiver or other extinguishment of that right.

 

11.2         Should the Trust exercise its right to terminate, all out-of-pocket expenses associated with the movement of records and material will be borne by the Trust.

 

11.3         The terms of Article 2 (with respect to fees and expenses incurred prior to termination), Article 6 and Article 7 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

12.          Additional Funds

 

In the event that the Trust establishes one or more additional series of the Trust with respect to which it desires to have the Bank render services as transfer agent under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Bank in writing, and if the Bank agrees in writing to provide such services, such additional issuance shall become Funds hereunder.

 

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13.          Assignment

 

13.1         Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by either party without the written consent of the other party; provided, however, either party may assign this Agreement to a party controlling, controlled by or under common control with it with notice to the other party.

 

13.2         This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.

 

14.          Severability and Beneficiaries

 

14.1         In case any provision in or obligation under this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the validity, the legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected thereby provided that the obligation of the Trust to pay is conditioned upon provision of services.

 

14.2 This Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Bank and the Trust, and none of any Participant (as defined in the Participant Agreement), the Distributor, any Shareholder or beneficial owner of any Shares shall be or be deemed a third party beneficiary of this Agreement.

 

15.          Amendment

 

This Agreement may be amended or modified by a written agreement executed by both parties.

 

16.          New York Law to Apply

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof. Each party hereby consents to the jurisdiction of a state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection with any dispute arising hereunder. Each party hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that such proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each party hereby irrevocably waives any and all rights to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

 

17.          Merger of Agreement

 

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof whether oral or written.

 

18.          Limitations of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders

 

It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that the obligations of the Trust hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust, personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust, as provided in its Trust Instrument. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Trustees of the Trust and signed by an officer of the Trust, acting as such, and neither such authorization by such Trustees nor such execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust as provided in its Trust Instrument.

 

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19.          Trust Right of Access

 

The Bank shall, upon the Trust’s request, provide the Trust with a summary of the results of its latest SSAE-16 or equivalent control audit prepared by the Bank’s external auditors. In addition and no more than annually, Bank will participate in the Trust’s reasonable information security questionnaire processes. Upon reasonable request, the Bank will arrange for its relevant subject matter experts to meet with the relevant subject matter experts of the Trust once annually to review the Bank’s security controls and any deficiencies identified in the SSAE-16 audit report. The Trust may view the Bank’s security-related policies and procedures, however, no documentation may be copied, shared, transmitted or removed from Bank premises, except as mutually agreed. The parties shall mutually agree upon a convenient time and place for such meeting. Not more than once each year, and subject to the Bank’s reasonable security requirements and availability of personnel, the Bank will at the Trust’s request arrange a tour of the Bank’s data processing facilities for the Trust’s subject matter experts. The Trust shall not disclose such documentation or information to any third party or use it for any purpose other than evaluating the Bank’s security controls, except that the Trust may disclose the Bank’s SSAE-16 summary to the Trust’s Board of Trustees and independent auditors provided that such independent auditors are required to maintain the confidentiality of the summary and any related information. The Trust shall reimburse BNY Mellon for any costs and expenses incurred in connection with any review of BNY Mellon’s security controls.

 

20.          Notices

 

All notices and other communications as required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows or to such other address or addresses of which the respective party shall have notified the other.

 

If to the Bank :

 

The Bank of New York Mellon

2 Hanson Place

Brooklyn, NY 11217

Attention: ETF Operations

 

with a copy to:

 

The Bank of New York Mellon

One Wall Street

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Legal Dept. – Asset Servicing

 

If to the Trust :

 

TrimTabs ETF Trust

3 Harbor Way
Suite 112
Sausalito, CA 94965

Attention: Charles Biderman

 

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with a copy to:

 

K&L Gates LLP

1600 Street, NW

Washington, DC 10006

Attention: Stacy Fuller, Esq.

 

21.          Information Sharing

 

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial organization that provides services to clients through its affiliates and subsidiaries in multiple jurisdictions (the “BNY Mellon Group”). The BNY Mellon Group may centralize functions including audit, accounting, risk, legal, compliance, sales, administration, product communication, relationship management, storage, compilation and analysis of customer-related data, and other functions (the “Centralized Functions”) in one or more affiliates and subsidiaries and third-party service providers. Solely in connection with the Centralized Functions, (i) the Trust consents to the disclosure of and authorizes the Bank to disclose information regarding the Trust (“Customer-Related Data”) to the BNY Mellon Group and to its third-party service providers who are subject to confidentiality obligations with respect to such information and (ii) the Bank may store the names and business contact information of the Trust’s employees and representatives on the systems or in the records of the BNY Mellon Group or its service providers. The BNY Mellon Group may aggregate Customer-Related Data with other data collected and/or calculated by the BNY Mellon Group, and notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary the BNY Mellon Group will own all such aggregated data (but not the Customer-Related Data independently), provided that the BNY Mellon Group shall not distribute the aggregated data in a format that identifies Customer-Related Data with a particular customer. The Trust confirms that it is authorized to consent to the foregoing.

 

22.          Counterparts

 

This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

 

[Signature page follows.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized officers, as of the date first above written.

 

  TrimTabs ETF Trust
     
  By:  
    Name: Charles Biderman
    Title: President
     
  THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
     
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:
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APPENDIX A

 

Funds

 

 

TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF

 

TrimTabs International Free-Cash-Flow ETF

 

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SCHEDULE A

 

Books And Records To Be Maintained By The Bank

 

Source Documents requesting Creations and Redemptions

 

Correspondence/AP Inquiries

 

Reconciliations, bank statements, copies of canceled checks, cash proofs

 

Daily/Monthly reconciliation of outstanding Shares between each Fund and DTC

 

Dividend Records

 

Year-end Statements and Tax Forms

 

 
 

 

SCHEDULE B

 

Anti-Money Laundering Services

 

As part of the nightly processing cycle, the Bank performs Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) screening processes against broker names maintained on a master file. As it is the policy of the Bank to be in compliance with all applicable global economic sanctions laws and regulations in all jurisdictions where it conducts business, the Bank monitors account activity and transactions for U.S. sanctions purposes against the OFAC list. All transactions involving the movement of large sums, or other indicators of possible money laundering must be reviewed. To the extent that employees become aware of or are advised of suspicious transactions or activity through direct observation, receipt and review of periodic transaction reports, on-line inquiries, customer requests or through notification by any other business or support unit, such information may be reviewed by Division Management, Legal, Compliance, Risk, etc. In the event that a material compliance infraction impacts the Trust, the Bank will notify the designated Trust officer accordingly.

 

The Bank compliance program includes, internal written policies and procedures both companywide and business specific, a designated Global Sanctions Compliance Officer, risk assessment and controls, including automated scan/name recognition software programs that monitor account activity and transactions for U.S. sanctions purposes against the OFAC list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, as well as internal training and an audit program.

 

 
 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Authorized Participant Agreement

 

 
 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

See Appendix I—Electronic Services Terms and Conditions attached to the Custody Agreement, dated as of November 1, 2014, between TrimTabs ETF Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.h.ii

 

EXECUTION COPY

 

FUND ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made as of November 1, 2014 by and between TrimTabs ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”) and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York corporation authorized to do a banking business (“BNY Mellon”).

 

WITNESSETH :

 

WHEREAS, the Trust is an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; and

 

WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain BNY Mellon to provide for the series of the Trust (each a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”) identified on Exhibit A hereto, as amended from time to time, the services described herein, and BNY Mellon is willing to provide such services, all as more fully set forth below;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and agreements contained herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:

 

1.            Definitions.

 

Whenever used in this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

“1933 Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

“1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“1940 Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

“Authorized Person” shall mean each person, whether or not an officer or an employee of the Trust, duly authorized by the Board to execute this Agreement and to give Instructions on behalf of the Trust or any Fund as set forth in Exhibit B hereto and each Authorized Person’s scope of authority may be limited by setting forth such limitation in a written document signed by both parties hereto.  From time to time the Trust may deliver a new Exhibit B to add or delete any person and BNY Mellon shall be entitled to rely on the last Exhibit B actually received by BNY Mellon.

 

 
 

 

“BNY Mellon Affiliate” shall mean any office, branch, or subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation.

 

“Board” shall mean the Trust’s board of trustees.

 

“Confidential Information” shall have the meaning given in Section 20 of this Agreement,

 

“Documents” shall mean such other documents, including, but not limited to, Board resolutions, including resolutions of the Board authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Trust, and opinions of outside counsel, as BNY Mellon may reasonably request from time to time, in connection with its provision of services under this Agreement.

 

“Instructions” shall mean Oral Instructions or written communications actually received by BNY Mellon by S.W.I.F.T., tested telex, letter, facsimile transmission, or other method or system specified by BNY Mellon as available for use in connection with the services hereunder, from an Authorized Person or person believed in good faith by BNY Mellon to be an Authorized Person.

 

“Investment Advisor” shall mean, with respect to each Fund, the entity or entities identified by the Trust to BNY Mellon as the entity having investment responsibility with respect to the Fund.

 

“Net Asset Value” shall mean the per share value of a Fund, calculated in the manner described in the Fund’s Offering Materials.

 

“Offering Materials” shall mean a Fund’s currently effective prospectus and most recently filed registration statement with the SEC relating to shares of the Fund.

 

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“Organizational Documents” shall mean certified copies of the Trust’s certificate of trust, Trust Instrument, by-laws, material contracts, Offering Materials, all SEC exemptive orders issued to the Trust, required filings or similar documents of formation or organization, as applicable, delivered to and received by BNY Mellon.

 

“Oral Instructions” shall mean oral instructions received by BNY Mellon under permissible circumstances specified herein as being from an Authorized Person or person believed in good faith by BNY Mellon to be an Authorized Person.

 

“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Securities Laws” means the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act, and the rules thereunder.

 

“Shares” means the shares of beneficial interest, no par value per share, of the Funds.

 

2.            Appointment.

 

The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, hereby appoints BNY Mellon as its agent for the term of this Agreement to perform the services described herein. BNY Mellon hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the duties hereinafter set forth.

 

3.            Representations and Warranties.

 

The Trust, on behalf of itself and each Fund, as applicable, hereby represents and warrants to BNY Mellon, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing, that:

 

(a)          It is organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;

 

(b)          This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trust in accordance with all requisite action of the Board and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable in accordance with its terms;

 

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To the best of the Fund’s knowledge, its Investment Advisor is in good standing and qualified to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature or conduct of its business requires such qualification.

 

(c)          The Trust is conducting its business in material compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, has made and will continue to make all necessary filings including tax filings and has obtained all regulatory licenses, approvals and consents necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, regulation, rule, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its Organizational Documents, nor of any mortgage, indenture, credit agreement or other contract binding on it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement;

 

(d)          The method of valuation of securities and the method of computing the Net Asset Value shall be as set forth in the Offering Materials of the Funds;

 

(e)          To the extent the performance of any services described in Schedule I attached hereto by BNY Mellon in accordance with the then effective Offering Materials would violate any applicable laws or regulations, the Trust shall immediately so notify BNY Mellon in writing and thereafter shall either furnish BNY Mellon with the appropriate values of securities, Net Asset Value or other computation, as the case may be, or, subject to the consent of BNY Mellon, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, instruct BNY Mellon in writing to value securities and/or compute Net Asset Value or other computations in a manner the Trust specifies in writing, and either the furnishing of such values or the giving of such instructions shall constitute a representation by the Trust that the same is consistent with all applicable laws and regulations and with its Offering Materials;

 

(f)          The terms of this Agreement, the fees and expenses associated with this Agreement and any benefits accruing to BNY Mellon, the Investment Advisor or a sponsor or any affiliate of the Trust in connection with this Agreement, including but not limited to any fee waivers, conversion cost reimbursements, signing payments or periodic payments made or to be made by BNY Mellon to such Investment Advisor or sponsor or any affiliate of the Trust relating to this Agreement have been fully disclosed to the Board and that, if required by applicable law, the Board has approved or will approve the terms of this Agreement, any such fees and expenses and any such benefits;

 

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(g)          Each person named on Exhibit B hereto is duly authorized by the Trust to be an Authorized Person hereunder;

 

(h)          It has implemented, and is acting in accordance with, procedures reasonably designed to ensure that it will disseminate to all market participants, other than Authorized Participants (as defined in its Offering Materials Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information), each calculation of Net Asset Value provided by BNY hereunder to Authorized Participants at the time BNY Mellon provides such calculation to Authorized Participants; and

 

(i)          The Trust shall promptly notify BNY Mellon in writing of any and all legal proceedings or securities investigations filed or commenced against the Trust, the Investment Advisor, if related to its advisory services, or the Board.

 

4.            Delivery of Documents.

 

The Trust shall promptly provide, deliver, or cause to be delivered from time to time, to BNY Mellon the Organizational Documents, a copy of any and all SEC exemptive orders issued to the Fund, if applicable, and Documents and other materials used in the distribution of Shares and all amendments thereto as may be necessary for BNY Mellon to perform its duties hereunder. BNY Mellon shall not be deemed to have notice of any information (other than information, including Documents, supplied by BNY Mellon) contained in such Organizational Documents, Documents or other materials until they are actually received by BNY Mellon.

 

5.            Duties and Obligations of BNY Mellon.

 

(a)          Subject to the direction and supervision of the Board and the provisions of this Agreement, BNY Mellon shall provide to the Trust, and to each Fund as applicable, the administrative services and the valuation and computation services listed on Schedule I attached hereto.

 

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(b)          In performing hereunder, BNY Mellon shall provide, at its expense, office space, facilities, equipment and personnel.

 

(c)          BNY Mellon shall not provide any services relating to the management, investment advisory or sub-advisory functions of any Fund, distribution of shares of any Fund, or other services normally performed by the Trust’s counsel or independent auditors and the services provided by BNY Mellon do not constitute, nor shall they be construed as constituting, legal advice or the provision of legal services for or on behalf of the Trust or any other person, and the Trust acknowledges that BNY Mellon does not provide public accounting or auditing services or advice and will not be making any tax filings, or doing any tax reporting on its behalf, other than those specifically agreed to hereunder. The scope of services provided by BNY Mellon under this Agreement shall not automatically be increased as a result of new or revised regulatory or other requirements that may become applicable with respect to the Fund, unless the parties hereto expressly agree in writing to any such increase in the scope of services.

 

(d)          The Trust shall cause its officers, advisors, sponsor, distributor, legal counsel, independent auditors, transfer agent, and any other service provider to cooperate with BNY Mellon and to provide BNY Mellon, upon request, with such information, documents and advice relating to the Trust as is within the possession or knowledge of such persons, and which in the opinion of BNY Mellon, is necessary in order to enable BNY Mellon to perform its duties hereunder. In connection with its duties hereunder, and except to the extent that any information, documents or advice is created by BNY Mellon or any BNY Mellon Affiliate in connection with any services provided to the Trust under this Agreement or otherwise, and not reliant on any third-party data, BNY Mellon shall not be responsible for, under any duty to inquire into, or be deemed to make any assurances with respect to the accuracy, validity or propriety of any information, documents or advice provided to BNY Mellon by any of the aforementioned persons. BNY Mellon shall not be liable for any loss, damage or expense resulting from or arising out of the failure of the Trust to cause any information, documents or advice to be provided to BNY Mellon by a third party as provided herein and shall be held harmless by the Trust when acting in reliance upon such information, documents or advice relating to the Trust. All fees or costs charged by such persons shall be borne by the Trust. In the event that any services performed by BNY Mellon hereunder rely, in whole or in part, upon information obtained from a third-party service utilized or subscribed to by BNY Mellon which BNY Mellon in its reasonable judgment deems reliable (“Third-Party Services”), BNY Mellon shall not have any responsibility or liability for, under any duty to inquire into, or deemed to make any assurances with respect to, the accuracy or completeness of such information, provided however that to the extent the Trust experiences losses on the basis of Third-Party Services, BNY Mellon shall pursue any claims it may have against the third-party service provider, under the relevant agreement for services, and shall pass through any recovery on a pro-rata basis to the Trust.

 

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(e)          Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict BNY Mellon, any BNY Mellon Affiliate or any officer or employee thereof from acting for or with any third parties, and providing services similar or identical to some or all of the services provided hereunder.

 

(f)          The Trust shall furnish BNY Mellon with any and all instructions, explanations, information, specifications and documentation deemed necessary by BNY Mellon in the performance of its duties hereunder, including, without limitation, the amounts or written formula for calculating the amounts and times of accrual of Fund liabilities and expenses, and the value of any securities lending related collateral investment account(s). BNY Mellon shall not be required to include as Fund liabilities and expenses, nor as a reduction of Net Asset Value, any accrual for any federal, state, or foreign income taxes unless the Trust shall have specified to BNY Mellon in Instructions the precise amount of the same to be included in liabilities and expenses or used to reduce Net Asset Value. The Trust shall also furnish BNY Mellon with bid, offer, or market values of securities if BNY Mellon notifies the Trust that same are not available to BNY Mellon from a security pricing or similar service utilized, or subscribed to, by BNY Mellon which the Trust directs BNY Mellon to utilize, and which BNY Mellon in its judgment deems reliable at the time such information is required for calculations hereunder. At any time and from time to time, the Trust also may furnish BNY Mellon with bid, offer, or market values of securities and instruct BNY Mellon in Instructions to use such information in its calculations hereunder. Except as directed by the Trust, BNY Mellon shall at no time be required or obligated to commence or maintain any utilization of, or subscriptions to, any securities pricing or similar service. In no event shall BNY Mellon be required to determine whether a market price represents any fair or true value, nor to adjust any price to reflect any events or announcements, including, without limitation, those with respect to the issuer thereof.

 

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(g)          BNY Mellon may apply to an Authorized Person of the Trust for Instructions with respect to any matter arising in connection with BNY Mellon’s performance hereunder, and BNY Mellon shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith without gross negligence or willful misconduct in accordance with such Instructions. Such application for Instructions may, at the option of BNY Mellon, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted to be taken by BNY Mellon with respect to its duties or obligations under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken. BNY Mellon shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified therein unless, prior to taking or omitting to take any such action, BNY Mellon has received Instructions from an Authorized Person in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

 

(h)          BNY Mellon may consult with legal counsel to the Trust or its outside counsel about matters involving the Trust or any Fund, at the Trust’s reasonable expense not to exceed $25,000 for any such consultation, unless expense in excess of such amount is approved by the Trust, and shall be fully protected with respect to anything done or omitted by it in good faith without gross negligence or willful misconduct in the execution of such advice or opinion of such counsel.

 

(i)           Notwithstanding any other provision contained in this Agreement or Schedule I attached hereto, BNY Mellon shall have no duty or obligation with respect to, including, without limitation, any duty or obligation to determine, or advise or notify the Trust of: (i) the taxable nature of any distribution or amount received or deemed received by, or payable to, a Fund, (ii) the taxable nature or effect on a Fund or its shareholders of any corporate actions, class actions, tax reclaims, tax refunds or similar events, (iii) the taxable nature or taxable amount of any distribution or dividend paid, payable or deemed paid, by a Fund to its shareholders; or (iv) the effect under any federal, state, or foreign income tax laws of a Fund making or not making any distribution or dividend payment, or any election with respect thereto. Further, BNY Mellon is not responsible for the identification of securities requiring U.S. tax treatment that differs from treatment under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. BNY Mellon is solely responsible for processing Fund portfolio holdings, as identified by the Trust or its Authorized Persons, in accordance with U.S. tax laws and regulations.

 

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(j)           BNY Mellon shall have no duties or responsibilities whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set forth in this Agreement and Schedule I attached hereto, and no other covenant or obligation shall be implied against BNY Mellon in connection with this Agreement.

 

(k)          BNY Mellon, in performing the services required of it under the terms of this Agreement, shall be entitled to rely fully on the accuracy and validity of any and all Instructions, explanations, information, specifications, Documents and documentation furnished to it by an Authorized Person and, unless provided with or otherwise informed by an Authorized Person that such Instructions, explanations, information, specifications, Documents or documentation have been revised, amended or superceded, shall have no duty or obligation to review the accuracy, validity or propriety of such Instructions, explanations, information, specifications, Documents or documentation, including, without limitation, evaluations of securities; the amounts or formula for calculating the amounts and times of accrual of a Fund’s liabilities and expenses; the amounts receivable and the amounts payable on the sale or purchase of securities; and amounts receivable or amounts payable for the sale or redemption of Shares effected by or on behalf of a Fund. In the event BNY Mellon’s computations hereunder rely, in whole or in part, upon information, including, without limitation, bid, offer or market values of securities or other assets, or accruals of interest or earnings thereon, from a pricing or similar service utilized, or subscribed to, by BNY Mellon which the Trust directs BNY Mellon to utilize, and which BNY Mellon in its judgment deems reliable, BNY Mellon shall not be responsible for, under any duty to inquire into, or deemed to make any assurances with respect to, the accuracy or completeness of such information. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, BNY Mellon shall not be required to inquire into any valuation of securities or other assets by the Trust or any third party described in this sub-section (k) even though BNY Mellon in performing services similar to the services provided pursuant to this Agreement for others may receive different valuations of the same or different securities of the same issuers.

 

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(l)           BNY Mellon, in performing the services required of it under the terms of this Agreement, shall not be responsible for determining whether any interest accruable to a Fund is or will be actually paid, but will accrue such interest until otherwise instructed by the Trust.

 

(m)         BNY Mellon shall not be responsible for damages (including without limitation damages caused by delays, failure, errors, interruption or loss of data) which occur directly or indirectly by reason of circumstances beyond its reasonable control (“Force Majeure Event”) in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, including, without limitation, labor difficulties within or without BNY Mellon, mechanical breakdowns, flood or catastrophe, acts of God, failures of transportation, interruptions, loss, or malfunctions of utilities, action or inaction of civil or military authority, national emergencies, public enemy, war, terrorism, riot, non-performance by a third party (which term does not include any BNY Mellon Affiliate), failure of the mails, communications, computer (hardware or software) services, or functions or malfunctions of the internet, firewalls, encryption systems or security devices caused by any of the above. For the avoidance of doubt, any inability of BNY Mellon to perform its duties under this Agreement which occurs directly or indirectly by reason of BNY Mellon or any BNY Mellon Affiliates failure to maintain reasonable cyber security measures do not constitute Force Majeure Events. Nor shall BNY Mellon be responsible for delays or failures to supply the information or services specified in this Agreement where such delays or failures are caused by the failure of any person(s) other than BNY Mellon or a BNY Mellon Affiliate to supply any instructions, explanations, information, specifications or documentation deemed necessary by BNY Mellon in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. BNY Mellon shall have a duty to mitigate the damages contemplated by this Section 5(m) where it is reasonably able to do so.

 

(n)          BNY Mellon shall provide internally, or shall enter into and shall maintain in effect with appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provisions for emergency use of electronic data processing equipment to the extent appropriate equipment is available. In the event of equipment failures, BNY Mellon shall, at no additional expense to the Trust, take reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions. Provided BNY Mellon has acted with the reasonable care and due diligence of persons acting in a similar capacity as a professional administrator or fund accountant, BNY Mellon shall have no liability with respect to the loss of data or service interruptions caused by equipment failure. BNY Mellon represents that it and each BNY Mellon Affiliate that provides services to the Trust under this Agreement maintains and regularly tests disaster recovery plans and contingency back-up services.

 

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(o)          BNY Mellon represents that it and each BNY Mellon Affiliate that maintains or has access to non-public personal consumer/customer financial information (“NPPI”): (i) has procedures in place reasonably designed to protect the privacy of NPPI to the extent required by applicable law, rule and regulation and appropriate in light of increasing threats to information and cybersecurity. BNY Mellon agrees to notify the Trust as promptly as practicable upon the event of any loss of data, unauthorized access to data, or data security breach involving such information relating to the Trust.

 

(p)          In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the records of the Trust maintained by BNY Mellon, BNY Mellon will as promptly as practicable under the circumstances employ reasonable commercial efforts to notify the Trust and secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Trust as to such inspection. BNY Mellon reserves the right, however, to exhibit the requested records without such notice or authorization of the Trust to any person whenever it is advised by its counsel that it may be held liable for the failure to exhibit the Shareholder records to such person.

 

6.            Allocation of Expenses.

 

Except as otherwise provided herein, all costs and expenses of the Trust or Funds arising or incurred in connection with the performance of this Agreement shall be paid by the Trust or the appropriate Fund to which the expense is allocable.

 

7.            Portfolio Compliance Services.

 

(a)          If Schedule I contains a requirement for BNY Mellon to provide the Trust with portfolio compliance services, such services shall be provided pursuant to the terms of this Section 7 (the “Portfolio Compliance Services”). The precise compliance review and testing services to be provided shall be as directed by each Fund and as mutually agreed between BNY Mellon and the Trust, and the results of BNY Mellon’s Portfolio Compliance Services shall be detailed in a portfolio compliance summary report (the “Compliance Summary Report”) prepared on a periodic basis as mutually agreed. Each Compliance Summary Report shall be subject to review and approval by the Trust. BNY Mellon shall have no responsibility or obligation to provide Portfolio Compliance Services other that those services specifically listed in Schedule I.

 

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(b)          The Trust will examine each Compliance Summary Report delivered to it by BNY Mellon and notify BNY Mellon of any error, omission or discrepancy within ten (10) days of its receipt. The Trust acknowledges that unless it notifies BNY Mellon of any error, omission or discrepancy within 10 days, such Compliance Summary Report shall be deemed final and shall not be reissued. If the Trust learns of any out-of-compliance condition before receiving a Compliance Summary Report reflecting such condition, the Trust will notify BNY Mellon of such condition within one (1) business day after discovery thereof.

 

(c)          While BNY Mellon will endeavor to identify out-of-compliance conditions, BNY Mellon does not and could not for the fees charged, make any guarantees, representations or warranties with respect to its ability to identify all such conditions. In the event of any errors or omissions in the performance of Portfolio Compliance Services the Trust’s sole and exclusive remedy and BNY Mellon’s sole liability shall be limited to re-performance by BNY Mellon of the Portfolio Compliance Services affected and in connection therewith the correction of any error or omission, if practicable and the preparation of a corrected report, at no cost to the Trust.

 

8.            Rule 38a-1 and Regulatory Administration Services.

 

(a)          If Schedule I contains a requirement for BNY Mellon to provide the Fund with compliance support services related to Rule 38a-1 promulgated under the 1940 Act and/or regulatory administration services, such services shall be provided pursuant to the terms of this Section 8 (such services, collectively hereinafter referred to as the “Regulatory Support Services”).

 

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(b)          Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Regulatory Support Services provided by BNY Mellon under this Agreement are administrative in nature and do not constitute, nor shall they be construed as constituting, legal advice or the provision of legal services for or on behalf of the Trust or any other person.

 

(c)          All work product produced by BNY Mellon in connection with its provision of Regulatory Support Services under this Agreement is subject to review and approval by the Trust and by the Trust’s legal counsel. The Regulatory Support Services performed by BNY Mellon under this Agreement will be at the request and direction of the Trust and/or its chief compliance officer (the “Trust’s CCO”), as applicable. BNY Mellon disclaims liability to the Trust, and the Trust is solely responsible, for the selection, qualifications and performance of the Trust’s CCO and the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s compliance program.

 

9.            Standard of Care; Indemnification.

 

(a)          BNY Mellon shall at all times act in good faith and exercise reasonable care and due diligence in its performance of all services performed under this Agreement, but assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable for loss or damage due to errors, unless such errors are caused by BNY Mellon’s or BNY Mellon Affiliate’s own gross negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct or that of its officers, employees or agents, or its breach of any representation or warranty (“Liable Conduct”). In the event that a claim is asserted against the Trust arising directly out of any action or inaction of BNY Mellon or BNY Mellon Affiliate in connection with which BNY Mellon failed to carry out its duties in accordance with its standard of care as set forth herein, BNY Mellon shall indemnify the Trust for any and all such direct losses. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the BNY Mellon, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. In no event shall the BNY Mellon or any BNY Mellon Affiliate be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits or loss of business, arising under or in connection with this Agreement, even if previously informed of the possibility of such damages and regardless of the form of action. BNY Mellon and any BNY Mellon Affiliate shall not be liable for any loss, damage or expense, including counsel fees and other costs and expenses of a defense against any claim or liability, resulting from, arising out of, or in connection with its performance hereunder, including its actions or omissions, the incompleteness or inaccuracy of any specifications or other information furnished by the Fund.

 

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(b)          The Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless BNY Mellon and any BNY Mellon Affiliate from and against any and all costs, expenses, damages, liabilities and claims (including claims asserted by the Trust), and reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees relating thereto, which are sustained or incurred or which may be asserted against BNY Mellon or any BNY Mellon Affiliate, by reason of or as a result of any action taken or omitted to be taken by BNY Mellon or any BNY Mellon Affiliate without Liable Conduct or in reliance upon (i) any law, act, regulation or reasonable interpretation of the same even though the same may thereafter have been altered, changed, amended or repealed, (ii) the Offering Materials or Documents (excluding information therein provided by BNY Mellon or any BNY Mellon Affiliate), (iii) any Instructions, or (iv) any opinion of legal counsel for the Trust or outside counsel for BNY Mellon, or arising out of transactions or other activities of the Trust which occurred prior to the commencement of this Agreement; provided, that the Trust shall not indemnify BNY Mellon or any BNY Mellon Affiliate for costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims for which BNY Mellon or any BNY Mellon Affiliate is liable under the preceding sub-section 9(a). This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Trust, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. In no event shall the Trust be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits or loss of business, arising under or in connection with this Agreement, even if previously informed of the possibility of such damages and regardless of the form of action. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Trust shall indemnify BNY Mellon and any BNY Mellon Affiliate against and save BNY Mellon and any BNY Mellon Affiliate harmless from any loss, damage or expense, including reasonable counsel fees and other costs and expenses of a defense against any claim or liability, arising from any one or more of the following:

 

I.           Errors in records or instructions, explanations, information, specifications or documentation of any kind, as the case may be, supplied to BNY Mellon by the Trust or any third party on behalf of the Trust (other than BNY Mellon or a BNY Mellon Affiliate);

 

II.          Action or inaction taken or omitted to be taken without Liable Conduct, in the carrying out of such action or inaction, by BNY Mellon or any BNY Mellon Affiliate pursuant to Instructions of the Trust or otherwise;

 

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III.         Any action taken or omitted to be taken by BNY Mellon in good faith and carried out without Liable Conduct in accordance with the advice or opinion of legal counsel for the Trust or its outside counsel;

 

IV.         Any improper use by the Trust or its agents, distributor or investment advisor of any valuations or computations supplied by BNY Mellon pursuant to this Agreement;

 

V.          The method of valuation of the securities and the method of computing each Fund’s Net Asset Value; or

 

VI.         Any valuations of securities, other assets, or Net Asset Value provided by the Trust.

 

(c)         In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this section 9 shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim for which one party may be required to indemnify the other party, the indemnified party shall as promptly as practicable under the circumstances notify the indemnifying party of such assertion, and shall keep the indemnifying party advised with respect to all material developments concerning such claim. The indemnifying party shall have the option to participate with the indemnified party in the defense of such claim or to defend against said claim in its own name or in the name of the indemnified party. The indemnified party shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the indemnifying party may be required to indemnify the indemnified party except with the indemnifying party’s prior written consent which shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

(d)          Actions taken or omitted in reliance on Instructions or upon any information, order, indenture, stock certificate, membership certificate, power of attorney, assignment, affidavit or other instrument believed by BNY Mellon in good faith to be from an Authorized Person, or upon the opinion of legal counsel for the Trust or its outside counsel, shall be conclusively presumed to have been taken or omitted in good faith.

 

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10.          Compensation.

 

For the services provided hereunder, the Trust agrees to pay BNY Mellon such compensation as is mutually agreed to in writing by the Trust and BNY Mellon from time to time and such actual out-of-pocket expenses ( e.g. , telecommunication charges, postage and delivery charges, record retention costs, reproduction charges and transportation and lodging costs) as are incurred by BNY Mellon in performing its duties hereunder. Except as hereinafter set forth, compensation shall be calculated and accrued daily and paid monthly. The Trust authorizes BNY Mellon to debit the Funds’ custody accounts for all amounts due and payable hereunder. BNY Mellon shall deliver to the Trust invoices for services rendered after debiting such Fund’s custody account with an indication that payment has been made. Upon termination of this Agreement before the end of any month, the compensation for such part of a month shall be prorated according to the proportion which such period bears to the full monthly period and shall be payable upon the effective date of termination of this Agreement. For the purpose of determining compensation payable to BNY Mellon, each Fund’s Net Asset Value shall be computed at the times and in the manner specified in the Fund’s Offering Materials.

 

11.          Records; Visits.

 

(a)          The books and records pertaining to the Trust and its Funds which are in the possession or under the control of BNY Mellon or any BNY Affiliate shall be the property of the Trust. The Trust and Authorized Persons shall have access to such books and records at all times during BNY Mellon’s normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Trust, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by BNY Mellon to the Trust or to an Authorized Person, at the Trust’s expense.

 

(b)          BNY Mellon shall keep all books and records with respect to each Fund’s books of account, records of each Fund’s securities transactions and all other books and records as required by Rule 31a-1 of the 1940 Act in connection with the services provided hereunder.

 

12.          Term of Agreement.

 

(a)          The term of this Agreement shall be three years commencing upon the date hereof (the “Initial Term”) and shall automatically renew for additional one-year terms (each a “Renewal Term”) unless either party provides written notice of termination at least ninety (90) days prior to the end of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term or, unless earlier terminated as provided below:

 

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(b)          Either party hereto may terminate this Agreement prior to the expiration of the Initial Term in the event the other party breaches any material provision of this Agreement, provided that the non-breaching party gives written notice of such breach to the breaching party and the breaching party does not cure such violation within thirty (30) days of receipt of such notice. In all cases, termination by the non-defaulting party shall not constitute a waiver by the non-defaulting party of any other rights it might have under this Agreement or otherwise against the defaulting party.

 

(c)          Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, either party may in its sole discretion terminate this Agreement immediately by sending notice thereof to the other party upon the happening of any of the following: (i) such other party commences as debtor any case or proceeding under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, or there is commenced against such party any such case or proceeding; (ii) such other party commences as debtor any case or proceeding seeking the appointment of a receiver, conservator, trustee, custodian or similar official for such party or any substantial part of its property or there is commenced against the party any such case or proceeding; (iii) such other party makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (iv) such other party admits in any recorded medium, written, electronic or otherwise, its inability to pay its debts as they come due. Either party may exercise its termination right under this Section 12(c) at any time after the occurrence of any of the foregoing events notwithstanding that such event may cease to be continuing prior to such exercise, and any delay in exercising this right shall not be construed as a waiver or other extinguishment of that right. Any exercise by a party of its termination right under this Section 12(c) shall be without any prejudice to any other remedies or rights available to that party and shall not be subject to any fee or penalty, whether monetary or equitable.

 

(d)          The Trust may terminate this Agreement prior to the expiration of the Initial Term upon at least ninety (90) days’ prior written notice in the event that the Board votes to liquidate the Trust and terminate its registration with the SEC.

 

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13.          Amendment.

 

This Agreement may not be amended, changed or modified in any manner except by a written agreement executed by BNY Mellon and the Trust.

 

14.          Assignment; Subcontracting.

 

(a)          This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties hereto, and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable or delegable by the Trust without the written consent of BNY Mellon, or by BNY Mellon without the written consent of the Trust.

 

(b)          Notwithstanding the foregoing: (i) BNY Mellon may assign, subcontract or transfer this Agreement to any BNY Mellon Affiliate, provided that BNY Mellon gives the Trust thirty (30) days’ prior written notice of such assignment or transfer and such assignment or transfer does not impair the provision of services under this Agreement in any material respect, and the assignee or transferee agrees to be bound by all terms of this Agreement in place of BNY Mellon; (ii) BNY Mellon may subcontract with, hire, engage or otherwise outsource to any BNY Mellon Affiliate with respect to the performance of any one or more of the functions, services, duties or obligations of BNY Mellon under this Agreement but any such subcontracting, hiring, engaging or outsourcing shall not relieve BNY Mellon of any of its liabilities hereunder; (iii) BNY Mellon may otherwise subcontract with, hire, engage or otherwise outsource to an unaffiliated third party the performance of any one or more of the functions, services, duties or obligations of BNY Mellon under this Agreement but any such subcontracting, hiring, engaging or outsourcing shall require the prior written consent of the Trust and shall not relieve BNY Mellon of any of its liabilities hereunder; and (iv) BNY Mellon, in the course of providing certain additional services requested by the Trust, including but not limited to, Typesetting, Money Market Fund, or eBoard Book services (“Vendor Eligible Services”) as further described in Schedule I, may in its sole discretion, enter into an agreement or agreements with a financial printer, or electronic services provider (“Vendor”) to provide BNY Mellon with the ability to generate certain reports or provide certain functionality. BNY Mellon shall not be obligated to perform any of the Vendor Eligible Services unless an agreement between BNY Mellon and the Vendor for the provision of such services is then-currently in effect, and shall only be liable for the failure to reasonably select the Vendor. Upon request, BNY Mellon will disclose the identity of the Vendor and the status of the contractual relationship, and the Trust is free to attempt to contract directly with the Vendor for the provision of the Vendor Eligible Services.

 

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(c)          As compensation for the Vendor Eligible Services rendered by BNY Mellon pursuant to this Agreement, the Trust will pay to BNY Mellon such fees as may be agreed to in writing by the Trust and BNY Mellon. In turn, BNY Mellon will be responsible for paying the Vendor’s fees. For the avoidance of doubt, BNY Mellon anticipates that the fees it charges hereunder will be more than the fees charged to it by the Vendor, and BNY Mellon will retain the difference between the amount paid to BNY Mellon hereunder and the fees BNY Mellon pays to the Vendor as compensation for the additional services provided by BNY Mellon in the course of making the Vendor Eligible Services available to the Trust.

 

15.          Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction.

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of laws principles thereof. The parties hereby consent to the jurisdiction of a state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection with any dispute arising hereunder, and waives to the fullest extent permitted by law its right to a trial by jury. To the extent that in any jurisdiction a party may now or hereafter be entitled to claim, for itself or its assets, immunity from suit, execution, attachment (before or after judgment) or other legal process, such party irrevocably agrees not to claim, and it hereby waives, such immunity.

 

16.          Severability.

 

In case any provision in or obligation under this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions or obligations shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and if any provision is inapplicable to any person or circumstances, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other persons and circumstances.

 

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17.          No Waiver.

 

Each and every right granted to a party hereunder or under any other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, or allowed it by law or equity, shall be cumulative and may be exercised from time to time. No failure on the part of a party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right will operate as a waiver thereof, nor will any single or partial exercise by a party of any right preclude any other or future exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.

 

18.          Notices.

 

All notices, requests, consents and other communications pursuant to this Agreement in writing shall be sent as follows:

 

if to the Trust, at :

 

TrimTabs ETF Trust

3 Harbor Way
Suite 112
Sausalito, CA 94965

Attention: Charles Biderman

 

with a copy to:

 

K&L Gates LLP

1600 Street, NW

Washington, DC 10006 

Attention: Stacy Fuller, Esq.

 

if to BNY Mellon, at :

 

BNY Mellon
2 Hanson Place
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Attention: ETF Operations

 

with a copy to:

 

The Bank of New York Mellon
One Wall Street
New York, New York 10286
Attention: Legal Dept. - Asset Servicing

 

or at such other place as may from time to time be designated in writing.

 

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19.          Counterparts.

 

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original; but such counterparts together shall constitute only one instrument.

 

20.          Confidentiality.

 

(a)          Each party shall keep confidential any information relating to the other party’s business (“Confidential Information”). Confidential Information shall include (a) any data or information that is competitively sensitive material, and not generally known to the public, including, but not limited to, information about product plans, marketing strategies, finances, operations, customer relationships, customer profiles, customer lists, sales estimates, business plans, and internal performance results relating to the past, present or future business activities of the Trust or BNY Mellon and their respective subsidiaries and affiliated companies; (b) any scientific or technical information, design, process, procedure, formula, or improvement that is commercially valuable and secret in the sense that its confidentiality affords the Trust or BNY Mellon a competitive advantage over its competitors; (c) all confidential or proprietary concepts, documentation, reports, data, specifications, computer software, source code, object code, flow charts, databases, inventions, know-how, and trade secrets, whether or not patentable or copyrightable; and (d) anything designated as confidential. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information shall not be Confidential Information and shall not be subject to such confidentiality obligations if it: (a) is already known to the receiving party at the time it is obtained; (b) is or becomes publicly known or available through no wrongful act of the receiving party; (c) is rightfully received from a third party who, to the best of the receiving party’s knowledge, is not under a duty of confidentiality; (d) is released by the protected party to a third party without restriction; (e) is requested or required to be disclosed by the receiving party pursuant to a court order, subpoena, governmental or regulatory agency request or law; (f) is Trust information provided by BNY Mellon in connection with an independent third party compliance or other review; (g) is necessary for BNY Mellon to release such information in connection with the provision of services under this Agreement; or (h) has been or is independently developed or obtained by the receiving party. In the event that the receiving party is requested (by oral questions, interrogatories, requests for information or documents, subpoena, civil investigative demand or similar process) to disclose any information which would be Confidential Information of the disclosing party except for said item (e) of this section 20, the receiving party will provide the disclosing party with notice as promptly as practicable under the circumstances of such request(s), if not prohibited, so that the disclosing party may seek an appropriate protective order or other appropriate remedy. In the event that such protective order or other remedy is not obtained, the receiving party may furnish that portion (and only that portion) of such information which it is legally required to disclose, and will exercise its reasonable efforts to obtain reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be afforded any information so furnished to the extent such confidential treatment is requested by the disclosing party. The provisions of this Section 20 shall survive termination of this Agreement.

 

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(b)          The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial organization that provides services to clients through its affiliates and subsidiaries in multiple jurisdictions (the “BNY Mellon Group”). The BNY Mellon Group may centralize functions including audit, accounting, risk, legal, compliance, sales, administration, product communication, relationship management, storage, compilation and analysis of customer-related data, and other functions (the “Centralized Functions”) in one or more affiliates, subsidiaries and third-party service providers. Solely in connection with the Centralized Functions, (i) the Trust consents to the disclosure of and authorizes BNY Mellon to disclose information regarding the Trust (“Customer-Related Data”) to the BNY Mellon Group and to its third-party service providers who are subject to confidentiality obligations with respect to such information and BNY Mellon may store the names and business contact information of the Trust’s employees and representatives on the systems or in the records of the BNY Mellon Group or its service providers. The BNY Mellon Group may aggregate Customer-Related Data with other data collected and/or calculated by the BNY Mellon Group, and notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary the BNY Mellon Group will own all such aggregated data (but not the Customer-Related Data independently), provided that the BNY Mellon Group shall not distribute the aggregated data in a format that identifies Customer-Related Data with the Trust. The Trust confirms that it is authorized to consent to the foregoing and that the disclosure and storage of information in connection with the Centralized Functions does not violate any relevant data protection legislation.

 

22
 

 

21.          Limitation of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders.

 

It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that the obligations of the Trust hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust; personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust, as provided in its Trust Instrument. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Board and signed by an officer of the Trust, acting as such, and neither such authorization by the Board nor such execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust as provided in its Trust Instrument.

 

22.          Non-Solicitation.

 

During the term of this Agreement and for one (1) year thereafter, the Trust shall not (with the exceptions noted in the immediately succeeding sentence) knowingly solicit or recruit for employment or hire any of BNY Mellon’s employees, and the Trust shall cause the Trust’s sponsor and any affiliates of the Trust to not (with the exceptions noted in the immediately succeeding sentence) knowingly solicit or recruit for employment any of BNY Mellon’s employees. To “knowingly” solicit or recruit within the meaning of this provision does not include, and therefore does not prohibit, solicitation, recruitment or hiring of a BNY Mellon employee by the Trust, the Trust’s sponsor or an affiliate of the Trust if the BNY Mellon employee was identified by such entity solely as a result of the BNY Mellon employee’s response to a general advertisement by such entity in a publication of trade or industry interest or other similar general solicitation by such entity.

 

23
 

 

23.          Customer Right of Access.

 

BNY Mellon shall, upon the Trust’s request, provide the Trust with a summary of the results of its latest SSAE-16 or equivalent control audit prepared by BNY Mellon’s external auditors and relating to the services provided hereunder. In addition and no more than annually, BNY Mellon will participate in the Trust’s reasonable information security questionnaire processes. Upon reasonable request, BNY Mellon will arrange for its relevant subject matter experts to meet with the relevant subject matter experts of the Trust to review BNY Mellon’s internal controls and any deficiencies identified in the relevant SSAE-16 audit report. BNY Mellon shall provide to the Trust quarterly sub-certifications in connection with its Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 certification requirements and as related to BNY Mellon’s internal controls. The Trust may view BNY Mellon’s security-related policies and procedures, however, no documentation may be copied, shared, transmitted or removed from BNY’s premises, except as mutually agreed. All nonpublic documentation and information disclosed to the Trust in accordance with this Section shall be deemed proprietary and confidential information of BNY Mellon. The Trust shall not disclose such documentation or information to any third party or use it for any purpose other than evaluating BNY Mellon’s security controls, except that the Trust may disclose BNY Mellon’s SSAE-16 summary to the Trust’s external auditors provided that such external auditors are required to maintain the confidentiality of the summary and any related information. The Trust shall reimburse BNY Mellon for any costs and expenses incurred in connection with any review of BNY’s security controls.

 

[Signature page follows.]

 

24
 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused the foregoing instrument to be executed by their duly authorized officers and their seals to be hereunto affixed, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

  TRIMTABS ETF TRUST
   
  By:  
    on behalf of each Fund identified on Exhibit A attached hereto, as may be amended from time to time
     
  Name: Charles Biderman
     
  Title: President
   
  THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
     
  By:  
     
  Name:  
     
  Title:  

 

25
 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

SCHEDULE OF FUNDS

 

The undersigned hereby certifies that she/he is an authorized signer of TrimTabs ETF Trust (the “Trust”), and that the following Funds are included under the Administration and Accounting Agreement, dated November 1, 2014, by and between the Trust and the Bank of New York Mellon.

 

TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF

 

TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF

 

  TRIMTABS ETF TRUST
     
  By:  
     
  Name: Charles Biderman
     
  Title: President
     
   Date:  
   
  THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
     
  By:  
     
  Name:  
     
  Title:  
     
   Date:  

 

A- 1
 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

I, [name], [title] of TrimTabs ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), do hereby certify that:

 

The following individuals serve in the following positions and each has been qualified therefor in conformity with the Trust’s Organizational Documents, and the signatures set forth opposite their respective names are their true and correct signatures. Each such person is designated as an Authorized Person under the Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement dated as of November 1, 2014 between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon.

 

Name Position Signature Limitations on Authority
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

 

B- 1
 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

Schedule of Services

 

All services provided in this Schedule of Services are subject to the review and approval of the appropriate Trust officers, Trust counsel, independent auditors and accountants, as may be applicable. The services included on this Schedule of Services may be provided by BNY Mellon or a BNY Mellon Affiliate, collectively referred to herein as “BNY Mellon”.

 

VALUATION AND COMPUTATION ACCOUNTING SERVICES

 

BNY Mellon shall provide the following valuation and computation accounting services for each Fund:

 

§ BNY Mellon shall prepare and on behalf of the Trust all books and records of the Trust as required by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, and as such rule or any successor rule, may be amended from time to time, that are applicable to the fulfillment of BNY Mellon’s duties hereunder, as well as any other documents necessary or advisable for compliance with applicable regulation as may be mutually agreed to between the Trust and BNY Mellon. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, BNY Mellon will prepare and maintain the following records upon receipt of information in proper form from the Trust or its authorized agents: (1) General Ledger, (2) General Journal, (3) Cash Receipts Journal, (4) Cash Disbursements Journal, (5) Subscriptions Journal, (6) Redemptions Journal, (7) Accounts Receivable Reports, (8) Accounts Payable Reports, (9) Open Subscriptions/Redemption Reports, (10) Transaction (Securities) Journal, and (11) Broker Net Trades Reports;
§ BNY Mellon shall prepare a Holdings Ledger on a quarterly basis, and a Buy-Sell Ledger (Broker’s Ledger) on a semi-annual basis for each Fund.
§ The above reports may be prepared according to any other required frequency to meet the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service, the SEC and the Trust’s independent auditors;
§ BNY Mellon shall maintain the following records on a daily basis for each Fund: (1) report of priced portfolio securities and (2) statement of net asset value per share;
§ For internal control purposes, BNY Mellon uses the Account Journals produced by The Bank of New York Mellon Custody System to record daily settlements of the following for each Fund: (1) securities bought, (2) securities sold, (3) interest received, (4) dividends received, (5) capital stock sold, (6) capital stock redeemed, and (7) other income and expenses. All portfolio purchases for the Funds are recorded to reflect expected maturity value and total cost including any prepaid interest;
§ Reconcile cash and investment balances of each Fund with the Fund’s custodian and provide a Fund’s investment adviser, as applicable, with the beginning cash balance available for investment purposes upon request;
§ Calculate contractual expenses, net of waivers, if any, to be paid to the Trust’s Investment Advisor, distributor, custodian, transfer agent, administrator and service providers, as applicable;
§ Calculate capital gains and losses;
§ Calculate distribution rate per Share;
§ Determine net income;

 

 
 

 

§ Obtain security market quotes and currency exchange rates from pricing services approved by the Trust, or if such quotes are unavailable, then obtain such prices from the Fund’s Investment Advisor, and in either case, calculate the market value of each Fund’s investments in accordance with the Fund’s valuation policies or guidelines; provided, however, that BNY Mellon shall not under any circumstances be under a duty to independently price or value any of the Fund’s investments itself or to confirm or validate any information or valuation provided by the Investment Advisor or any other pricing source, nor shall BNY Mellon have any liability relating to inaccuracies or otherwise with respect to such information or valuations;
§ Calculate Net Asset Value in the manner specified in the Offering Materials (which, for the service described herein, shall include the Net Asset Value error policy, where applicable). Such Net Asset Value reports and statements shall be provided to the Trust at 6:00 p.m. New York time and to Authorized Participants at 8:00p.m. New York time, in each case by such means as BNY Mellon and the Trust may agree upon from time to time;
§ Transmit or make available a copy of the daily portfolio valuation to a Fund’s investment adviser;
§ Publish basket to NSCC for each day on which trading occurs on the NYSE;
§ Calculate monthly performance including total return, SEC yield calculations and portfolio average dollar-weighted maturity, as applicable;
§ Report performance and other portfolio information to outside reporting agencies as directed by the Trust and assist in resolution of errors reported by such outside reporting agencies;
§ Calculate monthly book basis 19a-1 disclosure percentages including any necessary restatements; and
§ Compute portfolio turnover rate for inclusion in the annual and semi-annual shareholder reports.

 

FINANCIAL REPORTING AND RELATED SERVICES

 

BNY Mellon shall provide the following financial reporting and related services for each Fund:

 

§ Report Preparation & Review
· Prepare, for review and approval by an officer and Treasurer for the Trust, its counsel and its independent auditors financial information for the Trust’s semi-annual and annual reports (including schedules of investments and the related statements of operations, assets and liabilities and, changes in net assets, as well as the financial highlights and footnotes to the financial statements), and post-effective amendments to the Trust’s registration statement;
· Review materials provided from external parties to BNY Mellon which, includes, but is not limited to: shareholder letters, “Management Discussion and Analysis” commentary, notes on performance, report of independent auditors, and Fund management ;
· Prepare each Fund’s quarterly schedule of portfolio holdings for inclusion in Form N-Q;
· Prepare, circulate and maintain the Trust’s financial reporting production calendar;
· Prepare and file (or coordinate the filing of) the Trust’s Form N-SAR;
· Prepare and file (or coordinate the filing of) the Trust’s Form 24f-2;
· Maintain country codes, industry class codes, security class codes and state codes;
· Map individual general ledger accounts into master accounts to be displayed in the applicable financial reports;
· Create components that will specify the proper grouping and sorting for display of portfolio information;

 

 
 

 

· Create components that will specify the proper calculation and display of financial data required for each applicable financial report (except for identified manual entries, which BNY Mellon will enter); and
· Process, convert and load security and general ledger data.

 

§ Coordination of Audit
· Coordinate the Trust’s annual audit. In this connection, BNY Mellon will act as liaison with the Trust’s independent auditors and shall provide account analyses, fiscal year summaries, and other audit-related schedules with respect to each Fund and other information and assistance, including the provision of a conference room at a BNY Mellon location, if necessary, as shall be reasonably requested by Trust management or the auditors.

TAX SERVICES

 

BNY Mellon shall provide the following tax services for each Fund:

 

§ Tax Provision Preparation
· Prepare fiscal year-end tax provision analysis;
· Process tax adjustments on securities identified by the Trust that require such treatment;
· Prepare ROCSOP adjusting entries; and
· Prepare financial statement footnote disclosures.

 

§ Excise Tax Distributions Calculations
· Prepare calendar year tax distribution analysis;
· Process tax adjustments on securities identified by the Trust that require such treatment; and
· Prepare annual tax-based distribution estimate for each Fund.

 

§ Other Tax Services

· Prepare for execution and filing, the federal and state income and excise tax returns;
· Prepare year-end Investment Company Institute broker/dealer reporting and prepare fund distribution calculations disseminated to broker/dealers;

· Coordinate U.S.C. Title 26 Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) §855 and excise tax distribution requirements;

 

§ Uncertain Tax Provisions
· Document all material tax positions taken by a Fund with respect to specified fiscal years and identified to BNY Mellon (“Tax Positions”);
· Review each Fund’s: (i) tax provision work papers, (ii) excise tax distribution work papers, (iii) income and excise tax returns, (iv) tax policies and procedures, and (v) Subchapter M compliance work papers;
· Determine as to whether or not Tax Positions have been consistently applied, and document any inconsistencies;
· Review relevant statutory authorities;

 

 
 

 

· Review tax opinions and legal memoranda prepared by tax counsel or tax auditors to a Fund;
· Review standard industry practices, to the extent such practices are known to, or may reasonably be determined by, BNY Mellon; and
· Delivery of a written report to the applicable Fund detailing such items.

 

FUND ADMINISTRATION SERVICES

 

BNY Mellon shall provide the following fund administration services for each Fund:

 

§ In accordance with Instructions received from the Trust, and subject to portfolio limitations set forth in each Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information or other documents provided by the Trust to BNY Mellon in writing from time to time, monitor such Fund’s compliance, on a post-trade basis, with the requirements of the 1940 Act and rules thereunder and such portfolio and other limitations, provided that BNY Mellon maintains in the normal course of its business all data necessary to measure the Fund’s compliance;
§ Monitor the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the IRC and Subchapter L of the IRC (if required);
§ Establish appropriate expense accruals and compute expense ratios, maintain expense files and coordinate the payment of Fund approved invoices and expenses;
§ Calculate Fund approved income and per share amounts required for periodic distributions to be made by the applicable Fund;
§ Calculate total return information;
§ Supply various normal and customary portfolio and Fund statistical data as requested on an ongoing basis;
§ Prepare and disseminate vendor survey information;
§ If the chief executive officer or chief financial officer of a Fund is required to provide a certification as part of a Trust’s Form N-Q or Form N-CSR filing pursuant to regulations promulgated by the SEC under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, provide a sub-certification in support of certain matters set forth in the aforementioned certification. Such sub-certification is to be in such form and relating to such matters as agreed to by BNY Mellon in advance. BNY Mellon shall be required to provide the sub-certification only during the term of the Agreement and only if it receives such cooperation as it may request to perform its investigations with respect to the sub-certification. For clarity, the sub-certification is not itself a certification under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or under any other law, rule or regulation;
§ Respond to, or refer to the Trust’s officers, Investment Advisor, distributor or transfer agent inquiries relating to the Funds;
§ Assist the Trust with the filing of (or coordinating the filing of ) fidelity bond; and
§ Administratively assist Trust counsel and the Trust in the handling of routine SEC examinations by providing those Trust documents that are on the SEC’s document request list and that are in the possession of BNY Mellon .

 

 
 

 

REGULATORY ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER SERVICES

 

BNY Mellon shall provide the following regulatory administration services for each Fund:

 

§ Maintain a regulatory calendar for each Fund listing various SEC filing and Board approval deadlines;
§ Assemble and distribute board materials for quarterly meetings of the Board, including the drafting of agendas and resolutions for such quarterly meetings of the Board (with final selection of agenda items made by Trust counsel);
§ Prepare relevant sections of the Board and committee materials, including fund accounting and financial reports, reasonably requested to be prepared by the Trust;
§ Attend (in-person or telephonically) quarterly Board meetings and draft minutes thereof;
§ Make presentations at quarterly Board and committee meetings where appropriate and upon reasonable request;
§ Prepare for review and approval by an officer and Treasurer for the Trust and Trust counsel and coordinate the filing of annual post-effective amendments to the Trust’s registration statement (not including the initial registration statement or related to the addition of one or more series or classes);
§ Prepare for review and approval by an officer and Treasurer for the Trust and Trust counsel and file (or coordinate the filing of) Forms N-CSR, N-Q, and N-PX (with the Trust supplying the voting records in the format required by BNY Mellon), as applicable; eBoard Book Services 1 :
· Permit persons or entities entering a valid password to have electronic access, via an Internet-based secure website, to current quarterly board meeting materials and such other board meeting materials as may be agreed between BNY Mellon and the Trust; 1 and
§ 38a-1 Compliance Support Services
· Provide compliance policies and procedures related to certain services provided by BNY Mellon and, if mutually agreed, certain of the BNY Mellon Affiliates; summary procedures thereof; and periodic certification letters.

 

1. Separate fees will apply for the noted service.

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.i

 

 

K&L Gates LLP

1601 K Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20006

T +1 202 778 9000 F +1 202 778 9100 klgates.com

 

December 15, 2014

 

TrimTabs ETF Trust

3 Harbor Way, Suite 112
Sausalito, CA 94965

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to TrimTabs ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “ Trust ”), in connection with the Trust’s registration statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-198603; 811-22995) (the “ Registration Statement ”), to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) on or about December 15, 2014, registering an indefinite number of shares of beneficial interest in TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF and TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF (the “ Funds ”), each a series of the Trust, (the “ Shares ”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”).

 

This opinion letter is being delivered at your request in accordance with the requirements of paragraph 29 of Schedule A of the Securities Act and Item 28(i) of Form N-1A under the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “ Investment Company Act ”).

 

For purposes of this opinion letter, we have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of:

 

(i) the relevant portions of the prospectus and statement of additional information (collectively, the “ Prospectus ”) filed as part of the Registration Statement;

 

(ii) the Trust’s certificate of trust, governing instrument, and by-laws in effect on the date of this opinion letter;

 

(iii) the resolutions adopted by the trustees of the Trust relating to the Registration Statement, the establishment and designation of the Funds and the Shares, and the authorization for issuance and sale of the Shares; and

 

(iv) the exemptive order applicable to the Trust issued by the Commission under the Investment Company Act permitting each Fund, as a series of the Trust, to operate as an exchange-traded fund (the “ Exemptive Order ”).

 

We also have examined and relied upon certificates of public officials and, as to certain matters of fact that are material to our opinions, we have relied on a certificate of an officer of the Trust. We have not independently established any of the facts on which we have so relied.

 

 
 

 

Page 2

December 15, 2014

 

For purposes of this opinion letter, we have assumed the accuracy and completeness of each document submitted to us, the genuineness of all signatures on original documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as facsimile, electronic, certified, conformed, or photostatic copies thereof, and the due execution and delivery of all documents where due execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof. We have further assumed the legal capacity of natural persons, that persons identified to us as officers of the Trust are actually serving in such capacity and that the representations of officers of the Trust are correct as to matters of fact. We have also assumed compliance by the applicants with each of the conditions contained in the application, as amended, for the Exemptive Order. We have not independently verified any of these assumptions.

 

The opinions expressed in this opinion letter are based on the facts in existence and the laws in effect on the date hereof and are limited to the Delaware Statutory Trust Act and the provisions of the Investment Company Act that are applicable to equity securities issued by registered open-end investment companies. We are not opining on, and we assume no responsibility for, the applicability to or effect on any of the matters covered herein of any other laws.

 

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that (1) the Shares to be issued pursuant to the Registration Statement, when issued and paid for by the purchasers upon the terms described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, will be validly issued, and (2) such purchasers will have no obligation to make any further payments for the purchase of the Shares or contributions to the Trust solely by reason of their ownership of the Shares.

 

This opinion is rendered solely in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission in connection with the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm’s name under the heading “Other Service Providers” in the Prospectus. In giving this consent we do not thereby admit that we are experts with respect to any part of the Registration Statement or Prospectus within the meaning of the term “expert” as used in Section 11 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Commission, nor do we admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  /s/ K&L Gates LLP

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.j

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We consent to the use in this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 333-198603 on Form N-1A of our report dated December 15, 2014, relating to the financial statements of TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF appearing in the Statement of Additional Information, which is part of such Registration Statement, and to the references to us under the headings “Other Service Providers” in the Prospectus and “Accounting and Legal Service Providers” in the Statement of Additional Information, which are part of such Registration Statement.

 

 

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

 

Costa Mesa, California

December 15, 2014

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.l

 

TRIMTABS ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC

3 Harbor Way, Suite 112

Sausalito, CA 94965

 

December 10, 2014

 

TrimTabs ETF Trust

3 Harbor Way, Suite 112

Sausalito, CA 94965

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

In order to provide TrimTabs ETF Trust (the “Trust”) with initial capital, we have purchased from the Trust the amount of shares of each series of the Trust at the price per share as follows:

 

Fund   Number of
Shares
    Price Per Share     Total
Investment
 
TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF                        
TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF     4000     $ 25.00     $ 100,000  
All Funds                   $ 100,000  

 

We represent and warrant to the Trust that the shares of the Trust have been acquired for investment and not with a view to distribution thereof, and that we have no present intention to redeem or dispose of any of the shares.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  TRIMTABS ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC
   
  By: /s/ Charles Biderman
  Name: Charles Biderman
  Title:  Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.m

 

Trimtabs etf Trust

Distribution and Service Plan

 

WHEREAS, TrimTabs ETF Trust (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company registered as such under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and organized as a series trust;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Trust (“Trustees”) desires to adopt a plan of distribution pursuant to Rule l2b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) of certain of the series of the Trust, which are identified in Schedule A hereof, as may be amended from time to time (“Funds”), and the Trustees have determined, in their best business judgment, that there is a reasonable likelihood that adoption of this Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) will benefit each Fund and holders of such Fund’s Shares; and

 

WHEREAS, the Trust has entered into a written Distribution Agreement with Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”), pursuant to which the Distributor will act as the exclusive distributor with respect to the creation and distribution of aggregations of Shares as described in the Trust’s registration statement (“Creation Units”);

 

NOW, THEREFORE, on behalf of each Fund, the Trust hereby adopts this Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act on the following terms and conditions (capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned thereto in the Trust’s registration statement under the 1940 Act and under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as such registration statement is amended by any amendments thereto at the time in effect).

 

SECTION 1. The Trust has adopted this Plan to enable the Trust to directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of the Shares of the Trust.

 

SECTION 2. With respect to each Fund, the Trust may pay a fee up to the amount set forth in Schedule A (“Limit”) to finance any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Shares of each Fund or the provision of investor services, including but not limited to (a) compensation paid to registered representatives of the Distributor and other persons that have entered into agreements with the Distributor, (b) salaries and other expenses of the Distributor or other parties relating to selling or servicing efforts, including travel, communications and the provision of sales personnel, (c) expenses of organizing and conducting sales seminars, printing of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for other than existing shareholders, (d) preparation and distribution of advertising materials and sales literature and other marketing and sales promotion expenses, (e) distribution and/or shareholder service assistance through financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies and investment counselors, broker-dealers, and affiliates and subsidiaries of the Trust’s service providers, (f) delivering any notices of shareholder meetings and proxy statements accompanying such notices in connection with general and special meetings of interest holders of the Trust, and/or (g) ongoing services to shareholders which facilitate the continued retention of investors as shareholders of a Fund.

 

 
 

 

The Distributor may use all or any portion of the amount received pursuant to this Plan to compensate securities dealers or other persons, including Authorized Participants, (each, a “third party”) for providing distribution assistance, including broker-dealer and shareholder support and educational and promotional services, pursuant to agreements with the Distributor, or to pay any of the expenses associated with other activities authorized under this Section. Expenses shall be deemed payable under the Plan whether paid directly by the Distributor or by third parties to the extent reimbursed therefor by the Distributor.

 

Fees shall be payable by the Trust on behalf of any Fund regardless of whether such fees are greater or less than the actual expenses incurred by the Distributor or third parties with respect to such Fund during the relevant period. Although the Fund is not permitted to pay any expenses in excess of the relevant Limit, such excess expenses may be reimbursed during any of the Fund’s subsequent three fiscal years, provided and to the extent that the current expenses plus the excess expenses do not exceed the Limit for that subsequent year and are approved in the manner provided in Section 3 herein.

 

SECTION 3. Nothing in this Plan shall operate or be construed to prohibit or limit additional compensation derived from sales charges or other sources that may be paid to the Distributor pursuant to the aforementioned Distribution Agreement. In addition, nothing in this Plan shall operate or be construed to limit the extent to which the Trust’s investment adviser or any other person, other than the Trust, may incur costs and bear expenses associated with the distribution of Shares of a Fund. It is recognized that the Trust’s investment adviser and other persons may use its advisory revenues, past profits and other resources to make payments in connection with the distribution of Shares. Accordingly, the Trust’s investment adviser and other persons, directly or indirectly, may from time to time make payments to third parties who engage in the sale of Shares or render shareholder support or transfer agency services. If such payments are deemed to be indirect financing of an activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Shares issued by a Fund for purposes of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, such payments shall be deemed to be authorized by this Plan.

 

SECTION 4. This Plan shall not take effect with respect to any Fund until it has been approved, together with any related agreements, by votes of the majority of both (a) the Trustees and (b) the Qualified Trustees (as defined in Section 10 herein), cast in person at a meeting of the Trustees called for the purpose of voting on this Plan or related agreement.

 

SECTION 5. This Plan shall continue in effect for a period of more than one year after it takes effect, only for so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually in the manner provided in Section 4 herein for the approval of this Plan.

 

SECTION 6. Any person authorized to direct the disposition of monies paid or payable by the Trust pursuant to this Plan or any related agreement shall provide to the Trustees, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts so expended and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.

 

SECTION 7. This Plan may be terminated with respect to any Fund at any time, without payment of any penalty, by the vote of a majority of the Qualified Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Shares of the relevant Fund.

 

- 2 -
 

 

SECTION 8. All agreements with any person relating to implementation of this Plan shall be in writing, and any agreement related to this Plan shall provide (a) that such agreement may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by the vote of a majority of the Qualified Trustees or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Shares of the relevant Fund, on not more than 60 days written notice to any other party to the agreement; and (b) that such agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.

 

SECTION 9. This Plan may not be amended to increase materially the Limit applicable to any Fund under Section 2 hereof without the approval of Shareholders holding a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Shares of the Fund, and all material amendments to this Plan shall be approved in the manner provided in Section 4 herein for the approval of this Plan.

 

SECTION 10. As used in this Plan, the term “Qualified Trustees” shall mean those Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust, and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of this Plan or any agreements related to it. The terms “assignment,” “interested person,” and “majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the respective meanings specified in the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, subject to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

SECTION 11. While this Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of those Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act shall be committed to the discretion of the Trustees then in office who are not interested persons of the Trust.

 

SECTION 12. This Plan shall not obligate the Trust or any other party to enter into an agreement with any particular person.

 

SECTION 13. If any provision of the Plan shall be held or made invalid, the remainder of the Plan shall not be affected thereby.

 

SECTION 14. The Trust shall preserve copies of this Plan, each agreement related hereto and each report referred to in Section 6 hereof for a period of at least six years, the first two years in an easily accessible place.

 

- 3 -
 

 

SCHEDULE A

 

TRIMTABS ETF Trust

 

The following series of TrimTabs ETF Trust are subject to this Plan, at the fee rates specified:

 

Fund   Fee (as a Percentage of
Average Daily Net Assets of
the Fund)*
 
TrimTabs U.S. Free-Cash-Flow ETF     0.25 %
TrimTabs Intl Free-Cash-Flow ETF     0.25 %

 

* The determination of daily net assets shall be made at the close of business each day throughout each month and computed in the manner specified in the then current Prospectus for the determination of the net asset value of Shares. Plan payments shall be made within ten (10) days of the end of each calendar month unless otherwise agreed by the parties and approved by the Trustees.

 

Executed: [first launch date of any Fund listed above]

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.p.i

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

 

CODE OF ETHICS

Adopted Under Rule 17j-1

 

While affirming its confidence in the integrity and good faith of all of its officers and trustees, TrimTabs ETF Trust (the “Trust”), recognizes that the knowledge of present or future portfolio transactions and, in certain instances, the power to influence portfolio transactions which may be possessed by certain of officers, employees and trustees could place such individuals, if they engage in personal transactions in securities which are eligible for investment by the Trust, in a position where their personal interest may conflict with that of the Trust.

 

In view of the foregoing and of the provisions of Rule 17j-1(b)(1) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), the Trust has determined to adopt this Code of Ethics to specify and prohibit certain types of transactions deemed to create conflicts of interest (or at least the potential for or the appearance of such a conflict), and to establish reporting requirements and enforcement procedures.

 

I. Statement of General Principles.

 

In recognition of the trust and confidence placed in the Trust by its shareholders, and to give effect to the Trust’s belief that its operations should be directed to the benefit of its shareholders, the Trust hereby adopts the following general principles to guide the actions of its trustees, officers and employees:

 

(1) The interests of the Trust’s shareholders are paramount, and all of the Trust’s personnel must conduct themselves and their operations to give maximum effect to this tenet by assiduously placing the interests of the shareholders before their own.

 

(2) All personal transactions in securities by the Trust’s personnel must be accomplished so as to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest on the part of such personnel with the interests of the Trust and its shareholders.

 

(3) All of the Trust’s personnel must avoid actions or activities that allow (or appear to allow) a person to profit or benefit from his or her position with respect to the Trust, or that otherwise bring into question the person’s independence or judgment.

 

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II. Definitions.

 

(1) “Access Person” shall mean (i) each director/trustee or officer of the Trust, (ii) each director/trustee, officer or employee of the Trust or any of the Trust’s advisers or sub-advisers (or of any company in a Control relationship to the Trust or such advisers or sub-advisers) who, in connection with his or her regular functions or duties, makes, participates in, or obtains information regarding, the purchase or sale of a Security by the Trust or any series thereof (each a “Fund”), or whose functions relate to the making of any recommendations with respect to such purchases or sales, (iii) any natural person in a Control relationship to the Trust or any of the Trust’s advisers or sub-advisers who obtains information concerning recommendations made to the Trust with respect to the purchase or sale of a Security by any Fund; and (iv) each director, officer or general partner of any principal underwriter for the Trust, but only where such person, in the ordinary course of business, either makes, participates in, or obtains information regarding the purchase or sale of Securities by the Fund(s), or whose functions relate to the making of recommendations regarding Securities to the Fund(s).

 

(2) “Automatic Investment Plan” shall mean 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.

 

(3) “Beneficial Ownership” of a security is to be determined in the same manner as it is for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  This means that a person should generally consider himself the beneficial owner of any securities in which he has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest.  In addition, a person should consider himself the beneficial owner of securities held by his spouse, his minor children, a relative who shares his home, or other persons by reason of any contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship that provides him with sole or shared voting or investment power.

 

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(4) “Control” shall have the same meaning as that set forth in Section 2(a)(9) of the 1940 Act.  Section 2(a)(9) provides that “control” means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a company, unless such power is solely the result of an official position with such company.  Ownership of 25% or more of a company’s outstanding voting security is presumed to give the holder thereof control over the company.  Such presumption may be countered by the facts and circumstances of a given situation.

 

(5) “Independent Trustee” means a Trustee of the Trust who is not an “interested person” of the Trust within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

 

(6) “Initial Public Offering” (“IPO”) means an offering of Securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, the issuer of which, immediately before registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

(7) “Private Placement” means an offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to Section 4(2) or Section 4(6) in the Securities Act of 1933.

 

(8) “Special Purpose Investment Personnel” means each Access Person who, in connection with his or her regular functions (including, where appropriate, attendance at Board meetings and other meetings at which the official business of the Trust or any Fund thereof is discussed or carried on), obtains contemporaneous information regarding the purchase or sale of a Security by a Fund.  Special Purpose Investment Personnel shall occupy this status only with respect to those Securities as to which he or she obtains such contemporaneous information.

 

(9) “Purchase or sale of a Security” includes, among other things, the writing of an option to purchase or sell a Security.

 

(10) “Security” shall have the same meaning as that set forth in Section 2(a)(36) of the 1940 Act, except that it shall not include securities issued by the Government of the United States or an agency thereof, bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements, and shares issued by registered, open-end mutual funds.

 

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(11) A Security “held or to be acquired” by the Trust or any Fund means (A) any Security which, within the most recent fifteen days, (i) is or has been held by the Trust or any Fund thereof, or (ii) is being or has been considered by a Fund’s investment adviser or sub-adviser for purchase by the Fund; (B) and any option to purchase or sell and any Security convertible into or exchangeable for any Security described in (A) above.

 

(12) A Security is “being purchased or sold” by the Trust from the time when a purchase or sale program has been communicated to the person who places the buy and sell orders for the Trust until the time when such program has been fully completed or terminated.

 

III. Prohibited Purchases and Sales of Securities.

 

(1) No Access Person shall, in connection with the purchase or sale, directly or indirectly, by such person of a Security held or to be acquired by the Trust or any Fund:

 

(A) Employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud such Fund;

 

(B) Make to such Fund any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state to such Fund a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading;

 

(C) Engage in any act, practice or course of business which would operate as a fraud or deceit upon such Fund; or

 

(D) Engage in any manipulative practice with respect to a Fund.

 

(2) No Special Purpose Investment Personnel may purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, any Security as to which such person is a Special Purpose Investment Personnel in which he had (or by reason of such transaction acquires) any Beneficial Ownership at any time within 7 calendar days before or after the time that the same (or a related) Security is being purchased or sold by any Fund.

 

(3) No Special Purpose Investment Personnel may sell a Security as to which he or she is a Special Purpose Investment Personnel within 60 days of acquiring beneficial ownership of that Security.

 

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IV. Additional Restrictions and Requirements.

 

(1) Each Access Person must obtain approval from the Chief Compliance Officer before acquiring Beneficial Ownership of any securities offered in connection with an IPO or a Private Placement.

 

(2) No Access Person shall accept or receive any gift of more than de minimis value from any person or entity that does business with or on behalf of the Trust.

 

(3) Each Access Person (other than the Trust’s Independent Trustees) who is not required to provide such information under the terms of a code of ethics described in Section VII hereof must provide to the Chief Compliance Officer, no later than ten days after he or she becomes an Access Person, an initial holdings report, and, within forty-five days after the end of each calendar year, an annual holdings report.  The initial and annual holding reports shall disclose:

 

(A) The title, number of shares and principal of amount of each Security in which such Access Person had any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership;

 

(B) The name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an account in which any securities were held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person; and

 

(C) The date that the report was submitted by the Access Person.

 

The information included in the initial holdings report must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date such person becomes an Access Person.  The information included in the annual holdings report must be as of each calendar year-end.  The Holdings Report, for both initial and annual reporting purposes, is attached as Appendix II .

 

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(4) Access Persons are not required to submit an initial or annual holdings report with respect to transactions effected for, and Securities held in, any account over which the Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or Control.

 

V. Reporting Obligations.

 

(1) Except as discussed below, each Access Person (other than the Trust’s Independent Trustees) shall report all transactions in Securities in which the person has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership.  Reports shall be filed with the Chief Compliance Officer quarterly.  The Chief Compliance Officer shall submit confidential quarterly reports with respect to his or her own personal securities transactions to an officer designated to receive his or her reports (“Alternate Chief Compliance Officer”), who shall act in all respects in the manner prescribed herein for the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

(2) Every report shall be made not later than 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction to which the report relates was effected, and shall contain the following information:

 

(A) The date of the transaction, the title, the interest rate and maturity date (if applicable), the number of shares and the principal amount of each Security involved;

 

(B) The nature of the transaction ( i.e ., purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition);

 

(C) The price of the Security at which the transaction was effected;

 

(D) The name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected;

 

(E) The date the report was submitted by the Access Person; and

 

(F) With respect to any account established by the Access Person in which any securities were held during the quarter for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person:

 

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(i) The name of the broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person established the account;

 

(ii) The date the account was established; and

 

(iii) The date the report was submitted by the Access Person.

 

The Quarterly Transaction Report is attached as Appendix I .

 

(3) Any such report may contain a statement that the report shall not be construed as an admission by the person making such report that he or she has any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership in the Securities to which the report relates.

 

(4) An Access Person need not make a quarterly transaction report with respect to transactions effected pursuant to an Automatic Investment Plan.  In addition, Access Persons are not required to submit a quarterly transaction report with respect to transactions effected for, and Securities held in, any account over which the Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or Control.

 

(5) In the event no reportable transactions occurred during the quarter, the report should be so noted and returned signed and dated.

 

(6) An Access Person who would otherwise be required to report his or her transactions under this Code shall not be required to file reports pursuant to this Section V where such person is required to file reports pursuant to a code of ethics described in Section VII, hereof.

 

(7) An Independent Trustee shall report transactions in Securities only if the Trustee knew at the time of the transaction or, in the ordinary course of fulfilling his or her official duties as a trustee, should have known, that during the 15 day period immediately preceding or following the date of the trustee’s transaction, such Security was purchased or sold, or was being considered for purchase or sale, by the Trust.  (The “should have known” standard implies no duty of inquiry, does not presume there should have been any deduction or extrapolation from discussions or memoranda dealing with tactics to be employed meeting a Funds’ investment objectives, or that any knowledge is to be imputed because of prior knowledge of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, market considerations, or the Fund’s investment policies, objectives and restrictions.)

 

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(8) An Access Person need not submit a quarterly report if the report would duplicate information contained in broker trade confirmations or account statements received by the Chief Compliance Officer, provided that all required information is contained in the broker trade confirmations or account statements and is received by the Chief Compliance Officer no later than 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter.

 

(9) Each Independent Trustee shall report the name of any publicly-owned company (or any company anticipating a public offering of its equity securities) and the total number of its shares beneficially owned by him or her if such total ownership is more than 1/2 of 1% of the company’s outstanding shares.  Such report shall be made promptly after the date on which the Trustee’s ownership interest equaled or exceeded 1/2 of 1%.

 

VI. Review and Enforcement.

 

(1) The Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for identifying each person who is (a) an Access Person of the Trust; and (b) required to report his or her transactions under this Code and shall inform such Access Persons of their reporting obligation under the Code.  Such Access Persons shall execute the Initial Compliance Certification and the Annual Compliance Certification attached hereto as Appendix III and Appendix IV , respectively.

 

(2) The Chief Compliance Officer shall compare all reported personal securities transactions with completed portfolio transactions of the Trust and a list of securities being considered for purchase or sale (if applicable) by the Trust’s adviser(s) and sub-adviser(s) (if applicable) to determine whether a violation of this Code may have occurred.  Before making any determination that a violation has been committed by any person, the Chief Compliance Officer shall give such person an opportunity to supply additional explanatory material.

 

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(3) If the Chief Compliance Officer determines that a violation of this Code may have occurred, he shall submit his written determination, together with the confidential monthly report and any additional explanatory material provided by the individual, to the President of the Trust and outside counsel, who shall make an independent determination as to whether a violation has occurred.

 

(4) If the President and outside counsel find that a violation has occurred, the President shall impose upon the individual such sanctions as he or she deems appropriate and shall report the violation and the sanction imposed to the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

 

(5) No person shall participate in a determination of whether he has committed a violation of the Code or of the imposition of any sanction against himself.  If a securities transaction of the President is under consideration, any other Trust officer shall act in all respects in the manner prescribed herein for the President.

 

VII. Investment Adviser’s, Administrator’s or Principal Underwriter’s Code of Ethics.

 

Each investment adviser (including, where applicable, any sub-adviser), administrator or manager (where applicable), and principal underwriter of the Trust shall:

 

(1) Submit to the Board of Trustees of the Trust a copy of its code of ethics adopted pursuant to or in compliance with Rule 17j-1;

 

(2) Promptly report to the Trust in writing any material amendments to such code of ethics;

 

(3) Promptly furnish to the Trust, upon request, copies of any reports made pursuant to such code of ethics by any person who is an Access Person as to the Trust;

 

(4) Shall immediately furnish to the Trust, without request, all material information regarding any violation of such code of ethics by any person who is an Access Person as to the Trust; and

 

(5) At least once a year, provide the Trust a written report that describes any issue(s) that arose during the previous year under its code of ethics, including any material code violations and any resulting sanction(s), and a certification that it has adopted measures reasonably necessary to prevent its personnel from violating its code of ethics.

 

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VIII. Annual Written Report to the Board.

 

At least once a year, the Chief Compliance Officer for the Trust will provide the Board of Trustees a written report that includes:

 

(1) Issues Arising Under the Code.  The Report will describe any issue(s) that arose during the previous year under the Code, including any material Code violations, and any resulting sanction(s).

 

(2) Certification.  The Report will certify to the Board of Trustees that the Trust has adopted measures reasonably necessary to prevent its personnel from violating the Code.

 

IX. Records.

 

The Trust shall maintain records in the manner and to the extent set forth below, which records may be maintained under the conditions described in Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act and shall be available for examination by representatives of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(1) A copy of this Code and any other code which is, or at any time within the past five years has been, in effect shall be preserved in an easily accessible place;

 

(2) A record of any violation of this Code and of any action taken as a result of such violation shall be preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years following the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurs;

 

(3) A copy of each report submitted by an Access Person who is required to report under this Code, including any information provided in lieu of any such reports, shall be preserved for a period of not less than five years from the end of the fiscal year in which it is made or the information is provided, the first two years in an easily accessible place;

 

(4) A list of all persons who are, or within the past five years have been, required to submit their reports pursuant to this Code, or who are or were responsible for reviewing these reports, shall be maintained in an easily accessible place;

 

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(5) A copy of each annual report to the Board of Trustees will be maintained for at least five years from the end of the fiscal year in which it is made, the first two years in an easily accessible place; and

 

(6) A record of any decision, and the reasons supporting the decision, to approve the acquisition of Securities in an IPO or a Private Placement, shall be preserved for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which the approval is granted.

 

X. Miscellaneous.

 

(1) Confidentiality.  All reports of securities transactions and any other information filed with the Trust pursuant to this Code shall be treated as confidential.

 

(2) Interpretation of Provisions.  The Board of Trustees may from time to time adopt such interpretations of this Code as it deems appropriate.

 

(3) Periodic Review and Reporting.  The President of the Trust shall report to the Board of Trustees at least annually as to the operation of this Code and shall address in any such report the need (if any) for further changes or modifications to this Code.

 

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APPENDIX I

 

QUARTERLY PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS REPORT

 

 

  For The Calendar Quarter Ended __________

Instructions

1.         List transactions in Reportable Securities held in any account (that is, each account in which you may be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership) as of the date indicated above. You are deemed to have Beneficial Ownership of accounts of your immediate family members. You may exclude any of such accounts from this report, however, if you have no direct or indirect influence or control over those accounts.

2.         Write “none” if you had no transactions in Reportable Securities during the quarter.

 

3.         You must submit this form within 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter.

 

4.           If you submit copies of your monthly brokerage statements to the Chief Compliance Officer, and those monthly brokerage statements disclose the required information with respect to all Reportable Securities in which you may be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership, you need not file this form unless you established a new account during the quarter.

 

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Name of Security 1 Date of
Transaction
Purchase/
Sale
No. of
Shares or
Principal
Amount
Price Broker, Dealer or Other Party
Through Whom Transaction
Was Made
           
           
           
           
           

 

During the previous quarter, I established the following accounts with a broker, dealer or bank:

 

Broker, Dealer or Bank Account Number Date Established
     
     

Certifications: I hereby certify that:

1.         The information provided above is correct.

2.         This report excludes transactions with respect to which I had no direct or indirect influence or control.

 

Date:     Signature:     
      Name:      

 

 

1 Including interest rate and maturity, if applicable.

 

 
 

   

APPENDIX II

 

HOLDINGS REPORT

 

AS OF _________________[DATE]    ¨ Initial
   
  ¨ Annual

 

Instructions  

1.         List each Reportable Security in each account in which you may be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership that you held at the end of the date indicated above. You are deemed to have Beneficial Ownership of accounts of your immediate family members. You may exclude any of such accounts from this report, however, if you have no direct or indirect influence or control over those accounts.

2.         Deadline for Submission:

Initial: You must submit this form within 10 days of becoming an Access Person.

Annual: You must submit this form no later than 30 days from December 31 of each year. Write “none” if you did not hold any Reportable Securities at year-end.

3.          You must complete and sign this form whether or not you or your broker sends statements directly to the Chief Compliance Officer.

Name of Security 2 Name of Broker,
Dealer or Bank
No. of Shares or
Principal Amount
Registration on
Account
Nature of Interest Account Number
           
           
           
           
           
           

Certifications:   I hereby certify that:

1.         The securities listed above, or listed in the brokerage statements that I have provided, reflect all the Reportable Securities in which I may be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership as of the date listed above.

2.         I have read the Code of Ethics and the Insider Trading Procedures and certify that I am in compliance with them.

3.         This report excludes holdings with respect to which I had no direct or indirect influence or control.

 

Date:     Signature:    
           
      Name:    

 

 

2 Including interest rate and maturity, if applicable.

 

 
 

 

 

APPENDIX III

 

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION

 

Initial Certification

 

(Privileged and Confidential Information)

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

INITIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT FORM

 

I have read the Code of Ethics of TrimTabs ETF Trust and I understand the requirements thereof. I certify that I will comply with the Code. I understand that any violation of the Code may lead to sanctions or other significant remedial action.

 

I understand that there are prohibitions and restrictions on certain types of securities transactions imposed by the Code.

 

  Print Name    
       
  Signature    
       
  Date    

 

 
 

   

APPENDIX IV

 

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION

 

Annual Certification

 

(Privileged and Confidential Information)

 

TRIMTABS ETF TRUST

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

ANNUAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT FORM

 

I have read the Code of Ethics of TrimTabs ETF Trust. I understand the requirements thereof, and except as otherwise disclosed to the Chief Compliance Officer, I certify that I have, to date, complied with, and will continue to comply with, such requirements. I understand that any violation of the Code may lead to sanctions or significant remedial action.

 

I understand that there are prohibitions and restrictions on certain types of securities transactions imposed by the Code.

 

  Print Name    
       
  Signature    
       
  Date    

 

 

   

Exhibit 99.p.ii

 

TRIMTABS ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

CODE OF ETHICS, pOLICY ON INSIDER TRADING AND

 

GIFTS AND ENTERTAINMENT POLICY

 

Statement of General Policy

 

This Code of Ethics (“Code”) has been adopted by TrimTabs Asset Management LLC (the “Adviser”), and is designed to comply with Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”).

 

This Code establishes rules of conduct for all managers, officers and employees of the Adviser, and is designed to, among other things; govern personal securities trading activities in the accounts of employees. The Code is based upon the principle that the Adviser and its employees owe a fiduciary duty to the Adviser’s clients to conduct their affairs, including their personal securities transactions, in such a manner as to avoid (i) serving their own personal interests ahead of clients, (ii) taking inappropriate advantage of their position with the firm and (iii) any actual or potential conflicts of interest or any abuse of their position of trust and responsibility.

 

The purpose of the Code is to preclude activities which may lead to or give the appearance of conflicts of interest and other forms of prohibited or unethical business conduct.

 

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

 

In meeting its fiduciary responsibilities to its clients, the Adviser expects every employee to demonstrate the highest standards of ethical conduct for continued employment with the Adviser. Strict compliance with the provisions of the Code shall be considered a basic condition of employment with the Adviser. Employees are urged to seek the advice of the CCO for any questions about the Code or the application of the Code to their individual circumstances. Employees should also understand that a material breach of the provisions of the Code may constitute grounds for disciplinary action, including termination of employment with the Adviser.

 

The provisions of the Code are not all-inclusive. Rather, they are intended as a guide for employees of the Adviser in their conduct. In those situations where an employee may be uncertain as to the intent or purpose of the Code, he/she is advised to consult with the CCO. A member of senior management may grant exceptions to certain provisions contained in the Code. All questions arising in connection with personal securities trading should be resolved in favor of the client even at the expense of the interests of employees.

 

The CCO will periodically report to senior management of the Adviser any non-compliance with this Code that has come to his or her attention.

 

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Definitions

 

For the purposes of this Code, the following definitions shall apply:

 

· “Access person” means any supervised person who: has access to nonpublic information regarding any clients’ purchase or sale of securities, or nonpublic information regarding the portfolio holdings of any fund that that the Adviser or its control affiliates manage; or is involved in making securities recommendations to clients that are nonpublic.

 

· “Account” means accounts of any employee and includes accounts of the employee’s immediate family members (any relative by blood or marriage living in the employee’s household), and any account in which he or she has a direct or indirect beneficial interest, such as trusts and custodial accounts or other accounts in which the employee has a beneficial interest or exercises investment discretion.

 

· “Beneficial ownership” shall be interpreted in the same manner as it would be under Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in determining whether a person is the beneficial owner of a security for purposes of Section 16 of such Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

· “Reportable security” means any security as defined in Section 202(a)(18) of the Advisers Act, except that it does not include: (i) Transactions and holdings in direct obligations of the Government of the United States; (ii) Bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and other high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements; (iii) Shares issued by money market funds; (iv) Transactions and holdings in shares of other types of open-end registered mutual funds, unless the Adviser or a control affiliate acts as the investment adviser or principal underwriter for the fund; and (v) Transactions in units of a unit investment trust if the unit investment trust is invested exclusively in mutual funds, unless the Adviser or a control affiliate acts as the investment adviser or principal underwriter for the fund.

 

· “Supervised person” means directors, officers and partners of the Adviser (or other persons occupying a similar status or performing similar functions); employees of the Adviser; and any other person who provides advice on behalf of the Adviser and is subject to the Adviser’s supervision and control.

 

Personal Securities Transactions

 

General Policy

 

The Adviser has adopted the following principles governing personal investment activities by the Adviser’s access persons:

 

· All personal securities transactions will be conducted in such manner as to avoid any conflict of interest or any abuse of an individual’s position of trust and responsibility; and

 

· Supervised persons must not take inappropriate advantage of their positions.

 

Pre-Clearance Required for Participation in IPOs

 

No access person shall acquire any beneficial ownership in any securities in an Initial Public Offering for his or her account, as defined herein without the prior written approval of the CCO (or his or her designee) who has been provided with full details of the proposed transaction (including written certification that the investment opportunity did not arise by virtue of the access person’s activities on behalf of a client) and, if approved, will be subject to continuous monitoring for possible future conflicts.

 

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Pre-Clearance Required for Private or Limited Offerings

 

No access person shall acquire beneficial ownership of any securities in a limited offering or private placement without the prior written approval of the CCO (or his or her designee) who has been provided with full details of the proposed transaction (including written certification that the investment opportunity did not arise by virtue of the access person’s activities on behalf of a client) and, if approved, will be subject to continuous monitoring for possible future conflicts.

 

Interested Transactions

 

No supervised person shall recommend any securities transactions for a client without having disclosed his or her interest, if any, in such securities or the issuer thereof, including without limitation:

 

· any direct or indirect beneficial ownership of any securities of such issuer;

 

· any contemplated transaction by such person in such securities;

 

· any position with such issuer or its affiliates; and

 

· any present or proposed business relationship between such issuer or its affiliates and such person or any party in which such person has a significant interest.

 

Service as a Director

 

No supervised person shall serve on the board of directors of any publicly traded company without prior authorization from the CCO.

 

Reporting Requirements

 

Every access person shall provide initial and annual holdings reports and quarterly transaction reports to the CCO (or his or her designee) which must contain the information described below. It is the policy of the Adviser that each access person must arrange for their brokerage firm(s) to send automatic duplicate brokerage account statements and trade confirmations of all securities transactions to the CCO (or his or her designee).

 

The CCO will review all transaction reports and report any instance of noncompliance discovered.

 

Initial Holdings Report

 

Every access person shall, no later than ten (10) days after the person becomes an access person, file an initial holdings report containing the following information:

 

· The title and exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, type of security, number of shares and principal amount (if applicable) of each reportable security in which the supervised person had any direct or indirect beneficial interest ownership when the person becomes a supervised person;

 

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· The name of any broker, dealer or bank, account name, number and location with whom the supervised person maintained an account in which any securities were held for the direct or indirect benefit of the supervised person; and
· The date that the report is submitted by the supervised person.

 

The information submitted must be current as of a date no more than forty-five (45) days before the person became a supervised person.

 

Annual Holdings Report

 

Every supervised person shall, no later than January 30 each year, file an annual holdings report containing the same information required in the initial holdings report as described above. The information submitted must be current as of a date no more than forty-five (45) days before the annual report is submitted.

 

Quarterly Transaction Reports

 

Every supervised person must, no later than thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar quarter, file a quarterly transaction report containing the following information:

 

With respect to any transaction during the quarter in a reportable security in which the supervised persons had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership:

 

· The date of the transaction, the title and exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, the interest rate and maturity date (if applicable), the number of shares and the principal amount (if applicable) of each covered security;
· The nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition);
· The price of the reportable security at which the transaction was effected;
· The name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected; and
· The date the report is submitted by the supervised person.

 

Exempt Transactions

 

An access person need not submit a report with respect to:

 

· Transactions effected for, securities held in, any account over which the person has no direct or indirect influence or control;
· Transactions effected pursuant to an automatic investment plan;
· A quarterly transaction report if the report would duplicate information contained in securities transaction confirmations or brokerage account statements that the Adviser holds in its records so long as the firm receives the confirmations or statements no later than 30 days after the end of the applicable calendar quarter;
· Any transaction or holding report if the Adviser has only one access person, so long as the firm maintains records of the information otherwise required to be reported

 

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Monitoring and Review of Personal Securities Transactions

 

The CCO (or his or her designee) may also initiate inquiries of supervised persons regarding personal securities trading. Access persons are required to cooperate with such inquiries and any monitoring or review procedures employed by the Adviser. Any transactions for any accounts of the CCO will be reviewed by a designated person of the Adviser. Any transactions for any accounts of Charles Biderman will be reviewed and approved by the CCO (or his or her designee). The CCO shall at least annually identify all access persons who are required to file reports pursuant to the Code and will inform such access persons of their reporting obligations.

 

Certification

 

Initial Certification

 

All access persons will be provided with a copy of the Code and must initially certify in writing to the CCO (or his or her designee) that they have: (i) received a copy of the Code; (ii) read and understand all provisions of the Code; (iii) agreed to abide by the Code; and (iv) reported all account holdings as required by the Code.

 

Acknowledgement of Amendments

 

All access persons shall receive any amendments to the Code and must certify to the CCO (or his or her designee) in writing that they have: (i) received a copy of the amendment; (ii) read and understood the amendment; and (iii) agreed to abide by the Code as amended.

 

Annual Certification

 

All access persons must annually certify in writing to the CCO (or his or her designee) that they have: (i) read and understood all provisions of the Code; (ii) complied with all requirements of the Code; and (iii) submitted all holdings and transaction reports as required by the Code.

 

Further Information

 

Access persons should contact the CCO regarding any inquiries pertaining to the Code or the policies established herein.

 

Records

 

The CCO (or his or her designee) shall maintain and cause to be maintained in a readily accessible place the following records:

 

· A copy of any code of ethics adopted by the firm pursuant to the Advisers Act Rule 204A-1 which is or has been in effect during the past five years;
· A record of any violation of the Adviser’s Code and any action that was taken as a result of such violation for a period of five years from the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurred;
· A record of all written acknowledgements of receipt of the Code and amendments thereto for each person who is currently, or within the past five years was, a supervised person which shall be retained for five years after the individual ceases to be a supervised person of the Adviser;
· A copy of each report made pursuant to the Advisers Act Rule 204A-1, including any brokerage confirmations and account statements made in lieu of these reports;
· A list of all persons who are, or within the preceding five years have been, access persons;

 

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· A record of any decision and reasons supporting such decision to approve a supervised persons’ acquisition of securities in IPOs and limited offerings within the past five years after the end of the fiscal year in which such approval is granted.

 

Reporting Violations and Sanctions

 

All access persons shall promptly report to the CCO or an alternate designee all apparent violations of the Code. Any retaliation for the reporting of a violation under this Code will constitute a violation of the Code.

 

The CCO shall promptly report to senior management all apparent material violations of the Code. When the CCO finds that a violation otherwise reportable to senior management could not be reasonably found to have resulted in a fraud, deceit, or a manipulative practice in violation of Section 206 of the Advisers Act, he or she may, in his or her discretion, submit a written memorandum of such finding and the reasons therefore to a reporting file created for this purpose in lieu of reporting the matter to senior management.

 

Senior management shall consider reports made to it hereunder and shall determine whether or not the Code has been violated and what sanctions, if any, should be imposed. Possible sanctions may include reprimands, monetary fine or assessment, or suspension or termination of the employee’s employment with the firm.

 

Protecting the Confidentiality of Client Information

 

Confidential Client Information

 

In the course of investment advisory activities of the Adviser, the firm gains access to non-public information about its clients. Such information may include a person’s status as a client, personal financial and account information, the allocation of assets in a client portfolio, the composition of investments in any client portfolio, information relating to services performed for or transactions entered into on behalf of clients, advice provided by the Adviser to clients, and data or analyses derived from such non-public personal information (collectively referred to as “Confidential Client Information”). All Confidential Client Information, whether relating to the Adviser’s current or former clients, is subject to the Code’s policies and procedures. Any doubts about the confidentiality of information must be resolved in favor of confidentiality.

 

Non-Disclosure of Confidential Client Information

 

All information regarding the Adviser’s clients is confidential. Information may only be disclosed when the disclosure is consistent with the firm’s policy and the client’s direction. The Adviser does not share Confidential Client Information with any third parties, except in the following circumstances:

 

· As necessary to provide service that the client requested or authorized, or to maintain and service the client’s account. The Adviser will require that any financial intermediary, agent or other service provider utilized by the Adviser (such as broker-dealers or sub-advisers) comply with substantially similar standards for non-disclosure and protection of Confidential Client Information and use the information provided by the Adviser only for the performance of the specific service requested by the Adviser;

 

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· As required by regulatory authorities or law enforcement officials who have jurisdiction over the Adviser, or as otherwise required by any applicable law. In the event the Adviser is compelled to disclose Confidential Client Information, the firm shall provide prompt notice to the clients affected, so that the clients may seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy. If no protective order or other appropriate remedy is obtained, the Adviser shall disclose only such information, and only in such detail, as is legally required;
· To the extent reasonably necessary to prevent fraud, unauthorized transactions or liability.

 

Employee Responsibilities

 

All supervised persons are prohibited, either during or after the termination of their employment with the Adviser, from disclosing Confidential Client Information to any person or entity outside the firm, including family members, except under the circumstances described above. A supervised person is permitted to disclose Confidential Client Information only to such other supervised persons who need to have access to such information to deliver the Adviser’s services to the client.

 

Supervised persons are also prohibited from making unauthorized copies of any documents or files containing Confidential Client Information and, upon termination of their employment with the Adviser, must return all such documents to the Adviser.

 

Any supervised person who violates the non-disclosure policy described above will be subject to disciplinary action, including possible termination, whether or not he or she benefited from the disclosed information.

 

Security of Confidential Personal Information

 

The Adviser enforces the following policies and procedures to protect the security of Confidential Client Information:

 

· The firm restricts access to Confidential Client Information to those supervised persons who need to know such information to provide the Adviser’s services to clients;
· Any supervised person who is authorized to have access to Confidential Client Information in connection with the performance of such person’s duties and responsibilities is required to keep such information in a secure compartment, file or receptacle on a daily basis as of the close of each business day;
· All electronic or computer files containing any Confidential Client Information shall be password secured and firewall protected from access by unauthorized persons;
· Any conversations involving Confidential Client Information, if appropriate at all, must be conducted by supervised persons in private, and care must be taken to avoid any unauthorized persons overhearing or intercepting such conversations.

 

Enforcement and Review of Confidentiality Policy

 

The CCO (or his or her designee) is responsible for reviewing, maintaining and enforcing the Adviser’s confidentiality policy and is also responsible for conducting appropriate employee training to ensure adherence to these policy. Any exceptions to this policy require the written approval of the CCO.

 

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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO PREVENT INSIDER TRADING

 

Principals, managers, officers, and employees of the Adviser who have access to confidential information are not permitted to use or share that information for stock trading purposes or for any other purpose except the conduct of the Adviser’s business. All non-public information should be considered confidential information. Under most circumstances, it is illegal to trade in securities while in possession of material, non-public information, as well as to communicate or “tip” such information to others. (Note that in one matter the SEC imposed a penalty of $470,000 on a "tipper" even though he did not profit personally from his tippee's trading.)

 

What constitutes “material non-public information” is a complex legal question, but is generally considered to be information not available to the general public which, if disclosed, is likely to affect the market price of the company’s securities or to be considered important by an average investor in deciding whether to purchase or sell those securities. Such information may include, but is not limited to, information relating to dividend increases or decreases, major litigation by or against the company, liquidity or solvency problems, significant business developments, changes to capital structure, major management changes, contemplated acquisitions or divestitures, information concerning earnings or other financial information, or similar major events that would be viewed as having materially altered the “total mix” of information available regarding the company or the market for any of its securities. Such information continues to be “inside” information until a reasonable time after it is disclosed to the general public.

 

The penalties for trading or "tipping" inside information can be severe. Among other things, a person who trades on material nonpublic information, or who provides such information to others, is potentially subject to a civil penalty of up to three times the profits earned or losses avoided, a criminal fine of up to $5,000,000, no matter how small the profit obtained, and a jail term of up to 20 years. Securities laws also subject controlling persons to civil penalties for illegal insider trading by employees, including employees located outside the United States. Controlling persons include employers, and the term is being interpreted by the SEC to include directors, officers and supervisors. These persons may be subject to a civil penalty up to the greater of $1,000,000 or three times the profit of (or loss avoided by) the insider trader and a criminal fine of up to $25 million. Failure to adhere to the policies which follow may result in dismissal for cause whether or not any civil or criminal penalties arise from the "inside" securities trading.

 

The unauthorized use or disclosure of any material nonpublic information about any company that is acquired in connection with work for the Adviser is prohibited. Also, such conduct may be grounds for termination.

 

In order to ensure that these policies are adhered to, the following procedures are to be followed with respect to securities transactions by principals, managers, officers, and employees of the Adviser (collectively, "Covered Employees"), as well as by members of the households or dependents of, and any trust or other entity controlled by, any Covered Employees (collectively, "Family Members"): (1) For all Covered Employees (and their Family Members), all trading in the securities of any public company with respect to which the Adviser holds a greater than 5% position, has a nominee on its board of directors, or has a non-disclosure agreement, must be pre-cleared by the CCO; and (2) All Covered Employees are forbidden from communicating any material non-public information to anyone outside the firm except for advisers (e.g., counsel, investment bankers, accountants, and the like).

 

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POLICY ON GIFTS & BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT

 

I. Gifts .

 

Employees of Adviser are prohibited from using his or her position at the Adviser to obtain an item of value from any person or company that does business with the Adviser. Employees are prohibited from accepting any gift greater than $100 in value from any person or company that does business with the Adviser. Unsolicited business entertainment, including meals or tickets to cultural and sporting events are permitted if: a) they are not so frequent or of such high value as to raise a question of impropriety and b) the person providing the entertainment is present at the event.

 

Employees shall not provide or accept extravagant or excessive entertainment to or from a client, prospective client, or any person or entity that does or seeks to do business with or on behalf of the Adviser. Employees may provide or accept a business entertainment event, such as dinner or a sporting event, of reasonable value, if the person or entity providing or accepting the entertainment is present. Pre-approval is not required for bona fide dining or entertainment if accompanied by the person providing or accepting the entertainment.

 

II. Reporting/Recordkeeping

 

· Gifts. Employees must report any gifts over $50 received in connection with their employment to the CCO. The CCO may require that any such gift be returned to the provider or that an expense be repaid by the employee.

 

· Business Entertainment. Each employee must report any event likely to be viewed as so frequent or of such high value as to raise a question or impropriety. Any such event must be approved by the CCO.

 

· Quarterly Transaction Reports – Each Covered Person must include any previously unreported or prospective gift or business entertainment event in excess of the $100 value on its Quarterly Transaction Statement filed under the Code of Ethics.

 

· Recordkeeping. The CCO (or his or her designee) will maintain records of any gifts and/or business entertainment events so reported.

 

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SCHEDULE TO CODE OF ETHICS

 

CERTIFICATION BY CCO

 

The undersigned has reviewed the transaction reports delivered to the undersigned prior to the date set forth below to determine whether the below-named employees have complied with the Code of Ethics of TrimTabs Asset Management LLC

 

Names of employees for whom transaction reports have been reviewed:

 

_________________ ________________________

 

_________________ ______________________________

 

_________________ ______________________________

 

_________________ ______________________________

 

_________________ ______________________________

 

Any instance of noncompliance of which I am aware has been reported to the Chief Compliance Officer of TrimTabs Asset Management LLC.

 

Signed: ______________________

 

Name: _______________________

 

Date: ________________________

 

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SCHEDULE TO CODE OF ETHICS

 

LIST OF ACCESS PERSONS REQUIRED TO REPORT UNDER CODE OF ETHICS

 

11
 

  

SCHEDULE TO CODE OF ETHICS

 

(Privileged and Confidential Information)

 

TRIMTABS ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

INITIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT FORM

 

I have read the Code of Ethics of TrimTabs Asset Management LLC and I understand the requirements thereof. I certify that I will comply with the Code. I understand that any violation of the Code may lead to sanctions or other significant remedial action.

 

I understand that there are prohibitions and restrictions on certain types of securities transactions imposed by the Code.

 

Print Name    
     
Signature    
     
Date    

 

12
 

  

SCHEDULE TO CODE OF ETHICS

 

(Privileged and Confidential Information)

 

TRIMTABS ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

ANNUAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT FORM

 

I have read the Code of Ethics of TrimTabs Asset Management LLC. I understand the requirements thereof, and except as otherwise disclosed to the Chief Compliance Officer, I certify that I have, to date, complied with, and will continue to comply with, such requirements. I understand that any violation of the Code may lead to sanctions or significant remedial action.

 

I understand that there are prohibitions and restrictions on certain types of securities transactions imposed by the Code.

 

Print Name    
     
Signature    
     
Date    

 

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SCHEDULE TO CODE OF ETHICS

 

TRIMTABS ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

QUARTERLY TRANSACTION REPORT OF ACCESS PERSONS

 

For The Calendar Quarter Ended __________

Instructions

1.         List transactions in Reportable Securities held in any account (that is, each account in which you may be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership) as of the date indicated above. You are deemed to have Beneficial Ownership of accounts of your immediate family members. You may exclude any of such accounts from this report, however, if you have no direct or indirect influence or control over those accounts.

2.        Write “none” if you had no transactions in Reportable Securities during the quarter.

 

3.         You must submit this form within 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter.

 

4.          If you submit copies of your monthly brokerage statements to the Compliance Officer, and those monthly brokerage statements disclose the required information with respect to all Reportable Securities in which you may be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership, you need not file this form unless you established a new account during the quarter.

 

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Name of Security 1 Date of
Transaction
Purchase/
Sale
No. of
Shares or
Principal
Amount
Price Broker, Dealer or Other Party
Through Whom Transaction
Was Made
           
           
           
           
           

  

During the previous quarter, I established the following accounts with a broker, dealer or bank:

 

Broker, Dealer or Bank Account Number Date Established
     
     

Certifications: I hereby certify that:

1.          The information provided above is correct.

2.          This report excludes transactions with respect to which I had no direct or indirect influence or control.

 

Date:     Signature:  
         
      Name:

 

 

1 Including interest rate and maturity, if applicable.

  

 
 

   

SCHEDULE TO CODE OF ETHICS

 

TRIMTABS ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

HOLDINGS REPORT

 

AS OF _________________[DATE] ¨ Initial
  ¨ Annual

 

Instructions

1.        List each Reportable Security in each account in which you may be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership that you held at the end of the date indicated above. You are deemed to have Beneficial Ownership of accounts of your immediate family members. You may exclude any of such accounts from this report, however, if you have no direct or indirect influence or control over those accounts.

2.        Deadline for Submission:

Initial: You must submit this form within 10 days of becoming an Access Person.

Annual: You must submit this form no later than 30 days from December 31 of each year. Write “none” if you did not hold any Reportable Securities at year-end.

3.         You must complete and sign this form whether or not you or your broker sends statements directly to TrimTabs Asset Management LLC.

Name of Security 2 Name of Broker,
Dealer or Bank
No. of Shares or
Principal Amount
Registration on
Account
Nature of Interes Account Number
           
           
           
           
           
           

Certifications: I hereby certify that:

1.        The securities listed above, or listed in the brokerage statements that I have provided, reflect all the Reportable Securities in which I may be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership as of the date listed above.

2.        I have read the Code of Ethics and the Insider Trading Procedures and certify that I am in compliance with them.

3.        This report excludes holdings with respect to which I had no direct or indirect influence or control.

 

Date: __________________   Signature: ____________________
     
    Name: _______________________

 

 

2 Including interest rate and maturity, if applicable.

 

 
 

  

SCHEDULE TO CODE OF ETHICS

 

TRIMTABS ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

Pre-Clearance of Personal Securities Transactions

 

PART 1: To be completed by the Access Person seeking pre-clearance:

 

1. Supervised Person Name:
2. Date of Request:                                               Date Request Granted: ٭
3. Name of Issuer/Security:
4. Quantity (specify Par/Shares/Contracts):
5. Is this a purchase or sell transaction?
6. Is this security a new issue (IPO)?
7. Is this an unregistered or private placement security?

 

Certification:

 

 I have read the TrimTabs Asset Management LLC Code of Ethics and Insider Trading Policy within the past year, and I believe that this transaction complies with the Code of Ethics and Insider Trading Policy

 

Supervised Person’s Signature:

 

Approved By:    
     
Reviewed By:    

 

(Chief Compliance Officer)

 

Comments:

 

Notes

The following transactions are exempted from the pre-clearance and/or reporting process, even it the security involved requires pre-clearance and/or reporting:

- Automatic reinvestment plans for securities (the initial investment is not exempted from this process)

- Investments in open-end investment companies other than Reportable Funds.

- Purchases and sales that are non-volitional

Private securities transactions involving securities that require pre clearance and/or reporting are not exempted from this process.

 

* Trades must be executed within 24 hours of approval being granted .

 

 
 

   

SCHEDULE TO CODE OF ETHICS

 

INSTRUCTIONS: DUPLICATE COPIES OF CONFIRMATIONS AND STATEMENTS FORM

 

Complete this form for each

brokerage firm, investment adviser, bank or other financial institution

at which you or a family member (as defined in the code)

maintain an account,

have an interest in an account,

or exercise investment control over an account.

 

Please type or print the information requested.

 

1. Broker/Institution's Name and Mailing Address : List the name and mailing address of each brokerage firm, investment adviser, bank, or other financial institution maintaining the account.

 

2. Your name.

 

3. Account Title and Number : List the complete account title and number for your own securities accounts as well as those accounts in which you have a beneficial interest or over which you exercise investment control.

 

4. Employee's Signature . Sign the form and mail it to the broker or other financial institution.

 

5. Print your name and address.

 

Mail this completed form to the broker or other financial institution.

 

 
 

  

Duplicate Copies of Confirmations and Statements

 

1. To:

 

2. From:    

 

Dear Sir or Madam:

 

I am an employee of TrimTabs Asset Management LLC a registered investment adviser. Please arrange for duplicate copies of statements and confirmations concerning my accounts to be sent directly to:

 

Chief Compliance Officer,

 

TrimTabs Asset Management LLC

[ Insert Address]

 

I maintain, have an interest in, or exercise investment control over, the following accounts at your institution:

 

3.

Account Title Account Number

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dated:    

 

  4. Signature:  
       
  5. Name & Address:     
       
       

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.p.iii

 

 

 

 

Code of Ethics

 

Copyright © 2014 Foreside Financial Group, LLC.

All material contained herein is confidential and

proprietary. Do not reproduce or distribute to any

third party without written consent from Foreside.

 

 
 

 

 

 

Code of Ethics

 

INTRODUCTION 1
   
1. STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT 2
     
  (a) Fiduciary Duties 2
  (b) Compliance with Laws 2
  (c) Corporate Culture 2
  (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 4
     
3. PROHIBITED TRANSACTIONS 4
     
  (a) Blackout Period 4
  (b) Requirement for Pre-clearance 4
  (c) Fund Officer Prohibition 5
       
4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF ACCESS PERSONS 5
     
  (a) Reporting 5
  (b) Exceptions from Reporting Requirement of Section 4 5
  (c) Initial Holdings Reports 5
  (d) Quarterly Transaction Reports 6
  (e) New Account Opening; Quarterly New Account Report 6
  (f) Annual Holdings Reports 6
  (g) Alternative Reporting 7
  (h) Report Qualification 7
  (i) Providing Access to Account Information 7
  (j) Confidentiality of Reports 7
       
5. ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE 7
     
6. REPORTING VIOLATIONS 8
     
7. TRAINING 8
     
8. REVIEW OFFICER 8
     
  (a) Duties of Review Officer 8

 

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  (b) Potential Trade Conflict 9
  (c) Required Records 9
  (d) Post-Trade Review Process 10
  (e) Submission to Fund Board 10
  (f) Report to the Chief Executive Officer 11
       
Appendix A - Foreside Companies 12
   
Appendix B - Definitions 13
   
Attachment A - Acknowledgement 15

 

ii
 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

This Code of Ethics (the “Code”) has been adopted by Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) and each of its 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”), (each a “Fund” and as set forth in the List of Access Persons & Funds maintained by the Review Officer 1 ). 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 & 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 can include, among other things, warnings, suspension or termination. In addition to sanctions, violations may result in referral to civil or criminal authorities where appropriate.

 

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 Each Company is adopting this Code pursuant to Rule 17j-1 with respect to certain funds that it distributes. 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 & Funds maintained by the Review Officer.

 

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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 shall:

 

Ø act solely for the benefit of the Funds; and
Ø 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 purchase or sale of a security held or to be acquired by a Fund:

 

(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.

 

(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.

 

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(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 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.

 

Access Persons shall support an environment that fosters the ethical resolution of, and appropriate disclosure of, conflicts of interest.

 

This Code prohibits inappropriate favoritism of one Fund over another that would constitute a breach of fiduciary duty. Access Persons shall comply with any prohibitions on activities imposed by a Company if a conflict of interest exists.

 

(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.

 

(g)          Confidentiality and Protection of Material Nonpublic Information. Information concerning the identity of portfolio holdings and financial circumstances of a Fund is confidential. Access Persons are responsible for safeguarding nonpublic information about a Fund, 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.

 

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:

 

Ø trade based upon confidential, proprietary information where Fund trades are likely to be pending or imminent; or
Ø use knowledge of portfolio transactions of a Fund for personal benefit or the personal benefit of others.

 

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(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 & 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.

 

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 & 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; and
(ii) directly or indirectly acquiring beneficial ownership in securities in a private placement.

 

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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.

 

(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; or
(iii) 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:

 

(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 they 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 they became an Access Person; and
(iii) the date that the report is submitted by the Access Person.

 

The information must be current as of a date no more than forty-five (45) days prior to the date the person becomes an Access Person.

 

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(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 report must cover, at a minimum, all transactions during the quarter in a Reportable Security (whether or not publicly traded) in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, and provide the following information:

 

(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;
  (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.

 

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(g)          Alternative Reporting . The submission to the Review Officer of duplicate broker trade confirmations and 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, expect 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 where applicable.

 

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:

 

Ø read, understood and complied with all the requirements of the Code;
Ø disclosed or reported all personal securities transactions pursuant to the requirements of the Code; and
Ø 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.

 

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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 General Counsel or the 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:

 

Ø Noncompliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations;
Ø Fraud or illegal acts involving any aspect of the Company’s business;
Ø Material misstatements in regulatory filings, internal books and records, Fund records or reports;
Ø Activity that is harmful to a Fund, including Fund shareholders; and
Ø 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 report apparent or suspected violations in addition to actual or known violations of this Code.

 

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;

 

8
 

 

(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 or initial public offering;
(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 senior management as described in Section 8(e) and (f), respectively.

 

The Chief Executive Officer of Foreside shall review the Review Officer’s personal transactions. The Chief Executive Officer shall assume the responsibilities of the Review Officer in his or her absence. The Review Officer may delegate responsibilities 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 of from the Access Person with regard to the transaction. If, after post-trade review, it is determined that there has been a violation of the Code, a report will be made by the Review Officer with a recommendation of appropriate action to be taken to the Chief Executive Officer of Foreside, the President of each Company, where applicable, and a Fund’s Board of Trustees (or Directors), where applicable.

 

(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 a Access Person under the Code);

 

9
 

 

(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) 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.
(iii) market timing of Reportable Funds : transactions by Access Persons that appear to be market timing of Reportable Funds.
(iv) 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 & 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 approved by the Board of Trustees (or Directors) for those funds listed in the List of Access Persons & Funds maintained by the Review Officer.

 

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(f) Report to the Chief Executive Officer . The Review Officer shall report to the Chief Executive Officer of Foreside regarding his or her annual review of the Code and shall bring material violations to the attention of senior management.

 

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)

 

11
 

 

FORESIDE FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC

CODE OF ETHICS

 

APPENDIX A

FORESIDE COMPANIES

 

The following direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of Foreside Financial Group, LLC are subject to the Code of Ethics:

 

Arden Securities LLC*

Fairholme Distributors, LLC*

Foreside Alternative Investment Services, LLC

Foreside Compliance Services, LLC

Foreside Distribution Services, L.P.*

Foreside Distributors, LLC

Foreside Fund Services, LLC*

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC*

Foreside Investment Services, LLC*

Foreside Management Services, LLC

Foreside Securities, LLC

Foreside Services, Inc.

Fund Source US, LLC (f/k/a RJB Distributors, LLC, f/k/a HighMark Funds Distributors, LLC) *

Funds Distributor, LLC*

IMST Distributors, LLC*

IVA Funds Distributors, LLC*

MGI Funds Distributors, LLC*

Northern Funds Distributors, LLC*

Orbis Investments (U.S.), LLC (f/k/a Foreside Plaza Distributors, LLC)

PNC Funds Distributor, LLC*

RidgeWorth Distributors LLC*

Sterling Capital Distributors, LLC*

 

* FINRA-registered broker-dealer

 

The companies listed on this Appendix A may be amended from time to time, as required.

 

12
 

 

FORESIDE FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC

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 & 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 a Reportable Fund ); and
(vii) shares of unit investment trusts that are invested exclusively in one or more open-end funds, none of which are Reportable Funds.

 

Included in the definition of Reportable Security are:

 

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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FORESIDE FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC

CODE OF ETHICS

 

ATTACHMENT A

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

 

I understand that I am an Access Person subject to the Code of Ethics (the “Code”) adopted by each Company. 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 in that I have disclosed or reported all personal securities 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 Corporate Compliance Department:

 

Foreside Financial Group, LLC

ATTN: Review Officer (or his or her designee)

Three Canal Plaza, Third Floor

Portland, ME 04101

 

Received By:      

 

Date:      

 

15

 

Exhibit 99.other

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

I, Stephen J. Posner , the undersigned Trustee of TrimTabs ETF Trust (the “Trust”) hereby revoke all previous powers of attorney I have signed, if any, and otherwise act in my name and behalf in matters involving the Trust and do hereby constitute and appoint Charles Biderman , and Stacy L. Fuller and each of them singularly, my true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, with full power of substitution, and with full power to each of them, to sign for me and in my name in the appropriate capacities, all Registration Statements of the Trust on Form N-1A, Form N-8A or any successor thereto, any and all subsequent Amendments, or Post-Effective Amendments to said Registration Statements on Form N-1A or any successor thereto, and Registration Statements on Form N-14, and any supplements or other instruments in connection therewith, and generally to do all such things in my name and behalf in connection therewith as said attorneys-in-fact deem necessary or appropriate, to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940 as amended, and all related requirements of the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. I hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys-in-fact or their substitutes may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

EXECUTED at Roslyn, New York , this 12th day of December 2014.

 

  /s/ Stephen J. Posner
  Trustee

 

 
 

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

I, Theodore M. Theodore , the undersigned Trustee of TrimTabs ETF Trust (the “Trust”) hereby revoke all previous powers of attorney I have signed, if any, and otherwise act in my name and behalf in matters involving the Trust and do hereby constitute and appoint Charles Biderman , and Stacy L. Fuller and each of them singularly, my true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, with full power of substitution, and with full power to each of them, to sign for me and in my name in the appropriate capacities, all Registration Statements of the Trust on Form N-1A, Form N-8A or any successor thereto, any and all subsequent Amendments, or Post-Effective Amendments to said Registration Statements on Form N-1A or any successor thereto, and Registration Statements on Form N-14, and any supplements or other instruments in connection therewith, and generally to do all such things in my name and behalf in connection therewith as said attorneys-in-fact deem necessary or appropriate, to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940 as amended, and all related requirements of the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. I hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys-in-fact or their substitutes may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

EXECUTED at New York City, New York , this 12th day of December 2014.

 

  /s/ Theodore M. Theodore
  Trustee